An unlikely top four clash takes centre stage, while Mallorca look to life after Laudrup
Levante look to extend excellent start
When Malaga studied the fixture list on the day of its release, few at the club would have predicted their clash with Levante to be a top four clash.
Levante, who saw manager Luis Garcia and top scorer Felipe Caicedo depart the club in the summer, readied themselves for a season of struggle against relegation.
Little was expected of new manager Juan Ignacio Martinez, who's never led a team higher than 5th in the Segunda - yet after six games, his Levante side sit in 2nd, level on points with Barcelona and one ahead of Malaga and Real Madrid.
After shocking Real Madrid at Ciutat de Valencia, they now look to do similar against Manuel Pellegrini's Malaga. Malaga's new-look squad have recovered admirably from their defeat to Sevilla in their opening fixture, winning four and drawing one, conceding just two.
Those two came against Getafe last time out. With just two minutes remaining, Malaga trailed 2-1 but showed they have the personality to match their personnel - goals from Enzo Maresca and a last minute Julio Baptista bicycle kick dragged them into the top four.
While Malaga expect to be there at the end of the season, Levante are just happy they're there right now; every point gained is a point closer to safety at this point of the season. A win here, however, and Martinez could start pondering finishing higher than 5th in La Liga at the first time of asking.
Another team hoping to be in the top four at the end of the week is
Valencia, but they'll have to beat a
Mallorca side keen to impress new manager Joaquin Caparros.
Caparros was relieved of his duties at Athletic Bilbao in the summer and could prove a coup for Los Bermellones after the depature of Michael Laudrup. Caparros steered Bilbao to 6th last season, but will hope for a better relationship with club owner Lorenzo Serra Ferrer than Laudrup endured; the Dane's departure from the club came after a number of high-profile disagreements with Ferrer.
Caparros has his work cut out to get off to a winning start, however. Unai Emery's Valencia have started the season well, tightening their defence after conceding three at home to Racing on the opening weekend. Their past three wins have been by a 1-0 scoreline, while their first defeat of the season - away to Sevilla - was also due to a solitary goal.
Caparros is a manager who likes to keep things tight, so Roberto Soldado, who has five league goals for Valencia this season, will have to be on top form to stop Mallorca welcoming their new man with a win.
Barcelona and
Real Madrid are both at home this weekend, as Barca look to keep light between the pair. Barcelona host
Racing Santander on Saturday,
live on Sky Sports HD1 at 5pm, with Racing manager Hector Cuper looking for his first win since taking charge this summer. Racing have scored just four goals all season - half of what Lionel Messi has bagged already.
Real Madrid take on
Real Betis at Santiago Bernabeau on Saturday,
live on Sky Sports HD1 at 7pm. Real will be relieved Real Betis' astonishing start to the season has fizzled out in recent weeks; from four wins from four games, Betis have now lost the last two, and have not won at the Bernabeau since 1998. With 13 of Real Madrid's last 15 goals coming from Benzema, Higuain and Ronaldo, Cuper will know where the danger lies.
Elsewhere,
Villarreal travel to
Getafe hoping to see an improvement in form after just one win in six, while
Granada host
Atletico Madrid on Saturday,
live on Sky Sports HD1 at 9pm, with both teams looking for their first win since mid-September.
Fellow promoted side
Rayo Vallecano host
Espanyol,
Real Zaragoza and
Real Sociedad collide and Sporting look to get their first win of the season at
Sevilla on Sunday,
live on Sky Sports HD1 at 9pm.
The matchday ends at San Memes with
Athletic Bilbao, finally finding their feet under new boss Marcelo Bielsa, take on an
Osasuna side with just one defeat all season - an 8-0 drubbing at the Camp Nou.
