La Liga Game Week (10 – 18 Oct) Matches Preview

Sevilla vs Valencia

Sampaoli and Gattuso straighten
or try to straighten the hesitant course of two LaLiga greats who have come
down, Sevilla for a few months and Valencia as an endemic evil of several
seasons. The Ché team returns to the Andalusian capital after living their last
great approach to glory there, that Cup final that they lost on penalties
against Betis. The arrival of the racial Gennaro Gattuso excited, but also
suggested populism. And the Italian, for the moment, agrees with the optimists:
his Valencia shows a higher competitive level than previous versions

Sevilla have not yet won this
year at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, a place where rivals used to suffer from
stage fright. The victory in Mallorca, even after having given a very poor
image that he recalled to that of the last blows with Lopetegui, reinforces the
idea that the helmsman had to be changed if only to attract luck. Like
Gattusso, Sampaoli has the band of motivator hanging, although from a very
different school. The Argentine spurs on with the blackboard and philosophy;
Gennaro, who commanded a dressing room as difficult as Milan’s, has more
material incentives: this time he has promised his men a bonus out of his own
pocket if they add at least 7 points in the next three games.

Gattuso recovers Diakhaby behind
and will not have to do without Guillamón or Cavani, the Uruguayan striker
forced to retire after having scored his first two goals against Elche. Beyond
a relative delay in scoring, Edinson’s presence on the field gives Valencia the
point of experience and mettle that a team full of youth needs, quite the
opposite of what happens to a very veteran Sevilla whom Sampaoli, in the
previous one, spoke of the need to “refresh”.

Sevilla:

Bono , Marcos Acuña, Marcão, Nianzou, Gonzalo Montiel , Joan
Jordan, Alejandro “Papu” Gómez , Gudelj , Óliver Torres, En-Nesyri, Erik Lamela

Valencia:

Mamardashvili , José Luis Gayà, Gabriel Paulista, Diakhaby,
Thierry Correia , Ilaix Moriba, Hugo Guillamón, André Almeida , Samuel Lino,
Hugo Duro, P. Kluivert

Referee: César Soto Grado

Led by the Williams brothers,
Iñaki and Nico, Valverde’s Athletic team, which is deservedly receiving so much
praise, performs tonight at the Coliseum. On the right wing, Nico. On the left
wing, Iñaki.

Athletic comes from losing at
home against Atlético. Getafe took a point from Vallecas. None arrive brimming
with morale and yes with some fears. Getafe’s is called relegation, because if
he loses today he has a great chance of falling to the last places. Valverde’s
fear is called Barça, which he has to face on Sunday with an air of revenge for
him. That is why he will rotate in the starting eleven. He must get fresh legs
to try to regain his place in the Champions zone. He had a trajectory that
invited euphoria (16 points out of a possible 21), but a point against two team
rivals with a Champions tag (Sevilla and Atleti) has punctured the balloon in
Bilbao.

Quique he still wants his team to
look like Getafe from last season. He gave clues to his intentions in the press
room, noting that in that happy past they defended in the opposite field. So
that is what they will try against Athletic, to be more aggressive and advance
lines.

Pessimism reigns among the Getafe
fans lately. The azulón follower is not convinced at all how his team plays or
what he plays. After 18 seasons in the First Division, some have had a fine
nose and they are not satisfied with just not relegating, they want more. Not
being conformist is fine, but be careful with the demands, because if you
compare it with Getafe’s situation a year ago, it’s to play the castanets:
after matchday 9, Getafe was last with two points. Today is the sixteenth with
8 points, two places above the relegation places.

Getafe:

David Soria , Angileri, Mitrovic, Domingos Duarte, Djené,
Damián Suárez , Luis Milla, Mauro Arambarri, Carles Aleñá , Borja Mayoral, Enes
Ünal  

Athletic Club:

 Unai Simón , Lekue,
Íñigo Martínez, Daniel Vivian, Óscar De Marcos , Dani García, I. Muniain,
Sancet , Álex Berenguer, I. Williams, N. Williams

Referee:  Jose Luis Munuera Montero

 

And cholismo returned when
Atlético needed it most. That serious, committed and seamless team. Unocerismo
as a way of life. Griezmann’s goal, the defensive solidity with Reinildo
converted into the reincarnation of Arteche or Godín, although his position is
that of the left side. With hardly any time to digest the improvement that can
be felt since the match against Bruges (although in this case without the added
victory), the rojiblancos will play the third derby of the season tonight, this
time against Rayo.

The tightness of the calendar
rules, even more suffocated by the World Cup in a few weeks. Matches Tuesday,
Sunday. And pending the infirmary. Because Simeone is with a man in doubt
beyond the injured (Felipe, Llorente and Reguilón): Jan Oblak, who will be
waiting for one last test today to see how he is from the shock he suffered in
San Mamés, and the blow in the shoulder, and if he occupies the goal or Grbic
does. Koke is out for sure, muscle injury, and João is available.

Rayo faces its second consecutive
derby with the ambition of making Getafe’s point good and getting rid of the
thorn of last season. An outbreak of COVID reduced him then and now he goes to
the Metropolitano wanting to demonstrate his potential. The match marathon will
force Iraola to rotate. However, he will bet more on small adjustments than on
a radical change. Some retouching in the spinal cord, the bands.

Trejo’s absence, due to his hand
injury, will condition Iraola’s plans, who have several alternatives to supply
him: from the most natural ones like Unai López or Pozo to more remote ones
like overtaking Comesaña or counting on Nteka, out of the list last day. Since
winning in Cornellà, Rayo has counted his departures due to defeats (El Sadar,
San Mamés and Almería) but goes to the Metropolitano with the Camp Nou in his head,
where he scratched a draw. His fast and vertical game, where the bands are very
important, will be the rival to beat for the recovered Cholismo.

Cholo’s eleven is unknown. With
the defense immovable, Kondogbia, who should be a fixed player, goes on exhibition
per game, and Witsel can enter the midfield. Griezmann seems irreplaceable for
Cholo but Correa, who did not play in San Mamés, also asks for his place. And
João could be a starter to completely bury the controversy of his substitutions
and lack of minutes in recent weeks. Unknowns around a certainty: Atleti is
stronger when he is true to himself, when he is cholista.

Atlético Madrid:

Ivo Grbić , Reinildo Mandava, José Giménez, Savic, Nahuel
Molina , Lemar, Kondogbia, Koke, Ángel Correa , A. Griezmann, Álvaro Morata

Rayo Vallecano:

Dimitrievski , Fran García, Pep Chavarría, Catena, Lejeune,
Balliu , Comesaña, Unai López, Pathé Ciss ,Radamel Falcao, Isi Palazón  

Referee:  Javier Iglesias Villanueva