Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Sports

Madrid focusing on CL ahead of Sevilla clash

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Seville, Spain (SportsNetwork.com) - Real Madrid is just two points back of Barcelona with four games to play in La Liga, and the club faces a tough trip to Sevilla on Saturday.

However, goalkeeper Iker Casillas seems to believe that the Champions League is the priority at Madrid.

"The coach already pointed out that the Champions League is easier to win," Casillas said.

"The Champions League is still in our hands while the league title is currently in Barca's hands. The last four teams remaining in the Champions League all have a 25 percent chance of winning."

Madrid will face Juventus in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal on Tuesday, and Casillas is already thinking about how special it would be for Madrid to repeat as champions of Europe.

"Traditionally Madrid fans prefer European competition and winning the highest honor in Europe for the second year running would be special as it's never been done before."

Casillas is correct that Madrid no longer controls its league destiny, but a slip at Sevilla would severely hamper Madrid's hopes of securing a second league title in the past four years.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti will certainly have an eye on Tuesday's match as he tries to rotate a squad battling injuries.

Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema have all missed time through injury for Madrid, and all three are likely to remain on the sidelines for Saturday's matchup.

Sevilla was held to a 1-1 draw by Rayo Vallecano on Thursday that leaves the club level with Valencia for fourth place, which carries the final Champions League spot.

Barcelona is also facing a Champions League clash in midweek against Bayern Munich and the Catalan side will attempt to remain on top of the league with a win at last-place Cordoba.

Third-place Atletico Madrid hopes to move closer to securing a Champions League berth with a home win over Athletic Bilbao, while Valencia hopes to stay in the top four with a home victory over Eibar, which sits two points above the drop zone.

Deportivo is two points from safety and hosts Villarreal, Rayo Vallecano travels to Espanyol, Getafe hosts Granada, Malaga entertains Elche and Almeria takes on Celta Vigo.

On Friday, Real Sociedad rolled to a 3-0 win over Levante thanks to goals from Alfred Finnbogason, Markel Bergara and Carlos Vela.