La Liga preview: Osasuna stare down Levante juggernaut

28 October 2011 08:43

Osasuna face arguably the toughest task of the La Liga round, but neither Real Madrid nor champions Barcelona are their opponents.

Jose Luis Mendilibar's mid-table side are the team charged with halting the remarkable Levante juggernaut on Sunday.

After escaping relegation by two points in their first season back in the top flight last term, Levante have taken the competition by storm in 2011/12.

Since beating Real 1-0 on September 18, Juan Ignacio Martinez's team, assembled on a tiny budget, have romped to seven consecutive victories, taking the La Liga lead for the first time in their 102-year history.

They kept the sequence running with an injury-time winner in a 3-2 victory at home to Real Sociedad on Wednesday.

All eyes will be on Pamplona's Estadio Reyno de Navarra this weekend to see if Osasuna can succeed where the likes of Real, Espanyol, Malaga and Villarreal have all failed, by stopping Levante from winning.

The city's famous Running of the Bulls has already been staged in 2011; on Sunday it will be visitors, in the midst of their own stampede, who take the spotlight.

The league's big guns are likely to be interested spectators, with Barca and Real both in action the day before.

Pep Guardiola's champions, still unbeaten this season but third in the league, are at home to mid-table Mallorca.

Second-placed Real travel to face Sociedad, and Valencia play host to Getafe.

And Villarreal will attempt to turn around their dire start to the campaign at home to Rayo Vallecano, who have impressed since gaining promotion last season.

In Sunday's other matches, Atletico Madrid will be under pressure to gain a result at home to Real Zaragoza.

Real Betis travel to face Racing Santander, who are still looking for their first win after nine matches this season.

Big-spending Malaga await the visit of Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao travel to struggling Sporting Gijon.

On Monday, fifth-placed Sevilla host bottom side Granada.