Sevilla eye more Madrid misery
Posted Friday, December 16, 2011 by ESPN
Sevilla striker Manu del Moral is hoping to pile more misery on Real Madrid this weekend and deny Jose Mourinho's men top spot in La Liga over Christmas.
Madrid have the chance to re-establish their three-point advantage at the summit on Saturday night after being leapfrogged by Barcelona following the Catalans' 3-1 win in the season's opening El Clasico at the Bernabeu last weekend.
Sevilla's aim this season is to finish in the top four and claim a Champions League spot - they currently lie fifth - a target hampered by last weekend's disappointing 1-0 defeat at Levante, the side immediately above them.
Del Moral told www.marca.com: "What better way to bounce back from the defeat to Levante than against Real Madrid.
"To beat them you have to do almost everything right and be very careful not to leave them too much space because they are very dangerous.
"We must play well on the day, have confidence in ourselves and not be frightened."
Del Moral does not feel Madrid's crushing loss to Barca will have any bearing on this weekend's encounter at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
"It was a setback to their goal of winning the league," he said. "But had they won or lost, you still face Real Madrid, one of the best teams in the world along with Barcelona, and it would still have been equally difficult."
Barca's participation in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan - on Thursday they set up a final clash against Santos with a 4-0 defeat of Al-Sadd but lost striker David Villa to a broken leg - means the chasing pack have the chance to close the gap.
Third-placed Valencia can move to within four points of the European champions with victory over Malaga.
Los Che boss Unai Emery may hand a starting recall to midfielder Ever Banega, who has been out for several weeks with a knee injury but played the last few minutes of Tuesday night's goalless draw at Cadiz in the Copa del Rey.
The midweek stalemate was Valencia's third game on the trot without a win, a run which included a 3-0 defeat at Chelsea to confirm their exit from the Champions League.
Banega said: "The team is fine and we have to forget the past because that will not get us anywhere.
"Nobody likes being eliminated from the Champions League but now we have the Europa League which is exciting.
"There are many good teams in it but this is Valencia and we have to get used to always needing to win."
Levante will hope to maintain their quest for an unlikely Champions League qualification spot at home to Granada.
On Saturday, Athletic host rock-bottom Real Zaragoza, Getafe go to Real Mallorca and Sporting Gijon meet Espanyol.
Sunday's action starts with Atletico Madrid's home clash against Real Betis and continues with Osasuna taking on Villarreal and Racing Santander hosting Real Sociedad.
Saturday's La Liga Fixtures
Mallorca vs Getafe
Sporting Gijon vs Espanyol
Athletic Bilbao vs Real Zaragoza
Sevilla FC vs Real Madrid
Sunday's La Liga Fixtures
Atlético Madrid vs Real Betis
Granada vs Levante
Osasuna vs Villarreal
Racing Santander vs Real Sociedad
Valencia vs Málaga
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