Our Spanish football expert Guillem Balague looks ahead to another weekend of live La Liga action on Sky Sports - and he answers your email.
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Guti & Raul: in for Real, out for Spain
SATURDAY
Real Betis v Real Madrid
Real Zaragoza v Barcelona
SUNDAY
Getafe v Valencia
Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao
Real Betis v Real Madrid
7.00pm, Saturday, Sky Sports 2
This Real Madrid is breaking all kinds of records and they are on course for an historical season. But Spain is still baffled how they can lose to Almeria one week and then beat Valladolid 7-0 the next!
Guti scored two, had three assists and a hand in the other two goals against Valladolid yet he will not be part of the Spanish national side. For some that may be a bit of a mystery, but under Luis Aragonés it looks like he and Raul won't make the Euro 2008 squad.
Guillem Balague
Quotes of the week
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What is clear is the continuation of Fabio Capello's work by Bernd Schuster, who is different to the new England coach. Schuster has given more confidence to key creative men like Robinho (although he's out for around 10 days and is touch-and-go for the Roma game in the Champions League) and Guti.
Guti scored two, had three assists and a hand in the other two goals against Valladolid yet he will not be part of the Spanish national side. For some that may be a bit of a mystery, but under Luis Aragonés it looks like he and Raul won't make the Euro 2008 squad.
It's a bit of a shame because Guti would make a good squad member, as would Raul if he was willing to accept that role sometimes, because clearly Aragonés prefers Fernando Torres or David Villa in that lone striker's role.
On the subject of Aragonés, I've got to tell you he's been trying to resign all week! It's quite funny really because the president of the RFEF, Angel Maria Villar Llona, has been avoiding him all this time.
He realises that Aragonés is upset by the Madrid media - who keep calling for the return ot Guti and Raul - and also by the fact that the Federation leaked that they are going to announce their new coach before the Euro 2008 finals.
So the president is staying away from him for as long has can, so he will just come down, take the team and as Aragonés said himself, disappear from the scene and make way for former Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque.
Real Zaragoza v Barcelona
9pm, Saturday, Sky Sports 1
I did think that the last two weeks was going to be the turning point when Barcelona were going to come back and mount a real challenge for the title.
In fact I even went on record in my Times podcast saying they were going to win the title. Well, what a mistake because coinciding with that presumption I've been in Barcelona talking to people, meeting the coach and a few of the players and the feeling is for that to happen, everybody needs to be in the same boat.
There are three corners of the triangle that need to be in unison as with Real Madrid last season. One is the media and they are still divided.
They keep criticising them more than backing them and even Joan Laporta has asked for more support. Two is the players and I do think there is some division in the Barca squad, some upset players.
Thierry Henry is not as happy as he could be, Ronaldinho is not happy and now there is Samuel Eto'o arriving back from the African Cup of Nations late and possibly injured - and missing the Zaragoza game.
Of course, the third corner is the fans and they are also divided. They seem more interested in criticising some players for going out on carnival night than trying to back the team and create the noisy atmosphere their Real Madrid counterparts made for the last three months of last season.
So, despite what I said, it doesn't look like that title challenge is going to happen!
Getafe v Valencia (second half)
7pm, Sunday, Sky Sports 1
Getafe is an interesting story. Quique Sánchez Flores laid the foundations for a solid defence, Bernd Schuster made it more creative and Michael Laudrup is trying to perfect that now.
They've been in the top division for four years now and they seem to be staying there for good. They mix young players with players they sign from the big clubs' B sides and the key man in all this is the chairman, Ángel Torres Sánchez.
He keeps saying that if you bring these guys in they already have the foundations of a good footballer and all you need to do is give them confidence and then the good player will come out.
That's how he's been successful, that and choosing the right managers to take the team forward. There were doubts about Laudrup at first and there are still some slight concerns because he seems too calm and laid-back, but Getafe are doing a job.
As for Valencia, I've spoken a lot about them lately, so you all know what's going on there!
Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao
8pm, Sunday, Sky Sports 1
We had Diego Forlan on the phone on Revista this week and he seems to think that Espanyol will not be part of the challenge for the top four and Champions League football - but we will see Diego!
Obviously it's down to Atletico and Villarreal, but you can even put Sevilla, Valencia and Racing in there as well. It's going to be a very interesting end of the season, maybe not for first and second, but for those next two places.
As for Bilbao, they are struggling to make their route one football effective and in fact, in their last 50 home games they have only won 15.
Their away record is even worse, so it's very, very hard to see them taking something away from this game - especially as Forlan has his confidence back thanks to those two wonderful goals last weekend, having gone 35 days without scoring.
Guillem answers your questions...
WILL BOBBY VA-VA-VAMOSGuillem, I saw an interview with Robert Pires the other day in which it sounded like he would be leaving Villarreal at the end of the season, when his contract runs out. Do you think he will be offered another deal there, or has he not made that much of an impact? I know he suffered a terrible injury just after his move, but as a Gooner, I would hate to see him disappear back to France and off our screens! Do you think Bobby will still be around next season? Allan Wilson
GUILLEM SAYS: I haven't heard that interview where Robert Pires suggested he would be leaving - he's happy there. To be honest, he wasn't happy at the start of the season, his form wasn't what he wanted it to be but the team has improved and he has with it. He's very useful to the Villarreal side and he's a very respected professional and and because it looks like Manuel Pellegrini has renewed his contract for two more years and will want to keep the side together for longer, I don't think Pires (pictured) will be leaving just yet. But as you say, he did have a bad injury at the start of last season, but he was key to them at the end of the season and the beginning of this one - which at this stage, is their best ever. If their form continues, they will be back in the Champions League.
ALMERIA EXPLAINED
Guillem. I've just bought a small house in Almeria on Tuesday and was lucky enough to go to the game the other weekend. Almeria fully deserved the victory over Madrid. I am now Orgulloso Rojiblanco! I think I remember you saying on a La Liga preview show at the start of the season that if Almeria stayed in la Primera Division they could develop into a top 10 club. Did you say this? It looks like they are strong enough to finish in mid-table. Also can you tell me a little about UD Almeria - I understand they have been in the top division before. True? Mark Lyford
GUILLEM SAYS: Almeria Mark... what a great team! And what a great coach in Unai Emery! It was wonderful to see the way they played against Real Madrid, so much so that I have recommeneded to two or three English managers that they have a look at the DVD. It was the way Almeria moved, the way everybody moved, the way there was only 15metres between the forwards and the defensive line and the way the forwards defended. It was all just a masterclass in team effort. Emery (pictured) has also got some good players in the squad like the striker Álvaro Negredo, the midfielder Miguel Angel Corona and Mané, the left-back. The story of UD Almeria is that because of financial reasons, they were actually relegated and ended up in the Third Division at the end of the 1998-99 season. But since then they've been going up and up. In the late seventies I think they were in the First Division for two or three years, but now it looks like they are here to stay, because it is an area with lots of money and it's an area where the people and the local authorities want to help. It's a wealthy area but the club just needed some stability and I think the plan is just to keep this going really.
CHE-CHE-CHANGES?
I agree with what you said about Valencia needing change. Do you think Koeman will still be at Valencia by the end of the season? What are your views of new signing Ever Banega? And finally which players do you think Valencia should buy? Most of us want Van der Vaart but I doubt he will come after our form this season. Taylor, Valencia fan from Coventry
GUILLEM SAYS: Well Taylor, I can tell you Ronald Koeman is there to stay, there's no doubt about that. He'll be at Valencia until the end of the season, because the plan is to give him a chance at the beginning of next season. It's actually one of the better decisions the chairman has made in the sense that he has decided this is the year when the team was formed and that they will get two or three new players with the money available in the summer. But my worry is the money Valencia have already put into the team is not coming back and they may just find themselves in a situation where the debts are so big, they might not be able to progress. One of the best signings they have made this season is Éver Banega (pictured) and I don't understand why he is not playing because every time he comes on he makes a difference. He's not just a Javier Mascherano - although he can do that role - because he's actually more offensive and he actually possesses the creative passing that maybe only Edu can provide. But the foundation of the team is there and I think they might only add two or three more big names to it.
Comments (6)
Jonathan Rose (Chelsea fan) says...
Responding to an above question regarding Robben. Arjen has been rather unsurprisingly out injured for most of the season, and has only just come to any kind of fitness. As to where he fits in the Madrid team, when fit he's at the top level of wide players in the world. It's just that he is so rarely fit.
Posted 15:52 19th February 2008
Jake Parr (Liverpool fan) says...
Dear Guillem, I am a season ticket holding Liverpudlian and I would really like to see the club get in the hunt for Ronaldinho, as I think next season he would find it easier to adapt in Liverpool. I think his talent could be a great asset not just to the team, but to the developement of Ryan Babel.
Posted 15:18 16th February 2008
Dominc Thomas (Manchester United fan) says...
Hi Guillem, great blog as ever, I was just wondering what the general perception of Manchester United is in Spain? I've wondered this for a while and everyone I ask tells me to ask you so I was just wondering if you could tell me? Also, Robert Pires has come out and said that Rossi would come back to Man Utd one day. Is this true? I would love to see Rossi back at United. Thanks!
Posted 14:04 16th February 2008
Chiakai Tang (Liverpool fan) says...
Hi Guillem, I am both a Liverpool and Valencia fan, my question today will be about Valencia. Why do you think Canizares, Albeda and Angulo have been dropped from the first team? Will they still be given the chance to fight for the first team or should they just look for a new team? Canizares has proven to be a world class keeper, but at his age, will he be able to find a top flight club to play in?
Posted 18:22 15th February 2008
Elekwachi Nwaogbo (Chelsea fan) says...
If Madrid have such a great team doing so well, why did they go out to buy Robben who has barely featured for them this season. It is great for Chelsea of course but I think there's no way he can break into the Madrid team and may be on his way out to get first team football.
Posted 20:07 14th February 2008
Raj Valechha (Manchester United fan) says...
Mr Guillem I am a Barca fan for life and I feel really disappointed that the board keeps backing Rijkaard when Mourinho would be better suited for the problems Barca currently have. He doesn't have a strong personality to deal with the players. He's not a Ferguson who does it brilliantly. Thanks Guillem and keep it up. Raj Valechha
Posted 19:06 14th February 2008