Read on to find out how a bit of mussel (ahem) may help Celta Vigo...
Saturday
Getafe (9th) v Valencia (5th) - 18.00 (local time)
Those sneaky little monsters. A week or two back, La Liga Loca predicted Valencia would squeeze into fourth spot even though Real Sociedad were going great guns at the time, with a five point lead over the Mestalla men. The blog was hoping it would be wrong. Unfortunately, La Real taking just one point from a possible six has seen Valencia move level on points, but with an inferior head-to-head record. Sociedad's most recent setback came close to midnight on Monday, when Granada snuck in with a late equaliser against the Basque side in a 2-2 draw.
That kicked off much a hullabaloo in the household of excitable Valencia striker, Jonas Gonçalaves. The forward admitted that he âÂÂcelebrated the Granada goal as well. I was watching it at home with some people, and really went through the mill. Bit by bit the chances of playing in the Champions League are going up,â chirped the cheery Brazilian.
LLL Prediction - Away win
Granada (16th) v Osasuna (15th) - 20.00
If one or both of these two sides opt for living a little dangerously and going for a win to put them on a very handy 39 points mark, this could be a tasty tie. If the two clubs opt to play safe then it could be a dismal goalless draw. LLL is going to try to be a positive about the inevitable 0-0 on Saturday evening, after a promise from Osasuna striker Kike Sola. âÂÂIf we start at a great pace from the first minute, itâÂÂs going to be harder for Granada,â noted the Pamplona poacher.
LLL Prediction - Draw (of the goalless variety)
Sevilla (8th) v Real Sociedad (4th) - 22.00
With La Real apparently running out of steam, with just five points picked up from the last 12 available, the mental focus from the club has had to change from âÂÂwe deserve to be this high up the table with three games to goâÂÂ, to âÂÂweâÂÂre lucky to be this high, so letâÂÂs not panic and turn into big blouses and blow itâÂÂ.
âÂÂWe would have signed up to be in this spot with our eyes closed,â announced Xabi Prieto on the deal he would have taken at the beginning of the season.
Meanwhile back at the ranch in the city of Seville, Unai Emery is still dreaming of a European qualification spot. The Sevilla boss will also need to focus on keeping hold of Jesús Navas, who is reportedly being hunted by Manchester City. The rumours strengthened when the previously home-sick footballer told TV station, La Sexta, on Thursday that âÂÂIâÂÂm ready for everything. You want to keep on developing and chasing titles because you get used to such great things, but I am happy here,â was the assurance from the wantaway winger.
LLL Prediction - Away win
Sunday
Levante (13th) v Rayo Vallecano (10th) - 12.00
This is the most meaningless match of the round due its mid-table nature, but who cares! Levante is all about match-fixing stories these days. After an aborted attempt last week, Sergio Ballesteros spoke to the media about the past few weeks which has been very âÂÂhe-said, she-saidâ over the Levante 0-4 Deportivo result from April 13th.
âÂÂThe captain of Levante is not for sale,â roared the burly defender. He was underlining the fact he would never take money to lose a game, rather than discussing his transfer value. Which would be small. Ballesteros also spoke about the dressing room bust-up during half-time of the Deportivo game, when team-mate José Barkero reportedly questioned Ballesteros' commitment to the cause.
âÂÂHe told me after that he didnâÂÂt know why he did it,â revealed the stopper, who is studying the idea of legal action against Barkero for besmirching his good name. Either way, Ballesteros has not been having the happiest of times of late. âÂÂTwo bad weeks, IâÂÂve not slept much. IâÂÂm very sad,â lamented the Levante captain.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Deportivo (18th) v Espanyol (11th) - 17.00
Having already played this weekendâÂÂs fixture, the week before last, Celta Vigo will be sitting out the round hoping clubs like Espanyol can do them a bit of a favour by beating their relegation rivals. To help lubricate this process, a Celta supporters club will be offering an incentive to the footballers of Espanyol (and Athletic Bilbao, who face Zaragoza). That incentive is a kilo of mussels for a victory.
âÂÂThey have to win the games, no other result will do,â warned Belermo Dios, the fanclub president. âÂÂWe canâÂÂt give them bonuses, whatâÂÂs more thereâÂÂs a crisis and no money. We want to give typical products of the region,â said Dios, on CeltaâÂÂs salty seafood plan for survival.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Real Zaragoza (17th) v Athletic Bilbao (14th) - 19.00
Hooray! The old San Mamés may be deconstructed after this season, but the famous arch spanning one of the stands will be saved. The construction company performing the work have set aside enough budget to safely dismantle it, with the arch to be plonked somewhere in the city of Bilbao at a later date.
But onto football topics. Athletic want three points from this match to make things a little easier at the end of the season. Zaragoza would like three points to avoid getting relegated. This has left Athletic midfielder Ander Herrera in a bit of a tug-of-love situation, given the match sees him facing his boyhood heroes and former employers. âÂÂClearly, itâÂÂs not just another game for me. If thereâÂÂs a team I would like to stay up, as well as ours, itâÂÂs Zaragoza for all theyâÂÂve given me.âÂÂ
Should Herrera pop up with a winner, will we be seeing the saddest âÂÂnot celebrating, not celebratingâ of them all?
LLL Prediction - Home win
Barcelona (1st) v Valladolid (12th) - 21.00
Kill joys gotta...er...kill joy. The Barcelona players were clearly in good spirits (nudge, nudge) on Monday's title-celebrating bus tour of the city. Good for them, thought the blog. However, local council busy-body Joan Colom, a bigwig in the health department, moaned that the footballers enjoying themselves in a pleasing manner on a summerâÂÂs evening gave âÂÂa negative image", adding: "It doesnâÂÂt help anyone."
"ItâÂÂs an anecdote and should stay that way - the tour was a success," was the stern response from club spokesman, Toni Freixa.
The other news in Barça, aside from the small matter of Leo Messi probably missing the rest of the season, is the rumour that VÃÂctor Valdés will be sold over the summer, rather than being allowed to run down his contract. Oh, thereâÂÂs also Pedro admitting that the current campaign wasnâÂÂt one of his best. âÂÂSome seasons you bring more and some you bring less. This year, I brought a lot less,â admitted the gloomy Canary Islander.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Monday
Mallorca (20th) v Betis (7th) - 22.00
Poor Mallorca have to wait until the witching hour on Monday night for their match up against Real Betis. Although there may be a few butterflies in the bellies because of this, the Mallorca players can pass the time by reading a copy of Betis boss Pepe MelâÂÂs second book, The Path to the Great Beyond, set to be launched on May 24. Funnily enough, thatâÂÂs where Mallorca are heading if this particular match isnâÂÂt won.
âÂÂThe Holy Father, Islamic Terrorists and the Sevilla Derby are the ingredients of this explosive novel,â gushes website, AndalucÃÂa CrÃÂtica on a book that is sure to be on LLL's summer reading list.
LLL Prediction - Draw
