Real Madrid, Barca out to make up ground at top of LaLiga

This midweek features an extra treat for LaLiga Santander fans, with the four teams involved in January’s Spanish Super Cup playing their rearranged LaLiga fixtures with Real Madrid, Athletic Club, Barcelona and current LaLiga leaders Real Sociedad getting an opportunity to steal a march on their rivals in the table.

Tuesday evening sees Real Madrid host Athletic Club at their Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano home in the latest instalment of El Viejo Clasico – ‘The Old Classic.’ Wednesday then has Barcelona welcoming high-flying Real Sociedad to the Camp Nou, another fixture full of modern-day importance and historical significance.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been through difficult moments already in this strangest of LaLiga seasons, but last weekend brought important victories against Atletico Madrid and Levante respectively and three more points for both would bring them right back towards the top of the LaLiga Santander standings.

Los Blancos’ form at their temporary home has been inconsistent this season, including defeats to Cadiz and Alaves. They did however show their class in Saturday’s 2-0 ‘derbi’ victory at home to neighbours Atletico, thanks to Casemiro’s early header and an unfortunate own goal by rojiblanco goalkeeper Jan Oblak after Dani Carvajal’s superb 25 yarder hit the post.

Zdiane’s side’s record against Athletic at the Santiago Bernabeu has been excellent through recent decades. Los Leones have not won there since 2004, although the Basque side did leave with a point after securing a draw in two of the last three seasons.

You have to go back even further in history to find Real Sociedad’s last victory at the Camp Nou, to the 1990-91 season when the txuri-urdin goalscorers in a 3-1 victory were Irish international John Aldridge and his English strike-partner Dalian Atkinson. Barça continued their winning run in the fixture last March, when a late Lionel Messi was enough to take the three points for the blaugrana side.

La Real’s current away form is excellent, however. Imanol Alguacil’s side are one of just two unbeaten LaLiga Santander teams on the road so far, with four wins and two draws from their six trips to date. Barça are generally strong at home, winning four of their six in the Catalan capital so far and Lionel Messi’s late strike securing a valuable three points against Levante on Sunday evening.

There was also late drama in Athletic’s game at Valencia on Saturday. Gaizka Garitano’s side fought back from 0-1 down to go 2-1 up thanks to goals from Asier Villalibre and Raul Garcia, only to see Los Che’s Manu Garcia head a late equaliser. La Real also had to settle for a draw in Sunday’s Basque derby with Eibar, although the point was enough to send the txuri-urdin back to the top of the table.

The return to fitness of senior stars like Sergio Ramos, Casemiro, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Philippe Coutinho has helped Real Madrid and Barcelona to regain their form in recent weeks. Meanwhile, La Real’s new senior playmaker David Silva is available again, while Athletic’s versatile veteran Oscar De Marcos was back to make his 300th LaLiga appearances last week.