Barca look to retain lead ahead of Club World Cup

Saturday, 12 December 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Bucket

REUTERS: Barcelona are likely to jet off to the Club World Cup with a narrow lead at the top of La Liga but the Spanish and European champions could find themselves playing catch up when they return from Japan.

With just over a third of the season played, Coach Luis Enrique’s team are two points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid, with Real Madrid lurking ominously a further two points adrift in third.

Barca host Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday and will not play their game at Sporting Gijon, scheduled for the following matchday, until mid-February. Atletico host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday when Real visit Villarreal.

A week later, when Barca could be featuring in the Club World Cup final in Yokohama, Atletico travel to struggling Malaga and Real host Rayo Vallecano.

Barca should be fresh for Deportivo’s visit after Luis Enrique rested a host of regulars for Wednesday’s 1-1 Champions League draw at Bayer Leverkusen, with the holders already through as Group E winners.

Youngsters Munir el Haddadi and Sandro Ramirez started up front with Lionel Messi, who scored Barca’s goal, while B team pair Sergi Samper and Wilfrid Kaptoum were handed a chance in midfield.

“I gave some time to players who haven’t featured much and I was able to rest some who have a lot of matches in their legs,” Luis Enrique told a news conference.

One player unlikely to feature against sixth-placed Deportivo is Brazil forward Neymar who suffered a minor muscle strain in training on Tuesday.

Neymar has been in some of the best form of his career and is top scorer in La Liga with 14 goals.

Real face a tricky trip to Villarreal who ended a poor run with a 2-1 comeback win at home to Vallecano last weekend and are fifth.

Villarreal should offer much stiffer resistance than Swedish side Malmo who Real hammered 8-0 in Champions League Group A on Tuesday.

Despite the record-equalling margin of victory, there were still whistles from the home fans for Coach Rafa Benitez who has yet to win over the crowd since taking over in the close season.

“The fans can protest how they want but the boss is doing a good job,” said Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo. “He needs to be given time. In my opinion he’s doing things well.”