One of the most anticipated weekends in every La Liga season will always have to do with the first El Clásico, and happily, that weekend has arrived. The game, as always, is set to keep fans on the edge of their seats all over the globe, but there will also be something to watch for all those football enthusiasts who do not cheer for any of these Spanish titans.
The race for the top spot has gotten hotter after last weekend's events, with Real Sociedad claiming the pole position with a late one-nil win. Now, the Txuri-urdin will have a big test on Sunday, while they will also hope that those behind them fail to secure wins in their respective games.
If you really want to get to know what will be the main talking points for this weekend's matches, then scroll down and get ready for what should be an entertaining weekend of football courtesy of the Spanish top-flight.
La Liga - League standings ahead of Matchday 10
As mentioned before, Real Sociedad are top of the league with 20 points, but they shoud really be wary of their luck this time around since there are four teams behind them that could steal the top spot away from them if they lose to Atlético, precisely one of the clubs in contention to end the weekend in first place. The other teams involved in this heated dispute are Real Madrid, Sevilla, and the surprising Osasuna.
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Top games to watch
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Athletic Club vs Villarreal - Los Leones have a chance to climb to sixth place with a win here, but the current Europa League champions are ready to show why they enjoyed European glory last season. The game could be the deciding moment for the Yellow Submarine to return to the upper half of the table and cement their chances of a better future in the competition with the return of key players such as striker Gerard Moreno.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid - What used to be the biggest game of the season will enter a new era, as this will be the first El Clásico where Lionel Messi is not included in Barcelona's squad after 16 years. Both teams have had their ups and downs during the season, and while Los Blancos seem to have the upper hand for this game, everyone knows that all bets have to be thrown off the table when these giants collide. Messi and Cristiano are gone, and now it is time for a new generation of players to claim the spot as the leaders of these teams for years to come. Either way, we urge you to get even readier for this game by reading our detailed El Clásico preview.
Atlético Madrid vs Real Sociedad - The current champions are set to face the Txuri-urdin in what should be an electric match. The league leaders will try to prove their worth against one of the heaviest title contenders in La Liga, which would only happen with a win. Los Colchoneros will also have a chance to showcase their impressive attack, which may be the main cause for concern for the visiting side.
La Liga - Who's in and who's out for Matchday 10
Atlético Madrid - Injured: Marcos Llorente, Stefan Savic.
Barcelona - Injured: Martin Braithwaite, Pedri, Ronald Araujo. Doubtful: Ousmané Dembelé, Jordi Alba.
Real Madrid - Injured: Dani Ceballos, Gareth Bale. Doubtful: Dani Carvajal, Eden Hazard, Isco, Luka Jovic.
Real Sociedad - Injured: Carlos Fernández, Nacho Monreal, Jon Guridi, Diego Rico, Mikel Oyarzabal. Doubtful: Asier Illarramendi, Martin Zubimendi, Ander Barrenetxea.
Sevilla - Doubtful: Karim Rekik, Youssef En-Nesyri.
Valencia - Injured: Cristiano Piccini. Doubtful: Thierry Correia, Toni Lato, Toba Koindredi.
