Sky Bet’s La Liga preview

New La Liga favourites Real Madrid will look to put further space between themselves and the chasing pack this weekend, with their main rivals facing tough games.

Zinedine Zidane’s men were installed at the head of Sky Bet’s outright market for the first time after triumphing 3-0 at Atletico Madrid last Saturday, taking full advantage of Barcelona’s failure to break down Malaga’s nine men.

They have the chance to extend their lead from four points to seven when rank outsiders Sporting Gijon visit at 3.15pm on Saturday, while Luis Enrique’s side will have to wait until Sunday’s late game in their bid to reduce the gap.

Their task is no mean feat either, with opponents Real Sociedad boasting four successive victories, a run which has seen them climb to fifth.

Atletico and Villarreal will also be desperate to get back on track on Sunday, while Saturday night’s game provides us with an intriguing clash between Sevilla and Valencia, all live on Sky Sports.

Here’s a closer look at this weekend’s key fixtures…

Real Madrid v Sporting Gijon (3.15pm, Saturday)

The epitome of a home banker, it looks more a case of by how many than whether Real can secure the three points on Saturday.

However, just as Zidane seemed to have his side moving into top gear, they lost Gareth Bale for up to three months.

While his absence might not be enough to give Sporting a glimmer of hope, it will certainly be a concern ahead of the Clasico on December 3, which is closely followed by a group-winner deciding trip to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Alvaro Morata is also sidelined, meaning Lucas Vazquez and Karim Benzema should start, although Marco Asensio and James Rodriguez will also be hoping for opportunities to impress.

Fortunately for Real, Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the sort of form that suggests he will relish the additional burden of expectation.

Zidane’s …

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