MADRID, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- La Liga returns for its 10th round of games this weekend just a week before Barcelona and Real Madrid meet in the first Clasico of the season. Here are some things to look out for in Spain in the coming days.

1 Good news for Flick

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has good news on the injury front as the league leaders prepare to welcome Sevilla to Montjuic. Lamine Yamal is fit to play, despite a muscle strain forcing him out of the Spain squad, while Robert Lewandowski suffered no serious ill-effects from a bad challenge that saw him limp off the pitch in Poland's last game.

Flick will also be able to welcome back Dani Olmo, who has missed a month with a hamstring injury, while young midfielder Gavi could also be in the squad almost a year after his knee ligament injury.

Neither Gavi nor Olmo are likely to start, but their return and that of Ferran Lopez gives Flick more room to maneuver ahead of another busy month.

2 No Aspas makes Real Madrid's task much easier

Celta Vigo's talismanic striker and captain, Iago Aspas was furious when he was sent off in his side's win away to Las Palmas before the break. The striker was given a red card for protesting two very harsh yellows given to Ilaix Moriba and knew that Real Madrid were next up.

Aspas has four goals and two assists this season, but that doesn't tell the whole story of what he means to Celta, as he is the heart and soul of the club and his absence is indeed a huge blow to their options.

Celta play expansive football under coach Claudio Giraldez, who has just signed a new contract, but that does leave gaps in defense, and a Real Madrid side containing Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe looks well-equipped to exploit those spaces on the break, even if Celta control possession.

3 Time for Atletico to impress

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is coming in for increasing criticism for the way his side are playing after their summer spending spree.

Atletico's last game is a perfect illustration of the problem: they scored early away to Real Sociedad and then invited their rivals to attack them for the rest of the match.

Julian Alvarez's goal came from Atletico's only effort on target all game and they ended the match pinned in their own penalty area as the home side claimed a deserved point and could easily have won, when more ambition from Atletico could have changed the result.

Atletico will be clear favorites at home to Leganes on Sunday, but against a rival with just a fraction of their budget, Simeone needs to see his side not only win the game, but also dominate it.

4 Big game in Mestalla

Third from bottom Valencia face bottom of the table Las Palmas in the Mestalla Stadium in a vital match for both sides.

Valencia are third from bottom and struggling for form and results, while Las Palmas are rock bottom without a win all season.

They have new coach Diego Martinez in the dugout and the former Granada and Espanyol coach has to turn around a side whose last win in La Liga was back on February 10. By coincidence that win was against Valencia. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)