Four things we learned from Spain's matchday 13
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E-mail Xinhua, November 24, 2017
MADRID, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona's trip to Valencia's Mestalla stadium on Sunday looks set to be the most important game of the Spanish Liga Santander so far this season, but as well as that game between first and second in the league, there are plenty of other things to look out for this coming weekend in Spain.
1. Valencia-Barca. Early season title decider?
Sunday's game between second placed Valencia and league leaders FC Barcelona could be an early season title decider. If Barcelona win in the Mestalla Stadium, they will open a second point lead over Valencia while maintaining at least 10 points over Real and Atletico Madrid.
On the other hand if Valencia claim their ninth consecutive victory they will move to just one point behind the league leaders and give Real and Atletico the chance to close to within seven points of Barca.
Valencia have had all week to prepare, while Barca had a Champions League tie on Wednesday and are without the suspended Gerard Pique. With a packed Mestalla pushing Valencia on, should the home side win, they will truly believe in their title credentials, but if Barca claim the points, it's hard to see anyone catching them.
2. Ronaldo and Benzema to get back among the goals?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema scored two goals each as Real Madrid defeated a weak APOEL Nicosia on Tuesday night, but in the Liga Santander they have just one goal each after 12 games of the season.
Saturday sees Malaga travel to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and although many will view the side currently third from bottom as easy prey, Malaga have drastically improved of late and last weekend's 3-2 win over Deportivo la Coruna showed their morale is also sky high.
Gareth Bale is still injured and Real have struggled to score goals in the league, the question on Saturday is can Ronaldo and Benzema take their European form into the domestic competition.
3. How will Berizzo illness affect Sevilla?
Without doubt the worst news of the week in football terms was the confirmation on Wednesday morning that Sevilla coach Eduardo Berizzo is suffering from cancer of the prostate.
The club has said it will stick with the Argentinean, but Berizzo is going to need time off for treatment and Tuesday's 3-3 draw at home to Liverpool could be his last game in the dugout for a while.
Sevilla travel to face an in-form Villarreal this Sunday and it will be interesting to see how the players react. Tuesday saw them show great spirit in coming back from 0-3 down; will they be able to show the same spirit in the coming weeks without Berizzo on the touchline?
4. Final last chance for Paco?
Most people expected Paco Ayestaran to be sacked as Las Palmas coach in the wake of last weekend's 2-0 defeat at home to Levante.
Las Palmas' eighth consecutive league defeat and the sixth since Ayestaran took over, left the club bottom of the table with just six points from 12 matches, while also giving Ayestaran the unenviable record of having lost the last 13 matches he has coached in the Spanish top flight (he lost his last 7 matches in his previous job at Valencia).
If his side lose away to Real Sociedad on Sunday, Ayestaran will extend his record to 14 defeats, but probably won't get the chance to go for defeat number 15 as he will be sacked, so this is very certain his last chance to save his job. Enditem
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