Following the international break, La Liga is back in action this weekend, featuring significant matches between teams aiming for top-four finishes this season.
The action kicks off on Friday night with Alaves hosting Rayo Vallecano. Rayo's promising start was halted by back-to-back losses before the break. Meanwhile, Alaves' coach, Luis Garcia, emphasizes the importance of home victories to avoid relegation.
Athletic Club Bilbao will miss the services of in-form winger Nico Williams due to a groin injury sustained during international duty. He'll be absent for Saturday's clash against Cadiz, with either Iker Muniain or Alex Berenguer expected to step in. Yeray Alvarez and Oscar de Marcos are back from injuries. Cadiz, on the other hand, has had a solid start, registering two wins and a draw in their first four matches.
Atletico Madrid's game against Sevilla was postponed because of inclement weather, making their Saturday match against Valencia their first in three weeks. Diego Simeone might be without Rodrigo de Paul and Koke, while Valencia's Roman Yaremchuk is set to debut after the team suffered two straight losses.
Mallorca, still in search of their season's first win, will visit Celta Vigo, who is riding high after a 3-2 victory against Almeria.
Saturday's action concludes with FC Barcelona taking on Betis. Barca's coach, Xavi Hernandez, is uncertain about Ilkay Gundogan's availability following a rough fall during Germany's friendly against France. Ronald Araujo and Pedri remain sidelined for Barcelona, while Betis will miss Nabil Fekir, Andres Guardado, and Aitor Ruibal. Additionally, Betis sold defender Luiz Felipe to a Saudi Arabian team last week.
Sunday starts with a likely intense match between Getafe and Osasuna, followed by Villarreal hosting Almeria. Juan Jose Rojo 'Pacheta' will debut as Villarreal's coach after the dismissal of Quique Setien. Almeria, with a record of one draw and three losses, might see coach Vicente Moreno's position in jeopardy with another defeat.
Sevilla's coach, Jose Luis Mendilibar, is feeling the heat after three consecutive losses. However, the team has bolstered its ranks with the additions of Mariano Diaz and Sergio Ramos. Ramos' potential return is the highlight of Sunday's match against Las Palmas, provided he's match-fit.
Jude Bellingham, with five goals since joining Real Madrid, will spearhead the team against a formidable Real Sociedad. While Vinicius Jr remains unavailable for Madrid, Sociedad will rely on the talents of Take Kubo and midfielder Mikel Merino. With both teams set for their Champions League debuts next week, squad rotations might be on the cards.
The weekend wraps up on Monday as Granada faces a Girona side that has surprised many with three wins and a draw in their opening four matches.
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