The Great Weekend Predictions - Round 10

Saturday

Real Madrid (3rd) vs Malaga (8th)


As the Spanish top flight moves into round 10, itâÂÂs high time for a wee catch-up with the latest âÂÂclub in crisisâ count.

According to the sporting press itâÂÂs the sorry-looking sextet of Osasuna, Athletic, Numancia, Sevilla, Valencia and, of course, Real Madrid, who find themselves sailing straight for the rocks of footballing doom.

But, as ever, it is the latest crisis up in Castle Greyskull thatâÂÂs the most entertaining to watch unfolding. Since their undressing by Juventus on Wednesday night, everyone from Mundo Deportivo to Marca have been swift to point the big finger of a blame at a side which could be top of the league at the end of the weekend.

The Madridista lapdogs at AS are following orders by jâÂÂaccuse-ing Schuster as the source of all problems by mocking his apparent comment that âÂÂeveryoneâÂÂs to blame,â during ThursdayâÂÂs training.

The sometimes rebellious Marca are being kind to Bernando by arguing in their editorial that âÂÂtime has proved Schuster right. The squad is small.âÂÂ

Sport side with the German coach, with Joan Battle arguing that poor old Bernando is mere âÂÂcannon fodderâÂÂ. But, with Sport being Sport, José Luis Carazo had to make the point that âÂÂthe comparison to Barcelona is like day vs night. GuardiolaâÂÂs 11 know how to play true football, but Schuster doesnâÂÂt.âÂÂ

On a final note, the Bernabeu crowd proved, once again, that they are one of the most pig-ignorant in Spain by booing Royston Drenthe during the Juventus match - a great way to encourage the hardest-working, if not most effective, player in their line-up.

LLL Prediction - Home win

Barcelona (1st) vs Valladolid (14th)

Most people in their day-to-day working lives are expected to avoid making racist, ethnic or xenophobic slurs to their colleagues as they happily go about their day.

Not, it would appear, at Barcelona, where Joan Laporta has announced somewhat pompously that future player contracts would have clauses built in punishing players for fascist or xenophobic behaviour.

The Barcelona president made the announcement on Spanish radio saying the additional clause was to âÂÂtake care of the values of sport.â And not, of course, as a cheap stunt after travelling to Brussels for a conference on racism in the game.

La Liga Loca is pondering whether spitting was ever considered in this new move?

LLL Prediction - Home win

Sunday

Villarreal (2nd) vs Almería (11th)


ItâÂÂs an especially happy day in El Madrigal for Villarreal on Sunday. ThatâÂÂs because the Yellow Submarine superstars donâÂÂt have to travel, having suffered a fraught journey to Denmark during the week when their plane had to return to Valencia due to âÂÂnavigational issues.âÂÂ

But they werenâÂÂt alone in their fear of flying, as Real MadridâÂÂs Javier Saviola and Gabriel Heinze asked to sit in the cockpit during the landing of the clubâÂÂs turbulence ridden return from Almería last Sunday.

But this is nothing compared to the Planes, Trains and Automobile problems suffered by Atlético Madrid over the years - a side who will surely end up stranded one day on a Andean mountainside, eating each other.

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