Ronaldo may be gone, but that doesn’t mean Real Madrid has been lighting it up without the Brazilian star, who spent much of the first half of the season on the bench and was finally sold this week to AC Milan for $9.7 million — less than half what Milan offered Real Madrid for Ronaldo last August.
Real Madrid has scored just three goals in its last seven games. Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has just one goal during that span, and new Franco-Argentine signing Gonzalo Higuain has yet to score since arriving from River Plate. It hasn’t helped that striker Raul has been out with a thigh strain, and injuries have depleted the midfield.
Real Madrid fell four points behind leader Barcelona, which also has a game in hand, when it suffered a 1-0 loss at Villarreal last Sunday. The Merengues will be under pressure to put their woes behind them when they host relegation candidate Levante on Sunday (TV: World Sport HD, live, 11 am ET).
Barca, which is coming off a 1-0 loss at home to Real Zaragoza Wednesday in the King’s Cup, faces a potentially difficult test when it travels to Osasuna on Sunday (TV: GolTV, live, 3 pm ET). Second-place Sevilla hosts struggling Real Sociedad on Sunday (TV: GolTV, delay, 1 pm ET).
The top La Liga clash of the weekend will be Valencia’s game against Atletico Madrid on Saturday (TV: GolTV, live, 4 pm ET). They are tied for fourth place, two points behind Real Madrid, and both teams need a win to stay in title contention.
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LIVERPOOL-EVERTON. Liverpool, which is reportedly mulling a takeover bid by rival NHL owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, will be out for revenge after falling to the Toffees, 3-0, in their first meeting. (Saturday, Setanta Sports USA, live, 7:40 am ET)
AJAX-FEYENOORD. Known as De Klassieker, the Dutch Classic. The game could mark the Eredivisie return of Edgar Davids, who rejoined Ajax from Tottenham after being rumored to be headed to MLS’s FC Dallas. (Sunday, Setanta Sports USA, live, 6 am ET)
MARSEILLE-PARIS SG. OM is coming off a dramatic 2-1 win over Lyon in the French Cup on Wednesday; PSG is winless in its last 11 games. (Sunday, Setanta Sports USA, live, 2:55 pm ET)
INTER MILAN-ROMA. “Nothing is impossible,” says Roma coach Luciano Spalletti. “But in this case I’d say it’s almost impossible …” Inter takes a 11-point lead and a record 13-game winning streak into the game. (TV: Sunday, RAI International, live, 2:30 pm ET; GolTV, delay, 9 pm ET)