Four things to look out for in Spain's matchday 14

Source: Xinhua| 2019-11-23 00:08:27|Editor: yan
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MADRID, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- The return to Liga Santander action finds the top nine clubs in Spain's Liga Santander separated by just five points in one of the closest seasons ever. This weekend's games once again promise to give fans several things to look out for.

1 Battle 'Royal' in the Bernabeu?

Saturday's game between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad is the game of the weekend as Zinedine Zidane's side take on one of the most entertaining teams in the Liga Santander.

Madrid produced their best display of the season to win 4-0 in Eibar before the international break and have Garth Bale available after injury on Saturday.

Meanwhile Real Sociedad missed the chance to go joint leaders as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Leganes.

Martin Odegaard (who is on loan from Madrid) is fit to play for Real Sociedad after the Norwegian's recovery from an ankle injury and it's likely that he will want to show the Madrid fans just what he is able to do.

2 Can the Aguirre effect damage Barca?

Javier Aguirre's first game in charge of bottom of the table Leganes saw his team take an unexpected point in San Sebastian with a disciplined display that saw them frustrate one of the best attacks in the league. Leganes will no doubt have to repeat that sort of display when Barcelona visit their compact Butarque Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

Barca have not been at their best this season and have looked vulnerable away from home in defeats away to Levante and Granada, and a draw against Osasuna. All of those sides stopped Barca from moving the ball in midfield and denied them space in the final third and Leganes will look to do the same, although they will hope that Leo Messi doesn't repeat the set-piece magic he produced a fortnight ago when he scored two free kicks and a penalty in Barca's 4-1 win over Celta Vigo.

3 Will Arrasate celebrate against Athletic Club.

Osasuna rewarded coach Jagoba Arrasate this week for leading the club to promotion last season and helping them take an impressive 19 points from their first 13 matches of this campaign with a new contract until 2022.

Osasuna's success has been due to the results the modest Pamplona based club has produced in its compact el Sadar Stadium, where they are unbeaten in their last 31 games.

El Sadar will be packed to the rafters for Sunday's derby against Athletic, who moved up to sixth after their win against Levante a fortnight ago, but who are without a win on their travels so far this season and who lost midfielder Iker Muniain to a hamstring injury on Wednesday.

It's likely to be a blood and thunder affair on Sunday afternoon and Osasuna's confidence at home could be a deciding factor.

4 Another key game for Rubi?

Betis coach Joan Ferrer Rubi looked to have saved his job three weeks ago with a dramatic home win against Celta Vigo and a 0-0 draw away to Real Madrid, but defeat to local rivals Sevilla in the Seville derby a fortnight ago has again put the Betis coach in the spotlight and failure to win at home to Valencia will mean his position is once again in danger.

Valencia promise to be tough rivals after a run of three straight wins in all competitions as Alert Celades looked to have worked out what he wants to do with his team.

Celades' men have conceded just three goals in four games and that could mean big problems for Rubi.

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