The Barcelona defends his leadership after a month and a half hiatus for the world in a Catalan derby against Espanyol to which Real Madrid will be very attentive, which, only two points from first place, will try to beat Valladolid on a day in which Pablo Machín will make his debut on the bench for Elche in the League against Atlético de Madrid.
After the World Cup is over, the Spanish league takes up the pulse to close the year with a day that all the teams face with some unknown due to how atypical the season is being with these breaks in the middle of the course.
Thursday December 29
Girona – Rayo Vallecano (17.00)
Rayo reached the break launched and is only two points from Europe. While he waits until January 1 to have Raúl de Tomás, this week he visits Montilivi to face a Girona team that last week showed a bad image by being eliminated from the Copa del Rey against Cacereño, of a lower category.
Betis – Athletic Club de Bilbao (19:15)
Betis plays its game after the break against the Basque club and both are tied on points, with 24.
Atlético Madrid – Elche (21:30)
Atlético de Madrid came to a break after two defeats and a draw that relegated them to fifth place and cast doubt on a season in which the Champions League is already history. Now, they resume the League in the Metropolitan against an Elche commanded by Pablo Machín, fourth coach who sits on the bench of the Elche team in the championship after Francisco Rodríguez, Alberto Gallego and Jorge Almirón. Pablo Machín’s objective is to surprise Atlético and begin to straighten the course of Elche, sunk in the table with only four points, eight from salvation.
Friday December 30
Getafe – Mallorca (17:00)
The day is completed with the match between Getafe, in a delicate situation due to its proximity to relegation, and Mallorca, which hopes to resume the championship as it left it, with three victories in their last four games.
Celta de Vigo v Sevilla (19:15)
Closer to leaving the relegation places is Sevilla, who is living a season to forget and face this second part of the League with optimism for starting from scratch. The first rival after the break is Celta de Vigo, who are not doing much better as they are only one point above relegation. Therefore, the match between the two clubs seems like an inexplicable direct duel for the lower zone.
Cadiz – Almeria (19:15)
Cádiz has also been in decline in recent weeks, which will play an Andalusian derby of conflicting sensations against Almería, that, five points above the danger zone, cannot be neglected so as not to get into trouble.
Valladolid – Real Madrid (21:30)
Very attentive to the Barça coliseum will be Real Madrid, who lost the lead after an irregular last stretch before the break. This day they will visit José Zorrilla to take on a Valladolid team that, six points above relegation, has spent the last few weeks calmly.
Saturday December 31
Barcelona – Spanish (14:00)
Barcelona, who arrived at half-time in very good shape after five consecutive victories, receives at the Camp Nou, now without Gerard Piqué, retired, a a Espanyol in opposite dynamics that chains five days without winning in the domestic championship.
Real Sociedad – Osasuna (16:15)
Real Sociedad, with 26 points, receives Osasuna, with 23, in a duel of maximum rivalry for the European positions, the same as the game that Athletic will play, with 24, against Betis, also with 24, at the Benito Villamarín.
Villarreal – Valencia (16:15)
At the Estadio de La Cerámica Villarreal and Valencia, ninth and tenth, respectively, and separated by only two points, They will play a derby in which the goal is to win to get closer to the promotion zone.
