La Liga: Tiredness, injuries big factors as title race continues in Spain

Madrid (Spain), May 1 (IANS) The 34th round of matches in La Liga sees FC Barcelona and Real Madrid struggling with injuries and tired legs as they battle it out for this season's title, while the race for Europe and to avoid relegation increases in intensity elsewhere.

Barcelona played one of the most exciting UEFA Champions League ties in recent years on Wednesday with a 3-3 draw at home to Inter Milan, but the match saw Jules Kounde suffer a muscle injury and the games are mounting up fast as Barcelona look to defend a four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Hansi Flick's outfit visits bottom side Real Valladolid, already condemned to relegation with just four wins all season and the worst defensive record in La Liga, so Flick should be able to make some squad rotations without too many problems.

It has been a painful week for Real Madrid after losing the Copa del Rey final to Barcelona, with Carlo Ancelotti seemingly on the verge of leaving the club for Brazil's national team, and the fallout from the disgraceful behaviuor of some of the players at the end of last weekend's defeat, reports Xinhua.

Ancelotti will struggle to put out a solid defense at home to an in-form Celta Vigo, with Antonio Rudiger both injured and suspended, while Ferland Mendy is also out along with Eduardo Camavinga and David Alaba for a game that Madrid must win ahead of next weekend's visit to Barcelona.

The weekend kicks off with a mid-table clash between Rayo Vallecano and Getafe and continues on Saturday with a vital match for 17th-ranked Alaves at home against third-placed Atletico Madrid.

It will be a special match for Alaves defender Carlos Martin, who is on loan from Atletico.

In the race for the top four, Villarreal is at home to an Osasuna side that travels to the east coast after three consecutive wins lifted the club to eighth.

Real Betis visit an Espanyol side that is tough to beat at home and has climbed away from the relegation zone. Betis play the first leg of their Conference League semifinal at home to Fiorentina on Thursday.

The Fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao have a Europa League semifinal against Manchester United ahead of Sunday's Basque derby away to Real Sociedad. The game comes after Imanol Alguacil announced he would step down as Real Sociedad coach at the end of the season.

Elsewhere, Las Palmas need to win at home to Valencia to climb out of the bottom three, while there will be drama as Sevilla entertains Leganes.

Sevilla have dropped close to the relegation zone and now has Joaquin Caparros in charge for a fourth time, but three points against the side that sits second from bottom should ease nerves, while Leganes need a win to keep their survival hopes intact.

The last game of the round will be played on Monday when Girona also look to end a dreadful run of form with a home match against a Mallorca side looking to finish in the top eight.

--IANS

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