MADRID, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid faces one of its biggest challenges of the season to date when it faces Villarreal in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Saturday night in the last round of matches before the second international break of the season.
Real Madrid goes into the match against the team currently third in La Liga after the damaging 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid last weekend. Alonso's side recovered with a comfortable 5-0 Champions League victory away to Kairat on Tuesday, but that came with a 14,000-kilometer round trip, which will have taken its toll on the players.
Tuesday's game also raised other problems for Alonso, with an apparent argument with midfielder Fede Valverde and Vinicius Jr again showing his annoyance after being substituted.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal are both injured, so Raul Asensio or Valverde will provide cover at right back.
Villarreal drew 2-2 at home to Juventus on Wednesday and has just 70 hours to prepare for the game, meaning coach Marcelino Garcia will be forced to make some squad rotations.
FC Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga after its home win over Real Sociedad, but a 2-1 defeat at home to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday in Europe provided a dose of reality.
Hansi Flick's side travels to play a much-improved Sevilla on Sunday afternoon, with Flick again likely to make rotations in defense against a rival that has improved under new coach Matias Almeida, but which remains without a home win since February.
Atletico Madrid's title hopes got a boost after the derby win and Diego Simeone's side continued an excellent week with a 5-1 win at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday night.
Atletico now travels to Celta Vigo, who have been this season's 1-1 specialists in La Liga, with all five points coming from drawn matches.
Elche has been the surprise package this season, with Eder Sarabia's side fourth with 13 points after winning promotion.
Elche travels to play an Alaves side that is trying to play a passing game with coach Eduardo Coudet, but that has two defeats and a draw from its last three matches.
Athletic Club Bilbao needs to put a dreadful September without a win behind it with a win at home to Mallorca. Nico Williams should be back after missing the last month through injury to give more pace to the home side, but Oihan Sancet is a doubt for the game.
Osasuna opens the round of games at home to an always-difficult Getafe in what is likely to be a low-scoring game, before Oviedo entertains Levante in a game between recently promoted sides, and bottom-of-the-table Girona looks for its first win at home to a Valencia team rocked after conceding two late goals at home to Oviedo on Tuesday.
Espanyol aims to keep up its unbeaten record at home to a Betis side that has a long journey back from Bulgaria after facing Ludogorets in the Europa League on Thursday, and Real Sociedad entertains a Rayo Vallecano that is paying the price for missing chances in the opening weeks of the campaign. ■
