Barca look to continue winning start; Real, Atletico need wins (Preview)

The last round of matches in the top division of the Spanish football league before the international break sees an interesting game in the Camp Nou Stadium while Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid both need a positive result to stave off talk of a crisis.

Barcelona at home to Sevilla in the Camp Nou Stadium is arguably the game of the weekend and the Catalans will be looking to continue the run of form which has seen them fail to win just one of their last 10 games at home to their rivals, reports Xinhua news agency.

Ernesto Valverde's side are not playing their best football and without the departed Neymar and the injured Dembele they desperately need Luis Suarez to find his best form in front of goal after the Uruguayan has been guilty of missing chances of late.

While Suarez has been below par, Leo Messi has continued at his excellent best and when rivals have threatened, as in Bilbao last week, goalkeeper Ter Stegen has been an unbeatable last line of defence.

Barca also have an advantage in that they have enjoyed 24 hours more preparation time after Sevilla entertained Spartak Moscow on Wednesday night in a vital Champions League tie.

Atletico Madrid are also in action on Saturday with a visit to Deportivo la Coruna, who gained a morale boosting win away to Las Palmas on Monday.

Atletico are in depression after their 1-1 draw at home to Qarabag virtually ended their hopes of reaching the group stage of the Champions League and coach Diego Simeone desperately needs his strikers to start scoring goals and his defense to improve when it comes to defending crosses.

Second placed Valencia welcome Dan Parejo back after suspension as they look to continue their best ever start to a season in the Spanish top-flight. Leganes, who have conceded just five goals in 10 games, are the visitors in the Mestalla Stadium as Valencia go for their seventh win from seven.

Bottom of the table Alaves are also at home on Saturday and will play Espanyol.

On Sunday Real Madrid are desperately in need of a win at home to Las Palmas to end a week which began with them losing to newly promoted Girona and continued with them being outplayed away to Tottenham in the Champions League to start the alarm bells ringing once again.

Las Palmas look like the perfect rivals given that they have slipped into the bottom three and have lost their last six matches: indeed (counting his brief spell at Valencia) coach Pako Ayestaran has lost his last 10 games as a coach in the Liga Santander.

Elsewhere Malaga look to build on last weekend's first win of the season against a very solid looking Villarreal, Celta Vigo and Athletic Club Bilbao need to end a run of two defeats each when they meet in Balaidos, while Girona will put their morale to the test away to Levante who have gone five games without a win.

--IANS

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