Real Madrid will be looking to extend their perfect record at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium against Levante and apply pressure on stumbling leaders Barcelona in the Spanish league today.
Following a near-perfect start to 2011, Barcelona slipped up with Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat at Arsenal following a draw at Sporting Gijon in the league.
Madrid have won all 19 games at the Bernabeu going into today’s game, where a victory will stretch coach Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten run on home soil to nine years. The last time the former Chelsea and Inter coach failed to take points at his home ground was when FC Porto lost to Beira Mar 3-2 in February 2002.
Madrid - who will be without suspended goalkeeper Iker Casillas - is five points behind Barcelona, who play Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou tomorrow.
Barcelona went on a league record 16-game winning streak before drawing 1-1 at Sporting and there is some slight concern following the Champions League slip-up, a game the Catalans controlled before surrendering two late goals.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola may not rush defender Carles Puyol back against fifth-place Athletic, who had won four straight matches before Monday’s loss at Mallorca.
Puyol has been out of action since 22 January with a knee injury. All four of Barcelona’s defeats this season have come without Puyol in the line-up and, with fellow centre back Gerard Pique suspended for the return leg against Arsenal on 8 March, Guardiola may prefer not to risk his captain’s health with its European place on the line.
“We can take lessons from the defeat,” Barcelona fullback Maxwell said.
Madrid are riding high from their 1-0 win at Espanyol on Sunday, when they played with 10 men from the second minute following Casillas’ sending off. Back-up goalkeeper Antonio Adan will get his first career start against Levante, who have won three straight to move two points clear of the relegation zone.
With Madrid’s round of 16 Champions League match against Lyon coming up next week, Mourinho may rest some key players, which means Kaka could play after missing out against Espanyol. The Brazil playmaker, a former world player of the year, has struggled to make the starting lineup with Mesut Oezil in form.
Striker Emmanuel Adebayor could get the nod over Karim Benzema for the second straight game after a strong performance against Espanyol.
“If I were Barca, I’d still be very happy because the current situation is very comfortable for them,” Mourinho said. “The pressure is on those who are coming from behind, but the mathematics say it is possible. The Champions League could distract them.”
Espanyol are looking to end a three-game losing skid and continue consolidating their chances of qualifying for next season’s Europa League when they take on Osasuna tomorrow.
Espanyol are sixth with 37 points - six better than Getafe, Sevilla, Real Sociedad and Mallorca.
The game will be Osasuna coach Jose Luis Mendilibar’s first in charge since replacing Jose Antonio Camacho. Osasuna are 18th and occupying the last relegation spot.
Villarreal play last-place Malaga tomorrow looking to end a two-game losing run, which allowed Valencia to move ahead of them into third. Valencia are up against Sporting today.
Atletico Madrid are also eager to turn around their poor start to 2011 at Zaragoza today. Atletico have won only once in 10 matches to start the calendar year, with four straight defeats.
Also, it’s: Getafe vs. Racing Santander; Almeria vs. Deportivo La Coruna; Sevilla vs. Hercules; and Real Sociedad vs. Mallorca.
Today
Real Madrid-Levante
Real Zaragoza-Atletico Madrid
Valencia-Sporting Gijon
Tomorrow
Almeria-Dep. La Coruna
Barcelona-Athletic Bilbao
Getafe-Racing Santander
Osasuna-Espanyol
Sevilla-Hercules
Villarreal-Malaga
Monday
Real Sociedad-Mallorca