The Spanish champions travel away to Levante for Saturday’s encounter
MADRID: The loss through serious injury of Samuel Eto’o, Lionel Messi and Javier Saviola has not unduly hampered Barcelona in the Spanish league this season as 31 goals in 12 matches have propelled them to the top ahead of Saturday’s trip to little Levante.
That haul, aided by a Liga best ten goals from Ronaldinho and five from ex-Chelsea man Eidur Gudjohnsen — one more than Eto’o managed before a serious knee injury in September sidelined him until the New Year — is the best the club have managed in a decade.
But if three more points should come their way at Levante, struggling in the bottom six, nobody at the Nou Camp is quite nonchalant enough to ask: “Crisis? What crisis?”
Not, at least, until the pressing matter of Tuesday’s Champions League do-or-die final Group A encounter with Werder Bremen has been dealt with.
Despite sweeping almost all before them at home, reigning continental champions Barca face elimination in Europe unless they beat the Germans after a stuttering campaign. Gudjohnsen told reporters on Thursday that Barca intended to stay right where they are - in the Liga driving seat. “It’s important to stay out in front with Sevilla and Real Madrid racking up the wins as well,” the striker said.
Levante’s former Real Madrid coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro expressed the hope that coach Frank Rijkaard may rest Ronaldinho, though the latter declared he wants to play. “But it’s the gaffer’s decision,” said the Brazilian. For a change, Barca fans will be rooting for their city neighbours Espanyol on Sunday as they play host to second-placed Seville, who had they not lost in the Nou Camp last month would now have a two-point lead at the top rather than the one-point deficit they must make up.
Real Madrid, three points off the pace and still blowing hot and cold, take on an Athletic Bilbao side who are, as last season, stumbling along in the drop zone with just one win from their opening 12 games. Real are set to find at least a place on the bench for David Beckham, who returned to training on Wednesday after two weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury.
Inter take on Siena
Inter Milan have a chance to stretch their lead in Serie A when they target an eighth successive league victory at home to Siena on Saturday. Inter, who have also qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, are having their best winning sequence for nearly a decade.
A win against mid-table outfit Siena would give Roberto Mancini’s side a seven-point advantage over second-placed Roma ahead of their home game against Atalanta. Roma, inspired by the on-form Francesco Totti, have won their last five games with the club skipper scoring a brace in last week’s 4-2 away defeat of Sampdoria.
Serie A surprise packages Palermo sit two points behind Roma and six adrift of Inter, but have a good chance of staying in the hunt when they travel to struggling Parma, who have lost their last three games, on Sunday.
Spanish League
Levante v Barcelona
Recreativo Huelva v Valencia
Real Betis v Atlético Madrid
Italian Serie A
Inter Milan v Siena
Roma v Atalanta
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