Global Football Today

The players’ strike is over. La Liga is back.

And, in typical La Liga style, it’s back for one week before an international break.

To whet your proverbial whistle, here are three matches to keep an eye on in Spain’s top flight:

Barcelona vs. Villarreal, Monday, 3 p.m. EST

This fixture at the Camp Nou last season was of the best matches of the year (won by Barcelona, 3-1), and there’s no reason to believe it can’t produce a similar display this time around.

Villarreal is flying high after Tuesday’s 3-0 home win over Odense put them in the Champions League group stage. Two of those goals were scored by the excellent Giuseppe Rossi who scored 18 in the league for the Yellow Submarine last year. It will be interesting to see how the club copes with the loss of creative midfielder Santi Cazorla although the talented Borja Valero will also provide chances for Rossi and Nilmar.

Villarreal will have to take advantage of those chances as there likely won’t be many against Barcelona who will gear up for the league opener with Friday’s UEFA Super Cup against Porto. That will be a needed test for a back four without either of its preferred starting center backs, Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol. The guess here is that Eric Abidal and Javier Mascherano will start in those positions Monday and Villarreal will hope to exploit that emergency partnership.

Sevilla vs. Malaga, Sunday, 4 p.m. EST

If you’re going to have a match at 10 p.m. local time on a Sunday - which the LFP, in all of its infinite wisdom, is doing this year - this isn’t a bad option.

The Sanchez Pizjuan will be ready for this Andalusian derby between last year’s fifth-place team (Sevilla) and a club that is looking to reach those heights, and beyond. Malaga was the story of the summer transfer window in Spain, signing the likes of Cazorla, Jeremy Toulalan, Joaquin, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Nacho Monreal. How it all comes together remains to be seen. But Malaga has a very capable manager in Manuel Pellegrini who, after a year in the Real Madrid circus, won’t be fazed by the pressure of expectation.

The sooner Ivan Rakitic can come back for Sevilla, the better, as he really settled the team’s midfield after coming over from Schalke in January. Even without the Croatian, Sevilla will look to have a go at a Malaga defense that allowed the second-most goals in La Liga last season. Jesus Navas and Diego Perotti will patrol the wings and hope to provide service for Alvaro Negredo.

This could be a wide open, 4-3 type of game.

Granada vs. Real Betis, Saturday, 4 p.m. EST

Granada return to the top flight for the first time in 35 years. The club has made the most of its unique relationship with Udinese. After many of the Italian club’s players on loan to Granada helped the club in its quest for promotion last season, five players remain on loan in Spain. Granada will have to hope they can make it in La Liga because the resources aren’t there to improve a relatively thin squad.

Regardless of when it takes place during the season, any match between two newly promoted sides is crucial, as both will look at it as a possible three points. That’s how Betis will approach this match, as the Sevilla-based side have a rather favorable first several weeks of the season in which to rack up needed points. Scoring goals will be Betis’ major challenge this season. Their two leading strikers, Ruben Castro and Jorge Molina, have been around a while but never had much success in the first division.

The rest of this week’s fixtures:

Sporting Gijon vs. Real Sociedad, Saturday, noon EST

Valencia vs. Racing Santander, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Atletico de Madrid vs. Osasuna, Sunday, 6 a.m.

Athletic Bilbao vs. Rayo Vallecano, Sunday, 10 a.m.

Getafe vs. Levante, Sunday, noon

Mallorca vs. Espanyol, Sunday, noon

Real Zaragoza vs. Real Madrid, Sunday, 2 p.m.

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