Real Madrid in Levante UD test as Las Planas seek to maintain unbeaten start: Liga F Week 6 Preview
Real Madrid will have their 100% start to the season tested when they clash with visiting Levante at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Sunday evening.
There is not much rivalry between the clubs but both have seen much improvement in their squads and have found themselves in the bracket of top teams in Liga F.
Real Madrid will have to be prepared to deal with Levante forwards led by last season’s Liga F top goalscorer Alba Redondo who will be supported by fellow forwards Érika González and Nataša Andonova. Despite losing their midfield magician to long term injury the Madrid side boast of good finishers in Danish forward Signe Bruun and Colombian winger Linda Caicedo.
Both teams will look to continue with their unbeaten run. Above all, Levante need a win to stay in touch with top teams whilst the hosts want to keep pace with Barcelona as they aim to end their dominance.
The teams have met nine times with each team winning four and drawing one.
Meanwhile, defending champions Barcelona face a tricky visiting Granada at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Saturday evening in their quest to maintain their 100% record this season.
The Blaugranes will have to master the art of beating the inspired visitors whose men’s team is their men’s team nemesis.
The hosts will be hoping that skipper and attacker Alexia Putellas continues with her fine run as she gets back to her usual best as they also welcome young forward Salma Paralluelo who made her first appearance last weekend since Spain’s Women’s World Cup triumph in August.
Granada, on the other hand, are aiming to cause an upset after losing their last four matches and would want to start picking up points despite their last visit to Barcelona having seen them thrashed 10-0 in September 2013.
The teams have met twice with Barcelona winning both matches on a 13-0 aggregate scoreline.
Atlético Madrid have an easier fixture on paper when they make a long trip to Sporting Huelva at the Campo Federativo de la Orden on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors will be looking to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat at the hands of Barcelona last weekend.
The hosts will be banking on forwards Patrícia Hmírová and Jessica De Filippo for goals to move them out of the relegation zone whilst the visitors will be looking up to skipper and midfielder Leicy Santos for inspiration.
The hosts will have to do without defender Katarzyna Konat who is suspended after being sent-off last weekend against Madrid CFF.
The teams have met 27 times with Atlético winning 20, losing three and drawing four.
Madrid CFF will be looking to make it five wins in a row when they clash with visiting UDCA Tenerife at the Estadio Fernando Torres on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts went on a four match winning streak having lost their opening day match against Barcelona and will be hoping that their last season’s top goal scorer Racheal Kundananji will drive the team forward whilst Tenerife will be looking to make it three wins in a row and will hope that forward Jassina Blom will be at her usual best to inspire the team supported by former Liverpool and Real Betis forward Rinsola Babajide.
The teams have met 12 times with Tenerife winning seven, losing four and drawing one.
Real Sociedad, who have had a difficult start to the new campaign, will be looking to record a crucial win when they clash with hosts Athletic Club at the Lezama Facilities on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors have managed only two wins, same as their opponents, and hope to make it three wins and move up to 10 points.
Their hopes for a win will be pinned on skipper and midfielder Nerea Eizagirre who will be supported by forward Mirari Uria and Synne Jensen whilst Athletic Club will be hoping that forward Sanadri is at her best as they seek to utilise both their home advantage and their previous dominance over their opponents.
The teams have met 30 times with Athletic Club winning 19, losing six and drawing five.
Levante Las Planas have a date against visiting Sevilla at the Camp Municipal Les Planes on Sunday afternoon.
The Barcelona based side are unbeaten in their first five matches into the new season and are aiming to continue with the purple patch against the struggling Sevilla side.
The hosts’ last season’s top goal scorer Irina Uribe has not hit top form yet as she is still to register her name on the scoresheet this season. They are hoping she will break her duck against Sevilla to boost her confidence.
Sevilla, on the other hand, will be hoping that skipper and midfielder Amanda Sampedro pulls well the strings in the middle of the park with the able support of Nigerian winger Toni Payne in supplying clean balls to forward Inma Gabarro to break their winless jinx at this venue.
The teams have met six times with Sevilla winning two, losing one and drawing three.
Valencia can move to 10 points with a win when they meet struggling Real Betis at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis de Sol on Saturday afternoon.
Betis will be hoping to utilise home advantage to get a win and register their second win of the campaign ending their four match losing streak.
Valencia will be banking on forwards Ivonne Chacon, Anita Marcos and Sara Tamarit for goals whilst Betis will be hoping forwards Julia Aguado and Tiffany Cameron are at their best to lead them to victory.
The teams have met 14 times with each team winning five and drawing four.
Villarreal will be looking to make it two out of two when they meet fellow strugglers SD Eibar at the Municipal de Ipurua on Saturday afternoon.
The two sides have won one match each this season and Eibar are looking forward to utilising home advantage to register their second win of the season.
A win for either side will take them to six points.
Villarreal have some experienced players within their ranks that include midfielders Paola Soldevila and Virginia Torrecilla who can dictate the pace of the game on their day.
The teams have met twice with Villarreal winning once at home and drawing once.
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Fixtures (Saturday): Real Betis vs Valencia (12:00); SD Eibar vs Villarreal (12:00); Sporting Huelva vs Atletico Madrid (16:00); Barcelona vs Granada CF (18:30)
Fixtures (Sunday): Madrid CFF vs UDCA Tenerife (12:00); Athletic Club vs Real Sociedad (12:00); Levante Las Planas vs Sevilla (16:00); Real Madrid vs Levante (18:30)
All times are Central European Time (CET)