Athletic vs Valencia: Spain's most attractive game this Sunday
Athletic vs Valencia: Spain's most attractive game this Sunday
12:28, December 06, 2009 
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An in form Athletic Club Bilbao entertains fourth placed Valencia in Sunday's most attractive game in Spain's Primera Liga.
Athletic goes into the match on the back of an impressive Europa League win 3-1 away to Austria Vienna that qualified the Basque side for the knockout stages of the competition.
The team coached by Joaquin Caparros will make changes with Carlos Gurpegi and Ustaritz stepping down because of muscle injuries. Pablo Orbaiz and Mikel San Jose will start.
Valencia also won in Europe in midweek and travels to Bilbao fourth in the table. Unai Emery's team is also in good form, although it will be without striker David Silva, while Juan Mata will make his 100th Primera Liga appearance in the San Mames Stadium.
Elsewhere Mallorca aims for its seventh home win of the season against a Zaragoza that is a lot weaker away from home, while seventh placed Sporting Gijon travels to a Tenerife that needs points to start climbing away from the relegation zone.
Espanyol has the chance to end a two game losing streak at home to Racing Santander. It is important for Espanyol to take the points as next weekend sees the Barcelona based club visit neighbors Barcelona in the Camp Nou.
The arrival of Miguel Angel Portugal as Racing coach has not changed his sides poor form and two defeats in two games has left Racing second from bottom. Portugal has promised changes in his side.
Third from bottom Malaga entertains a physical Osasuna. Malaga gained a good point away to Sevilla last weekend, while Osasuna is without big striker Walter Pandiani who has a muscle injury that will have him sidelined for the rest of the year.
Finally Villarreal, another side that won in Europe during the week, aims to recover its form in la Liga with a game against a Getafe side capable of attractive football, but weak away from home.
Source: Xinhua
Athletic goes into the match on the back of an impressive Europa League win 3-1 away to Austria Vienna that qualified the Basque side for the knockout stages of the competition.
The team coached by Joaquin Caparros will make changes with Carlos Gurpegi and Ustaritz stepping down because of muscle injuries. Pablo Orbaiz and Mikel San Jose will start.
Valencia also won in Europe in midweek and travels to Bilbao fourth in the table. Unai Emery's team is also in good form, although it will be without striker David Silva, while Juan Mata will make his 100th Primera Liga appearance in the San Mames Stadium.
Elsewhere Mallorca aims for its seventh home win of the season against a Zaragoza that is a lot weaker away from home, while seventh placed Sporting Gijon travels to a Tenerife that needs points to start climbing away from the relegation zone.
Espanyol has the chance to end a two game losing streak at home to Racing Santander. It is important for Espanyol to take the points as next weekend sees the Barcelona based club visit neighbors Barcelona in the Camp Nou.
The arrival of Miguel Angel Portugal as Racing coach has not changed his sides poor form and two defeats in two games has left Racing second from bottom. Portugal has promised changes in his side.
Third from bottom Malaga entertains a physical Osasuna. Malaga gained a good point away to Sevilla last weekend, while Osasuna is without big striker Walter Pandiani who has a muscle injury that will have him sidelined for the rest of the year.
Finally Villarreal, another side that won in Europe during the week, aims to recover its form in la Liga with a game against a Getafe side capable of attractive football, but weak away from home.
Source: Xinhua
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