Barcelona, Madrid hope to continue winning streak as Laliga returns

Joint leaders of the Spanish LaLiga Santander, Barcelona and Real Madrid will aim to continue their 100 per cent records on tricky trips to face Basque sides Real Sociedad and Athletic Club, as returns this weekend.

All four Champions League teams in Spain are playing on Saturday ahead of the return of UEFA competition next week. Atletico Madrid is hosting Eibar and Valencia will welcoming Europa League-bound Real Betis to the Mestalla Stadium.

The weekend’s schedule begins Friday evening when Huesca host fellow LaLiga Santander new boys Rayo Vallecano in the first-ever LaLiga top-flight game at El Alcoraz, with the Aragonese club’s fans keen to see their impressive start continue.

Lionel Messi’s four LaLiga strikes so far this season have helped his Barcelona sit top of the LaLiga table based on goal difference. But the Barca will face a difficult task at La Real’s Anoeta stadium, where the Catalan side won 4-2 last year having drawn one and losing three of their previous four visits.

Meanwhile, Karim Benzema has been in top form for Real Madrid with four goals in the opening three games of the league. His form will be tested by an unbeaten Athletic side under their new coach Eduardo Berizzo. Athletico Bilbao has help Madrid to draws in their last two LaLiga meetings at San Mames.

Down in the capital, Diego Simeone’s Atletico side will be hoping to bounce back from a defeat two weekends ago at Celta and move up the table. Eibar, however, visits the Wanda Metropolitano confident of springing a surprise having drawn there 2-2 as recently as last May.

Marcelino’s Valencia has also had an unexpectedly difficult start to the 2018/19 season and will be looking for a boost against a Betis outfit travelling to Mestalla buoyant from their derby win against Sevilla before the international break.

Sunday lunchtime brings the action in suburban Madrid, where Leganes host Villarreal with both teams looking for their first LaLiga win of the season. Espanyol will take on Levante in the afternoon. Both sides have only registered a win, a draw and a defeat so far.

Sunday’s early evening games have Valladolid aiming for their first goals and first victory of the campaign against Alaves. Getafe visits Sevilla in the late match, with both teams looking to improve on uneven starts to the season.

The weekend’s entertainment concludes on Monday evening, when third-placed Celta, still unbeaten under new coach Antonio Mohamed, travel to face a Girona side who have quickly picked up the methods of their incoming manager Eusebio Sacristan.