The first ‘Clasico’ of the season between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will be played in Montjuic on Saturday afternoon, with the leadership of La Liga at stake.
Barca’s temporary home will be at capacity for the first time this season as Xavi Hernandez deals with a long list of injured players against a Real Madrid side that has been led by Jude Bellingham this season.
This will be the first Barca-Madrid clash for the England international, and Madrid fans will be hoping coach Carlo Ancelotti was telling the truth when he said the groin problem Bellingham suffered in the second half of Madrid’s 2-1 win away to Sporting Braga in midweek was down to tiredness.
With the Spanish Football Federation reducing Nacho’s sanction for the red card he saw in Girona from three to two games, Ancelotti has virtually a full squad to choose from, with just long-term absentees Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao unavailable.
Xavi has a different situation, with Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, Jules Kounde, Sergi Roberto, Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong all unavailable for Wednesday’s game at home to Shakhtar Donetsk, in which Joao Felix also limped off.
The coach said afterwards that Felix had only suffered a knock and would be fit for Saturday, and there is a chance Lewandowski and Raphinha could also recover, but Barca must be wondering why they have been given so little time to prepare for such a vital game.
Gaizka Garitano makes his home debut as coach of bottom side Almeria, who need to improve their leaky defence at home to Las Palmas.
Mallorca and Getafe go head-to-head in what promises to be tight affair between two sides that defend well, before Saturday ends with Cadiz looking for their first win since the start of September when they play an Andalusia derby at home to Sevilla.
Diego Alonso has led Sevilla to a draw at home to Real Madrid and a narrow defeat to Arsenal, but with Sergio Ramos looking solid, they will expect three points against a Cadiz side missing the suspended Robert Navarro.
Real Betis entertain Osasuna on Sunday lunchtime, although the home side could be tired from Thursday’s Europa League game in Cyprus. Real Sociedad visit Rayo Vallecano, fifth in the table and with players such as Takefusa Kubo and Brais Mendez in excellent form after Tuesday’s impressive win away to Benfica.
Athletic Bilbao has Yeray Alvarez, Yuri and Ander Herrera out for the visit of Valencia, whose young players such as Pepelu, Javi Guerra, Fran Perez and Diego Lopez are giving life to a team starved of investment by owner Peter Lim.
Third-placed Atletico Madrid is at home to Alaves, whose striker Samu is on loan from Atletico, while the round of matches ends on Monday as second-from-bottom Granada is at home to Villarreal, who are still struggling for performances and results this season.
