Questions for the Weekend

Can Cordoba escape the relegation zone?

Cordoba won a match; an actual game of football; with 90 minutes and 22 men and all that; and three points at the end of it. Athletic Bilbao’s form heading into the contest offered little suggestion that Los Califas would stun the San Mames and end their long hunt to achieve a win in La Liga – something they hadn’t done since 1972. But 23 minutes into the match Nabil Ghilas pressed Athletic’s defence into conceding possession, capitalised on their high-line to run into acres of space, and slotted the ball past Gorka Iraizoz. Some 67 minutes of football later and Cordoba were celebrating ending their 42-year wait.

The crucial three points propelled them to 18^th in the league – Elche and Deportivo trailing – and brought them onto level points with Almeria. The club lead the league in terms of draws – seven so far – and those points, once a marker of their inability to win matches, could be important come the end of the season. This weekend they welcome Levante to the Estadio Nuevo Arcangel with the aim to escape the relegation zone.

Lucas Alcaraz’s side have dropped to 15^th in La Liga after a promising start. While Levante have only lost one match from their last five, three have also been draws – a surprise 2-1 victory over Valencia stopped them from drifting into the relegation zone. The fact that results from both sides read like binary code suggest that it’s going to be a tight game with little to separate the teams.

One element that could make the difference is the psychological effect of Cordoba’s deserved win. The fact that those three points eluded them for so long, and the disappointment of conceding late goals as they did against Getafe, must have affected their confidence. Some critics doubted they’d win a match this season – did that thinking penetrate the squad? All that negativity is gone now, but the fantastic feeling of breaking that run remains. Cordoba should turn that into confidence and play Levante with the knowledge that they can win. It’s important that they do so this weekend.

While Almeria’s visit from Real Madrid means it’s unlikely the 17^th place team are going to be collecting points, Deportivo and Elche’s clash means at least one of the sides will leap-frog Cordoba – both if it ends level. Losing another match and dropping back to the foot of the table would be devastating for Cordoba’s morale.

Will Hamilton’s poor form continue against Dundee?

The Accies’ undefeated streak came to a disappointing climax against Dundee at the end of October. Perhaps an element of familiarity came into play – Hamilton picked up just two points from their four meetings with the Dees in the Championship last season – but the result appears to have had a knock-on effect that Alex Neil’s side have struggled to shake.

Hamilton have lost three of their last five matches – including the Dundee game – as they were humbled for a second time this season at the hands of Inverness and could count themselves lucky to concede just three as Aberdeen routed them at Pittodrie. While a comfortable 3-0 victory against hapless St Mirren and a point from a spectacular 3-3 draw with Partick Thistle means they aren’t in danger of dropping out of the top six soon – sixth and seventh place Kilmarnock and Dundee are six and seven points off respectively – their dire performance against the Dons seemed reminiscent of their debut defeat to Caley Thistle.

One month separated Hamilton’s dominant performance in October, which resulted in a 3-0 win, and the disjointed display which led to their 3-0 humbling last weekend. Neil’s side offered little in attack – a mere three shots on target compared to Aberdeen’s six – but poor defending ultimately cost them. Ash Taylor had little trouble heading in a corner, Niall McGinn capitalised on some clumsy passing before chipping Michael McGovern, and a blatant penalty resulted in the third – there were no positives to be taken from the game.

Dundee’s win in October ended a poor run of results for the club, and since then the Dees have earned seven points from five matches. Considering Inverness’s form and Celtic’s usual dominance, tight 2-1 losses to both clubs are not terrible results; although Paul Hartley would have been frustrated Dundee didn’t make more of their chances. Victories against other top-six sides – Aberdeen and Kilmarnock – mean they’re now one point off a place in the top-half of the table.

Alex Neil will be hoping for such a run for his Hamilton team if they can beat Dundee on Saturday.

Questions for the Weekend

CAN VALENCIA KEEP UP WITH THE TOP THREE?

In Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, Valencia have an example to follow if they want to break free of their traditional position as Spain’s Arsenal. Atletico used to be in a similar position, but their achievements in both La Liga and the Champions League demonstrates that the iron-tight-grip Barcelona and Real Madrid have on the league can be broken. In Simeone’s first full season at the Vicente Calderon, Atletico finished third – behind the usual pair – on an impressive 76 points. And, despite losing to both clubs in the league, Atletico beat their arch-rivals in the Copa del Rey final and snapped their losing mentality. Valencia must do the same this season.

Peter Lim has added firepower to the squad, bringing in young, developing talents like Rodrigo and Andre Gomes, and has solidified the defence with the signings of Nicolas Otamendi and Shkodran Mustafi. The club even made a profit thanks to the sale of Jeremy Mathieu to Barcelona. Valencia now need to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with, as Atletico did in their first season under Simeone.

It’s been a good – if a little inconsistent – start to Valencia’s campaign. Los Che sit fourth in the league, a couple of points behind Atletico, but Nuno’s side should be even higher. Surprising defeats to Deportivo and Levante cost them valuable points, as did draws against Real Sociedad, Athletic, and fellow-Champions League chasers Sevilla. In their seven victories so far this season, Valencia have scored exactly three goals in each game, and have conceded one at most – including a 3-1 win over Atletico at the Mestalla.

Results last week meant that, for the first time this season, the top three from last season were the top three this season. It’s imperative that Valencia continue to put pressure on the Madrid teams and Barcelona, who they host on Sunday, which makes the task easier said than done. Barcelona destroyed Sevilla last week, offering them little possession and having enough time to celebrate Lionel Messi breaking Telmo Zarra’s La Liga scoring record.

Valencia don’t have a habit of giving Barcelona easy wins. The Catalan club have won seven games since the start of the 2008/09 season – the first under Pep Guardiola – and Valencia have picked up all three points just the once. Importantly, that was the last time the teams met, as Valencia ran out 3-2 victors at the Camp Nou. Plus, in four of the last five Barcelona wins, one goal has separated the teams, and Valencia have held out for a point on four other occasions.

Otamendi and Mustafi have looked strong at the back so far this season, but they face their toughest challenge in the trio of Messi, Neymar and Suarez, who scored his first first-team goal against APOEL in the Champions League. Rodrigo and Paco Alcacer have also been anonymous at times, which is disappointing considering the excellent start they had to their campaign. The duo must be at their best if Valencia are to win this crucial game.

CAN GETAFE STOP ATHLETIC AND ADURIZ?

Getafe used to be one of the more boring teams to watch in La Liga, however, over the past couple of months, the club has turned itself into one of the more formidable mid-table outfits. Cosmin Contra’s side have had a mixed record over their last five matches, but both losses – to 1-0 to Atletico and 2-1 to Villarreal – have been tight and the team deserved three points against Elche. Getafe’s last two victories came against northern sides, Deportivo at the end of October and Real Sociedad a couple of games before, and it’s Sociedad’s Basque rivals, Athletic, who visit the Alfonso Perez this weekend.

Athletic are in fantastic form at the moment, picking up 11 points from their last five matches. Before their last game, Ernesto Valverde’s side had been relying on keeping things tight at the back and scoring one goal – they held Celta and Valencia, and won 1-0 against both Sevilla and Almeria. Last week, however, Bilbao looked much more dangerous in attack, and much of the credit must be aimed at Aritz Aduriz.

The veteran striker looked unplayable against Espanyol, as his team ran out 3-1 victors. He opened the scoring in the 29^th minute, leaping high to head Susaeta’s corner and, thanks to a deflection, sending the ball into the bottom left corner. Aduriz demonstrated another reason he’s crucial to Athletic’s attacking for the next goal. He used his size to control a long ball – holding off his marker – turned and cut inside, before releasing a through ball which Borja Viguera neatly slipped past Kiko Casilla. His header marked his fifth of the season – in ten games – and again raised questions about Athletic’s overreliance on him. At 33, he’s no spring chicken, and he’s already suffered a couple of hamstring injuries this season that have kept him out for sustained periods.

The form he and Athletic are in, it’s difficult to imagine them not picking up all three points. As good as Getafe are, the team still lack goals and are over reliant themselves on the creativity of Yoda.

Questions for the Weekend

ARE DAVID MOYES AND REAL SOCIEDAD PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER?

David Moyes and Real Sociedad have one thing in common: both tasted the big time and both have suffered since. The club from San Sebastian reached the Champions League just over a year-ago; but then dropped to 7^th last season, and now they hover precariously above the relegation zone. Sociedad have sold Asier Illarramendi, Claudio Bravo and Antoine Griezmann to the Madrid clubs and Barcelona, and are struggling to find any form. The Scottish manager, on the other hand, took on an impossible task by replacing the irreplaceable Alex Ferguson and didn’t see out the season. His big chance had come and gone.

And let’s not forget that Moyes did a brilliant job at Everton. When he took the reins Everton hadn’t finished in the top ten since 1996. Although the Toffees came close to relegation in 2004, the club kept confidence in him and he rewarded them with a 4^th place finish – they would have reached the group stage of the Champions League had it not been for some questionable refereeing. From 2007 to 2013 the club finished between 8^th and 5^th – he turned them into consistent top-four challengers despite lacking the budget. He had an eye for finding talents at a lower level and bringing them in on the cheap – Joleon Lescott for £5 million, Mikel Arteta (from Sociedad) for £2.5 million, and Tim Cahill from Millwall for £1.5 million. Sociedad could offer him the same chance in a warmer climate.

There are the obvious disadvantages going against him. The outstanding one is that he can’t speak Spanish. This means he can’t give in-depth team-talks – although that doesn’t seem to be an issue so far. Inigo Martinez has said that the Scotsman has demonstrated his desire, asking for 100% from the side, and that has inspired the players during training. This has been a big problem for Sociedad. Under Jagoba Arrasate the Basque club looked uninspired, often lacking the inspiration to drag themselves out of a difficult situation. Getting the team’s head in order should be the main priority, and for good reason.

Despite losing Illarramendi, Bravo and Griezmann, the club have retained most of the players who helped the club reach the Champions League. The talent is still there. Perhaps no player better represents their plight than Carlos Vela. The former Arsenal winger was in tantalising form last season – he was one of the best players outside of the top three – scoring 16 league goals and making 12 assists. He was crucial to Sociedad’s attacking play. In this campaign, however, he’s notched just two goals. Vela’s drifted in games, looking anonymous, and he needs a manager who can push him to regain that form and demonstrate why the Gunners’ fans were thinking about bringing him back to the Emirates during the World Cup.

Moyes’s league debut comes against Deportivo, who are on the same points as 15^th place Sociedad – there are five clubs on nine points. The promoted side have been abject at times, and couldn’t even score past Cordoba. Sociedad did defeat Atletico before the international break, reminding fans that there is still quality in this team, and Deportivo offer Moyes the chance to make it back-to-back wins and bring some confidence back to the Anoeta.

CAN ROSS COUNTY ESCAPE THE RELEGATION ZONE?

Perhaps the most surprising display in the Scottish Premiership so far this season came at Rugby Park in the last round of fixtures. Ross County scored three first-half goals against Kilmarnock and looked good doing so. It means Jim McIntyre’s side have picked up four points in their last three games – a tight 1-0 loss to Aberdeen and a 2-2 draw against St Mirren – and are on level points with the Buddies, and just two behind Motherwell.

This weekend they are playing St Johnstone, who are still struggling thanks to a lack of goals. The Perth club have scored just ten league goals this campaign – two less than their opponents – and still haven’t solved the problem of replacing Stevie May. Despite their attacking woes, Tommy Wright’s side are still solid enough in defence, having conceded 16 – one less than Aberdeen. All this probably indicates that the match is going to be a tight one, with one goal enough to separate the sides.

If County take all three points, it’ll lift them out of the relegation zone and above Motherwell – depending on how the Steelmen get on against Inverness. It would also put them within touching distance of St Johnstone, and, if they can keep a run of form going, they could avoid what looked like certain relegation.

Three Questions for the Weekend

CAN HAMILTON RETURN TO WINNING WAYS AT INVERNESS?

Inverness offered a humbling welcome to Hamilton on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season. The Accies were among the favourites for relegation, and their dire performance in the 2-0 loss to Caley Thistle seemed to indicate that Alex Neil had a tough job on his hands if he hoped to avoid a quick return to the Championship.

It’s been almost three months since that encounter, and those early-season predictions have been made to look stupid – mine included. Hamilton picked up three points in their next game, and three more after that, and soon the Accies had stringed together a nine-match undefeated streak that had propelled them to the pinnacle of the table. A comfortable 3-0 demolition of Aberdeen confirmed this was no ‘luck’, and that Hamilton are a team to be feared this season. Then Dundee hosted them at Dens Park.

Neil’s side couldn’t beat Dundee in four meetings in the Championship last season. There’s something to be said for psychology carrying over because, on paper, Hamilton should’ve beaten the Dees. But they didn’t. Dundee ended their amazing run, and Partick almost made it consecutive defeats – a 94^th minute strike from Andreu secured a crucial point.

There are comparisons to be made between Hamilton and Inverness’s form this season. John Hughes’ team also benefitted from an early-season run of form that guided them to the top of the league. An almost perfect run of 13 points from their opening five matches ended at Partick in a 3-1 loss. The Highland side have struggled to regain that form since – losses to Celtic and Aberdeen, a point shared in the derby, and victories against St Mirren, Dundee United and St Johnstone.

If Neil is to stop Hamilton turning into Inverness – which is no bad thing considering this is their first season back in the Premiership – he needs to stop the rot against Inverness.

CAN CELTA JOIN THE MAIN PACK?

Celta Vigo ruined a good amount of betting slips last weekend, defying the odds to pull off the incredible and escape the Camp Nou boasting all three points. After the Clasico, most of the focus before the match was on the Catalan’s attacking trio and Luis Suarez’s home debut. The Uruguayan had a quiet game by his standards; as did Neymar and Lionel Messi. In fact, the one striker to continue their fine form was Joaquin Larrivey, who, after some brilliant work from Nolito, reached his team-mate’s backpass and slotted a first-time shot past Claudio Bravo, ending Barca’s clean-sheet record at home.

Sure, there was an element of luck involved. 99% of teams need luck on their side in order to overcome the might of Barcelona. The hosts struck the woodwork on four occasions, and Suarez also missed a couple of decent chances to open his Catalan account. Of course, Barcelona restricted their time on the ball – and thus restricted their ability to play their usual Barca-esque style – but Os Celticos remained solid in defence and utilised the rare opportunities to do something in attack. And the three points highlight the success that Eduardo Berizzo is enjoying at the Balaidos.

Just a couple of points separate league leader’s Real Madrid from fifth-place Sevilla, with Valencia, Barcelona and Atletico forming the remainder of the title-chasing pack. Three points behind the Catalans and Los Rojiblancos are Celta – Malaga are one point behind them, and then there’s a four point gap to eighth-place Villarreal – and another three points on Saturday would send Berizzo’s side within touching distance of that exclusive club.

Granada are a team in complete freefall. After a promising start to the campaign, Joaquin Caparros’s team have capitulated and have gained just a single point in six games. Last season, under the management of Luis Enrique, Celta picked up four points from their meetings with Granada, and, based on current form, it’s hard to imagine anything other than another home victory.

HAVE VALENCIA GOT A TOUGH TEST IN ATHLETIC?

Valencia played like a team challenging for the title against Villarreal last week. By that do I mean they controlled the game and looked far better than their opponents: no, quite the opposite. After being gifted an early own-goal, Valencia held on for the next 55 minutes as Villarreal bombarded their box and tried to find an equaliser. It required some desperate defending, and some poor finishing from Villarreal, but Los Che kept the one-goal lead and, when the time arose, they pounced. Villarreal began to show signs of tiring, having seen little end-product for their efforts, and Valencia capitalised on this and Mustafi increased the gap. By no means was it a classic performance – far from it – but they escaped with all three points, and that’s what matters. This weekend there’s a chance to keep the pressure on Real as they come up against Athletic.

It’s a quiet weekend in La Liga terms. All of the top five sides are against opposition you’d expect them to beat – Real host Rayo, Barca are at Almeria, Atletico visit Sociedad, and Sevilla have Levante – but it’s Valencia’s meeting with Bilbao that garners the most interest. A couple of weeks ago this would have been a foregone conclusion, Athletic’s form being so poor, but Bilbao are improving week-on-week and are now up to 12^th in the table.

Ernesto Valverde’s side cost Sevilla the chance to go top last week thanks to a 1-0 win. They’ll be seeking another scalp against Valencia. Both meetings last season ended in shared points, and Athletic’s 1-0 win in early 2013 marked the last time either team left with all three points. Their strength in recent weeks has been in defence – both wins have ended 1-0 – and they’ll attempt to keep Rodrigo and Alcacer quiet as Villarreal did.

Three Questions for the Weekend

WILL CELTA CAPITALISE ON SHELL-SHOCKED BARCELONA?

The air of invincibility that surrounded Barcelona prior to the first Clasico of the season has faded. Real Madrid didn’t just beat Barcelona; they dominated and humbled them. The performance from Los Blancos was reminiscent of some of the hidings they received during Pep Guardiola’s spell at the Camp Nou: controlling and appearing relaxed at all stages in the match. Even at 1-0, Madrid looked content. Perhaps Ronaldo and Benzema summed it all up. Some intrinsic passing created a chance which the French striker – who had an almost telepathic understanding with his Portuguese teammate – sent crashing into the stands. Rather than being frustrated, the pair traded smiles and waited for the next chance. That kind of dominance is indicative of one team being in a greater league than the other, and Barcelona are not used to being the weaker rival.

Obviously, going on overall form, Barcelona should annihilate Celta Vigo. On paper it’s a foregone conclusion. But a team on the end of such a sudden and surprising score-line might be in psychological turmoil – almost too desperate to score and too afraid at losing their position to Madrid. It’s difficult to change a team’s mentality.

Barcelona did benefit from an easier start to the season than their rivals. Luis Enrique had time to instil his values – although not much different from their own – before their Clasico clash last week. He hadn’t had to face the defensive Atletico or the rampant Valencia. Their form and clean-sheet record was a mirage. Madrid exposed the same defensive problems that have plagued Barcelona since 2012, and there have been questions about the form of Pique, Alves, Iniesta and Messi – all major players in the Guardiola era. Did Messi peak in 2012? Is Alves past-it?

This is the ideal time for Celta Vigo to visit the Camp Nou. Eduardo Berizzo has done a magnificent job at replacing Enrique; making small changes to the style and bringing the best out of the players at his disposal. Among those are Joaquin Larrivey and Nolito. The Argentine striker notched another two goals against Levante last week, taking his tally up to six in league. One behind him is the former Barcelona attacker Nolito. The pair are forming a potent partnership; both in scoring goals and creating chances. The inconsistent Pique and Mascherano are error-prone at the moment, and that’s the perfect time for the Celta pair to try and add to Barca’s problems.

CAN INVERNESS COMPLETE THE DOUBLE?

Perhaps no match reflected Celtic’s early-season woes and Inverness’s surprisingly strong start more than their meeting at the Caledonian Stadium in August. Ronny Deila’s side bombarded Dean Brill and the Inverness defence, but Caley Thistle stayed solid, and a comical own-goal from Eoghan O’Connell handed the hosts three points. It’s been a familiar theme this season for Celtic. Hamilton also escaped Parkhead with three points after 90 minutes under the cosh.

But something seems to have changed in recent weeks. Games against the bottom sides are no longer close struggles – 11 goals against Ross County and Partick Thistle confirm that – and the Bhoys looked both comfortable and confident as they beat an in-form Kilmarnock. One of the points made after their loss to Inverness was the amount of fresh faces in the line-up – this hasn’t been the case in recent games. Deila has almost finished forming his starting eleven, and his style is beginning to produce results.

Inverness have looked decent after their stuttering form through September. Losses to Partick and Aberdeen, and a draw in the Highland derby, knocked them off their pedestal, but tight wins over St Mirren and Dundee United have sent them second, level on points with Hamilton.

It’s hard to look at this game and not see a comfortable Celtic win. Inverness have shipped 11 goals in their previous two visits to Parkhead with no reply, and Hughes has been criticised for showing the reigning champions too much respect. Three points for Celtic will also send them to one of the top three spots – depending on how Hamilton and Dundee United fare – and with a game in hand.

CAN LEVANTE PICK UP FIRST WIN UNDER AGAINST ALMERIA?

Levante are rock bottom of La Liga. Even winless Cordoba are above them thanks to a stronger goal difference. Their terrible form brought about the sacking of Jose Mendilibar, who took over at the club just two months ago. Lucas Alcaraz has been brought in as his successor, but he could do nothing to stop Celta Vigo strolling to a comfortable 3-0 win last week.

Almeria are the perfect side for Levante to kick-start their campaign under Alcaraz. The Andalusian club are 13^th in the table but haven’t won since their 1-0 victory over Deportivo in September. They have also lost three of their last four encounters against Levante – a 2-2 draw last year being their best result – and didn’t score in those three games. There’s also the factor that they don’t score many goals – this isn’t going to be a barnstormer – so Levante’s crumbling defence shouldn’t be tested as much as it was last week.

The hosts are going to be missing Loukas Vyntra and Hector Rodas, but Pape Diop should return after a brief knock in mid-week. This game should be a tight encounter, the teams separated by one goal, and so it’s up to the Levante front-line to make their chances count.

Three Questions for the Weekend

Can Kilmarnock continue their good run of form at Parkhead?

Kilmarnock are in the best run of form in the league – over the last five matches. Let that sink in for a second. 12 points from games against St Mirren, Partick Thistle, Dundee United and St Johnstone – and a point against the league leaders, Hamilton – has elevated Killie to fourth in the table. Their opponents this weekend are the mid-table outfit Celtic, who are three points behind Kilmarnock but have a game in hand.

Obviously, I jest about the mid-table tag. We all know Celtic are still going to win the league. Some even suggested that last week’s 5-0 demolition of hapless Ross County is the beginning of something, that Ronny Deila has finally found his system and his team. I’m careful about making statements like that: people said the same after the 6-1 thrashing of Dundee United in August.

As for Killie’s record at Parkhead: it’s not the strongest. The last couple of games hosted by the league champions have ended in comprehensive wins and an 8-1 aggregate score – although Killie did pick up three points around this time in 2012 at Celtic Park. There’s also the point that Kilmarnock are far stronger than last season, and there’s a different aura about playing Celtic at the moment.

Hamilton went to Celtic Park, played in their usual style, and came away with a surprise three points. If Killie can demonstrate the same confidence, couldn’t they do the same?

Will ‘El Clasico’ bring Barcelona’s clean-sheet record to an end?

The stats would certainly say so. The last time Madrid didn’t score in ‘El Clasico’ – in the league – was on November 29, 2010, when Barcelona hammered them 5-0 with a performance helped cement their legacy as one of the greatest teams ever. In the seven games since then, Madrid have scored 12 goals – perhaps more surprising is the fact that Los Blancos in a league game between the two since 2007.

The scores are tied from their last five meetings: two wins each and one draw. The Basque club have emerged victorious in the last two matches, including a stunning 4-3 win in the corresponding fixture last season. A hat-trick from Lionel Messi sealed all three points in the 84^th minute – such a brace on Saturday will propel him past Telmo Zarra as La Liga’s top scorer of all time.

As solid as the stats indicate Barcelona are, the evidence also suggests there are still problems. It’s quickly worth pointing out that Gerard Martino’s side last season didn’t lose in the league until the 15^th round – a 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao – so just because Luis Enrique has had a good start doesn’t mean that all their problems are sorted. Malaga shut them out last month and Eibar should have taken the lead in their game last week – Capa exposed some calamitous defending but missed an open-goal (albeit from a tight angle). There’s also the fact that both PSG and Ajax have scored against them in Europe, and the Parisian club beat them in an entertaining game.

There are also still questions about Gerard Pique’s form and Dani Alves’s future at the Camp Nou – both look shambolic at times. It’s a criticism that has also been directed at Madrid this season. However, the hosts this weekend are looking fantastic at the moment: Ronaldo is on fire – 15 goals in seven league starts – and Madrid are scoring for fun.

I’m predicting a big scoreline, and an end to Barca’s impeccable start.

 

Can Cordoba end Arrasate’s reign at Sociedad?

A dejected Jagoba Arrasate looked on as Yoda scored the second for Getafe to complete a late, and demoralising, comeback. Boos rang around the Anoeta as the referee ended the game. Hervias, on as a substitute, had converted Carlos Vela’s cross, and a more optimistic atmosphere surrounded the stadium. However, that had turned toxic by the time the referee blew his whistle. Two late goals from Yoda lifted the visitors to tenth and sent the hosts crashing to 16^th – three goals better off than their Basque rivals, Athletic Bilbao.

Cordoba, on the other hand, are still seeking their first La Liga victory. They were comfortably beaten by Malaga last week, but came close to ending their barren spell at Getafe the week before – a late Baba Diawara strike salvaged a point for the hosts.

Despite this poor spell, Cordoba looked decent in spells and could capitalise on Sociedad’s lack of confidence. The teams have never met in the league, so there’s no form to go on. Cordoba should be without Jose Crespo and Eduard Campabadal, while Sociedad are missing Alberto de la Bella, Ruben Pardo and Gorka Elustondo.

I’d hazard a guess that this isn’t going to be an exciting game.

Weekend Preview

HAMILTON V ABERDEEN

Friday 17^th – BT Sport – 19:45

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Hamilton secured top spot in the Scottish Premiership – and a cool £20 for me – thanks to a 1-0 win at Celtic Park. Perhaps it says more about Celtic’s current struggles that the result didn’t come as a huge shock, but Hamilton still deserve much credit; not only for pulling off the result and collecting all three points, but for continuing to use their style and not reverting to a park-the-bus strategy.

Their first post-internationals fixture sees in-form Aberdeen visiting New Douglas Park tonight. Derek McInnes’ side had a stuttering start to the season, but 10 points from their last four matches has helped them rocket up the league. One point behind both Kilmarnock and Inverness, a win tonight would probably send them second – above Dundee United on goal difference – and leave them one-shy of first-place Hamilton.

The Accies, however, are also in startling form. Since their opening day defeat to Inverness, Alex Neil’s side have gone on a nine-game unbeaten run in the league and have won six of those matches. They also boast a good record against the other top-six clubs: three points from Celtic Park and points from games against both Dundee United (at Tannadice) and Kilmarnock (at home). There’s also the fact that three out of the top five league scorers belong to Hamilton: Crawford, Antoine-Curier and Andreu are joined by Killie’s Obadeyi and United’s Erskine.

We can look at the clubs’ head-to-head record – Aberdeen picked up ten points from their four league meetings in the 2010/11 season – but, considering both clubs have made substantial changes in that time, these stats don’t mean anything. With both teams in great form it’s difficult to predict the outcome, but it’s certainly a game worth watching.

Hamilton claim the best defensive record in the league, having conceded just five goals – two of which came in the loss to Inverness on the first day – and have the joint-second best attack. They are joined on 16 goals by Aberdeen, although they have also conceded 12 – only the bottom three teams have worse records. Hamilton are certainly a more balanced outfit than their opponents, with McInnes struggling to find the right defensive line-up. From their last four games, two have ended 3-2, and one ended 2-2. There’s no doubt the Dons are benefitting from a resurgent David Goodwillie, but their defensive record needs to improve if they hope to mount a serious title challenge.

Team News

Hamilton: Darian MacKinnon returns from suspension, as does Martin Canning, after his knee injury; and Jon Routledge isn’t quite fit enough for first-team game yet.

Aberdeen: Russell Anderson returns from injury but it’s unlikely that he’ll start; Clark Robertson and Ryan Jack are still out, but could be back in the coming weeks; and Jonny Hayes might make a return on the left flank.

BARCELONA V EIBAR

Saturday 18^th – Sky Sports 5 – 19:00

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October 16 2004: Frank Rijkaard’s Barcelona are 1-0 up against Espanyol, courtesy of a 9^th minute goal from Deco. The recent signing from Porto is taken off and he’s replaced by a debutant: 17-year-old Lionel Messi. It was an unspectacular start to his La Liga career; he was outmuscled by the imposing defenders, although a couple of nice, if unproductive, dribbles showed glimpses of his potential.

October 17 2014: Messi is three goals from surpassing Telmo Zarra as La Liga’s all-time top scorer. The Argentine, celebrating his 10^th anniversary at the Catalan club, has amassed 249 goals in 284 appearances in La Liga. Over the past couple of years he and Ronaldo have broken pretty much every scoring record standing, and, finally, Athletic Bilbao’s legendary striker is in his target. Zarra, who featured for the Basque side between 1940 and 1955, scored 252 goals and collected the Pichichi Trophy six times – due to Ronaldo and Messi’s duopoly (the diminutive Argentine has three and the Madrid striker has two) it’s unlikely either will surpass his record.

Eibar, despite their positive start to the season, are the sort of club Barcelona demolish. The Basque side have a decent away record – four points from three games – and lost by just one goal to Atletico Madrid. Barcelona’s league and home records are immaculate: three home wins, 11 goals scored, none conceded. There’s no denying that Eibar are a tough team to break-down. They have the joint-third best defensive record in the league – their hosts and Valencia are the only teams who’ve conceded fewer – and have adopted an almost-English style of playing. However, a trip to the Camp Nou is something else, and Barcelona’s front three are in tantalising form.

Neymar is chasing Ronaldo in the scoring charts, six behind on seven after his return from the injury sustained at the World Cup. The Brazilian has made a brilliant start to his second season at the Camp Nou, and has a cemented role alongside Messi in the front-three – Pedro and Munir are trading the third place before Luis Suarez’s suspension ends. He and Messi should be hoping for a glut on Saturday.

Team News

Barcelona: the hosts are still without the suspended Suarez, who could make his debut against Real Madrid next weekend. Vermaelen remains on the injured list.

Eibar: the visitors are missing the injured Manu, although he’s not a big loss due to being utilised as a sub so far this campaign.

Weekend Preview

Celtic v Hamilton

One of these clubs are second in the Premiership table, demolished Motherwell 4-0 and boast three of the league’s top five scorers; the other are fourth, just managed to defeat 11^th place St Mirren 2-1, and have struggled to find any rhythm. If Celtic were playing as they were last season, this would almost be a foregone conclusion, however, Ronny Deila has chopped-and-changed his squad so many times that it’s difficult to understand either his best-eleven or his preferred tactics. Hamilton are in good form and coasted to a dominant victory over their Lanarkshire rivals last week, and, despite the match taking place at Parkhead, they will go into the match full of confidence and desperate to take another scalp.

Alex Neil said mid-week: “We’ll try to impose our game on Celtic. I’d be doing myself and the team a disservice if I tried to change that for any game.”

A win for Neil’s side will send them six points clear of the reigning champions. The last time the clubs played in the league was during the 2010-11 campaign, at the end of which Hamilton suffered relegation. Celtic picked up six points from the two home games, although it’s hard to make comparisons as the visitors have already earned as many points this season as they did during the entire 10-11 campaign.

Hamilton have the advantage of Celtic’s mid-week Europa League tie, so it’s likely that Deila will be toying around with his team.

Valencia v Atletico Madrid

This match once meant nothing more than the battle for third place. Atletico’s La Liga success has changed that. Diego Simeone’s side are now one of the big three – even if they still lack the financial clout or individual talent that Barcelona and Real wield – and their accomplishments have inspired fans of teams like Valencia and Sevilla. The glass-ceiling – as mentioned by Unai Emery during his spell at the Mestalla – appeared impenetrable. Atletico shattered it, and have helped others realise there’s nothing stopping them from doing the same.

Valencia are second after their 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad. They had usurped the top spot for a brief spell after Barcelona’s stagnant performance at Malaga – the latter’s defence kept Messi and co quiet for a goalless draw – and their thrashing of Cordoba, but struggled at the Anoeta. The unrelenting chants and cheers during the Cordoba match signalled a more optimistic tone this season, and with the likes of Paco Alcacer, Rodrigo and Gaya all in superb form, it’s difficult to bet against the hosts.

Atletico looked a different side after Simeone’s touchline ban expired. His presence at pitch-side inspired both the team and the fans as they decimated Sevilla, who were in great form heading into the clash. The 4-0 win the league sent Los Colchoneros third in the table – behind Valencia on goal difference – and was followed up by a tight win over Juventus in the Champions League – the match had one shot on target, which was Arda Turan’s 74^th minute decider.

In the five meetings since Simeone’s arrival at Atletico, there have been two draws, one win for Valencia and two for his team. More importantly, those wins came in the previous two meetings. That being said, Valencia struggled to find any consistent form last season and had a huge over-turn in players over the summer.

Mario Mandzukic made his return last week after suffering a broken nose, which leaves Atletico with a clean bill of health. Alvaro Negredo is still injured, but the tantalising form of Alcacer means he’s not been missed.

AZ Alkmaar v Twente

The Eredivisie’s fifth and sixth place teams meet at the AFAS Stadium on Sunday, with a win for either team likely to put them back in a challenging position. The top of the table is still tight thanks to PSV’s recent poor form: Phillip Cocu’s side, Ajax and PEC Zwolle all have 15 points, and the next three points separate that group from the next five teams – Heerenveen, Twente, AZ, Cambuur, and Groningen.

The big news for AZ is that this marks the home debut of new manager John van den Brom, who took over from Marco van Basten after he stepped aside due to health concerns. There will be a lot of attention put on the relationship between van den Brom and van Basten, and whether the latter can acclimatise to his role as assistant. Has van Basten spent too much time as a manager to now settle for having the second most important opinion on the bench?

Both teams are in great form with four wins out of their previous five matches – AZ lost to Heerenveen and Twente drew with Feyenoord. Twente come into the match with a far better record than their opponents. They’ve beaten AZ in their last four matches, including back-to-back 3-0 victories.

AZ are still missing first-choice keeper Esteban and back-up Yves de Winter, meaning Sergio Rochet will probably start between the sticks. They are also without striker Steven Berghuis. The visitors won’t have either Felipe Gutierrez or Kasper Kusk due to injuries.

Weekend Preview

Aberdeen v Inverness

Inverness’s almost-perfect start to the season met a roadblock at Firhill – Partick earned three points in a disappointing game for John Hughes’ side – but Caley regained their form thanks to a comfortable win at struggling St Johnstone. Aberdeen are the personification of inconsistent – their record in the league is loss/win/loss/win/loss/win – but there has been improvement in an attacking sense over the last three games.

In their first three games of the season the Dons scored just two goals and struggled to create chances against the capable defences of St Johnstone and Dundee United. Wins at home to Partick and Ross County, and the close loss at Celtic Park, generated six goals, and Derek McInnes seems to have worked out his attacking system. David Goodwillie is showing positive signs – it’s too early to suggest he’s back to his old Dundee United best – alongside Adam Rooney. It’s difficult to make too many assumptions based on a good performance against Ross County – Jim McIntyre’s side are still rooted to the bottom of the Premiership on zero points – but the pair linked up well and utilised their individual attributes to good effect.

Inverness still possess the strongest defence in the Premiership – especially after Dundee’s capitulation against their neighbours – and should provide a test for the Goodwillie/Rooney pairing. Games between the sides were incredibly tight last season – excluding the Aberdeen’s 4-3 victory, only two goals were scored from their other three meetings in the league – and the later corresponding fixture ended in a goalless draw.

Ryan Jack is Aberdeen’s only significant miss after he suffered an injury during their mid-week thrashing of Livingston.

Athletic Bilbao v Eibar

Which Basque club has the highest position in La Liga? Is it Champions League club Athletic Bilbao? No. Is it Real Sociedad? No. It’s Eibar – the smallest club in La Liga history. The Armeros have been establishing themselves as a formidable outfit: they are structured, organised and hard to break down. The recently promoted side have the joint-fifth best defence in the league at the moment and have already beaten one of their Basque rivals. Real Sociedad travelled 50km along the E-70 to the town on the opening day of the season and went back to San Sebastian with no points. Eibar now have the opportunity to collect their second Basque scalp, as they travel to the San Mames.

Athletic finished fourth last season, taking a Champions League spot and finishing comfortably above Sevilla and Villarreal. Aside from their exploits in the Champions League – an impressive qualification victory over Napoli and securing a group stage spot – Ernesto Valverde’s side have struggled so far this season. Los Leones defeated Levante but suffered losses to Malaga, Barcelona, Granada and Rayo Vallecano.

This fixture marks the first time the clubs have met in the league. Although San Mames is seen as a fortress and one of the toughest grounds to get a point from in La Liga, Granada managed to pick up three points in Athletic’s previous home game. Eibar also have a decent away record, having beaten Elche 2-0 and pushing Atletico to the limit in a tight 2-1 loss.

Go Ahead Eagles v Feyenoord

Feyenoord dominated Ajax in the first De Klassieker of the Eredivisie season, but the result summed up De Trots van Zuid’s problems. Fred Rutten’s side controlled possession and had 18 shots at goal compared to Ajax’s five, however, it was Ajax who scored and came away with all three points.

The result left Feyenoord in 15^th, having picked up a measly five points from their opening six games. The opening day win against Den Haag was followed by two draws and losses at home to both Utrecht and Willem II. All the stats should indicate a team in the ascendancy – they have the second highest possession rate, the third highest pass accuracy, and have taken more shots per game than any other team – but one key statistic stands out: four goals for. That’s the same amount as bottom-of-the-table Heracles.

Obviously, losing defenders the calibre of Bruno Martins Indi, Daryl Janmaat and Stefan de Vrij isn’t a good thing, but Feyenoord have only conceded six goals so far this campaign – the joint-second fewest in the league. The real loss has been that of Graziano Pelle. The Italian striker notched a staggering 50 goals in 57 league appearances during his tenure at the club, and most clubs would struggle to replace a danger-man as clinical as he. Neither Colin Kazim-Richards nor Mitchell te Vrede have offered enough upfront considering the ammunition they are getting.

Feyenoord are travelling to De Adelaarchorst this weekend and, quite simply, it’s a must win fixture. The away side are unbeaten in their previous nine away games and Feyenoord demolished GAE in their previous meeting 5-0.

The hosts are missing Alex Schalk, Deniz Turuc and Lesly de Sa through injury. Feyenoord are still without Khalid Boulahrouz and Lex Immers, with Jens Toornstra likely to fill in again for the latter.

Weekend Preview

Dundee v Dundee United

Sky Sports 3 – 12:00 (12:15 KO) Sunday

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A mere 52 metres separate the corner of Dens Park’s Bob Shankly Stand – the brother of Bill and the only manager to have led Dundee to the League title – and the corner of Tannadice’s Shed. It’s the closest derby in British football, and arguably one of the fiercest.

There’s been a lot of speculation this week surrounding the future of both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Paul Hartley. The Cardiff manager resigned from his position on Thursday, hours after Dundee released a statement discussing the future of their boss.

 “Regarding the recent speculation and reports out of England/Wales. The club would like to confirm that manager Paul Hartley has long term plans to stay at Dundee Football Club. Paul is committed to the club and is looking forward and focused on the upcoming derby matches this week. As a club, we are not surprised that speculation linking Paul to other clubs has come up due to the fantastic job he continues to do at Dens Park. The club and Paul see the solid foundation which has already been put in place as the beginning of a long term plan which will see Paul at the helm of the club for years to come.”

The statement is a huge boost heading into the first Dundee derby of the season, and it’s important that the club managed to quash the rumours before the important fixture. As the club makes clear, it’s no surprise that Hartley is in such demand: Dundee are three points behind their neighbours and are the single undefeated team in the Scottish Premiership.

The Dees head into the game coming off the back of three impressive performances; picking up six points from games at St Mirren and St Johnstone, and earning a point – and more deserving of the three – at home to Celtic. The visitors – the minute walk along Tannadice Street shouldn’t require a coach – have looked impressive in the three games since their trashing at Celtic Park: wins against the bottom two, St Mirren and Ross County, and a draw last week at home against league leaders Hamilton.

The most intriguing battle will be United’s versatile attack against Dundee’s compact defence. The Arabs have scored seven in those three matches but also conceded three. Dundee may have not been as dangerous in front of goal – one complaint so far this season is that they aren’t putting teams away when in the lead – but they’ve been solid and composed in defence. From their previous three games they’ve conceded just one, against Celtic – compared to the six shipped by United at Parkhead – and have scored one in each game. James McPake has been an influential and solid figure at the back for Dundee and he’s looking like one of the best signings of the summer. Dundee haven’t received enough credit for their style, keeping possession, making smart passes and pressuring to force errors – St Johnstone couldn’t manage one shot on target at McDiarmid Park – and that could cause problems in midfield for Jackie McNamara’s team.

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The last time the rivals met in the league was in early 2013, as Dundee held the home side to 1-1 draw at Tannadice. However, the two matches before then ended in comfortable 3-0 victories – both home and away – for the Orange side of Dundee. You can’t read too much into these scores though, as Dundee were rushed into the league in 2012 after the sudden relegation of Rangers. The club were unprepared for promotion and suffered immediate relegation as a result. This time is different, as Hartley has helped create a structured and determined team

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Nadir Ciftci is out after a ridiculous hand-ball earned him a second yellow against Hamilton, and Jackie McNamara’s side could have an even tougher game if Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Dow are both out. As versatile as United’s attacking players are – and it’s the one area they have some depth in – they could struggle without the inventiveness of the Turkish striker and the creative abilities of Armstrong.

Feyenoord v Ajax

Sky Sports 5 – 13:20 (13:30 KO) Sunday

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The biggest derby in Dutch football: de Klassieker (the Classic). The match takes place just weeks after the shock announcement that Kenneth Vermeer had signed for the Rotterdam club from Ajax. The keeper had found himself limited to sporadic appearances thanks to the performances of Jasper Cillessen cementing his position as de Godenzonen’s number one, but his deadline day transfer across the divide surprised the fans as the feud is intense and Vermeer had been in the Ajax team since his promotion from the youth side in 2005.

It sets the backdrop for what is already a strong rivalry – so intense that away fans are barred due to violence in the past. The cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam are as much of the feud as the clubs: the former is regarded as a cultural hub, while the latter is seen as a working city. The feud picked up in the seventies, as both clubs were among the best in the world. Feyenoord won the European Cup in 1970 and the Eredivisie the next year. Not to be outdone, Cruyff’s Ajax won three successive European Cups and dominated the domestic league for most of the decade.

Ajax come into this match four days after holding PSG to a 1-1 draw at the Amsterdam ArenA, so the reigning champions might not be as fresh as their hosts. Feyenoord have had a poor start to the season and lost their previous game 2-1 at home against Willem II. They are yet to pick up three points at De Kuip, having lost to Utrecht and drawn against Heerenveen. Ajax, on the other hand, are still in dodgy form. Despite beating Heracles after losses to PSV and Groningen, the performance was nervy, and their defence doesn’t instil confidence in the fans.

Feyenoord have scored just four goals this season – the joint second fewest – and Ajax have scored the joint second most goals. On the other hand, Feyenoord, despite being 14^th, have conceded just five goals, the joint second fewest in the league. Games involving the hosts have the lowest number of goals this season – an average of 1.8 per-game – compared to Ajax, who have the second highest after PSV.

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Ajax have won the three previous encounters between the two sides, including a 2-1 win at De Kuip earlier this year. In fact, Feyenoord have won just two of their league clashes since 2006. The evidence, along with their current form, suggests it’s hard to look past another Ajax win.

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Both teams are missing important players. Lex Immers is injured and will be a key miss in the centre of Feyenoord’s midfield, while Lasse Schone, after scoring the equaliser against PSG, is a doubt after sustaining a groin injury in the Champions League game.

Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo

Sky Sports 5 – 19:00 (19:00 KO) Saturday

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The top four of the Liga BBVA table doesn’t offer up any surprises: Barcelona are the only team on full points from the opening three games, ahead of Valencia, Sevilla and Atletico who each have seven points. In fifth, though, are Celta Vigo. Os Celticos have progressed from a team often in-or-around the relegation zone to a comfortable mid-table side, and, despite losing Luis Enrique to Barcelona, Eduardo Berizzo has guided Celta to decent start to the campaign: points against both Cordoba and Real Sociedad, and all three at home against Getafe. Atletico are their first real test of the season; Diego Simeone’s men coming off the back of their significant Madrid derby win.

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Atletico aren’t a team that dominate the weaker sides – they don’t often cruise to a 6-0 demolition like Barcelona or Real – and their games against Celta have often been close affairs. The same fixture last season resulted in a tight game, goals from Diego Costa sealing 2-1 victory for the home side. Four of the previous six meetings have been decided by one goal, and Celta have taken all three points on just one occasion.

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There will be one major absence in the Atletico line-up, as Mario Mandzukic looks set to be out for a couple of weeks after breaking his nose in the Champions League. This could mean Alessio Cerci making his first full competitive debut for Simeone’s side. Nolito has spent the week training separately from the rest of the squad after suffering an injury in the 2-2 draw against Sociedad, although the club are hopeful he’ll start at the Vicente Calderon. Berizzo will have to do without Augusto Fernandez, after picking up a thigh injury while on international duty with Argentina.