Our Spanish football expert Guillem Balague looks ahead to another weekend of live La Liga action on Sky Sports - and he answers your email.
Got a question for Guillem? Then send it in here.
Barcelona v Racing Santander Racing have more or less the same team as last year. They lost Duscher of course in midfield but they can still depend on creativity of Montana Jorge Lopez, Oscar Serrano on the left-hand side and Pedro Munitis. Guardiola: tricky clash with Racing But the new manager, Juan Ramon Muniz, is still in that bedding-in period; both fans and players are asking questions and are not 100 per cent behind him. We saw that very clearly in the first week of the season when Lopez, Serrano and Munitis - three key men - were brought off. You could tell from their faces that they weren't very happy and two of them didn't even shake their manager's hand!
Guillem Balague In the long-term, they don't really a squad big enough to challenge but, as they proved against Sevilla, they are resilient and will be difficult to beat. Barcelona are once again, a club that seems to be divided. Joan Laporta and Pep Guardiola were jeered by fans after they fielded a second team in the semi-final of the Copa Catalunya. The team lost to Sant Andreu and, although it is a bit of a Mickey Mouse competition, to ignore it was seen by many as a lack of respect for the nation. This game has been made even more difficult by the fact that Barcelona have only had time to train on Thursday evening and Friday. It's one of those tricky games that they should win but tensions at the club could affect them. Sevilla showed in their 1-1 draw at Racing that they're still not the finished product. There have been lots of changes; Alves, one of their key men, has gone and the fact that a centre-back, Federico Fazio, has been used in centre-midfield next to Aldo Duscher suggests they are prioritising not conceding and hoping Capel, Luis Fabiano and Kanoute are strong enough to score lots of goals, which they normally are! There has been lots of talk about Diego Capel performance for Spain against Bosnia, too. He received some criticism because he had his head down and was trying to dribble; he didn't seem to understand what Spain are about but he's only 21 and has lots of time to learn. Sporting, with five or six changes, are also far from the finished article. They lost to Getafe, largely because of defensive errors. Their main attacking weapon is their wingers - but they need to improve a lot. They were one of the two out of the three promoted teams to lose last weekend - Malaga being the other - and I don't expect much from them in this one. Madrid have problems in attack. Wesley Sneijder is only just coming back to training, Raul is doing a special pre-season again - he seemed exhausted after the first one! - Guti may not be ready and of course there is no Robinho. People have been on international duty, too - we'll see if Robben has receovered - but what they really need in this game is what they haven't got: wingers. Even Ruud Van Nistelrooy said that there was no need for Madrid to sign another striker, with reference to their last-ditch attempt to bring in David Villa, but he did admit a winger would be nice. It's clear to see they need one and I think we will see some transfer activity in that area come January. Numancia know exactly what they're doing. They were the only one of the three promoted sides to get something out of their game; they beat Barcelona and they did it by defending really deeply in that peculiar way of theirs at home on a very small pitch. The goal came through a set-piece and although they will hope to create the same kind of problems for Real, they will be playing on a much bigger pitch and in front of some very demanding home fans. Real will have lots of chances and they should win this one but Numancia will certainly be difficult to beat at home. Well done, Almeria, who won away at Atletico Bilbao. They keep talking about simply avoiding relegation as being the target but when you look at who they've signed and the money they spent - a goalscorer in Esteban Solari and Pablo Piatti, a winner from the Argentine National League - and you realise they're more ambitious than that. They've shown that they can be fighting for a Uefa spot this season; they have a very solid side. Julio Alvarez has gone straight into centre-midfield but their new manager, Arconada, has continued with six or seven of the side that played under Emery including Negredo, who I really like and who has been closely tracked by a few English managers and scouts. Valencia have a serious problem in David Silva, who may need an ankle operation that could sideline him for three months. That would obviously be a big blow but the side as a whole is still very imbalanced. They have big problems in defence; replacing Timo Hildeband in goal with Renan Brito has made a difference but they still need a powerful centre-back because I don't think Alexis and Albiol are the perfect combination. They will concede goals but they are also a team that will give us a spectacle. With Villa fit, and with Mata and Silva behind him, they are a powerful attacking force. GAGA FOR GAGO? GUILLEM REPLIES: I think you perhaps underestimate what Diarra brings to the side. Yes, he's not as skillful as, or gives passes like Guti but he is probably the only man not afraid of tracking back and working hard for the side. Gago is a bit inconsistant and Guti doesn't track back enough. De La Red is being preferred to Gago at the moment, which is making me think that Gago won't have as many chances as last season. I can see him at being important when Real Madrid want to dominate and keep control of the ball but while De La Red is preferred, I don't think this is the year for him to become the new 'El Principe' Redondo. By the way, Redondo is ten times what Gago is and will ever be, in my opinion. Gago is more like the Argentine No 5 (or No 4 as we call it) playing in front of the defence but Redondo was a whole midfield in one man; I used to love watching him. X FACTOR GUILLEM REPLIES: No, Xisco is not a prolific goalscorer and never will be! But you need strikers who do other things, too! He's a tall, strong guy who can hold the ball up and link well with midfield. He's a work in progress but he has the ability to be like Emile Heskey; a better Heskey if he gets his head down and works hard. And it will be nice if he can link up with Michael Owen because he's a different type of striker. GOOD BUY, BARCA? GUILLEM REPLIES:Barcelona have signed well but they don't have Deco or Ronaldinho. What they have is a team that is more or less balanced but a small squad, wlthough Cruyff and Guardiola agree that it is better to have a small squad where everyone feels important and works hard for their position than it is to have 26 players. So they're a good team; probably good enough to win league - I think they will - but they have been lacking a winger since Giuly left. They did try to get Silva and, as I said above, I think they will try and readdress that problem in January because I don't think Pedro has got the quality. I don't see too many problems at the back though. Marquez and Puyol seem good enough and Abidal has been training hard; you're right to say that not many people could replace Alves but let's give Caceres amd Pique a chance. Barca will certainly be a good team but, without Deco and Ronaldinho, not an extraordinary one. Got a question for Guillem? Then send it in here Hi Guillem, I am a Die-Hard Real Madrid supporter and I was really hoping that we would sign Klaas-Jan Huntelaar or David Villa because they are both extremely aware and predators in the 18 yard box. Do you by any chance know why we didn't sign either of these as I know we were looking at both. And also can you ever see the likes of Markel Susaeta or Mauro Zarate ever playing 4 Los Merengues? Posted 23:42 14th September 2008 Hi Guillem, been a fan of Real Madrid i was wondering if Real Madrid will bring back David Moreno from Almeria who in my opinion can be the answer to barcelona's messi. Posted 18:18 12th September 2008 What about Thierry Henry? Hes a good signing but Braca dont put him in the right position. If they did then they would be able to unleash his deadly skill. I think they (Barca) should swap Eto'o and Henry's position, then they would know what it means to be the best striker in the world. Posted 16:40 12th September 2008 Hi Guillem, I'm a Manchester United fan and although I am reasonably content with the capture of Berbetov, Sergio Aguero is the player who I wanted the most. Do you feel that there is a possibility in that transfer coming to fruition in the future? Also, how do you feel he would adapt to the Premiership?. Posted 15:44 12th September 2008 Hi Guillem, been a fan of La Liga and of your column for a while now. Every year we new, young talent coming through the ranks or being imported from south america and i was wandering if there are any this season. Who is this seasons Messi / Aguero / Bojan etc............. Posted 14:23 12th September 2008
Sevilla v Sporting Gijon
Real Madrid v Athletic BilbaoBarcelona v Racing Santander
7pm, Saturday, Sky Sports Xtra
It is a bit of a Mickey Mouse competition but to ignore the Copa Catalunya was seen by many as a lack of respect for the nation.
Quotes of the week
Click here for detailsSevilla v Sporting Gijon
9pm, Saturday, Sky Sports XtraReal Madrid v Numancia
6pm, Sunday, Sky Sports 1Almeria v Valencia
8pm, Sunday, Sky Sports 1Guillem answers your questions...
Hola Guillem! I just wanted to ask...with Real Madrid's Mahhamdou Diarra failing to justify his hefty price tag and with the emergence of Fernando Gago towards the end of last season, do you think this will be the year in which Gago takes on the mantle of the all time great Madridista - Fernando 'El Principe' Redondo? Thank you, Guillem. Suerte! Kad Zarif
Hi Guillem, I'm a Newcastle fan so I was wondering whether you could tell me a bit more about Xisco, who we have just signed from Deportivo? I'm a regular watcher of La Liga on Sky Sports and the only thing I remember about this player is that he wore a headband last season to help him score goals! This makes me worry, but if he is anything like our other signings from La Liga - Jonas Guttierrez and Fabricio Coloccini - then I'd be happy. My main question is: is he a prolific goalscorer? Thanks. Tariq, Sheffield
Hi, I was wondering, do you think Barca have signed well? Personally, I think that Barcelona had problems in defence more than midfield and attack. In midfield and attack Barca are very flexible, very stylish and moving. However, in defence, they have always struggled; it has always been their weakness. Speaking as a Barca fan, I feel we have signed players that may not provide the powerful defence we need. Dani Alves is excellent and can be excused from what I am saying but Cacares and Pique I feel are not going to really help. Mike PowellComments (5)
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