Spanish League Preview Week 36

A win at San Mamés on Wednesday would give Real Madrid the title for the first time in four years Madrid will be without the suspended Di Maria and although Bilbao do seem to be focussed on their Cup efforts, the Basque crowd are bound to demand a big effort from their team. With Málaga at the Camp Nou, Valencia have to take the points when Osasuna visit on Wednesday and they can welcome back their talismanic captain David Albelda, though Mathieu is a doubt. Osasuna themselves know that a win would keep them very much in the fight for a Europa League spot.

Levante eye Champions League spot

Levante could leapfrog Málaga into fourth if they can win at Zaragoza- who themselves need the points as they try to haul themselves out of the bottom three. Time is running out for Manolo Jiménez’s team, but they have won their last two games at home and Levante lost their last two on the road and they know that Wednesday’s game is a must win if they are to catch Villarreal.

Zaragoza and Sporting on Villarreal’s tails

By the time Zaragoza kick off, Sporting’s fate may be virtually decided or the relegation battle blown wide open: a win for Clemente’s team over Villarreal on Tuesday evening would take them to within a point of the visitors. Granada are just a point ahead of Villarreal and entertain Espanyol ahead of Saturday’s visit of Real Madrid and what could conceivably be a six pointer on the final day against Rayo. Following their big defeat against Barça, Rayo are just a point ahead of Granada and they need a result away to Mallorca, before travelling to Seville at the weekend.

Seville derby

Atlético Madrid are still aiming for a Champions League spot, but to achieve that they need others to slip up and for themselves to win all three remaining games, starting with Wednesday night’s visit of Real Sociedad, who are already safe and theoretically at least have nothing much left to play for. The same could be said for Betis, but there will be no relaxation on Wednesday night, when the Seville derby kicks off at the Sanchez Pijuan – a game Pepe Mel has called “the match of our season”, whilst Michel has asked the fans to cheer the team on so that “your throats are as sore as when you come back from the Feria – we know what we are playing for and that’s motivation enough”.