• Girona are also in action on Sunday, at home to struggling Sevilla, who are just a point above the relegation zone after consecutive home defeats in La Liga.
• Atletico have slipped to fifth in La Liga, while second-from-bottom Granada have spent heavily in the hope of escaping relegation.
Image: HANDOUT
Matchday 21 of the Spanish La Liga this weekend sees both Real and Atletico Madrid feature in relatively straightforward games, while FC Barcelona have a much tougher task as they look to stay in the title hunt.
Real Madrid are at home to bottom-of-the-table Almeria on Sunday, and although Almeria have improved under coach Gaizka Garitano, and took a deserved point off leaders Girona last weekend, they don’t have enough to trouble Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu.
Girona are also in action on Sunday, at home to struggling Sevilla, who are just a point above the relegation zone after consecutive home defeats in La Liga.
Girona are affected by injuries to David Lopez (who is also suspended) and Eric Garcia, while key midfielder, Aleix Garcia is also suspended after his red card in Almeria.
Sevilla got a morale-boost with a Copa del Rey win in Getafe on Tuesday night and coach Quique Sanchez Flores needs his players to build on that result. A defeat could drop them into the bottom three.
Athletic Club Bilbao’s season continued with a 2-1 win in the Basque derby at home to Real Sociedad last weekend and a 2-0 cup win at home to Alaves on Tuesday means Ernesto Valverde’s side take a 14-match unbeaten run to Valencia on Saturday.
A 97th-minute goal from Alex Berenguer saved a point for Athletic in their home game against Valencia earlier this season, but Athletic has improved in defence since then, while Valencia need to react after a midweek cup exit at home to Celta on Wednesday night.
Barcelona returned from the Spanish Supercup in crisis after a 4-1 thrashing by Real Madrid and following Thursday’s cup tie away to Unionistas, they travel to Betis.
Betis have lost Eze Abde, Chadi Riad and Youssouf Sabaly to the Africa Cup of Nations and has Aitor Ruibal out injured, but will still be another serious test for Barcelona.
The weekend kicks off with a huge relegation game as Alaves entertain third-from-bottom Cadiz. The visitors have not won in 15 La Liga matches and whatever happens, it looks as if coach Sergio Gonzalez will be sacked afterwards.
Alaves coach Luis Garcia said before their cup exit in Bilbao that the opportunity to go eight points clear of the relegation zone was his side’s priority and he reserved key players accordingly on Tuesday.
Villarreal and Mallorca play another game between two struggling sides. As Villarreal continues with their struggles, questions hover over coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, their third this season.
Celta Vigo looks to be improving and will be optimistic of taking something from Real Sociedad, who desperately need to close the gap on the top-four, and who has Umar Sadiq available after he left the African Cup with a suspected knee injury, which turned out to be virtually nothing.
Osasuna and Getafe will lick their respective wounds following cup defeats in El Sadar on Sunday, while Atletico Madrid are at home to second-from-bottom Granada on Monday.
Atletico have slipped to fifth in La Liga, while second-from-bottom Granada have spent heavily in the hope of escaping relegation.