MADRID, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The second round of the new La Liga season features last season's top three teams facing newly-promoted sides, with FC Barcelona and Real Madrid playing away to Levante and Oviedo respectively, while Atletico Madrid hosts Elche.
Barcelona travels to Valencia on Saturday evening to take on a Levante side that was only denied a point on its return to the top flight by an injury-time goal against Deportivo Alaves.
Barca coach Hansi Flick is likely to field the same team that cruised to a 3-0 win over Mallorca last weekend, with Robert Lewandowski still out injured and Fermin Lopez and Ferran Torres both in the starting 11.
The club also hopes midfielder Oriol Romeu will have rescinded his contract by the weekend to allow for defender Gerard Martin to be included in the squad.
Real Madrid started its campaign on Tuesday night with a 1-0 win at home to Osasuna thanks to Kylian Mbappe's second-half penalty. Coach Xabi Alonso was content with his side's defensive performance, but will be looking for more in attack away to Oviedo this Sunday.
Oviedo got an early indication of how tough life in La Liga can be with an opening day defeat to Villarreal, and will be without suspended midfielder Albert Reina after his early red card.
Atletico Madrid disappointed in an opening day defeat away to Espanyol, losing 2-1 after having taken the lead, and coach Diego Simeone has lost forward Alex Baena to a muscle injury sustained in training.
Simeone has other attacking options, however, and could start either Antoine Griezmann or Alexander Sorloth against Elche on Saturday.
Atletico, the biggest-spending team in Spain for two consecutive summers, needs a win to prevent Barcelona and Real Madrid from pulling ahead early in the season.
Elche showed plenty of fighting spirit at home to Real Betis on its return to the top flight, although the team's possession-based style may allow Atletico to cause trouble on the break.
The round of matches kicks off on Friday night with Betis hosting Alaves, and coach Manuel Pellegrini will likely be frustrated to have only three days to prepare after Monday's draw at Elche.
Mallorca is without suspended duo Vedat Muriqi and Manu Morales for the visit of Celta Vigo. Both sides lost their respective opening games, with Mallorca going down to Barcelona while Celta suffered a surprise defeat at home to Getafe.
Osasuna hosts Valencia on Sunday and will be without defender Abel Bretones, who faces a two-match ban following his injury-time red card at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night.
Espanyol visits Real Sociedad, with Sheraldo Becker and Umar Sadiq on the verge of leaving the Basque club.
Girona needs to improve drastically from its opening day display to Rayo Vallecano ahead of a difficult trip to Villarreal, who will hope to have completed the signings of Tani Oluwaseyi and Renato Veiga in time to include them in the squad.
Rayo Vallecano, competing in UEFA Conference League action on Thursday, may have limited preparation for a Monday visit to Athletic Bilbao. Oihan Sancet could be back for Athletic after suffering a knee injury in a friendly against Liverpool, while Rayo's team selection could be conditioned by the Conference League first-leg result against Belarusian side Neman Grodno.
The weekend action concludes at Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, where Sevilla hosts Getafe. The visiting team caused a shock by beating Celta Vigo on matchday 1, while Sevilla hit the woodwork and played exciting football against Bilbao, with striker Akor Adams and winger Dodi Lukebakio impressing. ■
