Quiniela - Week 17 - Copa is fun
Barely a couple of days after one of the most exhilarating, nerve-wrecking, riveting Copa del Rey rounds in recent memory, La Liga comes back demanding immediate recovery from the 14 teams involved until Thursday night in the Spanish knockout tournament.
The impact of those midweek matches will have to be carefully taken into account for this Quiniela, as many of those squads made impressive, and in some cases very tiring efforts to reach the quarter-finals.
Let's start. As usual, it's '1' for a home win, 'X' for a draw and '2' for an away win.
1. Malaga (16th) - Athletic de Bilbao (8th): 1.
Both teams were just outclassed in the Copa del Rey but, while elimination was a heartbreaking setback for the visitors, who dramatically fell to Eric Abidal's first ever goal for Barcelona, it was almost a relief for Malaga, who are trying to assemble a brand new squad in order to leave the wrong end of the La Liga table behind them as soon as possible.
This coming Saturday, it should be perfectly possible for the home side to start up to six 'new' players (though rumours speculating that Martin Demichelis' girlfriend, Evangelina Anderson, will play up front as a decoy are baseless). Malaga's 'start from scratch' approach is reminiscent of that of Zaragoza last season, only with more cash and Manuel Pellegrini at the helm. Even if the side need time to gel, the Malaguistas should take advantage of Athletic's likely cup hangover. It's a real pity we won't get to see another San Mames Copa match until next season.
2. Real Sociedad (11th) - Sevilla (10th): 2.
Unless your name is Phil Ball, you have to like Sevilla here. Three wins in a row, Jesus Navas back, Luis Fabiano scoring again ... and the home team haven't won a single match since they defeated Athletic over a month ago. '2' it is.
3. Deportivo de La Coruna (12th) - Barcelona (1st): X.
Quiniela-Buster alert! Barcelona have been sending some subtle signals of a slowdown in their until now unstoppable rhythm. The most recognisable lies in their attack: an uncharacteristic total of three goals scored in their last three official matches, far from their season average of over three per game, arising from the surprising shortage of clear chances for their strikers. We've even seen Barca defend results with all of their players in their own side of the pitch in consecutive matches, something unimaginable during the first half of the season.
Depor needed extra time - and most of their starters - to defeat a Segunda Division team, although this victory reinforces their return to form in all tournaments. On top of that, striker Adrian has scored five times in his last two matches, and their back five can bore any decent forward to death. Will La Coruna be the place Barca finally drop points? Because they'll drop points again, right?
4. Mallorca (9th) - Almería (19th): 1.
Groundhog day! Both teams will play each other for the second time in the same stadium with only three days' difference. No complaints: the aggregate result of their cup tie was 8-6, after two 4-3 wins by Almeria which take the Andaluces to the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. Fun guaranteed. However, it is hard to imagine Almeria (19th) beating Mallorca (9th) twice away from home, correct?
5. Osasuna (15th) - Getafe (7th): 1.
Osasuna desperately need this victory. They've only won two points out of the last 15, and, after Getafe, they'll play two consecutive matches away from the Reyno de Navarra, where they rarely get anything positive (they're the worst visiting team so far). If they don't take these three points, they'll find themselves in the relegation zone by the end of January.
Getafe gave away their place in the quarter-finals to Betis, after a horrendous second-leg display at home. Their disappointment will show in Pamplona.
6. Espanyol (5th) - Zaragoza (18th): 2.
Get ready for the second Quiniela Buster of the week! It took some time, but Espanyol are finally falling from their pedestal and have one draw in their last five official matches, as key injuries and a shallow bench take their toll. Visitors Zaragoza, with the influence of boss Javier Aguirre finally showing, are rested following a match-free week, a very different situation to their hosts. Can't you see number 2 winking at you?
7. Racing de Santander (14th) - Sporting de Gijon (20th): 2.
Racing have the disheartening chance to finish off a member of their own family. Sporting gave them a hand when they were in trouble at the end of last season, while Manuel Preciado, the endangered visitors' coach, spent ten years with Racing, the club where he started his career both as a player and a coach.
Call me cynical, but I can't see Racing winning this one: they'll lend a hand to the ailing relative.
8. Real Madrid (2nd) - Villarreal (3rd): 1.
In other circumstances, this column would dare to go for a third Quiniela Buster in this match. Villarreal are playing fantastic football right now, and Real Madrid - who progressed in the Copa del Rey but lost 2-0 to Levante in Thursday's second leg - are starting to show surprising defensive deficiencies. However, with Marcos Senna and Nilmar out injured, and after Villarreal had to pull out an amazing (and exhausting) cup escape by scoring four against Valencia in less than 45 minutes, the more rested home team have the advantage.
Having said that, the most interesting subplot in the White House right now is Jose Mourinho's poorly disguised outrage because the club don't want to replace the injured Gonzalo Higuain. His latest quote about this topic: "Benzema starts. I have no other option." This won't end well.
9. Levante (17th) - Valencia (4th): X.
Can Valencia recover fast enough from their brutal cup defeat at Villarreal? I don't think so, but Levante, a limited squad, won't be able to beat them either. It looks like a hard-fought, truncated, boring Valencia derby.
10. Hercules (13th) - Atletico de Madrid (6th): 2.
Despite their poor performance against Racing last weekend, Atletico, and especially Kun Aguero, are getting better. That is bad news for Hercules, who are struggling with debts, unpaid salaries and have seen Royston Drenthe go on strike. This is an unparalleled chance for Atleti to climb to the nobler positions in the table, while they prepare for their next cup rival: beloved neighbours Real Madrid.
PS. Quick reminder: you can follow me on twitter! (@Papamoskis).
Use this easy 'Copy and Paste' summary to write your own Quiniela and share it with us in the 'Comments' section. If you get 10 correct results, your name will be mentioned in the following Quiniela column!
1. Malaga (16th) - Athletic de Bilbao (8th): 1.
2. Real Sociedad (11th) - Sevilla (10th): 2.
3. Deportivo de La Coruna (12th) - Barcelona (1st): X.
4. Mallorca (9th) - Almeria (19th): 1.
5. Osasuna (15th) - Getafe (7th): 1.
6. Espanyol (5th) - Zaragoza (18th): 2.
7. Racing de Santander (14th) - Sporting de Gijón (20th): 2.
8. Real Madrid (2nd) - Villarreal (3rd): 1.
9. Levante (17th) - Valencia (4th): X.
10. Hercules (13th) - Atletico de Madrid (6th): 2.
Last week: 6/10 (60%)
Season: 83/160 (52%)
