MADRID, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The second half of the season gets underway in Spain this weekend with a lot of attention focused on Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, but he isn't the only coach under the spotlight on a weekend when several heads could roll with the wrong result. Here are four things to look out for this weekend in La Liga.
1. Bernabeu plebiscite for Real Madrid
It has been a momentous week at Real Madrid, which started with Xabi Alonso leaving the club after Sunday's Spanish Supercup defeat to FC Barcelona.
Alonso was replaced by B-team coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who debuted with a disastrous 3-2 Copa del Rey exit to second division Albacete in a game where he left several key players, such as Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham back in Madrid.
That defeat has immediately put Arbeloa under pressure ahead of Saturday's game at home to second-from-bottom Levante, who travels to Madrid with a win and a draw since Luis Castro took over as coach.
Many Real Madrid fans feel Alonso was treated harshly by the club, with the players and club President Florentino Perez more to blame and unless Arbeloa's side gets a good start to the game, boos could replace cheers in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
2. Real Sociedad to test FC Barcelona
The arrival of Pellegrino Matarazzo as Real Sociedad coach has had an immediate positive effect, with a draw at home to Atletico Madrid followed by a battling win away to Getafe and progress to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey on Tuesday night.
Matarazzo has made his side more aggressive on the pitch, with players such as Benat Turrientes and Duje Caleta-Car relishing the new responsibility they have been given.
FC Barcelona will be Matarazzo's biggest test to far, but the league leader travels with 72 hours less recovery time after playing its Copa del Rey tie away to Racing Santander on Thursday and if the home side continues to improve, this is a potential banana-skin for the league leader.
3. Getafe v Valencia: crisis assured
Whoever loses on Sunday between Getafe and Valencia will be deep in crisis after a game between two sides with deep problems.
Getafe coach Jose Bordalas is struggling with a small first team squad, which means he will have several B-team players in his squad, while financial fair-play issues make it difficult to sign new players.
Getafe has lost four and drawn one of its last five games, and another defeat would leave the club deep in a battle against relegation.
Valencia is third from bottom of the league with fans angry at the club owners, coach Carlos Corberan and the players after a run of six league games without a win, and if that run extends to seven, Corberan is likely to lose his job despite Thursday's Copa del Rey win in Burgos.
4. Coaches under threat as relegation battle heats up
Corberan is not the only coach in danger of losing his job with the wrong result this weekend: if fourth from bottom Mallorca fails to win at home to Athletic Club Bilbao, Jagoba Arrasate is likely to be sacked, while Sevilla boss Matias Almeyda will be in danger if his side loses to Elche and Alessio Lisci will have some worrying moments if Osasuna, who have the worst away record in Europe, fails to take all three points to an improving Oviedo in the El Sadar Stadium. ■
