LaLiga returns with what could be positive weekend for Real Madrid

The Spanish Liga Santander returns to action this weekend after a three-week Christmas and New Year break and matchday 17 promises to once again be decisive as Real Madrid face what should be a straightforward home tie while FC Barcelona and Sevilla have difficult away games with little preparation time.

Real Madrid kick off at 1pm on Saturday in a game scheduled to appeal to Asian TV audiences and any Asian Real Madrid fans should be able to enjoy what should be a relatively comfortable win at home to struggling Granada.

Cristiano Ronaldo returns after being rested in the King' s Cup to face a side that is second from the bottom of the table and although Granada have improved under the guidance of Lucas Alcaraz they lack the quality to trouble Madrid.

FC Barcelona don' t play their game until Sunday evening, but return to league action against a far more complicated rival as they play fourth-placed Villarreal in the El Madrigal Stadium.

Not only do Barca have a more difficult rival, but they also have less recovery time after their tough King' s Cup match away to Athletic Club Bilbao late on Thursday night.

Luis Enrique has said his star strikers Neymar, Leo Messi and Luis Suarez have returned in better shape than ever following their holidays and they will have to be because if Madrid beat Granada, Barca run the risk of falling 6 points behind Madrid with an extra game played and that would virtually mean 'game over' in the title race before the halfway point of the season.

Meanwhile Athletic have even less recovery time than Barca as they face Alaves in a Basque derby at midday on Sunday in a game which should see an emotional return of former favorites, Gaizka Toquero and Ibai Gomez to the San Mames Stadium.

Eibar are enjoying their best ever season in the top flight and their home game against Atletico Madrid promises to be fascinating as Diego Simeone' s side look to maintain their own slim title hopes, while Saturday sees struggling Sporting Gijon travel to face a talented Las Palmas before fifth placed Real Sociedad entertain third place Sevilla.

Sevilla are also still in the title race, although they were given a reality check with a 3-0 Cup defeat in Madrid on Wednesday. Real Sociedad on the other hand hit the ground running and beat Villarreal 3-1 and will fancy their chances against a side whose performances dip away from the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

Sunday sees Betis look to continue their improvement at home to Leganes, while Celta Vigo will provide a stiff test for new Malaga coach Marcelo Romero Silva, who was appointed after Juande Ramos' shock resignation just before Christmas.

The round of games ends on Monday with bottom club Osasuna at home to crisis stricken Valencia, whose coach Cesare Prandelli resigned on December 30th. Voro Gonzalez' s return to the Valencia dugout saw them lose 4-1 at home to Celta on Tuesday and this is a season defining game, with a win giving Valencia a chance to climb away from danger, but a defeat possibly dropping them into the bottom three. Endit