Atlético in Levante test as Sevilla aim for Madrid CFF scalp: Liga F Week 16 Preview
Battle for top three finish looms at the Centro Deportivo Wanda Alcalá de Henares where Atlético Madrid lock horns with visiting Levante on Saturday evening.
Both teams will be looking to bounce back from disappointing draws, where the hosts played to a one-all draw against Levante Las Planas whilst the visitors were held to a 2-2 draw by Granada CF.
The hosts will be hoping that forward Sheila Guijarro is back on the scoring sheet after she fired blanks last weekend whilst the visitors are looking up to forwards Alba Redondo and Gabi Nunes for inspiration after the departure of speed winger Mayra Ramírez to the Barclays Women’s Super League last week.
A win for the hosts will take them to 33 points, above their opponents, whilst a win for the visitors will take them to 34 points and maintain their spot in the top three.
The teams have met 29 times, with Atlético winning 16, losing six and drawing seven.
Elsewhere, high-riding Sevilla will be looking to continue with their purple patch when they clash with Madrid CFF away at the Estadio Fernando Torres on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors will be aiming to stretch their unbeaten run to 10 matches having won eight and drawn one in their last nine matches whilst the hosts will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s heartbreak when they allowed Real Sociedad back into the game to force a one-all draw in the last minute of added time.
The hosts will be hoping that forward Racheal Kundananji shakes off her poor form to lead them to victory alongside fellow forward Luany whilst Sevilla will be banking on the rich form of forward Cristina Martín-Prieto who has been scoring for fun of late.
A win for Sevilla will take their points to 31, level with their opponents, whilst a win for the hosts will take their points to 34 and keep their dream for a top three finish alive.
The teams have met 13 times, with Sevilla winning eight, losing three and drawing two.
Defending champions Barcelona have an easy fixture at home against bottom-placed Sporting Huelva at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Sunday evening.
The hosts will be looking to put behind them their midweek draw against Benfica in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) in order to focus on decimating their visiting opponents.
The spotlight will once again be on player of the moment winger Caroline Graham Hansen, who has achieved remarkable numbers this season, with 36 goal contributions (19 goals and 17 assists) in 19 matches across all competitions, to lead the attack whilst the visitors will be hoping that midfielder Isina provides the width to stretch the opposition defence and provide the pinpoint crosses to forwards Jessica de Filippo and newly acquired Rikke Dybdahl.
A win for the hosts will take them to 45 points and maintain their 100% record whilst a win for the visitors will take them to seven points and boost their survival hopes.
The teams have met 27 times, with Barcelona winning 23, losing two and drawing two.
Second-placed Real Madrid entertain visiting Valencia at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Saturday night.
The hosts will be looking to continue with their winning streak and make it four wins in a row, having been boosted by the timely return of key players like forwards Signe Bruun, Naomie Feller and midfielder Sandie Toletti from injury whilst the visitors will be hoping that Colombian forward Ivonne Chacón is back scoring again to lead them to victory.
A win for the hosts will put them on 36 points and maintain their second position whilst a win for the visitors will move them to 18 points and end their three-match winless run.
The teams have met nine times, with Real Madrid winning five and drawing four.
UDCA Tenerife welcome Levante Las Planas at the Campo Municipal de Fútbol de Adeje on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts will be looking to end their winless run, having registered three draws in their last three matches, whilst the visitors will be motivated by their one-all draw against Atlético Madrid last weekend.
The hosts will be banking on forward Jassina Blom and wingers Rinsola Babajide and Koko Ange whilst the visitors boast of talented Moroccan midfield starlet Anissa Lamari and forward Irina Uribe, who is a menace on her day.
A win for the hosts will take them to 22 points whilst a win for the visitors will take their points to 20, above their opponents.
The teams have met three times, with Las Planas winning two and losing one.
SD Eibar have an opportunity to shore up with a victory when they clash against visiting Real Sociedad at the Municipal de Ipurua on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts can take advantage of their inconsistent opponents to collect maximum points as they seek to boost their survival chances whilst the visitors will be looking forward to collecting maximum points against a struggling opponent and maintain their unbeaten run that is now on seven matches.
The visitors will be banking on forward Synne Jensen, who is looking to add onto her 10 goal tally, having scored in all their last seven matches, whilst the hosts will be hoping that forward Esperanza Pizarro is at her best level to lead them to victory.
A win for the hosts will take their points to 16 whilst a win for Sociedad will move them to 25 points.
The teams have met in seven matches, with Real Sociedad winning five, losing one and one.
Buoyed by their two-all draw against third-placed Levante last weekend, Granada CF will be looking to utilise home advantage to overcome Athletic Club when they meet at the Ciudad Deportiva del Granada CF on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts will be hoping to replicate the fighting spirit of last weekend as they look to boost their survival chances as they find themselves in the relegation zone.
The visitors, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid, with their hopes placed on forward Nahikari García for goals and goalkeeper Adriana Nanclares to thwart all the opponent’s attacks with crucial saves.
A win for the hosts will take their points to 10, moving closer to those above them, whilst a win for the visitors will move them to 23 points.
The teams have met four times, with Athletic Club winning all the four matches.
A close contest looms at the Ciudad Deportiva where Villarreal date visiting Real Betis on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors have now gone on a seven-match losing streak whilst the hosts will be motivated by their narrow 1-0 win over Sporting Huelva last weekend in their quest to move away from relegation threat.
The hosts will be hoping that midfielder Claudia Iglesias continues with her good form to lead them to their second victory in a row whilst Real Betis will be placing their hopes on the reflexes of goalkeeper Paula Vizoso to keep them in the match as well as forwards Júlia Aguado and Tiffany Cameron to provide the all important goals.
A win for the hosts will move them to 15 points, above their opponents, whilst a win for the visitors will take their points to 16.
The teams have met five times, with both teams winning two and drawing one.
Fixtures (Saturday): Granada CF vs Athletic Club (12:00); Madrid CFF vs Sevilla (14:00); Atlético Madrid vs Levante (16:30); Villarreal vs Real Betis (18:30); Real Madrid vs Valencia (20:30)
Fixtures (Sunday): SD Eibar vs Real Sociedad (12:00); UDCA Tenerife vs Levante Las Planas (14:00)*; Barcelona vs Sporting Huelva (18:00)
All times are in Central European Time (CET)
*Peninsular Time