UD Las Palmas make their first visit to the Santiago Bernabeu for 13 years today hoping to avoid the same punishment they received in a 7-0 thrashing on their last trip to the capital.
The Canary Islanders have already changed their coach just nine games into their return to the top flight as Paco Herrera was sacked, despite guiding them to promotion.
Quique Setien got off to a promising start with a 0-0 draw at home to Villarreal last weekend, which at least moved Las Palmas off the bottom on goal-difference, but he is aware of the daunting task facing his side at the Bernabeu.
Photo: Reuters
“Real Madrid are a team who don’t need to play well to win,” Setien said on Thursday. “They have the players to resolve a game in any moment. It will be a difficult game, but during this season we have seen other teams cause them problems and have chances to take something from the game.”
Rafael Benitez remains unbeaten as Madrid boss 12 games into his tenure and should have the luxury of welcoming back a host of injured stars, who have been absent in recent weeks.
James Rodriguez, Karim Benzema and Pepe could all feature having returned to training this week, but Gareth Bale misses out once more due to a calf problem.
With Madrid and Barcelona tied on 21 points at the top of the table, a Real victory would take them clear for a few hours at least before Barca face Getafe later today.
The Catalans only managed a 0-0 draw at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez last season, and are again debilitated by injuries and suspensions.
Javier Mascherano joins injured Argentina international teammate Lionel Messi on the sidelines due to a two-game ban for being sent off against Sociedad Deportiva Eibar last weekend.
Brazilian duo Rafinha and Douglas are long-term injury absentees, while midfielders Andres Iniesta and Sergi Roberto face a race against time to be fit.
“Statistically, I think Barcelona have never been comfortable coming to the Coliseum,” Getafe midfielder Pedro Leon told the club’s Web site. “There have been all sorts of results, and we hope that on Saturday we can make it as difficult for them as possible and get a positive result.”
Atletico Madrid had the chance to usurp the big two and go top for just short of 24 hours when they were due to travel to RC Deportivo de La Coruna last night.
Sevilla have the chance to continue their upturn in form and make up lost ground on the top four caused by a poor start to the campaign when they travel to Villarreal today.
Villarreal still hold a five-point lead over Sevilla and Valencia in the battle between the three most likely candidates for the fourth UEFA Champions League place, but the Yellow Submarine have taken just one point from their past three games.
Valencia are badly in need of a win to ease the pressure on coach Nuno Espirito Santo when they host Levante UD in the Valencia derby.
Meanwhile, RC Celta de Vigo can put David Moyes’ position as Real Sociedad coach back under serious scrutiny should they bounce back from their first defeat of the season against Real Madrid last weekend with victory at the Estadio Anoeta.
Lin Yun-ju on Thursday handed Taiwan two key victories as they advanced to the semi-finals of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London. The Taiwan men’s table tennis team beat Sweden 3-2 in five singles matches. The 24-year-old Lin, Taiwan’s top-ranked player at world No. 7 and nicknamed the “Silent Assassin,” opened the tie by defeating world No. 2 Truls Moregard 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 13-11) before clinching the deciding fifth match with a 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-5) win over Anton Kallberg to hand his team the overall victory. Kuo Guan-hong put Taiwan up 2-0 with a 3-2 (4-11, 11-8, 8-11,
Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday said that she hoped she would be able to play tennis under the Belarusian flag after the International Olympic Committee lifted its ban on the country’s athletes competing in the Olympics. World No. 1 Sabalenka has had to compete under a neutral banner as a consequence of her country’s support for Russia following its ally’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The IOC earlier on Thursday lifted its ban on Belarusian athletes competing in the Olympics, although restrictions on Russian athletes remain in place. Asked whether the women’s tour would drop the ban on her representing her country, Sabalenka said:
China’s Wu Yize on Monday won the World Snooker Championship for the first time with a dramatic 18-17 victory over Shaun Murphy in the final. Wu held his nerve to seal his thrilling triumph in a tense last frame shoot-out at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. The 22-year-old is the second Chinese player to win the world title after Zhao Xintong beat Mark Williams to make history as the first Asian to lift the trophy last year. Wu is also the second-youngest player to be crowned world champion at the Crucible after Stephen Hendry, who was 21 when he won in 1990. “I have been trying
Real Madrid announced on Friday they had fined Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde 500,000 euros (US$588,000) each after a training ground clash that saw Valverde transported for medical care. The club did not impose any sporting sanctions on the two players, saying in a statement that the fine “thereby concludes the internal procedures” launched against them. Valverde is going to miss today’s Clasico against Barcelona as a result of the head injury he suffered during the altercation. The club said he would be out for up to two weeks. Tchouameni took part in training on Friday and could feature at Camp
RSS