Desperate for a favour
> Struggling Real Madrid hoping Sevilla stop leaders Barcelona
STRUGGLING champions Real Madrid will be hoping Barcelona’s home clash with Sevilla tomorrow in La Liga will give them a chance to make up ground in the title race.
Madrid, who are teetering on the brink of a crisis, are third and go into the weekend eight points behind their bitter rivals, who are first and unbeaten.
Zinedine Zidane’s side host Las Palmas on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu and need Sevilla, fifth, to do them a favour at Camp Nou the day before.
Madrid fell to a 3-1 defeat against Tottenham in the Champions League at Wembley yesterday, losing consecutive games for the first time during Zidane’s reign after Catalan minnows Girona beat them 2-1 last Sunday in the league.
Los Blancos had not suffered a Champions League group stage defeat since October 2012 until Dele Alli’s double helped sink them in London.
“We need to show we have experience, we are full of champions and we need to change the run we are on,” said Zidane.
“That’s two defeats and we’re not happy about it. Right now people are feeling bad, it’s a bad moment, but it’s something we need to accept, keep our head held high, there are many games remaining and we look to turn this around.”
The visit of Las Palmas on Sunday is a good opportunity for Madrid to change their course, with the Canary Islanders 18th and on a run of six straight league defeats, during which they have conceded 18 goals and scored only three.
The picture will be more pleasant for Madrid if Barcelona strikers Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez still can’t get their shooting boots on Saturday.
Neither forward was able to find the net as the Catalans failed to breach Olympiakos’ defence in a goalless Champions League stalemate in Greece on Tuesday.
It was a minor blip for Messi, who is otherwise in spectacular goalscoring form this season with 12 in La Liga, more than any other player, while Suarez is enduring a dreadful run of form.
The Uruguayan netted a crucial goal against title rivals Atletico Madrid on Oct 14 to keep Barcelona unbeaten in the top flight, but has otherwise been guilty of profligacy, with just three strikes to his name.
Coach Ernesto Valverde recognised Barcelona have to become more clinical in the weeks ahead, but defended Suarez.
“I like the version of Luis Suarez we’re getting,” Valverde said.
“Sometimes a goal can depend on a matter of centimetres. I will say it again, what I like most about my players is that they’re getting chances, a lot, because that’s a good sign. The success will come.”
Barcelona also have various injury problems with captain Andres Iniesta, Andre Gomes and Sergi Roberto missing the game along with long-term absentees Ousmane Dembele and Rafinha Alcantara.
Sevilla impressed against Spartak Moscow with a 2-1 Champions League win yesterday, one of the best performances since Eduardo Berizzo took charge in the summer.
Meanwhile second-place Valencia, four points behind Barcelona and four ahead of Real Madrid, look to continue their superb start to the season as they face Leganes at home.
The weekend’s other fixtures are Real Betis vs Getafe, Deportivo La Coruna vs Atletico Madrid, Alaves vs Espanyol, Levante vs Girona, Celta Vigo vs Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad vs Eibar and Villarreal vs Malaga. – dpa