Madrid, Barca look to hit form in Spain

Posted Friday, September 24, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

MADRID (AP)—Real Madrid and Barcelona look to recover their best form in this weekend’s Spanish league action, while three teams are vying for their first victory of the season.

Madrid and Barcelona labored to midweek victories that failed to impress their home fans, but both clubs are away this Saturday with Madrid at Levante and Barcelona up against Athletic Bilbao.

Madrid leads Valencia on goal difference with 10 points, Barcelona and Villarreal share nine points and Sevilla has eight.

Madrid may be happy to be away from the Santiago Bernabeu stadium following a midweek 3-0 win over Espanyol where coach Jose Mourinho had to remind his players to play at their own pace and not the rhythm of the home crowd’s whistling.

“We’re still under construction,” midfielder Sami Khedira said. “The fans want fast-paced football but they have to realize we’re playing a lot of games with few days between. Stress and fatigue accumulate.”

Most Spanish clubs will play their third game in eight days this weekend, with Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia all in Champions League action days later.

Lionel Messi’s absence was felt by Barcelona, which will be without the Argentina forward this weekend again before evaluating whether he can return from an ankle injury to play Rubin Kazan on Wednesday.

“It’s clear Messi is irreplaceable,” striker David Villa, who scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Sporting Gijon, said. “But the pressure to fill in for him doesn’t fall just to me but the whole team.”

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has had to call up B-team players to fill in training this week, with Xavi Hernandez and Carles Puyol both carrying knocks. Defender Eric Abidal is expected to be back in the lineup after traveling to Martinique for personal reasons. Forward Jefferson Suarez also returns from injury.

While the duel at the top of the standings continues between the expected clubs, poor starts have already identified some clubs who could be thick in the relegation fight this season.

Levante’s 1-0 win at Almeria lifted it off the bottom of the standings, where Zaragoza now resides.

Coach Jose Aurelio Gay’s job is already under pressure following Zaragoza’s poor start, as it is one of three teams without a win going into Sunday’s match against Atletico Madrid. The other two—Deportivo La Coruna and Almeria—also meet on Sunday.

Stretching into last season, Deportivo has only one win in its last 17 games. Deportivo has managed only two goals this season—both penalties—and coach Miguel Angel Lotina said that’s a problem.

“Without goals, it’s impossible (to win),” Lotina said after Thursday’s 1-0 loss to Villarreal. “And apart from taking speculative shots on goal we didn’t even tickle the goalkeeper.”

In Sunday’s other fifth round of games, it’s: Racing Santander vs. Getafe; Espanyol vs. Osasuna; Mallorca vs. Real Sociedad; and Hercules vs. Sevilla.

Valencia plays Sporting Gijon on Saturday and Malaga faces Villarreal on Monday.