La Liga Round 16 Preview: Levante travels to Granada in the hope of furthering its claim to Champions League football

The Valencia-based club aim to cap off its best-ever calendar year of football with a victory, while Real Madrid takes on Sevilla away and bottom club Zaragoza faces Athletic

Dec 16, 2011 4:00:00 AM

By Daniel Quinton-Navarro

More On :  Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid, Betis, Ciudad de Murcia, Espanyol, Getafe, Levante, Malaga, Mallorca, Osasuna, Racing , Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Sevilla, Sporting Gijon, Valencia, Villarreal, Zaragoza
Levante, Arouna Koné
Levante, Arouna Koné


La Liga: Round 16 Preview

Saturday DECEMBER 17
 KO
 Sunday DECEMBER 18
 KO
Mallorca - Getafe
 1200 Atletico Madrid - Betis
 0600
Sporting Gijon - Espanyol
 1200 Granada - Levante
 1000
Athletic Bilbao - Zaragoza
 1400
 Osasuna - Villarreal
 1200
Sevilla - Real Madrid
  1600
 Racing Santander - Real Sociedad
 1345
    Valencia - Malaga
 1530
       
all kick-offs in CET  
 

Mallorca
 vs Getafe

PROBABLE LINEUPS

 
Aouate
Cendros, Chico, Ramis, Caceres
Tissone, Pina
Nsue, Alvaro, Castro
Victor

  

 
Moya
Torres, Lopo, Diaz, Masilela
Lacen, Casquero
Rios, Abdel, Sarabia
Miku
TEAM NEWS
  • Mallorca recorded its first away win of the season in a narrow 1-0 victory over Zaragoza on December 11.
  • The Islanders are unbeaten in their last five la Liga matches.
  • Joaquin Caparros is without Kevin and Marti for the visit of Getafe on Saturday evening. 

 

 

  
  • Getafe's win over fellow strugglers Granada last weekend lifted Luis Garcia's men a point above the relegation zone.
  • Striker Dani Guiza played a part in the win against the Andalucians, after recovering from injury. 
  • Juan Valera, Michel and Diego Castro all received their fifth yellow card of the season last time out, all are unavailable for the trip to the Iberostar Stadium.

Sporting Gijon
 vs Espanyol

PROBABLE LINEUPS

 
Pablo
Botia, Gregory, Hernandez, Canella
Rivera, Castro
Novo, Trejo, Cuevas
Barral

  

 
Alvarez
Galan, Moreno, Rodriguez, Didac
Baena, Gomez
Garcia, Romaric, Verdu
Alvaro
TEAM NEWS
  • Sporting Gijon secured a morale-boosting 3-1 win over relegation rivals Rayo Vallecano in its last La Liga outing.
  • Nacho Cases remains doubtful after missing that victory.
  • Gregory and Lora are also facing late fitness tests, whilst Ricardo Leon is definitely out.
 
  • Espanyol registered a high-octane 4-2 victory over Atletico Madrid last weekend, the first time the Barcelona-based side have struck four goals in a single match this term.
  • Felipe Mattioni, Javi Lopez, Javier Marquz and Juan Albin will remain in Barcelona due to injuries.
  • Having picked up his fifth yellow card of the season, Juan Forlin is suspended.

Athletic Bilbao
 vs Zaragoza

PROBABLE LINEUPS

 
Iraizoz
Perez, Martinez, Amorebieta, Aurtenetxe
Iturraspe, Marcos
Susaeta, Ander, Muniain
Toquero

  

 
Roberto
Juarez, Pinter, Lanzaro, Paredes
Ponzio, Zuculini
Barrera, Garcia, Carlos
Postiga
TEAM NEWS
  • Having already qualified for the latter stages of the Europa League, Marcelo Bielsa fielded a weakened team that lost 4-2 against French side PSG in midweek.
  • Skipper Andoni Iraola will miss Zaragoza's visit after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Racing.
  • Fernando Llorente remains a doubt because of a knee injury after missing Athletic's last three matches.
 
  • Zaragoza lost to Mallorca in their last La Liga match, stretching the number of games without a win for Javier Aguirre's side to eight.
  • Ruben Micael has joined the growing injury list at Zaragoza after picking up a knee injury likely to keep him out until January.
  • Leo Franco, Fernando Meira and David Mateos are the other players in the treatment room.

Sevilla
 vs Real Madrid
                                                               
With Pep Guardiola's Barcelona playing in the Club World Cup, Real Madrid can return to the summit of La Liga with a win at the Sanchez Pizjuan. Sevilla suffered a 1-0 defeat against Levante last weekend, threatening their hopes of Champions League qualification.

Atletico Madrid
 vs Betis
                                                               
In mixed fortunes last weekend, Betis recorded their first victory in 11 matches, while Atletico Madrid suffered a 4-2 defeat against Espanyol. Ruben Castro's brace helped the Sevilla-based side overcome Valencia's challenge and it will look to reestablish its early season form.

Granada
 vs Levante

PROBABLE LINEUPS

 
Roberto
Nyom, Lopez, Pamarot, Siqueira
Rico, Moises
Jara, Gomez, Uche
Ighalo

  

 
Munua
Venta, Ballesteros, Nano, Juanfran
Torres, Iborra
Valdo, Barkero, Juanlu
Kone
TEAM NEWS
  • Granada succumbed to its seventh loss of the season with a 1-0 defeat against Getafe last weekend. 
  • Inigo Lopez is a doubt after picking up an ankle injury in that match.
  • The Andalusians suffered a 4-1 defeat in the Copa del Rey against Real Sociedad and, to make matters worse, Hassan Yebda picked up an injury, expected to keep the midfielder out until the New Year.

 

  
  • Levante continued to sustain its superb start to the season with a narrow win over Sevilla last time out.
  • Farinos suffered a tear in his leg muscle and is a doubt for the trip to Granada.
  • The Costa Blanca club have had the best calendar year in their history,  guaranteed to end 2011 in a Champions League spot.

 

 

Osasuna
 vs Villarreal

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

 
Andres
Damia, Flano, Sergio, Raitala
Nekounam, Garcia, Punal
Cejudo, Ibrahima
Nino

  

 
Lopez
Gaspar, Gonzalo, Musacchio, Oriol
Angel, Bruno
Perez, Valero, Guzman
Ruben
TEAM NEWS
  • Osasuna left Malaga with a point as it continues its positive start to the campaign which sees the club at seventh after the opening 15 matches.
  • Midfielder Raul Garcia could be reinstated the starting XI after missing the draw against Malaga due to injury.
  • Masoud Shojaei, Ruben Rocha and Ion Echiade are all unavailable, whilst Marc Bertran and Lolo are doubts for Villarreal's visit. 

 

 

  
  • Following a mini revival to its season, Villarreal finds itself back in trouble following a third consecutive match without a win.
  • Despite Nilmar's return to full fitness the Brazilian is not assured of a position in the Yellow Submarine starting XI as Ruben has proven a capable replacement.
  • Coach Javier Garrido faces adversity, with some foreseeing his imminent removal from the post in the weeks ahead. 

 

Racing Santander
 vs Real Sociedad

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

 
Ramirez
Gonzalez, Torrejon, Bernardo, Fernandez
Diop, Adrian, Colsa
Arana, Munitis
Stuani

  

 
Bravo
Martinez, Gonzalez, Martinez, Estrada
Aranburu, Mariga
Griezmann, Zurutuza, Vela
Agirretxe
TEAM NEWS
  • Racing managed a respectable 1-1 draw at San Mames in its last La Liga outing when Alvaro Gonzalez netted a 90th-minute goal.
  • Following Hector Cuper's sacking, Racing has achieved a draw and a win, moving it to within two points of safety. 
  • Kennedy is close to reaching match fitness, while Francis and Jairo Samperio are both out.

 

 

  
  • Sociedad extended its unbeaten run to four games in La Liga but will have felt unlucky to drop points at El Madrigal last weekend.
  • Gorka Elustondo was sent off in the 1-1 draw with Villarreal, and will miss the trip to Racing as a result.
  • Asier Illarramendi remains the only serious doubt for the Basques, with Xabi Prieto and Liassine Cadamuro enjoying match time against the Yellow Submarine.

 

Valencia
 vs Malaga
                                                               
Valencia suffered a shock defeat against Betis last weekend when Ruben Castro struck twice in second-half injury time to overturn a one-goal deficit. Los Che will face an equally testing challenge when Malaga visit Mestalla on Sunday.

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