MADRID, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Matchday 25 in the Liga Santander comes at the start of a hectic week with a midweek round of fixtures for Spanish top-flight football teams. It is a period which will test some sides to the limit and here are some things to look out for.
1. Girona to test Barca in the Camp Nou?
The first top flight meeting between the two Catalan sides earlier in the campaign saw Girona try to man-mark Leo Messi out of the game; a tactic which failed given that Barca won 3-0 in Girona' s Montilvi Stadium.
Since that game in September, Girona have gone from strength to strength in the Liga Santander and their 3-0 win at home to Leganes has left them with a real chance of qualifying for Europe next season.
Pablo Machin has organized his side to play with three central defenders and two wing backs to push forward into midfield and in the Camp Nou he will look to deny a Barca side, likely to have several changes in their starting 11, space and time on the ball.
Barca had a tough game away to Chelsea on Tuesday and are looking tired. Recent home games saw them struggle to beat Alaves and held by Getafe, perhaps Girona could spring a shock.
2. Alaves to continue run in the Bernabeu
Deportivo Alaves' recovery under the management of Abelardo Fernandez has been astonishing; with 11 games yielding 22 points to lift them 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Saturday sees Alaves travel to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid, a game which in principal looks hard to take anything from. However, only a month ago Alaves were desperately unlucky to lose in the Camp Nou, where only a late Messi free kick denied them a point.
There will be no Munir in Madrid, but Ruben Sobrino is an adequate replacement, while Pedraza offers pace, Ibai Gomez is a threat from set pieces and John Guidetti will work flat out to pressure Madrid's defenders.
Madrid are favorites, but if Alaves can keep it tight in the first half, like Girona in the Camp Nou, they could cause an upset.
3. The Pizjuan next stop for Atletico's title hopes
Depending on Barcelona' s result against Girona, Atletico Madrid could travel to fifth place Sevilla 10 points off the top of the table and while they kept their neve at home to Athletic Club Bilbao in a similar situation last weekend, Sevilla away are a tougher proposition than the Basque side who have not won in 6 games.
Victory for Atletico would set the up for a week which then sees them entertain Leganes before visiting the Camp Nou for what could be the decisive game of the campaign... but only if they take something from the Pizjuan.
Although Atletico had a Europa League game on Thursday night, they were able to rest key players following a 4-1 first leg win, while Sevilla threw everything at Manchester United in their 0-0 draw on Wednesday night and it will be interesting to see if Sevilla coach Vincenzo Montella alters his policy of not making squad rotations.
4. Make or break for Ziganda
Football has moved into the background in Bilbao following the tragic death of a policeman during violent incidents between Spartak Moscow supporters and Athletic Club Bilbao's most radical supporters on Thursday night.
Although Athletic qualified for the last 16 of the competition despite a 2-1 defeat, the result and the football on display has done little to ease the pressure on coach Jose Angel Ziganda.
Athletic are currently 10 points above the relegation zone, but in a horrible run of form and results with six Liga Santander games without a win. Sunday offers a chance to recover at home to bottom of the table Malaga and a win for the Basque side would virtually assure their survival. Failure to win on the other hand will only see the calls for Ziganda's sacking to grow louder.
