Will Barcelona continue unbeaten?; relegation fight hots up: Liga F Week 25 Preview

Madrid CFF face an uphill task in their top three hopes as they clash with hosts Barcelona at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Wednesday evening. 

The visitors will be looking to record their second victory in history over their opponents after winning 2-1 at home last season as they seek to boost chances of playing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) next season whilst the hosts will be looking to maintain their unbeaten run in the league this season after their 4-2 victory against Levante Las Planas on Wednesday. 

The visitors will be hoping that their player-of-the-moment and former Barcelona forward Giovana Quieroz continues with her scoring form to lead them to victory whilst the hosts will be banking on the goalscoring exploits of forwards Caroline Graham Hansen, Salma Paralluelo and Mariona Caldentey, with support from midfield magician Aitana Bonmatí. 

A win for Madrid CFF will take them to 49 points and maintain their third position whilst a win for Barcelona will take their points to 73, needing just two wins to wrap up the title. 

The teams have met 15 times, with Barcelona winning 14 and losing one.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid look to have a relatively easier assignment as they clash with visiting Levante Las Planas at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefani on Sunday evening. 

The hosts will be looking to extend their winning streak to four matches whilst the visitors will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways as they are a point above the relegation zone. 

The hosts will be looking to consolidate their second position as their chances of finishing top look impossible. 

They will be hoping that resurgent forward Naomie Feller links up well with Colombian wonderkid Linda Caicedo to provide the much needed width with support from the evergreen midfield maestro Teresa Abelleira whilst the visitors will be hoping for more possession retention in the middle of the field from midfielders Ghizlane Chebbak and Laura Martínez González. 

A win for the visitors will take them to 23 points in their fight for survival whilst a win for the hosts will take their points to 61, leaving them in need of one win to secure a top three finish. 

The teams have met three times, with Real Madrid winning all the matches.

Fifth-placed Levante will be looking to emerge from their poor form to salvage their top three hopes when they clash with hosts Sevilla at the Ramón Cisneros Palacios on Saturday afternoon. 

The visitors were humbled 4-2 by Real Madrid last weekend which derailed their hopes of playing continental football next season though they are not completely out of the race. The hosts, on the other hand, will be looking to make it two wins in a row after recording mixed results in their last five matches.

They will be hoping that forward Inma Gabarro and winger Toni Payne give the Levante defence a torrid time whilst the visitors will be hoping that forwards Gabi Nunes and Alba Redondo provide the much needed goals to wrap the match. 

A win for Levante will move them to 47 points and possibly back in top three whilst a win for Sevilla will take their points to 42, within touching distance of top three. 

The teams have met 23 times, with Levante winning 14, losing five and drawing four.

Atlético Madrid will have an opportunity to get revenge for being booted out of the Copa De La Reina when they clash with hosts Real Sociedad at the Zubieta Facilities on Sunday afternoon. 

The visitors will be aiming to collect maximum points with their top three finish hopes having been reignited after their close contenders Madrid CFF and Levante dropped points.

Real Sociedad, on the other hand, will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways having failed to win in their last eight games in the league managing four draws and four losses. 

The hosts will be hoping that forwards Sanni Franssi and Synne Jensen are back to their best to lead the team to victory whilst the visitors will be banking on the resurgence of forward Ludmila and speed winger Rasheedat Ajibade for goals to propel the team to victory as reliable gunslinger Sheila Guijarro struggling for form after her injury. 

A win for the hosts will move them to 32 points whilst a win for the visitors will take their points to 48 and possibly into third position as Madrid CFF needs to beat Barcelona to remain in third position. 

The teams have met 32 times, with Atlético Madrid winning 18, losing eight and drawing six.

A Basque rivalry is looming when hosts SD Eibar square off with visiting Athletic Club at the Municipal Ipurua on Sunday afternoon. 

Eibar will be aiming to make it five games unbeaten with a win over their opponents in their fight for survival whilst the visitors will be aiming to bounce back from their 2-1 loss against Madrid CFF last weekend. 

The visitors will be hoping that forward Clara Pinedo continues with her rich vein of form alongside forwards Patri Zugasti and Ane Azkona. The hosts, on the other hand, have a safe pair of hands in goalkeeper Maria Miralles on her day and will also be hoping that forward Esperanza Pizarro and defender Carla Andres are at their best to provide good performance to help the team collect maximum points. 

A win for Eibar will move them to 29 points whilst a win for Athletic Club will take their points to 44 points. 

The teams have met seven times in competitive matches, with Athletic Club winning six and losing one.

Relegation battle looms as bottom-placed sides Real Betis and visiting Sporting Huelva lock horns at the Ciudad Deportiva Luis de Sol on Saturday afternoon. 

Huelva will be looking to spoil the relegation fight for Betis as they know their fate has already been decided with just six points from 24 matches. 

Betis will be banking on their home support to collect the much needed three points as it will take them to 22 points and possibly out of the relegation zone if those above them fail to collect maximum points whilst a win for Huelva will not change their position as they will remain anchored at the bottom with nine points. 

The teams have met 14, with Betis winning seven, losing three and drawing four.

With a top eight finish in sight, UDCA Tenerife will be looking to dismantle visiting Valencia at the Campo Municipal de Fútbol de Adeje on Saturday afternoon. 

Tenerife boast of a good squad that can stand high on their day with experienced forwardssuch as Rinsola Babajide, who has seen it all with Liverpool and Betis, Jassina Blom and attacking winger Koko Ange. Valencia, on the other hand, is not short of match winners as they boast of the reliable forward Anita Marcos, defensive walls in goalkeeper Antonia Canales and defender Claudia Florentino. 

A win for Tenerife will take them to 31 points whilst a win for Valencia will take their points to 29 and above their opponents. 

The teams have met 18 times, with Tenerife winning nine, losing four and drawing five.

Villarreal welcome fellow relegation fighters Granada CF at the Ciudad Deportiva on Saturday afternoon. 

Both teams are level on 21 points with Granada ahead on goal difference and this match will likely be a cracker with either team gunning for maximum points. 

The hosts will be hoping that midfielder Claudia Iglesias is at her best to lead the team to victory whilst Granada will be banking on forwards Carlota Suárez Crespo and Laura Pérez to propel the team to victory. 

A win for either side will take them to 24 points and boost their survival chances.

The teams have met once, with Villarreal winning the match back in November last year.

Fixtures (Saturday): Villarreal vs Granada CF (12:00); UDCA Tenerife vs Valencia (12:00); Real Betis vs Sporting Huelva (14:00); Sevilla vs Levante (16:00)

Fixtures (Sunday): SD Eibar vs Athletic Club (12:00); Real Sociedad vs Atlético Madrid (16:00); Real Madrid vs Levante Las Planas (18:00)

Fixtures (Wednesday): Barcelona vs Madrid CFF (18:00)

All times are Central European Time (CET)