Arbeloa Under Fire as Real Madrid Face Levante After Cup Debacle

Real Madrid go into the second half of the season with a new coach and a four-point deficit to FC Barcelona in the title race, and with Arbeloa already under pressure after his debut ended in a humiliating cup exit on Wednesday.

The pressure will be on in the Bernabeu against Levante, who travel to Madrid second from bottom of the table, but after taking four points in two matches under new coach Luis Castro.

Taking a point or three from Real Madrid looks like a big task for Castro's side, especially as Arbeloa rested Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo in midweek. Still, the visiting side will hope to keep Real Madrid at bay in the opening minutes and that the frustration of the fans in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium will add to the pressure on Arbeloa and his players -- some of whom are making their third appearance in just seven days, reports Xinhua.

The 20th round kicks off on Friday night with a Catalan derby between high-flying Espanyol and Girona, who have climbed out of the bottom three with consecutive wins.

Mallorca coach Jagoba Arrasate will almost certainly lose his job if his side fails to win at home to Athletic Club Bilbao. Mallorca is just a point above the relegation zone after taking one point from nine, while Athletic travel to the island after a draining 120 minutes in the Copa del Rey against Cultural Leon on Tuesday, which highlighted the visitor's defensive problems.

An improving Oviedo will look for their first away win of the season against Osasuna, which has based their league position on taking points in their El Sadar stadium, but may be tired after 120 minutes in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.

Sixth-place Betis are at home to a third-place Villarreal, who rested in midweek while Betis beat Elche in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night.

Villarreal are seven points behind FC Barcelona and four behind Real Madrid with a game in hand and need another win to remain in the title hunt.

Sunday kicks off with an absolutely vital game between Getafe and Valencia, with Valencia in the relegation zone and Getafe four points above them, but in a dreadful run of form of four defeats and a draw from the last five games.

Getafe recovers defenders Djene and Domingos Duarte after suspension, while Valencia coach Carlos Corberan could be sacked if his side fails to win.

Atletico Madrid are at home to Alaves, with the latter needing to halt a slide that has left it just two places above the bottom three, while Atletico were able to rest players in their Cup win in La Coruna on Tuesday.

Celta Vigo are at home to Rayo Vallecano, with the home side favourites to collect a fifth league win in six games, before the big game of the weekend sees Real Sociedad at home to FC Barcelona.

Barcelona travel in excellent form and as newly crowned Super Cup winners, but with little recovery time after playing Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey on Thursday.

Real Sociedad have improved drastically since the arrival of Pellegrino Matarazzo as first-team coach, with players such as Benat Turrientes relishing the new responsibility they have been given in midfield, and this game could confirm Matarazzo's effect on the side.

The round of matches ends on Monday, with Sevilla coach Matias Almeyda also in danger of the sack if his side fails to win away to an Elche that won in Sevilla's Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium earlier this season.

- IANS