2Slick

MADRID, Spain (AP) - Valencia badly needs an upturn in its domestic fortunes when it hosts Real Madrid in the Spanish league's standout match this weekend.

The champions of 2002 and 2004 began the season confidently, sharing the lead after seven matches and suggesting it could wrest the title from FC Barcelona this season.

But since then Valencia has gained two points from a possible 12, sliding down to eighth place, eight points behind leader Barcelona.

Valencia has been hit by injuries.

Captain David Albelda, Edu, Emiliano Moretti, Asier Del Horno, Carlos Marchena and Jaime Gavilan are all out of Sunday's game. David Villa and Vicente Rodriguez are doubtful, while Ruben Baraja and Mario Regueiro have only just returned from layoffs.

"Everything is happening to us," Valencia right back Miguel Brito said. "The last three or four weeks have been tough with so many injuries. It's not a good spell, but we'll overcome it."

Valencia's player shortage has again highlighted differences between coach Quique Sanchez Flores and sports director Amadeo Carboni. The pair have reportedly been in dispute since Carboni was promoted from the playing staff at the end of last season.

Carboni is resisting Sanchez Flores' call for reinforcements during January's transfer window, insisting that the club's reserve players should be used.

This led club president Juan Soler to hold a meeting this week with Carboni and Sanchez Flores in a bid to clear the air.

However, Valencia's league problems haven't affected its Champions League campaign. It beat Olympiakos 2-0 on Wednesday to clinch first place in Group D.

Madrid is guaranteed a rough reception from Valencia supporters at Mestalla stadium, although its morale has been boosted by scoring seven goals in its last two league games.

Coach Fabio Capello also has injury concerns to contend with.

Ronaldo is sidelined until December, while midfielder Jose Maria "Guti" Gutierrez - who has emerged as a key player under Capello - is both suspended and injured.

Fabio Cannavaro, who is expected to be named as European player of the year next Monday, Emerson and Ivan Helguera are doubtful.

However, David Beckham, who still hasn't signed a contract extension, should be available again after missing two games with a left knee injury.

Barcelona has 26 points, followed by Sevilla with 25 and Madrid with 23. Zaragoza follows with 22, two more than Atletico Madrid.

Although it is struggling in the Champions League, Barcelona has made its best start to a league season since Frank Rijkaard took charge in 2003.

The defending champions, which will again lack injured forwards Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi and Javier Saviola, aims to maintain its unbeaten record at Camp Nou when it faces ninth-place Villarreal on Saturday.

Villarreal, which drew 3-3 with Barcelona on its previous visit, will be without striker Nihat Kahveci, who tore knee ligaments in training on Wednesday.

Also out is creative midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme, whose wife is soon to give birth in Argentina. Captain Quique Alvarez, like Riquelme a former Barcelona player, is hoping to overcome a knee injury.

Sevilla bids to keep the pressure on Barcelona when it visits struggling Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

The UEFA Cup champions have embarked on a run of four wins and a draw since it lost at the Camp Nou stadium last month.

"This team isn't scared by being so high," Sevilla right back Daniel Alves said. "We have already shown that if we play at our best we can win anything, and that includes the league."

Bilbao, which has never been relegated, came close to dropping into the second division last season and is again in trouble.

The 17th-place Basque club has taken two points from a possible 15, piling pressure on coach Felix Sarriugarte in his first season in charge.

Also Sunday, it's: Real Betis vs. Espanyol; Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad; Getafe vs. Levante; Gimnastic Tarragona vs. Mallorca; Celta Vigo vs. Zaragoza; Osasuna vs. Deportivo La Coruna; Racing Santander vs. Recreativo Huelva.


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