ESPN Network:
ESPN.com
ESPN Deportes
Fantasy Games
|
|
|
| Friday, November 22, 2002 20:18 EST |
League-leading Real Sociedad meets Rayo Vallecano
[Reuters]
MADRID -- All eyes will be on Nou Camp old
boys Luis Figo and Ronaldo when Real Madrid goes in search of
its first Spanish league win away to Barcelona in 19 years on
Saturday.
The two former Barca favorites are certain to be given
welcomes some way short of affectionate by an unforgiving crowd,
who know this match is one the Catalan club cannot afford to lose.
Barca is down in 10th place in the table, seven points
behind leaders Real Sociedad, and a first league defeat at home
to Real since October 1983 would be a huge blow to its morale.
Victory would be enough to take the club above Real, though,
with the club from the capital in a relatively healthy fifth
place but only two points better off.
Both sides will be missing important players, with
Barcelona's combative forward Luis Enrique and Real's
experienced center-back Fernando Hierro both injured. Barca also
has left-back Fernando Navarro suspended.
Juan Roman Riquelme has been passed fit for the home side,
and coach Louis van Gaal could opt to play him alongside Patrick
Kluivert and Javier Saviola in a three-man forward line.
"I've got a good feeling about the match," Kluivert told
reporters this week. "We're going to have to be at our best to
beat them but I'm optimistic."
The Real forward line will be led by Brazilian striker
Ronaldo and fed by the right-sided Portuguese Figo, who will
hope to find the sort of form that once made them such heroes to
the Barcelona fans.
Figo played at the Nou Camp for five seasons, during which
time he became one of the world's best players, before jumping
ship straight to Real in a bitter $56 million transfer.
When he returned to Barcelona in a league match in 2000 he
was subjected to a furious volley of abuse from the crowd, who
could never forgive him for what they saw as a betrayal.
Ronaldo, who scored 34 league goals in his one season for
Barcelona from 1996 to 1997, can expect a similar ear-bashing on
Saturday, although the fact that he played for Inter Milan for
five years before moving to Real should ensure he is not greeted
with quite so much venom.
Other matches being played in the Spanish first division
this weekend (league positions in parentheses):
Saturday
RAYO VALLECANO (17) v REAL SOCIEDAD (1)
Real Sociedad took a point from Real Madrid in its last
outing and the surprise league leaders will expect to do even
better in the club's second visit to the capital in a week.
Turkish forward Nihat Kahveci has a thigh injury but should
be fit to lead the line for the Basque side.
SEVILLA (16) v DEPORTIVO CORUNA (7)
Sevilla's defeat at Villarreal last week set the club sliding
towards the drop zone. The team's home form has been good, though,
with two wins, two draws and one defeat from five games, and
it will have hopes of getting something from this clash.
Deportivo could have Juan Carlos Valeron back in the squad
for the first time since he fractured a fibula in September. The
Spanish international playmaker is still a way short of gaining
full match fitness and is not expected to play but his presence
should nevertheless be a boost to Javier Irureta's side.
Sunday
ATHLETIC BILBAO (12) v ESPANYOL (19)
Bilbao's form has picked up recently and the Basques will
feel highly confident of picking up a third successive home win
against its struggling visitors.
Espanyol coach Ramon Moya will recall Ivan Amaya to his
defense in an attempt to halt a run of three successive defeats.
ATLETICO MADRID (9) v REAL BETIS (4)
Atletico striker Jose Mari scored the only goal in Spain's
victory over Bulgaria in midweek but returned with a neck strain
and may not be fit to start against Betis. The Andalucian side
is unbeaten away from home this season and will provide a stern
test.
CELTA VIGO (6) v OSASUNA (18)
Celta will have both Peter Luccin and Eduardo Berizzo
suspended after they picked up fifth yellow cards last weekend.
Giovanella is set to replace Luccin in the key central midfield
role. Osasuna will be looking to pull off a second shock win
following its 1-0 success at home to Valencia last weekend.
MALAGA (8) v ALAVES (14)
After a great start to the season, Malaga has just one win
from its last five league games and another setback here could
leave the club in the bottom half of the table by Sunday night.
Alaves, who looked in excellent shape in a 3-0 win at home to
Recreativo Huelva last week, will have midfielder Pablo
suspended.
REAL MALLORCA (2) v VILLARREAL (15)
Mallorca has now racked up seven successive wins to climb
to within a point of leaders Real Sociedad. Both teams will have
a player suspended for this game, with Mallorca missing
Colombian midfielder Harold Lozano and Villarreal without
center-back Sergio Ballesteros.
RECREATIVO HUELVA (20) v RACING SANTANDER (13)
Racing has taken just a point from its last four league
games and Recreativo will look at this game as a chance to get
its season going. The home side will be without first choice
keeper Cesar, though, after he was sent off last week against
Alaves.
VALENCIA (3) v VALLADOLID (11)
Valencia clearly missed Pablo Aimar as the club went down to a
1-0 defeat at Osasuna last weekend and with the Argentine
forward still out with a thigh injury Valladolid may fancy its
chances of causing another upset.
|
|
|
|
|
|
