Madrid, October 29: The 11th round of La Liga action promises high stakes, with Atletico Madrid poised to temporarily claim the top spot and Barcelona aiming to rebound from their recent El Clasico defeat. The weekend kicks off with struggling Espanyol visiting Villarreal on Friday night.

Espanyol, who recently sacked coach Manolo Gonzalez following their Copa del Rey exit, will have B-team coach Sergio Garcia in the dugout for the Villarreal clash, as Eder Sarabia takes the reins officially later. Meanwhile, Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid travels to Levante on Saturday. A victory would propel them to the top of the table, showcasing the attacking prowess of Argentine forward Julian Alvarez. However, they must be wary of a resilient Levante side that has already secured home wins against Betis and Athletic Bilbao.

Barcelona, grappling with a significant injury list including Xavi Espart, will host Alaves on Saturday. The potential return of Jules Kounde from an ankle injury could offer a much-needed boost for Hansi Flick's squad, eager to snap a losing streak. Alaves, despite a strong start to the season, arrive in Barcelona after a run of four defeats and two draws since early September.

Other key matches include Betis hosting Malaga, who are still searching for their first win this season. Sunday features the highly anticipated Basque derby between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad at San Mamés. Athletic could see Oihan Sancet return from injury and Aymeric Laporte from suspension. Getafe, struggling defensively, faces a tough test against Sevilla. The round concludes on Monday with Deportivo La Coruna facing Osasuna, while Valencia, languishing near the bottom, will be without injured winger David Otorbi as they visit Elche.

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