(Football news) RCD Espanyol’s game against Cádiz CF in the first round is one of those crucial six-pointers to avoid relegation.The Catalan club is now in the relegation zone and has suffered six straight losses, but they are aware that a win over the Andalusian team, led by former Perico Sergio González, would move them within one point of Cádiz CF.
This Saturday, there are five games instead of the normal four, with CA Osasuna vs. Real Betis serving as the opener. Both of these teams want to play in Europe next year, and Real Betis will be out for vengeance after losing to Pamplona on penalties in the Copa del Rey this year.
Athletic Club’s next match is against UD Almera, which will take place on the other side of the peninsula. Although Athletic Club just won the Basque Derby, and their star scorer Iaki Williams has scored in his last three games, the Andalusian team has a strong home record.
Then, at 18:30 CEST, Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid are playing their respective home matches against Rayo Vallecano and Girona FC, respectively. In the first, the attack-oriented teams of Paulo Pezzolano and Mchel will square off while Basque coaches Andoni Iraola and Imanol Alguacil engage in an exciting tactical duel.
This Saturday vs RC Celta at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid will be playing at home. A lot of goals have been scored in the last few years in this matchup, with an average of 4.75 goals being scored per game over the last four encounters. Since 2014, RC Celta hasn’t triumphed over Los Blancos in LaLiga Santander, but with Carlos Carvalhal in charge, the Galicians are playing well and are full of confidence, so everything is possible.
Elche CF and Valencia CF, two Valencian Community teams that are in in the relegation zone, square off in Sunday’s opening game. While Valencia CF is only three points away from safety as we begin Matchday 30, Elche CF is at the very bottom and will consider this as a must-win game in order to remain up. Los Che will be under pressure, so it will be interesting to watch how they handle it.
The two teams with the most points in the 2023 calendar year, FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid, will square off in a thrilling matchup at 16:15 CEST. Antoine Griezmann is in excellent form as he travels back to Catalonia to face his old team, and he will look to lead Atleti to a victory that would make it seven straight league victories.
Following that is RCD Mallorca vs. Getafe CF, a matchup of two defensively sound teams with outstanding strikers in Vedat Muriqi and Enes Ünal. The only players with more goals are Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema, who each have 12 and 13 respectively.
The Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán will host the round’s last game, and optimism has returned there as a result of the turnaround Sevilla FC’s new coach José Luis Mendilibar has engineered. Although they are no longer in the danger zone, they still need a few more points to guarantee their survival, thus they will give it their best to beat Quique Setién’s Villarreal CF team. It will be the ideal way to wrap up the matchday to watch that nighttime game in front of an electrifying crowd.
INDIA TIMINGS
Saturday, 22nd April, 12:30 A.M., Espanyol vs Cadiz
Saturday, 22nd April, 5:30 P.M., Osasuna vs Real Betis
Saturday, 22nd April, 7:45 P.M., Almeria vs Athletic Club
Saturday, 22nd April, 10:00 P.M., Real Sociedad vs Rayo Vallecano
Saturday, 22nd April, 10:00 P.M., Valladolid vs Girona
Sunday, 23rd April, 12:30 A.M., Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo
Sunday, 23rd April, 5:30 P.M., Elche vs Valencia
Sunday, 23rd April, 7:45 P.M., Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
Sunday, 23rd April, 10:00 P.M., Mallorca vs Getafe
Monday, 24th April, 12:30 A.M., Sevilla vs Villareal
Also read: Sevilla tops United in Europa League, gets Juventus in semis
