Atletico’s season had promised so much after a flying start of three straight wins but they have been on a downward spiral since, earning only three victories in their last 12 games. Barca host struggling Mallorca on Saturday in search of a fourth straight league win while Real, who are unbeaten in their last eight games, are at home to 19th-placed Espanyol. Friday’s game represents an ideological clash of sorts — Villarreal, who are 13th in the table, have the best attack outside of Real and Barca but the fifth worst defense. “We’re worried but now is the time to dig in and stay united,” added midfielder Saul Niguez. “It’s a delicate situation but we’ll only get out of it by working hard.” ($1 = 0.9073 euros) (Reporting by Richard Martin Editing by Toby Davis)

Source: National Post December 05, 2019 10:41 UTC