LaLiga leaders Real Madrid head to Mallorca

LaLiga Santander returns following the international break with Real Madrid looking to stay ahead of the pack, although chasers Atletico de Madrid and Barcelona could take over at the top in what should be an exciting weekend’s action.

Still unbeaten LaLiga Santander pace setters Real Madrid are at RCD Mallorca in tomorrow’s late game. Los Blancos won 5-0 on their last visit in October 2012, but an awful lot has changed on and off the pitch at Son Moix since then thanks to the Balearic Islanders’ American owners.

Second-placed Atletico de Madrid host Valencia tomorrow afternoon, with Diego Simeone’s side having won this fixture in each of the last four seasons, including 3-2 last season despite former rojiblanco striker Kevin Gameiro scoring for the east coast side against his old team.

Tomorrow’s early game sees Barcelona visit Eibar with both the Catalans and the Basques in excellent form recently, so a repeat of last year’s 2-2 with both blaugrana goals coming from captain Lionel Messi is quite possible.

LaLiga’s weekend programme begins this evening when Granada host Osasuna at the Nuevo Los Carmenes, with both newly promoted teams sitting in LaLiga Santander’s top half after excellent starts to the season.

Saturday afternoon brings a local derby to the south of the Spanish capital as Leganes make the short seven-kilometre trip to Getafe’s Coliseum Alfonso Perez. The game should be especially significant for the home side’s Cameroonian defender Allan Nyom who made the short switch between the two sides last summer.