The 16th round of La Liga will take place from December 12 to 15 and could influence both the title race and the battle in the middle of the table.
As reported by İdman.biz, Barcelona come into the round as league leaders, while Real are once again under scrutiny due to inconsistent results and squad issues.
Barcelona vs Osasuna (December 13)
The headline fixture of the round pits the league leaders against a team from the lower half of the table: Barcelona have 40 points, while Osasuna have 15 and sit 15th.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick urged his players not to relax ahead of the match, stressing that an advantage in December guarantees nothing. The Catalans approach the game on a run of four consecutive wins in all competitions and have also been boosted by the returns of Raphinha and Pedri, who already played key roles in the Champions League victory over Eintracht (2:1).
Osasuna’s league position remains worrying. The team struggles for goals, with just 14 scored, and stays close to the danger zone, meaning even a draw in Barcelona would be a significant result.
Alaves vs Real (December 14)
Another match worth attention will be played in Vitoria. Alaves are 11th with 18 points, while Real Madrid sit second with 36.
Pressure is mounting on Xabi Alonso amid a downturn in form, with Real having won only two of their last eight matches in all competitions.
The squad situation for the visitors remains difficult. Real could be without up to 12 players, while Kylian Mbappe remains doubtful due to knee problems and has already missed the Champions League defeat to Manchester City.
The club has also officially confirmed a muscle injury to Ferland Mendy, while the pre-match training report noted that Heisen completed part of the session with the main group.
Other Matchday 16 La Liga fixtures
Real Sociedad vs Girona (December 12) – 1:2
Atletico vs Valencia (December 13)
Mallorca vs Elche (December 13)
Getafe vs Espanyol (December 13)
Sevilla vs Real Oviedo (December 14)
Celta vs Athletic (December 14)
Levante vs Villarreal (December 14)
Rayo Vallecano vs Betis (December 15)
La Liga table before Matchday 16
1. Barcelona – 40
2. Real Madrid – 36
3. Villarreal – 35
4. Atletico – 31
5. Espanyol – 27
6. Betis – 24
7. Athletic – 23
8. Getafe – 20
9. Elche – 19
10. Celta – 19
11. Alaves – 18
12. Rayo Vallecano – 17
13. Sevilla – 17
14. Real Sociedad – 16
15. Osasuna – 15
16. Valencia – 15
17. Girona – 15
18. Mallorca – 14
19. Real Oviedo – 10
20. Levante – 9
Teymur Tushiev
