Saturday live streaming : La Liga set to be rocked by Barcelona v Atletico Madrid clash

September 16, 2014

La Liga steals the European spotlight with Barcelona slight 5/4 favourites to beat Atletico in Madrid whilst Serie A sees Lazio continue to search for form as they travel to face Bologna in the evening kick-off.

Atletico have proven themselves to be top title contenders in La Liga this season but they will need to do everything right in order to record a home victory against defending champions Barcelona.

Atletico find themselves in second place on the table with just goal difference being the only factor that has stopped Diego Simeone’s side from making the top spot their own.

Going into the clash, the hosts will be without the reliable Argentinean defender Diego Godin who is currently ruled out with a knee injury whilst Uruguayan playmaker Mario Suarez is also a doubt due to injury problems.

If Atletico are to have any success on Saturday night, it will most likely come from striker Diego Costa with the Brazilian leading the La Liga scoring charts this season.

As always, Barcelona are sitting pretty at the top of the table even if goal difference is the only thing keeping them ahead of Atletico over the past couple of months.

For their visit to the Estadio Vicente Calderon, Gerardo Martino will be hoping to give Lionel Messi his first start of the year having returned from injury with immediate impact scoring twice against Getafe in the Copa Del Rey during the week.

Martino will also be hoping that Neymar will also be back in the squad after the Brazilian superstar recovered from a bout of gastroenteritis that prevented him from playing earlier in the week.

Heading over to Italy, Bologna will start life under new coach Davide Ballardini with a tough fixture as they host Lazio in the evening kickoff.

Bologna have dropped to 17th in the table and the appointment of Ballardini is a move that the club will help secure their top-flight status come the end of the season.

The home side will be without midfielder Andrea Mantovani for the tricky tie after he was given a one-match ban at the end of last week’s fixtures.

Lazio themselves are under new management too with Edoardo Reja taking charge of his first away game with his new club with the defending Coppa Italia winners languishing down in tenth place in the table.

Reja will have almost a full squad to choose from although Federico Marchetti has been ruled out of the trip north after sustaining an injury during the week.

With all eyes on La Liga, many people will be eager to see whether Barcelona can still hold their own at the top or whether 2014 could be the time that Atletico finally end their wait for the top prize in Spanish football.