The eleventh round of La Liga kicks off Friday evening with Espanyol hosting Sevilla. Both teams have struggled so far this season, with Sevilla showing a slight improvement with 12 points after 10 games, while Espanyol, trailing by two points, is desperate to change course after suffering four losses in their last five matches.
Valladolid, in the heat of the relegation battle, hosts Villarreal, who sit fourth and are aiming to bounce back after a home draw with Getafe. With just 8 points, Valladolid will be looking for an upset, while the Yellow Submarine sets its sights on third-place Atletico Madrid, who currently hold a two-point lead (20 to 18). Four points away from the European zone, Rayo Vallecano is eager to recover from their narrow loss to Mallorca and has a promising opportunity against an Alavés side that has lost its last four league matches.
Las Palmas, with the second-worst defense in the league (19 goals conceded, only behind Valladolid’s 21), hosts Girona, fresh off a Champions League victory over Slovan Bratislava. Girona sits mid-table with 12 points, while Las Palmas languishes at the bottom alongside Valencia with 6 points.
Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich kick off a weekend of top-tier football
21 Nov - 23:06 •
1' min
Millions of fans will be tuned in to the Santiago Bernabeu for the much-anticipated El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The Blaugrana lead with 27 points, closely followed by the undefeated Blancos with 24, who remain unbeaten along with Atletico. In the last 20 meetings, Real has won 10 times, with 1 draw and 9 wins for Barcelona. After both suffered defeats in the previous round, Leganés and Celta Vigo are also searching for crucial points. Celta has proven to be both prolific and porous, with 17 goals scored and 17 conceded, while Villarreal has both scored and conceded 18.
In a “do-or-die” matchup, Getafe faces Valencia, with the visitors in dire straits after a home loss to Las Palmas. An exciting match is expected at the Benito Villamarin, where Real Betis (15 points) takes on Atletico Madrid (20 points). The Colchoneros remain unbeaten in La Liga with 5 wins and 5 draws. Two in-form teams, Real Sociedad (12 points) and Osasuna (15 points), will face off at the Reale Arena in San Sebastian. Rounding off the schedule is Mallorca vs. Athletic Club, with both teams at 17 points and aspiring to climb higher in the standings.
In Ligue 1, the ninth matchday begins Friday evening with Rennes vs. Le Havre. Separated by just two points in the standings (8 to 6), both teams are in urgent need of points. The Bretons haven't won since September 15 (two draws and two losses since), while Le Havre has suffered six straight defeats.
In Angers-Saint-Étienne, the two worst attacks in Ligue 1 face off, with the Verts also holding the second-worst defensive record with 20 goals conceded, only behind Montpellier's 26. Reims, currently sixth with 14 points alongside Lille and Lens, takes on Brest (10 points), who are coming off a 1-1 home draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
A thrilling, European-flavored clash awaits between Lens and Lille at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. After a home loss to Besiktas in the Europa League, Lyon will be looking to rebound and extend their winning streak in the league (three consecutive victories). Seventh with 13 points, OL hosts Auxerre at the Groupama Stadium.
Monaco, with six wins and two draws, remains unbeaten in Ligue 1 along with PSG and Lens, and they face a tricky away fixture at the Allianz Riviera against eighth-place Nice (10 points). Montpellier-Toulouse is a crucial match for survival, while Strasbourg, with an even 16 goals scored and 16 conceded, hosts Nantes in what promises to be a goal-fest (both teams have 10 points). The highlight, however, is "Le Classique" between Roberto De Zerbi's Marseille and Luis Enrique's Paris Saint-Germain. At the Velodrome, Marseille will look to break PSG’s dominance (5 league wins in their last 5 meetings, with OM winning just once in the last 24 encounters) and join the Parisians at the top with 20 points, provided Monaco doesn’t pick up points at Nice.
