It’s time for LaLiga Santander Matchday 8!

Football fans are in for a treat this weekend as the best teams head to the field for what is expected to be quite the show-down. Among others, you can look forward to Real Madrid v SD Huesca, CA Osasuna v Atletico de Madrid, D. Alavés v FC Barcelona, and RC Celta v Real Sociedad. The teams will go head-to-head from Friday, 30 October to Monday, 2 November in what’s sure to be a great few days for lovers of the beautiful game.

As LaLiga gets ready for an action-packed weekend, let’s take a look at some of the must-watch team-ups you can’t afford to miss.

THE MOST ANTICIPATED GAMES OF THE MATCHDAY 8

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Real Madrid will look to continue their winning streak after their victory against FC Barcelona in the last ElClasico match. That’s not to say that opposing team SD Huesca won’t put up a fight. After a devastating 4-1 loss against Real Sociedad, the team has a chance at redemption and an opportunity to climb their way back towards the top of the leader board.

Another match not to miss on Saturday evening is Osasuna v Atletico. The pressure is on as one single point separates the teams from possibly claiming the coveted fourth spot on the LaLiga Santander scoreboard. This is, however, dependent on the performance of the teams above them. Currently, Osasuna sits at seventh, while Atletico sits at fifth without a single defeat in LaLiga Santander.

Alavés and FC Barcelona also feature this weekend on Saturday at 21:00 CAT. After FC Barcelona’s recent defeat in the ElClasico, Alavés hopes to make the best of the situation, coming up against an opposition sitting in an unfamiliar 12th spot on the board. A confident Alavés, who will be at home this time around, will aim to rack up their second successive LaLiga win after winning 2-0 away to Real Valladolid on Matchday 7

Then, our wild-card pick for must-watch game of the weekend is Celta v Real Sociedad. On separate ends of the log standing, Celta and Real Sociedad are poised to provide some top-class entertainment. Currently in first place, La Real has had a remarkable season thus far and will undoubtedly fight to retain their top position no matter what. An inconsistent Celta, on the other hand, sits in the unenviable 17th place – but this does mean they have a lot to fight for.

After a three-year absence from the European competition (Uefa Europa League), it will be great to see experienced players such as David Silva and Nacho Monreal confidently display their Sociedad colours once again.

AFRICAN PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS WEEKEND

LaLiga is known for brewing some of the best talents in the world and has had an immense impact on some of Africa’s local talent. This weekend, some notable players will grace the field in a bid to see their teams rank on the log.

Huesca and their African duo of Kelechi Nwakali (Nigeria) and Idrissa Doumbia (Ivory Coast) will be up against reigning champions Real Madrid this weekend, while Ghanaian defender Joseph Aidoo is in line

to make his sixth appearance of the season as they go up against leaders Real Sociedad. Yan Brice Eteki and Ramon Azeez have aided Granada in a successful start to the season; currently occupying the third spot, they will face-off against 19th placed Levante on Sunday evening.

And let’s not forget the North African players in Sevilla. This weekend, we’ll be watching as Yassine Bounou, Youssef En-Nesyri, Munir El Haddadi and Oussama Idrissi go up against 16th positioned Athletic Club as they look to rise from their current 13th spot.

MORE FIXTURES TO LOOK OUT FOR

Real Betis side will host Argentine coach Jorge Almirón’s high-flying Elche CF.

Valencia CF host Getafe CF in a battle of two teams who have developed an interesting rivalry in recent years

The final game of Matchday 8, which takes place on Monday night, will see Villarreal CF play Real Valladolid at the Estadio de la Cerámica

The next matchday starts on Friday, 30 October, and continues throughout the weekend. To keep up with all the adrenaline-pumping action, tune in to LaLiga's dedicated SuperSport channel on DStv Channel 204.