Real Madrid host Atletico de Madrid as they look to stay top of LaLiga Santander

Real Madrid vs Atletico de Madrid

Real Madrid earned sole leadership in LaLiga Santander on the weekend after overcoming R. Valladolid 1-0 and FC Barcelona suffering a shock 2-0 defeat away to Valencia CF. It is the first time this season Los Blancos have sat in top spot, but they will face an immediate test of their resolve as arch-rivals Atletico de Madrid head to the Santiago Bernabeu on matchday 22. The visitors are in the midst of a confusing run of form, winless in their last two featuring an inexplicable 2-0 loss to SD Eibar and a scoreless draw with a struggling CD Leganes. They will have to find their goal-scoring touch if they’re to match Real Madrid and their attack which has registered the second most goals in LaLiga Santander. Real Madrid also boast the league’s best defence, something more normally associated with their cross-city nemesis. Five of the past six games have ended in draws between these two great sides.

FC Barcelona vs Levante UD

FC Barcelona looked completely bereft of ideas away to Valencia CF on the weekend, falling 2-0 in a game that could have gone even worse for the defending Spanish champions if not for the heroics of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The loss of Luis Suarez to a serious knee injury has become immediately apparent and FC Barcelona must find striking reinforcements if they’re to challenge for both LaLiga Santander and the UCL this season, the bare minimum standard the club demands. Their fans will be waiting for a response to the surrendering of first place on the table against Levante UD at the Camp Nou on matchday 22, and they will be optimistic of an immediate reversal of fortunes as they face a side who have lost three-consecutive games. Levante UD did however stun FC Barcelona earlier this season, winning 3-1 in the reverse fixture.

Sevilla FC vs D. Alaves

Sevilla FC jumped into third place on the weekend thanks to a 2-0 win over Granada CF and Atletico de Madrid’s scoreless draw with CD Leganes. They now hold a two-point buffer in for the Champions League positions and they will be looking to build upon that position against a D. Alaves side that have won just one game from their past five and who are sliding towards the relegation zone. Of the top eight sides, only Atletico de Madrid have scored less goals than Sevilla FC and they will be looking to turn that around against one of the poorer defences in LaLiga Santander. Sevilla FC won the reverse fixture 1-0 earlier this season.

Athletic Club vs Getafe CF

Consecutive wins has seen Getafe CF climb above Atletico de Madrid and into the final Champions League place for the first time this season, a position they will not wanting to be surrendering given how close they were to achieving that status for the first time last season. Those ambitions will be tested immediately on matchday 22 however as they travel to face Athletic Club who have European ambitions of their own. They have given up significant ground over their past five games with five-straight draws seeing them drop to 9^th on the table and they will be motivated to chip into the five-point gap between themselves and their opponents with a win at home. Their meeting earlier this season ended 1-1.

 

Follow all the results and the standings from the second round of matches in LaLiga Santander on www.livescore.com