Showing posts with label LA LIGA. Show all posts

NPFL All-Stars Depart For Spain today Ahead LaLiga Tour

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) All-Star team is set to depart Lagos in the early hours of today for the Maiden NPFL-LaLiga tour which kicks-off on Wednesday, August 10.

The Nigerian delegation will travel aboard Morocco Air, and would arrive Spain later on today in time for the team to have their first training preparatory to the opening friendly against Valencia CF on Wednesday. The League Management Company (LMC) in a statement listed the players on the trip to include goalkeepers, Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC Ifeanyiubah), Theophilus Afelokhai (Enyimba) and Emeka Nwabulu of Wikki Tourists.

Heartland’s Emeka Ogbugh and Abdulrahman Bashir of Nasarawa United earned late call-ups on the eve of the NPFL All-Star departure for Spain following injury scare for Gabriel Wassa of Niger Tornadoes and visa challenges for Hussain Bata of El-Kanemi Warriors.

Wassa will, however, travel with the team as coach Salisu Yusuf was banking on his possible recovery. Bata whose visa processing was not completed is not part of the 25-man squad. Another injury worry was Ibrahim Alhassan of Wikki Tourists who was earlier declared not fit by team doctors but passed a late fitness test at the Abuja National Hospital on Saturday and was included in the squad.

Others are Chima Akas (Enyimba), Matthew Etim (Rangers), Austin Obaroakpo (Abia Warriors) and Jamiu Aliyu of Kano Pillars. Also in the squad are Enyimba’s Joseph Osadiaye, Rabiu Ali of Kano Pillars, Godwin Obaje of Wikki Tourists and Ezekiel Bassey of Enyimba. Obinna Nwobodo of Rangers, Emmanuel Ariwa (Akwa United), Ifeanyi Ifeanyi of MFM, Ismaila Gata of FC Ifeanyiubah, Ifeanyi Nweke of Nasarawa United and Charles Henlong of Wikki Tourists also made the list.

The rest of the squad are Dayo Ojo of Sunshine Stars, Chisom Egbuchulam of Rangers, Sikiru Olatunbosun of MFM, Chinedu Udoji of Enyimba and his teammate Dare Ojo.
The NPFL All-Star team will on August 12 play their first match in the Carranza World Club Tournament against Malaga CF in Cadiz at 9.30pm and a win will guarantee them a place in the final while a loss will mean they play in the losers final against the winner between Atletico Madrid and Cadiz CF, hosts of the tournament on August 13.

The tour is an integral component of the technical and commercial partnership signed in April 2016 between the LMC and LaLiga. During the tour, some LMC officials and NPFL Club Managers will take part in capacity building workshops on match organisation, digital marketing and general administration. Meanwhile, the Nigerian delegation will return on August 15.

The 11 Oldest Football Clubs in the World

By Unknown 02:19:00 EPL, LA LIGA, NEWS

The 11 Oldest Football Clubs in the World

Cristiano Ronaldo named most famous athlete in the world

By Unknown 13:02:00 LA LIGA, MESSI, NEWS, RONALDO

Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who helped Real Madrid win their 11th Champions League title last season, has been named the most famous athlete in the world in the list of 100 most famous athletes released by sporting giant ESPN.

The list was researched by ESPN’s director of sports analytics and released on the 31st May.The list features a host of familiar names of the sporting world and was researched using a formula which combined salary and endorsements along with social media following and Google search engine popularity, the results of which were calculated to figure out who the 100 most famous athletes on the planet were.

Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who was one of the star performers in Real Madrid’s historic 11th Champions League win, was proclaimed to be the most famous sports person on the planet, followed by NBA star LeBron James and footballing rival Lionel Messi.

Messi’s Barcelona teammate Neymar found himself in the 4th spot with Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer rounding off the top five. Ronaldo leads a list of 17 footballers who star in the top 100 list. The top five footballers on the list ply their trade in La Liga, with James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale who are on 9th and 10th in the list, round up the list of the top five most famous footballers.

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney is 6th on the most famous footballer’s list, coming only 17th in the overall standings.

Full list

Position	Name	Sport
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	Football
2	LeBron James	Basketball
3	Lionel Messi	Football
4	Neymar	Football
5	Roger Federer	Tennis
6	Kevin Durant	Basketball
7	Tiger Woods	Golf
8	Virat Kohli	Cricket
9	James Rodriguez	Football
10	Rafael Nadal	Tennis

Ramos congratulates 'deserving winners' Barcelona

By Unknown 10:50:00 LA LIGA

Sergio Ramos believes Barcelona deserved to win La Liga, but is adamant his Real Madrid side are still in good spirits heading into the Champions League final.

Zinedine Zidane's men won 12 games in succession to put the pressure on Barcelona during the Liga run-in, but it was not enough, as the Catalans retained their crown on Saturday following a 3-0 win over Granada.

Ramos was disappointed to miss out on the title, but has already set his sights on the European final against Atletico Madrid.

"It's a shame we've not been able to win La Liga but we'll learn from it for next year. The team who makes the fewest mistakes is the one who takes the title," he told the Madrid website.

"We've been here until the end and you've got to congratulate Barcelona because they are deserving winners of this league.

"We're proud of how the team has put the pressure on Barcelona and had belief until the last moment. It's easy to have an opinion now, you remember a lot of games and all the points you've dropped.

"Our aim was to put the pressure on and we've done that. It's great for us in terms of morale heading into the Champions League final. Now we have a beautiful Champions League final that we want to win to make it an unforgettable year."

The decider of UEFA's elite club competition takes place on May 28 at San Siro.

Suarez claims Pichichi prize to end Messi-Ronaldo dominance

By Unknown 10:40:00 BARCELONA, LA LIGA, suarez

The Uruguay international has finished the season on 40 goals, five ahead of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, who claimed the prize last season.

Suarez is the first player to beat either Messi or Ronaldo to the award since compatriot Forlan in the 2008-2009 campaign.

He is also the third player to score 40 goals in a Liga season, with Messi and Ronaldo each achieving the feat three times.

"It's a unique moment to enjoy," he said. "I'm happy with everything.

"For the title, the goals, the happiness we've given to the fans."

Suarez added that he wanted to give thanks to all his team-mates for helping him score 53 goals in all competitions this season.

"Thanks to everyone because without them I couldn't have done it," Suarez said. "Without them, I wouldn't be in this situation.

"I only had to nudge the ball. They looked for me and I'm grateful for it, thanks to everyone once again."

Suarez is also set to claim the European Golden Shoe for the second time in his career, after he shared the award with Ronaldo in 2014.

Suarez and Barcelona now look ahead to next weekend's Copa Del Rey final against cup specialists Sevilla as they seek to win the double, but not without some La Liga celebrations first.

"Now we have to think about the cup, but today it's time to enjoy La Liga," the Uruguay international said.

"It's a competition we've worked for very hard over the year and in the end, we've got our reward."

Messi is the prince. But I am the king says Pele

By Unknown 10:21:00 EPL, LA LIGA, MESSI, PELE

Pele was nicknamed 'the king' during his career and he thinks Messi is as important to the game as he was during his playing days, even if he believes the prolific attacker is not the best Argentine player ever.

"If I am the king, then Messi has been the prince over the past 15 years," Pele told La Vanguardia.

"I cannot call him the king, because there is only one king. I believe that Alfredo Di Stefano was the most complete of the Argentine stars, he was more complete than [Diego] Maradona and Messi.

"I am glad that I played in my era, even if it's true everything is more simple now.

"Players like Di Stefano are I are not as well-known because there are far fewer recordings of our performances."

Barcelona and Real Madrid win to set up dramatic final day in La Liga

By Unknown 00:42:00 LA LIGA

Barcelona are one win away from defending their La Liga title after romping to a 5-0 derby success over Espanyol at Camp Nou , but will have Real Madrid hot on their heels after they overcame Valencia 3-2.

Luis Enrique's men ensured there would be no repeat of the 2007 'Tamudazo' derby, where a draw in the penultimate match of the season allowed Madrid to win that year's league under Fabio Capello.

A brilliant early free-kick from Lionel Messi sent Barca on their way, before Luis Suarez scored twice in the second half to make it 11 goals from his last four league appearances.

Substitute Rafinha Alcantara and Neymar wrapped up the victory with strikes in the closing stages as Barca eased to a fourth straight win, in which they have scored 21 goals without conceding.

A good day for Barca got even better as closest rivals Atletico Madrid suffered shock 2-1 loss at relegated Levante to crash out of the title race.

A brace from Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid to a 3-2 win over Valencia that ensures they go into the final day of the Liga season as Barcelona's only challengers for the title.

Ronaldo's 48th and 49th goals of another prolific season, which sandwiched a Karim Benzema strike, earned Zinedine Zidane's side an 11th-straight league win to keep them within a point of champions Barca.

Victory moves Madrid above neighbours and UEFA Champions League final opponents Atletico and means they visit Deportivo La Coruna next weekend knowing that a 12th win on the spin could see them overhaul Luis Enrique's team in the most dramatic of circumstances.

Madrid were comfortable for much of the game at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Valencia indebted to goalkeeper Diego Alves for restricting Ronaldo and co to three goals.

Atletico Madrid's La Liga title dream ended with a shock 2-1 loss at relegated Levante.

The result left Diego Simeone's men three points behind Barcelona, but Luis Enrique's side have a superior head-to-head record and cannot be caught by Atletico, while Real Madrid are now two points ahead of their cross-city rivals.

It was Fernando Torres who gave Atletico a stunning start with a goal after just two minutes, but the visitors were unable to push on at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia.

Levante fought hard to give their fans a fine farewell in their last home game of the season and Victor Casadesus levelled the scoring just past the half-hour mark.

Stefan Savic and substitute Griezmann had chances to win it for the away side after the break, but Levante eventually emerged victorious as Rossi scored late on to seal a remarkable win.

Granada ensured their top-flight safety by inflicting a heavy 4-1 defeat on UEFA Europa League finalistsSevilla, Isaac Cuenca the hero with two goals and an assist.

Deportivo La Coruna also guaranteed they stay in La Liga by beating Champions League qualifiers Villarreal2-0, but Rayo Vallecano's safety hopes suffered a blow in a 2-1 loss to Real Sociedad.

However, fellow relegation battlers Getafe and Sporting Gijon - who are level on points - played out a 1-1 draw to keep Rayo in with a chance.

In other matches, Nolito scored the winner as Celta Vigo beat Malaga 1-0, Eibar and Real Betis played out a 1-1 draw, and Las Palmas versus Athletic Bilbao ended goalless in a game that saw veteran playmaker Juan Carlos Valeron bid farewell to his home crowd in Gran Canaria.

Dietmar Hamann urges Arsenal to chase Diego Simeone

By Unknown 02:11:00 ARSENAL, EPL, LA LIGA

Former Germany international Dietmar Hamann has said that he believes Diego Simeone would be the perfect manager to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

Wenger is coming under increasing scrutiny after the Gunners' wait for a Premier League title extended to 12 years this season, with a number of fans imploring the long-serving Frenchman to leave during their recent victory over Norwich City.

Simeone, meanwhile, steered Atletico Madrid to a second Champions League final in three years with an away-goals victory over Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, and while the two managers have drastically different styles of play, Hamann believes that Simeone is exactly what Arsenal need.

"He should be the most sought-after coach in the world. I think his track record is as good as any and this includes Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, anyone," he told talkSPORT.

"What he has done at Atletico is as good as anyone's out there. When people say 'is he a manager for Arsenal? Can he manage Arsenal?' I would say the thing that Arsenal lack is exactly what Atletico's strength is.

"If I was Arsenal, I'd be on the way to Madrid and saying 'Diego, you win the Champions League and the day after you're ours."

In addition to reaching the Champions League final twice, Simeone has won the La Liga title, Europa League, Copa del Rey and Super Cup during his time at the Vicente Calderon

Villarreal secure Champions League return

By Unknown 04:10:00 LA LIGA

Villarreal secured a return to the UEFA Champions League after four seasons away by beating Valencia 2-0 to sew up fourth place in La Liga.

Marcelino made a string of changes for the trip to Mestalla, due to the game falling between the two legs of Villarreal's Europa League semi-final against Liverpool, which the Yellow Submarine lead 1-0 ahead of a trip to Anfield next week.

Samu put Villarreal ahead with a fine finish after Roberto Soldado had opened up space inside the penalty area, before a reckless high line from Valencia allowed Adrian Lopez to run clear from his own half and follow up his midweek European heroics by dinking home.

The visitors held out comfortably in the second half and the final whistle was greeted by jubilant celebrations, with Marcelino's men now able to put all their energy into possible Europa League glory, having moved six points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao.

Crucially, Villarreal have taken four points from the Basque club this season to ensure the head-to-head advantage with two rounds of fixtures to play.

Athletic Bilbao had beaten Celta Vigo 2-1 earlier to leapfrog their opponents.

At the bottom of the table, Getafe boosted their chances of survival enormously by taking a 2-0 win fromDeportivo La Coruna.

Pedro Leon and Carlos Vigaray got the goals at the Riazor to put Getafe on 35 points, level with Sporting Gijon, who won on Friday, and Rayo Vallecano after their loss at Atletico Madrid.

The teams from 16th to 19th are separated by a point heading into the final games of the campaign as the fight to stay up goes down to the wire.

Levante, six points adrift of Rayo and Getafe in the bottom three, will be facing relegation if they lose at Malaga on Monday.

Sevilla's miserable campaign on the road dragged on as they lost 1-0 at Espanyol, whose victory vaults them onto 40 points, 14th place and clear of the scrap below them.

Eriksson hails former pupil Simeone

By Unknown 04:17:00 LA LIGA

Simeone played under Eriksson at Lazio for two years and the Argentine boss has since gone to turn Atletico into a resolute and genuine European powerhouse.

After taking the reins in 2011, Simeone has guided Atletico to La La glory, as well as Europa League, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup and Supercopa de Espana titles.

Atletico - second in the league and in the Champions League semi-finals - are once again vying for silverware this season, much to the delight of Shanghai SIPG boss Eriksson.

"I am cheering for Atletico Madrid and Simeone," Eriksson told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"His football intrigues me, and we spoke about it in the summer as we met in China for a friendly. He said he picked up a few things from me and I am proud of that.

"Simeone was tough as a player and he still is as a coach. His training sessions are like matches, and then that work pays off on the field.

"His team presses so well. He is an example to follow."

Atletico, who defeated Rayo Vallecano 1-0, are level on points with title holders Barcelona with two matches remaining in La Liga.

Simeone and Co. are also on the cusp of another Champions League final following their first-leg semi-final win over Bayern Munich, having lost to Real Madrid in the 2014 decider.

"I really like to watch Barcelona play when they are on form and move the ball. However not everyone can field Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez," Eriksson said.

"That is why being organised is so key, which is why I believe Simeone is an example to follow. Nobody runs more than Atletico in La Liga."

Atletico maintain title chase with hard-fought derby win

By Unknown 04:07:00 LA LIGA

Atletico Madrid responded to Real Madrid as they beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 at the Vicente Calderon to keep pace in the Liga title race without Diego Simeone.

Simeone was absent from the touchline after receiving a ban for his part in the throwing of a ball to disrupt a Malaga attack last weekend, and seven changes from their midweek UEFA Champions League win over Bayern Munich resulted in a disorganised first-half showing.

But Griezmann needed just 34 seconds after coming on as a substitute to settle the game, registering his 21st league goal of the season - five of which have come in 1-0 wins.

Attention will now turn to Wednesday's semi-final second leg in Munich as Atletico look to defend another 1-0 lead, given to them by Saul Niguez's stunner, which would take them into a second Champions League final in three years.

Rayo have been outscored by just six teams in La Liga this term, but they could not break down Atletico's iron-cast defence and remain at threat of relegation.

Angel Correa brought a stunning early save out of Rayo goalkeeper Juan Carlos, but it was Atletico's only sight of goal in an otherwise badly disjointed opening half an hour.

Sensing their much-changed opponents were struggling, Rayo began to pour forward with typical reckless abandon, but Miku found Jan Oblak tough to beat and Adri Embarba oddly opted to cross after bursting clear on goal in the left channel.

Correa was Atletico's only bright spark and he brought the crowd to their feet with a stunning flick over his man, but the finish summed up his side's efforts as he scuffed it straight at the goalkeeper.

Koke was introduced in place of Gabi at half-time as Atletico sought control of the game, but Rayo remained on top and Javi Guerra ought to have done better than shoot straight at Oblak after latching on to Bebe's cross.

Simeone's assistant German Burgos responded by throwing Griezmann and Fernando Torres on and the Frenchman had an instant impact, chesting the ball down and smashing a 20-yard half-volley past a helpless Juan Carlos.

Griezmann's addition especially had Atletico in full stride and he zipped down the right flank before squaring for an open Torres, but the in-form striker took the effort on his weaker left foot and could not beat the keeper.

But one was enough for the fourth game in row, with fixtures against rock-bottom Levante and Celta Vigo to come as the title race goes down to the wire.

Key Opta stats:

- Atletico have lost just one of their last 13 La Liga games against Rayo (W9 D3), 2-1 at Vallecas in February 2013.
- Atletico have won their last six league games against Rayo at the Vicente Calderon, which is their best run against Rayo in the top-flight.
- Atletico have gone 18 Madrid derbies without a defeat (W15 D3), conceding goals in five of them.
- Simeone's side have only conceded one goal in the first half in their last eight league games, against Espanyol.
- Griezmann (21) has only one goal less than in his best goalscoring campaing in La Liga (22).
- Atletico have won the most games by one goal in this La Liga season (12, level with Celta).

Rakitic and Suarez strike to edge Barcelona ahead in title race

By Unknown 03:58:00 LA LIGA

For the second weekend running, Real and Atletico Madrid played before Barca and respective wins over Real Sociedad and Rayo Vallecano turned up the heat on the champions.

Luis Enrique's men initially struggled to muster a response as Barca failed to display their usual fluent, attacking style of football at the Benito Villamarin.

However, Heiko Westermann's dismissal for a second yellow card 10 minutes before the break threatened to undo Betis' hard work in the opening period and Barca did get the crucial breakthrough five minutes after the break.

Rakitic had been regularly booed due to his previous association with Betis' fierce rivals Sevilla, but he had the last laugh by tapping in after costly miscommunication between German Pezzella and goalkeeper Antonio Adan.

And Suarez, who had scored eight times over Barca's past two matches, wrapped up the win late on with his 35th Liga goal of the season.

Barca may not have hit the heights they did in 8-0 and 6-0 wins over Deportivo La Coruna and Sporting Gijon in their previous two matches, but they stay top, level on points with Atleti and one above Real Madrid with two games left.

It was Betis who had the better opportunities in a lacklustre opening, Ruben Castro's bending effort was deflected for a corner from which Claudio Bravo smartly tipped Bruno's header over the crossbar.

Barca struggled for fluency and Luis Enrique cut a frustrated figure in the technical area as his side toiled against a stubborn defence.

The visitors saw Andres Iniesta slice wide after good work by Neymar, before the Brazil captain shot tamely at Adan when in a promising position in the area.

Betis were dealt a blow in the 35th minute, though, when Westermann received a second yellow card and subsequent red for chopping down Rakitic.

The numerical advantage should have paid dividends a minute after the break. Neymar picked out the run of Suarez, but the usually clinical forward shot wide of the left-hand post when one-on-one.

Barca did have the lead in the 50th minute, though, after shambolic Betis defending.

Lionel Messi clipped a harmless pass into the area, but Pezzella failed with a woeful attempted acrobatic clearance and the on-rushing Adan also missed the ball to leave Rakitic to tap into the empty goal.

Ronaldo could miss Euro 2016 if you rush him according to doctor

By Unknown 01:15:00 EURO 2016, LA LIGA, RONALDO

Ronaldo has been sidelined since late April, yet La Liga giants Madrid remain hopeful he will be fit to face Manchester City on Wednesdat .

Former Portugal doctor Nuno Campos said if reports were true, the 31 year-old needs a break or he risks a setback that would rule him out of Euro 2016.

"If the diagnosis is indeed a micro-tear, he needs between 18 and 21 days," Campos told newspaper Record.

"They need 12 to 14 days to heal completely and another five to seven days for muscle recovery work.

"It would be less time if it were just a contracture. If so, the problem does not stop him from playing against City."

Madrid's Champions League semi-final tie against City is delicately poised after a 0-0 first-leg draw at the Etihad Stadium.

But Campos said there was a concern Ronaldo could suffer further damage and miss the European Championship, which starts on June 10.

"If you do, having a micro-tear is subject to aggravate the situation and there is a risk to the European [Championship]," he said.

Late Bale winner keeps Real Madrid title challenge alive

By Unknown 23:09:00 LA LIGA, REAL MADRID

Real Sociedad did enough to frustrate the visitors for 80 minutes, but Gareth Bale’s superb header sealed three points for Los Blancos, who notched up their 10th straight league win and kept their title hopes alive.

After a goal-less first half, the home side looked in control in the second half and created some good goal scoring opportunities. In absence of Ronaldo and Benzema, Madrid struggled to create clear cut openings and were in search of an inspiration from somewhere to break Sociedad’s resilience.

Zinedine Zidane's side went into the match just a point behind leaders Barcelona and second-placed Atletico Madrid and knowing that victory would take them top of the table for at least a few hours, with both their rivals playing later in the day.

With Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema injured and one eye perhaps on the visit of Manchester City in wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg, Madrid struggled to break down a resilient Sociedad side who beat Barca at Anoeta just three weeks ago.

Bale missed three clear-cut chances, while Jese Rodriguez was also thwarted by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and a stubborn home defence.

But the Welshman, whose late goal secured the 3-2 comeback with over Rayo Vallecano last week, steered in a powerful header in the 80th minute to salvage a win which piles pressure back on Atletico and Barca. It was 19th goal of the season,

Nacho almost found a breakthrough as he burst into the area following Bale's flick-on, but Rulli did enough to block his effort before Aritz Elustondo cleared the danger.

Sociedad continued to frustrate the visitors after the break, but Bale spurned a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock when he shot straight at Rulli from just eight yards out after Yuri Berchiche made a mess of clearing a James cross.

Modric's excellent run and pass sent Jese through to the right of the area, but his cross-cum-shot was parried by Rulli and eventually cleared, as Zidane brought on Isco in a bid to find a crucial breakthrough.

But it was Bale who made amends for his earlier misses to find a way through. Isco found Lucas Vazquez wide on the right, and Bale converted his cross high past Rulli at the near post with an emphatic header.

Of his 19 goals, nine of them are headers, which is more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. Also, he was involved in 30 goals this season for Madrid in just 28 games.

Sociedad pushed for an equaliser and Keylor Navas, largely a spectator throughout, made a fine low stop to hold on to Mikel Oyarzabal's header from Asier Illarramendi's cross.

But Madrid held on to keep the pressure on Barca and Atleti, and can now turn their focus on their crucial midweek meeting with City.

Watch Bale's goal below

La Liga: Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid : Team News, Lineups

By Unknown 09:42:00 LA LIGA

Real Sociedad take on Real Madrid in La Liga this weekend and the Basque side will be looking for another scalp after beating Barcelona 1-0 at the Anoeta recently.

Having beaten the best side in the country, La Real will fancy their chances against the Blancos as well.For Real Madrid, this is a must win game. They cannot afford to drop anymore points if they want to stay in the title race. Barcelona are one point ahead of them and are unlikely to drop points in their remaining games.

Sociedad crashed to a 2-1 loss at the hands of struggling Getafe last time out and Real Madrid will be hoping for a similar result here as well.

TEAM NEWS

Carlos Vela misses out due to suspension for the home side. Jonathas should start up top as a result.

Real Sociedad are also without the services of Carlos Martinez, Canales, and Agirretxe. All three players are injured and will be sidelined for the game against Real Madrid.

As for Real Madrid, the absence of Ronaldo and Benzema will be a major blow for Zinedine Zidane.

Both players are out with injuries. Spanish forward Jese is expected to join them on the sidelines as well.

LINEUPS

Real Sociedad: Rulli; Zaldua, Elustondo, Martinez, Yuri; Bergara, Reyes, Illarramendi; Zurutuza, Jonathas, Oyarzabal

Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Modric, Isco; James, Vazquez, Bale

KEY STATS

Real Madrid have won their last 9 matches in the La Liga.

Real Madrid have won 12 of their last 14 matches against Real Sociedad in all competitions.

Real Madrid have scored at least 3 goals in 7 of their last 8 matches against Real Sociedad in all competitions.

Real Madrid have scored at least 2 goals in their last 9 matches in the La Liga.

Leicester step closer to EPL title with Swansea thumping

By Unknown 22:13:00 LA LIGA, NEWS

Leonardo Ulloa celebrates scoring for Leicester in the thumping of Swansea

Claudio Ranieri's side were without their top scorer Vardy after his dismissal in last week's draw with West Ham, but Riyad Mahrez's early opener, a brace from Ulloa either side of half-time and a late Marc Albrighton strike ensured they got back to winning ways and piled the pressure on Tottenham once more.