Saturday
Rayo Vallecano (9th) vs Málaga (6th) - 16.00 (all KOs local time)
As Málaga gear up for one major battle in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund, another is on the horizon in the courts. The club will continue their attempts to reverse UEFAâÂÂs ruling that they should be banned from European competition for next season through the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The first oral arguments are set to be heard on 14th May, with Málaga Director General Vicente Casado saying: âÂÂwe are optimistic. There are no debts to players or teams.âÂÂ
Meanwhile, Rayo are still trying to pin down the future of manager Paco Jémez, and apparently have a verbal agreement on a deal. But like a number of clubs in la Primera this season, there may be distance between the kind of contract the manager would like and the sort that Rayo can afford. Not a big one, probably.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Celta Vigo (19th) vs Barcelona (1st) - 18.00
While the Celta Vigo bosses may have been hoped otherwise, the two week international break gave fans the opportunity to mull over their defeat to Deportivo. The disastrous 3-1 loss saw a sending off for headbutt-happy Iago Aspas, a smart move that sees Celta facing four matches without their suspended top scorer. Aspas will have suffered a fortnight of teammates telling him heâÂÂs a bit of an idiot, and to be fair, the striker doesnâÂÂt really have much of a defence to mount.
âÂÂI donâÂÂt really know what happened,â admitted the Celta man on the clash of heads with Carlos Marchena, âÂÂsome moments have been wiped out. IâÂÂm sorry for my teammates, for the fans, as it was a big game and we lost.âÂÂ
LLL Prediction - Away win
Zaragoza (17th) vs Real Madrid (2nd) - 20.00
The hosts havenâÂÂt won a game in 2013, have the worse home record in la Liga (three victories from 13), haven't scored in three matches, have failed to score in over half their league games and haven't had a goal scored from open play by a player not called Helder Postiga since January 4th. That player was Francisco Montañés, and itâÂÂs no wonder he sounds rather desperate ahead of the visit of Madrid, a side to whom theyâÂÂve conceded 10 goals in their last two meetings. âÂÂEverything is possible when you have faith, and we have it,â claimed the midfielder.
LLL Prediction - Away win
Levante (11th) vs Sevilla (10th)- 22.00
Levante's elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Rubin Kazan will see their season go one of two ways. They'll either fall into a bit of a slump and edge towards the relegation fight as one of those dark horses who end up going down, or pull their socks up into the appropriate positions and pick up the two wins or so needed to get to the 42 point mark, and maybe even make a late tilt for the European places. Levante boss, Juan Ignacio Jiménez, is leaning towards the latter. âÂÂIâÂÂm not looking for excuses but the Europa League took a lot out of us in every way. We paid for it in la Liga,â said JIM of LevanteâÂÂs recent run of seven matches without a victory.
However, should Levante get back into Europe for another mazy adventue, JIM may not be there sitting on the bench with the managing admitting that âÂÂI hope tomorrow a team with a big budget comes to my door.â Looking at la LigaâÂÂs finances, that visitor probably wonâÂÂt be speaking Spanish.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Sunday
Valladolid (12th) vs Osasuna (15th) - 12.00
While it's currently all the rage to say that certain games are for âÂÂfootball hipstersâÂÂ, this particular meeting is for those who have literally nothing better to do with their time. Valladolid are having a fine season, hidden away in mid-table, avoiding any fuss and nonsense, while Osasuna are on a bit of a bad run of three defeats, but this games screams of an aimless-hoof laden goalless draw that will just about keep everyone happy. However, Osasuna midfielder Sisi thinks three points are a dead cert for his side, and also joked that his team were probably better off without him, having just recovered from injury. âÂÂThey didnâÂÂt miss me,â joked Sisi, noting that when he was playing, âÂÂwe were last.âÂÂ
LLL Prediction - Goalless Draw
Mallorca (18th) vs Deportivo (20th) - 17.00
La Liga Loca doesnâÂÂt want to sound mean (when sounding mean) but two weeks with Mallorca coach and sports psychology specialist, Gregorio Manzano, is probably going to feel like a veeeeeeeeery long time. Especially for footballers, who can usually only by coaxed into sitting still for longer than three minutes by being shown pictures of cars, ladies or ladies in cars. Or something really shiny.
Manzano has used the international break to explain how he transformed his players from really bad, to not so bad in such a short space of time.The process began on day one of his third spell at the club at the beginning of February, when he showed the team a DVD of all the great moments in the clubâÂÂs history. Not even LLL is mean enough to suggest there wasn't enough time to boil the kettle before the end credits were rolling. The aim was then to turn the players' fears into strengths because, as the Mallorca boss explains: âÂÂif anxiety is well-controlled, itâÂÂs positive. When the target is close and not too far away, anxiety can be positive as itâÂÂs something achievable.âÂÂ
Mallorca are on 24 points and need a whopper of a win against bottom-of-the-table Deportivo on Sunday.
LLL Prediction - Draw
Espanyol (13th) vs Real Sociedad (4th) - 19.00
One of the joys of having Javier Aguirre back in the league is the tremendous dirtiness his sides bring to the sport. The team currently lead the way in terms of fouls committed and yellow cards, with Argentinean defender Juan ForlÃÂn admitting âÂÂwe play hard and we are a team that competes. No ball is lost, but we donâÂÂt go out in bad faithâÂÂ.
Despite now Espanyol looking safe after some very worrying moments before Aguirre took over at the end of November, Marca reports that no decision will be made on the Mexican's contract until the moment the Pericos are safe.
LLL Prediction - Draw
Atlético Madrid (3rd) vs Valencia (5th) - 21.00
So, Patrick Ebert, if you're so happy playing for Valladolid, as claimed earlier this week, then why did you have lunch on Wednesday with Atlético Madrid Sporting Director, José Luis Pérez Caminero, in a restaurant near Segovia! Well? Explain yourself!
To be fair, LLL doesnâÂÂt really care, but Marca (who uncovered this meeting) do, and so do Rojiblanco fans, who will probably appreciate having the German on the right flank as a challenge to the current omnipotence of Juanfran.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Monday
Athletic Bilbao (14th) vs Granada (16th) - 20.00
LLL was struggling to get excited about this particular encounter, which has a huge whiff of a 2-0 Athletic win about it, but the blog had no idea it was overlooking an event of galaxy-sized implications. âÂÂItâÂÂs the match of the year and we are playing for our lives,â yelled AthleticâÂÂs Andre Herrera, with his side an apparently perilous eight points from the relegation zone. âÂÂWe canâÂÂt live in the past and the marvelous year we had. This is a transcendental, fundamental match,â claimed the midfielder.
Granada are also getting in on the act of hyping up MondayâÂÂs game with Nolita coming to the very predictable conclusion that âÂÂfrom now on, every match is a final.âÂÂ
LLL Prediction - Home win (2-0)
Betis (7th) vs Getafe (8th) - 22.00
You have a whole holiday weekend to schedule games, so whatâÂÂs the logical move? Put the Betis home game on at 22.00 on a Monday night just to deny anyone unfortunate enough to have to get up early the next morning more than four hours sleep. Ludicrous.
Anyway, Getafe go into the game on 42 points and having to decide whether they fancy a bit of a push for the European places or not. LLL has a feeling the team may not have a choice in the matter, as their very excellent keeper, Miguel ÃÂngel Moyá, is out for a month after a muscle tear picked up in training. Jordi Codina is set to be between the sticks, instead. âÂÂThis is not a test for me, I donâÂÂt have to prove anything,â retorted the former Real Madrid man.
LLL Prediction - Home win
