Top Teams on their Travels as La Liga Resumes

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Matchday 4

The top four teams currently in Spain’s La Liga all face tough away tests this weekend as domestic top-flight football returns following the first international break of the season.

REAL SOCIEDAD VS BARCELONA

ANOETA STADIUM, SAN SEBASTIAN

The Whites and Blues are looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the campaign after throwing away a first-half lead, eventually losing 2-1 away to Eibar. Forward Willian Jose was on target from the penalty spot, netting his second goal in three matches.
 
Barcelona are once again the standout side in Spain’s premier division. Three wins from three sees the Blaugrana out in front, just ahead of title rivals Real Madrid on goal difference at this early stage. They humbled newly promoted Huesca 8-2 at the Nou Camp in their last outing with Lionel Messi bagging his second brace of the season, taking his tally to four goals in just three La Liga matches.

Barca have won the last five-in-a-row against Sociedad in all competitions including a 6-2 aggregate victory in the quarter-finals of the Copa Del Rey in 2017, although have only managed one victory in their last eight away trips to San Sebastian, since May 2007, winning 4-2 in the corresponding fixture last season.


 

ATHLETIC BILBAO VS REAL MADRID

SAN MAMES STADIUM, BILBAO

The Lions have not tasted competitive football since a 2-2 draw against Huesca on the 27^th of August after their fixture against Rayo Vallecano was postponed due to safety issues surrounding Rayo’s stadium, which means they will line up against Real Madrid on Saturday for their third successive match at the San Mames in 2018/19.

Los Blancos will be looking to extend their 100% record under new manager Julen Lopetegui who saw his side register back-to-back 4-1 wins over Girona and Leganes respectively in the league before the international break. French forward Karim Benzema has found a new lease of life at the Bernabeu under Lopetegui, scoring four times in the last two matches to sit alongside Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.

Bilbao have a tough task ahead of them, having notched up just one win in their last 17 matches against Real Madrid. Los Blancos are unbeaten in their last six against Bilbao, winning four with two draws between the pair last season. The corresponding fixture ended 0-0 in December.
 

GIRONA VS CELTA VIGO

ESTADI MONTILIVI, CATALONIA

Girona, in just their second-ever season in Spain’s top-flight, picked up their first win of the campaign at the third time of asking with Cristhian Stuani’s second-half strike, only the Gironistes second goal of the season, sinking the Yellow Submarines of Villarreal.

Celta Vigo are the only other unbeaten side left in the league along with Barcelona and Real Madrid. Impressive victories over Levante and Atletico Madrid, adding to their opening day draw against Espanyol, sees the Celestes sit third. Maxi Gomez, a fellow countryman of Stuani with Urugauy, has been Celta’s chief destroyer so far and was on target in each of those recent successes.

Prior to the pairs promotion, Celta won four of their eight clashes in Spain’s Segunda (Second) division, losing just two. Girona, though, are unbeaten against them in the top-flight playing out to a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first meeting last season before Portu’s goal sealed all three points for the home side in this fixture last season.
 
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