MADRID, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- There is no rest for FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao as La Liga continues after draining matches in midweek. Here are some things to look out for this weekend in Spain.
1. Lamine Yamal to spearhead Barca attack against Betis
It's surely no coincidence that Barcelona's return to form and victory away to Mallorca on Tuesday night coincided with Lamine Yamal's return to the starting 11, and the 17-year-old will start again as Barca travels to face an out-of-sorts Real Betis.
Yamal is not just a special talent - his work-rate and Raphinha's running helps to form Barca's first line of defense as it presses high up the pitch.
When Barca gets the pressure right, it is much harder for rivals to get in behind its back four, which plays almost on the halfway line and is vulnerable to accurate passes threaded from deep.
Robert Lewandowski will also return after the veteran had a well-earned rest against Mallorca.
2. Mbappe enigma continues for Real Madrid
The doubts over Kylian Mbappe's form at Real Madrid returned as he missed a penalty in a 2-1 defeat away to Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night, and the Frenchman will again be in the spotlight when his side makes a difficult visit to Girona.
Girona has struggled in Europe, but despite a painful Copa del Rey exit to Logrones on Wednesday, it has improved in the league, with three wins and a draw from its last four matches.
Madrid was outbattled in Bilbao and looked flat in midfield, and although the attention is on Mbappe, who did help set up Jude Bellingham's goal, the player it really needs is Eduardo Camavinga, who is out with a hamstring injury.
3. Champions League spot in play as Marcelino returns to San Mames
Athletic Bilbao has another massive game after its win against Real Madrid, when Villarreal visits the San Mames Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Wednesday's win lifted Athletic three points ahead of fifth-placed Villarreal in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League, but the side coached by former Athletic boss Marcelino Garcia Toral has two games in hand.
A win for Athletic, whose coach Ernesto Valverde will continue with his policy of squad rotation, would open its lead to six points, but an away win would give Villarreal an advantage as it looks to qualify for the biggest competition in Europe.
Villarreal travels after losing in the Copa del Rey to lower division Pontevedra, and needs to improve.
4. Coudet has a lot to prove for Alaves
Alaves sacked coach Luis Garcia Plaza on Monday, and although the club had suffered a poor run of form, it was still a surprise to see the popular coach leave the club he took to promotion and a 10th place finish last season.
Garcia has been replaced by Eduardo Coudet, who has previous La Liga experience with Celta Vigo, but the jury is most certainly out on the Argentinian, who got off to a dreadful start of Thursday as it was knocked out of the Copa del Rey by fourth-tier Deportivo Minero.
Coudet's first league games in charge are both derbies: away to a very solid Osasuna this weekend and then at home to Athletic Bilbao, and the new coach really needs to turn things around, otherwise the pressure will rise very quickly indeed. ■
