MADRID, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- The matches involving Valencia and Real Madrid, as well as Villarreal and Rayo Vallecano, have been postponed due to the floods in the east of Spain, while the other eight matches are still going ahead. Here are some things to look out for this weekend.
1. Barcelona flying into derby against struggling Espanyol
FC Barcelona have enjoyed a rare week without a midweek match as they are exempt from the first two rounds of the Copa del Rey. The rest has allowed them to enjoy their 4-0 win last weekend away to Real Madrid and prepare for the derby at home to Espanyol.
Barca coach Hansi Flick has slowly brought Gavi and Frenkie de Jong back into the first team, and both will have minutes against a rival that started the season well on their return to the top flight, but has dropped off in recent weeks to sit just one place above the relegation zone after four defeats in five games.
Espanyol made hard work of their Copa del Rey game against sixth-tier San Tirso on Thursday, with three late goals putting some shine on a 4-0 win, but they can be expected to dig deep in Montjuic on Sunday, and Barcelona derbies tend to be physical affairs.
2. Big game for Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid also progressed to the second round of the Copa del Rey on Thursday, but the way they qualified by needing an 81st-minute penalty to open the scoring against the amateurs of Unio Esportiva Vic didn't convince anyone.
Diego Simeone's side may have ended a run of two defeats against Lille and Real Betis with the win, but it has left plenty of questions for them to answer at home to Las Palmas.
Las Palmas have suddenly found form with new coach Diego Martinez, ending a 23-game winless run with consecutive wins, so what had looked like a straightforward match for Atletico now looks considerably harder, and with Paris Saint-Germain next in line in a vital UEFA Champions League match, Simeone needs an improvement.
3. Europe in play in San Mames
Sunday night's game between fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao and sixth-placed Real Betis looks like one of the highlights of the week, as two teams that like to play high-energy attacking football go head-to-head in the San Mames Stadium.
Athletic have Oihan Sancet fully fit again, and he adds pace and power to link midfield and attack, while the Williams brothers are two of the quickest players in Spain on the break.
Betis will look to stop Athletic playing the ball out from deep, and their own attack of Abde Ezzalzouli and Chimy Avila also holds plenty of pace, although injuries to Aitor Ruibal, Hector Bellerin, Marc Roca, Giovani Lo Celso and Isco rob coach Manuel Pellegrini of several key players.
4. Vital match for Alaves
A month and a half ago, Alaves was in the top six and looking a very solid and organized side, but things have gone wrong for coach Luis Garcia Plaza since then, with five consecutive defeats, including a painful loss at home to struggling Real Valladolid and last weekend's defeat away to Rayo Vallecano, who played for over an hour with ten men.
Alaves are struggling for goals and that problem continued as they snuck past fourth-tier Compostela 1-0 in the Cup, with an own goal separating the two sides.
Their opponents on Friday, Mallorca, have only conceded eight goals all season, and Alaves will need to improve to end their run. ■
