Madrid in Levante clash, Battle for survival continues at other end: Liga F Week 29 Preview
Second-placed Real Madrid host third-placed Levante at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Sunday afternoon.
The Madrid side have gone on a five-match winning streak and would want to extend it whilst Levante will be hoping to finish the season on a high note.
Levante forward Alba Redondo will be looking forward to scoring more goals to fend off the challenge of forwards Asisat Oshoala and Racheal Kundananji who are breathing heavily on her neck as she is only three and two goals above them respectively with two matches left.
The visitors will have to deal with the trickery of midfielder Caroline Weir who has been outstanding throughout the season for the hosts with 17 goals and 12 assists.
Both teams have secured top three finish and the match will be for either team to finish with as many points as they can as they prepare for the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) next season.
The teams have met eight times with Levante winning four, losing three and drawing one.
Meanwhile, a traditional clash looms at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Saturday afternoon when league champions Barcelona host Athletic Club.
The two clubs have seen it all in the Liga F having started long back and it is another day to continue their rivalry.
Barcelona saw their 62 match winning streak ended by Sevilla in their one-all draw on Wednesday evening.
Forward Asisat Oshoala will be hoping to be on the score sheet as she aims to topple Levante’s Redondo at the summit of the top goal scorers charts.
Barcelona have been changing playing personnel every match to give others a chance to play as they are preparing for the UWCL final against Wolfsburg in Eindhoven on 3 June.
The teams have met 25 times with Barcelona winning 18, losing three and drawing four.
Fourth-placed Atlético Madrid will be looking to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to Levante Las Planas last weekend when they travel to Ciudad Deportiva for a date with Villareal on Saturday afternoon.
The Madrid side have lost two of their last five matches and drawn once therefore putting them under pressure to win this match as they run the risk of relinquishing fourth place to Madrid CFF whom they lead by only three points with two matches left.
They will be hoping that forwards Lucía Moral Ruiz and Eva Navarro will be at their best to lead the team to victory whilst Villarreal will be hoping that skipper and forward Sheila Guijarro will steer them to victory and out of the relegation zone.
A win for Villarreal will take them to 24 points with one match left and it will be a huge feat in their fight for survival.
The two teams have met three times with Atlético winning two and drawing one.
Buoyed by their 1-0 win over Atlético Madrid last weekend, Levante Las Planas will be looking to continue with their survival fight with another win when they clash with visiting Real Sociedad at the Camp Municipal Les Planes on Saturday afternoon.
Young sensation Irina Uribe has been clinical in front of goal as she has led the Las Planas attack with crucial goals in their fight against relegation. On the other hand, the visitors will be hoping that skipper and forward Nerea Eizagirre, with 12 assists this season, is at her best to thread those passes as she has done throughout the season.
A win for the hosts will take them to 26 points and will be assured of survival whilst the visitors will be hoping to collect maximum points to finish in sixth position in what has been a disappointing season for them.
The teams have met five times before with Sociedad winning two, losing one and drawing two.
Real Betis will be looking to collect maximum points when they clash with visiting Alavés at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis de Sol on saturday afternoon.
The hosts will be looking to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Athletic Club last weekend and continue with their survival mission as they require a point from this match to be safe from the chop.
The hosts will be hoping that forward Rinsola Babajide and midfielder Grace Asantewaa will use their experience to lead the team to victory whilst the visitors will be hoping for midfielder MikuIto and forward Sanadri will steer them to victory.
A win for Betis will take them to 27 and assure them of survival whilst a draw will take them to 25 points and hope that Alhama are defeated elsewhere for them to be assured of survival. A win for the visitors will take them to 22 points and set an exciting finish to the season on the final day.
The teams have met three times with Alavés winning two at home and losing one away.
Sevilla will be looking to collect maximum points away against UDG Tenerife at the Estadio La Palmera on Sunday afternoon, having been the first team to stop the Barcelona juggernaut after 62 matches midweek.
Sevilla have been on an upward trend lately as they managed to pick up some crucial points whilst Tenerife have also collected some points that have steered them out of the relegation picture.
The teams are tied on 37 points and a win for either team will take them to 40 and move three points clear of the other.
The visitors will be hoping that forwards Jessica Martínez and Cristina Martín-Prieto provide the cutting edge upfront whilst the hosts will be hoping Jassina Blom comes to the party.
The teams have met 12 times with Tenerife winning eight, losing three and drawing one.
Madrid CFF will be relishing the chance to finish in the top four when they meet hosts Valencia at the Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna on Sunday evening.
Madrid CFF will be hoping that last weekend’s hat-trick heroine forward Racheal Kundananji will be at her usual best, also with the motivation to win the Pichichi award as she trails Redondo by two goals at the top. On the other hand, Valencia will be hoping for Marta Carro to lead the team to victory and make it three matches without a defeat.
A win for Valencia might take them to sixth position with 40 points if those above them drop points.
The teams have met 10 times with Madrid CFF winning five, losing three and drawing two.
Faced with the realities of relegation, Alhama CF ElPozo will be looking to collect maximum points at home when they host fellow relegation fighters Sporting Huelva at the Campo de Fútbol José María Soriano Muñoz on Saturday afternoon.
Alhama will have a chance to move out of the relegation zone with a win over Huelva whilst Huelva may also be assured of safety with a win, making it a tight contest.
The hosts will be turning their hopes on experienced forward Jade Boho whilst Sporting Huelva will be banking on Icelandic forward Berglind Rós Ágústsdóttir for goals.
The teams have met once with Huelva winning the match on a 1-0 scoreline.
Fixtures (Saturday): Levante Las Planas vs Real Sociedad (12:00); Alhama CF ElPozo vs Sporting Huelva (12:00); Villareal vs Atlético Madrid (12:00); Real Betis vs Alavés (12:00); Barcelona vs Athletic Club (12:00)
Fixtures (Sunday): UDG Tenerife vs Sevilla (12:00)*; Real Madrid vs Levante (12:00); Valencia vs Madrid CFF (18:00)
All times are Central European Time (CET)
*Peninsular Time