La Liga Matchday 11 Preview: Can Villarreal Sink Barcelona At The Camp Nou?

It has been a hot topic over the last few weeks, but this weekends matchday will provide the a telling verdict on whether or not this seasons title will be a two-way struggle between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Villarreal visit the Camp Nou intent on stating their case for a part in the championship showdown. Juan Carlos Garrido and his side are only two points behind Barca, so in no way will they be intimidated by the champions elect, especially having grabbed more points in the Camp Nou than any other side in the last three years.

Indeed, not that this game will be played on the Valencian coast, Barcelona have failed to beat Villarreal in El Madrigal for the last four seasons. The yellow submarine are very much Barcas bogey team and, after their best ever start to a season in the top flight, will travel to Catalunya in high spirits. Nilmar and Guiseppe Rossi have played vital roles in this run and Villarreal will look to both of their hitmen to sink a depleted Barca back-line. Gerard Pique misses the tie through suspension, and with Gabriel Milito injured, Pep Guardiola will possibly ask youngster Andreu Fontás to fill the breach. Failing that Pep will switch Eric Abidal to centre-half, a plan that hasn’t reaped much success in the past.

It would be a massive ask for Fontás to control a rampant Rossi and Nilmar, as well as the rejuvenated Santi Cazorla, who will look to reek havoc down Barcelonas left-hand side. In the middle we will be able to sit back and enjoy a battle of monumental proportions. Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta v Bruno-Valero-Cani. Two sets of players with identical footballing philosophies. Intricate one-touch passing. Speed of movement and thought. Pure creativity. And lest not forget the main man, Lionel Messi. 64 goals in his last 64 matches almost guarantees a place on the scoreboard. Villarreal would then need to score at least two to steal the three points, but don’t bet against it.

While Villarreal will be traveling to the Camp Nou as the leagues third-placed side, Jose Mourinho will want to arrive in Barcelona on the 29th November as league leaders. The controversial ‘Special One’ reached 100 days in charge of Real Madrid, and is still to taste defeat but tomorrow clash and next weeks tie against Athletic will provide him with his sternest tests yet. After claiming that Sporting Gijon rolled over at Barcelona last month, Sporting coach Manolo Preciado has let fly in the press, labelling Mourinho a ‘piece of scum’ and a ‘bad colleague’. Mourinho’s words have also gone down like a lead balloon among the Sporting faithful, so Real Madrid can expect to enter a cauldron of hate on Sunday night.

In the heart of Sportings midfield, Eguren and Rivera will be encharged with stemming Real Madrid’s incessant attacks headed by Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil, allowing Diego Castro and De Las Cuevas to charge ahead in support of David Barral and Miguel De Las Cuevas. Having scored against Real Madrid last season, David Barral will enter the match looking to repeat last seasons efforts and the striker will be essential to the Sporting cause as they look to lift themselves away from the relegation zone.

Atletico Madrid have flattered to deceive so far this season, as Diego Forlán and Sergio Agüero struggle to hit the heights of last year. Without that guarantee in front of goal, Atletico find themselves four points off the Champions League spots and with Sundays visitors Osasuna only two points behind, they can ill-afford to slip up again. There are rumours Forlan and Quique Sanchez Flores have fallen out following the Uruguayans goal drought, so both will be looking to put the controversy to bed with victory over Jose Antonio Camachos inconsistent outfit.

Osasuna will look to hit Atletico from set pieces, a tactic that has served them well so far this season. It’s their only hope, so as long as Atletico defend stoically and circulate the ball at speed, getting Reyes and Simao on the ball as much as possible, a home win is likely. There have also been 12 sending offs in the last 10 league encounters between the two sides, so don’t bet against someone heading for an early shower.

Real Zaragoza looked to have turned a corner with last weekends last-gasp victory over Mallorca. Yet they returned to old habits midweek as they fell to Real Betis in the Copa del Rey. Now they will have to face up to a resurgent Sevilla as ‘Los Maños’ scrap for their lives in the lower reaches of La Liga. Jose Aurelio Gay is living on borrowed time, so defeat to Sevilla would surely spell the end for a coach who has never managed to win over La Romareda. He will be without mercurial talent Ander Herrera who misses out through injury although he will be boosted by the return of striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle.

Elswhere in La Liga, the stand-out ties see Espanyol travel to Racing Santander looking to maintain their superb start to the season, with ‘Los Pericos’ sitting pretty in the Champions League spots. Miguel Angel Portugal is another man on the brink of the sack, so we could well witness two sackings this weekend should Espanyol travel back to Cornellá with all three points.

Athletic Bilbao welcome Almería to the San Mames hoping to eradicate the memories of two successive defeats on the road, while Manuel Pellegrini takes charge of his first match as coach of Malaga in a tense relegation dogfight against Levante. A baptism of fire for the ex-Real Madrid chief and a must-win tie for both teams. Deportivo La Coruña take their new and improved 5-4-1 formation to Mallorca having won away for the first time in 344 days last week against Levante. Can they repeat the trick only 7 days after?

Hercules and Real Sociedad will cross swords as two recently-promoted sides who have experienced differing start to life in the top flight. Hercules are now five matches without a win, whereas Real Sociedad are flying high in 7th. With two potent attacks lead by Joseba Llorente and David Trezeguet, their promises to be goals in the Rico Perez. Finally, Valencia once again will line up on a Monday, taking on Getafe in the Mestalla. With the visitors in the middle of a mini-crisis, there will be no better opportunity for ‘Los Che’ to break out of their own dip in form and arrest a set of results that has seen them slip from top spot to 5th.