HAROLD HECKLE

Associated Press Writer

Valencia have to quickly rebound from their first defeat of the season - a 1-0 home defeat against Manchester United in the Champions League - to hold on to the Spanish league lead against a tough Athletic Bilbao today.

Meanwhile, Barcelona hope to field Lionel Messi when they host Mallorca tomorroe following a difficult Champions League draw with Rubin Kazan, and slow-scoring Real Madrid play Deportivo La Coruna at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Villarreal host Racing Santander in their bid to stay second in the standings, above Barcelona and Madrid.

The Madrid squad, which has scored six goals in five league matches, has been working under coach Jose Mourinho to improve its tactical awareness, defender Alvaro Arbeloa said.

“Mourinho is helping all of us improve on a tactical level,” Arbeloa said. “We are excessively worried about our forwards having a rough patch. The team has great forwards and I am sure that, by the end of the season, they will have scored many times.”

Ten days after injuring his ankle at Atletico Madrid, Messi came on as a substitute to play the last 34 minutes of Wednesday’s Champions League game in Russia, which was enough time to launch four shots on goal and make 25 passes.

Coach Pep Guardiola may be without Xavi Hernandez, who has problems with tendinitis and was left off Spain’s squad for next month’s European Championship qualifiers.

Barcelona’s medical team said on the club website that Xavi has been struggling with the problem “for several weeks” and that it has now “reached an acute stage.”

Valencia coach Unai Emery is likely to be without two key players as Joaquin Sanchez has a left leg injury and Netherlands international Hedwiges Maduro had to undergo tests as a result of persistent muscle pains in his left leg.

“Racing Santander are going to present us with a very complicated match,” Villarreal coach Javi Garcia said. “They are a a team that has been capable of two wins in their two away matches this season, and they have let in very few goals.”

Also today, Zaragoza play Sporting and Real Sociedad host Espanyol.

Today

Real Sociedad-Espanyol

Real Zaragoza-Sporting Gijon

Valencia-Athletic Bilbao

Tomorrow

Almeria-Malaga

Barcelona-Mallorca

Getafe-Hercules

Osasuna-Levante

Real Madrid-Dep. La Coruna

Sevilla-Atletico Madrid

Villarreal-Racing Santander