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Camp Nou center of attention as Spanish league reaches midway point

Xinhua, January 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Camp Nou Stadium will be the focus of the majority of the attention in the BBVA Primera Liga this Wednesday when FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid go head to head.

Last season saw Atletico Madrid clinch the BBVA Primera Liga title on the very last day of the season with a draw away to Barcelona, but circumstances have changed drastically since that dramatic evening in May.

Atletico travel to Barcelona on a high after defeating Real Madrid 2-0 in the Kings Cup on Wednesday night, but Barcelona have slipped into chaos with departure of Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta and the decision by club president Jose Maria Bartomeu to bring forward elections for the presidency to the end of the season.

Thursday saw Barca beat Elche 5-0 in the Cup, but it is the game against Atletico which will truly mark Barca's season and despite assurances to the contrary it is hard to see how coach Luis Enrique could survive if his side lose.

Leo Messi and Neymar will both start for Barca along with Luis Suarez, while it remains to be seen whether Fernando Torres, whose last appearance in the Camp Nou saw him score a goal which knocked Barca out of the semifinals of the Champions League against Chelsea, will make Atletico's starting line-up.

While their two title rivals face each other Real Madrid have the chance to forget their poor start to 2015 when Espanyol visit the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon.

Carlo Ancelotti will have a full strength side out and will expect to see a run of two consecutive defeats come to an end against a rival that traditionally leaves Madrid's ground empty handed.

Saturday also sees Valencia, fresh from beating Real Madrid travel to face a Celta Vigo side which has failed to score in its last seven league outings, while Malaga and Villarreal face each other in what promises to be an entertaining match between two sides with ambitions of qualifying for Europe at the end of the season.

Saturday ends with Eibar at home to Getafe, who have Quique Sanchez Flores back in the dugout, while Sunday kicks off with an Andalusia derby as Almeria, who have won both of their league games since Jose Ignacio Martinez took over, entertain a Sevilla side for whom the word 'pragmatic' is very appropriate.

Athletic Bilbao need to rediscover their league form and bottom of the table Elche should provide three points on their visit to San Mames, while Granada coach Joaquin Caparros faces the sack if his side fail to win at home to an improving Real Sociedad.

Granada have failed to win since September and have slipped to second from bottom in the table.

The round of matches kicks off on Friday night when Levante face Deportivo la Coruna and ends on Monday as Rayo take on Cordoba, who are showing signs of life under coach Miroslav Djukic. Endi