Che-Che-Changes
Sunday 16 March 2008 13:37, UK
Guillem Balague on the stories behind our live La Liga games - including some big news from Valencia.
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. Deportivo v Real MadridValencia v Sevilla
Almeria v Barcelona
Atletico Madrid v Levante
Deportivo v Real Madrid
7pm, Saturday, Sky Sports 2
It's been an interesting couple of weeks for Real Madrid. Of course they went from almost being knocked off the top of the table by Barcelona to being in the very healthy position they are in at the moment, eight points clear.
Against Deportivo Ruud van Nistelrooy will still be missing. I had the chance to have a chat with him this week and he says hes not far away from being right and his return will be essential to a Madrid side that still looks very imbalanced. There's no replacement for Sergio Ramos, no replacement for Guti and no replacement for van Nistelrooy himself.
They are planning for the future though. Ramon Calderon has had to calm things down and tell Berndt Schuster he's going to be staying for next season and in the meantime they are thinking about players to buy.
There's been contact about David Villa at Valencia and Luis Fabiano of Sevilla and they've been following one of those youngsters who has the misfortune of having the tag of the new Thierry Henry. Gabriel Obertan is a 19-year-old at Bordeaux who is nothing like Henry, but that's what they are calling him and Real Madrid are tracking him!
Valencia v Sevilla
9pm, Saturday, Sky Sports 2
Finally the Valencia chairman, Juan Soler, has abandoned his position!
He says it is because of health issues which is probably true, but nevertheless he leaves behind a very bad three-and-a-half years in charge of the club. In that time they have had five different coaches, seven different directors of football and no titles!
He has left the club in the hands of an old friend but basically Soler is still the main shareholder, so in principle there have not been that many changes. But the situation may become clearer when he sells those shares which, some people are saying, could happen in the next few weeks. The new chairman by the way, is Augustin Morera.
Almeria v v Barcelona
6pm, Sunday, Sky Sports 2
Almeria destroyed Real Madrid a while back in such an impressive manner that DVD's of the game have been sent out to a few managers.
That victory was based on their preparation, the way they moved about as a unit and the way they prepared set pieces and corners and in an advanced way - and they may do the same thing against Barcelona.
As for Barca, they will be without Deco and Ronaldinho is carrying a knock so is a doubt. But at Barca all they are talking about is Jose Mourinho taking over. What I will say about that situation is I think Mourinho is trying his best through his "friends" in the media to make out that he is the only one who can replace Frank Rijkaard.
Joan Laporta still has faith in the Dutchman, but he is going to have to win some silverware: it could be the Copa del Rey or the Champions League or maybe even the League title...
Atletico Madrid v Levante
8pm, Sunday, Sky Sports 2
Sky Sports viewers are finally going to see Riga, the Levante striker who has scored 10 goals this season and is being followed by English Premier League sides.
Of course, he has had a difficult period with months where he hasn't been paid. He's had to borrow from his friends while some of his Levante colleagues have had to sell their cars just to pay the mortgage.
Riga himself is going to tell us all about it on Revista in a couple of weeeks, so keep an eye out for that.
As for Atletico they need the points at home as they are still battling to make that top order.
The favourites to fill the Champions League places, in reverse order, are Sevilla, Villarreal, Barcelona and Real Madrid, but you cannot rule out Atletico and Espanyol, who are going to give it one final go.
Guillem answers your questions...
SEARCH FOR A STARHi Guillem, Do you believe Real Madrid will, in the next few years, manage to raise some future stars like Barcelona? I was looking at the teams, and with players like Messi, Bojan and Dos Santos who joined Barca at a young age really worry me for the future of the league as they are already showing huge potential and skill. And from Madrid we have seen Torres, Balboa and Soldado. All who have sank into the shadows due to the club's lengthy substitute benches. Also what do you see for the future of Marcelo, Higauin and Gago? And finally what is the situation of Daniel Opare? Will he join the team soon or in the summer? By the way I'm a big fan of your columns and look forward to reading your views every week. Thanks, Regards, Chris
GUILLEM SAYS: You mentioned Torres, Balboa and Soldado as players with huge potential and skill, but I think Torres is just OK, Chris. Balbao is more useful than Schuster thinks and Soldado is definitely someone who Schuster doesn't trust. He's not as good as Ruud van Nistelrooy but might make a good replacement, although we will never know because he hasn't been given a proper chance. You also talk about Barcelona and Real Madrid's B teams and you worry about the quality coming through, but I should remind you Chris, that Barca's B team is in the third division in Spain, which is like the Conference. In contrast, Real's B team is top of the Second Division and France Football have their lower ranks as the best in the world. So, the problem is not so much creating the talent, but that the talent doesn't make it into the first team which is a real shame. As for Opare, he is a right-back who can play anywhere, centre-back or even left-back, but is better at right-back. He's in the B team right now but could well make the jump up to the first team in a couple of years. But Sergio Ramos is there to stay, so he's got a little problem right now! ABSOLUTELY FAB?
Hi Guillem, I wanted to ask what you think of Fran Merida, the midfielder who Arsenal poached from Barcelona. Is he the new Cesc Fabregas? Many thanks, Olly Layton
GUILLEM SAYS: To put it bluntly Olly, Fran Merida is not the new Cesc Fabregas. He's went on loan to Real Sociedad in January where he started well, but he's not playing that often these days. His progression didn't really continue at Arsenal and Arsene Wenger felt he needed a little big of experience back home in Spain which he is getting - or would be if he was playing! It's a shame. It seems there is more hope for Carlos Vela who was at Salamanca and is now at Osasuna is more likely to make it back to the Arsenal first team, maybe after another season in Spain. SCHU'S INS... AND OUTS
Hola Guillem, I am a big Real Madrid fan living in Dublin and would like to know which players Real are looking at for next season? I keep hearing players being linked such as Alonso, Modric, Kaka - who do you think will come in and leave? Tommy Scott
GUILLEM SAYS: We touched on this in the preview Tommy, but I'm not sure Xabi Alonso is one of those players that have contacted yet. But Real will be signing midfielders because they need midfielders and there is a question mark against Alonso's future at Liverpool, so it could be a good move. With Modric they'll have to fight it out with Chelsea; Kaka is definitely off the list as is Cristiano Ronaldo. Basically Real need a striker, two midfielders - one wide and the other a creative central player - and depending what happens with Fabio Cannavaro, maybe a centre-back. Pedrag Mijatovic has said there are not going to be many signings, maybe three or four, with three or four going the other way. Maybe Christoph Metzelder, Javier Saviola may be going, Soldaldo as well and Balboa. Got a question for Guillem? Then send it in here
