Majorca-Barcelona
La Liga Santander continues this weekend with the seventh round, split by the World Cup break on November 9. The big questions center on Mallorca visiting Real Madrid, Karim Benzema’s potential return for the whites, and whether Real Madrid will still hold the lead after the pause.
Barcelona heads to Mallorca with the aim of polishing a six win season and seizing three points to sit atop the table by Saturday night. The match hinges on how many international players return in top form, and how injuries shape the Barça squad.
Coach Xavi Hernández has to manage a squad dealing with several absences, including Memphis Depay and Frenkie de Jong who are sidelined by injuries, and Jules Koundé and Ronald Araujo who faced muscular issues this week. Hector Bellerín is also in doubt.
Mexican coach Javier Aguirre faces a familiar challenge, as his team has not beaten Barça on their home turf since the 2008-2009 season. Mallorca has earned only 4 points from 9 at home this season and their goals so far have largely come from penalties.
Real Madrid – Osasuna
The league leaders prepare for a fresh test at the Santiago Bernabéu. A comeback could be on the cards for Karim Benzema after a muscle injury suffered against Celtic in the Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti might also contend with Luka Modric returning from injury, leaving the Croatian midfielder unavailable for ten days.
Real Madrid cemented first place with a derby victory over Atlético. Osasuna travels to Madrid with momentum dampened by recent results, entering the game with a single point from their Champions League campaign and after suffering a home defeat that marked their second setback of the season.
Athletic-Almería
San Mamés will host the early kick as Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic welcomes Almería. The mood around the Basque side is buoyant after Nico Williams’s first appearance with the national team and strong performances from Unai Simón against Portugal.
Almería’s numbers tell a tougher story, with no away wins yet and a recent loss to Mallorca; Athletic has dominated this fixture, winning seven of their last eight meetings.
Celta-Betis
Celta hosts Betis, who sit eight points ahead with five wins this season. Borja Iglesias has been prolific, scoring the late winner against Girona, and his international recall adds to Betis’s confidence.
In Galicia, coach Eduardo Coudet now has three forwards available, with Gonçalo Paciencia returning from injury to join Iago Aspas and Norway’s Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Sevilla-Athletic
Sánchez Pizjuán hosts a Sevilla side chasing momentum as they welcome Athletic Club. Julen Lopetegui’s men are pushing for results, having shown grit in recent fixtures. The team continues to build from a home performance that kept them competitive in the league.
Cádiz-Villarreal
Cádiz aims for a second win at home and to improve their position in the table. Villarreal travels to Andalusia with injuries weighing on the squad, including the absence of Gerard Moreno and Manu Trigueros.
Girona-Rayo Vallecano
Girona faces Rayo in a match where both sides are looking to balance form with depth. Wingsman Mohamed-Ali Cho, Mikel Oyarzabal, Ander Barrenetxea, Robin Le Normand, and defender Igor Zubeldia are all expected to contribute as the team chases another solid result at Montilivi. Coach Michel Sánchez has set a tone of aggressive, dynamic play.
Real Sociedad-Valencia
Valencia travels to San Sebastián with the aim of snagging points away from home for the first time this season, while Real Sociedad looks to build on recent results and edge away from the relegation danger.
Getafe-Valladolid
Getafe and Valladolid share a mixed bag of results: one win, one draw, and four losses for each side. Getafe sit in a safer position thanks to a recent rally, while Valladolid edge closer to the bottom. Quique Sánchez Flores plans to bring Paraguayan defender Omar Alderete into the lineup as he builds towards stability.
Rayo Vallecano-Elche
The weekend closes with Rayo Vallecano facing Elche. Rayo sit in mid-table after two wins and three losses, while Elche hold the bottom spot with a rough start to the campaign.