MADRID, Aug. 29-- The third round of matches in La Liga affords a final chance to look at the league's 20 sides before the international break, and also before the transfer window shuts until the start of January. The first two rounds of games have left question marks hanging over both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, with Barca kicking off badly with a loss away to Athletic Bilbao before recovering in magnificent styl Lionel Messi was missing for both of those matches and there is no guarantee his calf injury will be risked e to beat Real Betis 5-2 last weekend. for Saturday's trip to newly-promoted Osasuna. Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele - who is being touted as a makeweight in Barca's efforts to sign Neymar Jr from Paris Saint-Germain - are also missing against a team that has kept two clean sheets in its first two games back in the top flight. Real Madrid started their season with a 3-1 win away to Celta Vigo, but last weekend's 1-1 draw against Real Valladolid has caused doubts to resurface at the club, with coach Zinedine Zidane being seriously questioned for the first time. Sunday sees Madrid travel to face Villarreal, who have shipped six goals in their opening two games of the campaign, but with players such as Santi Cazorla, Gerard Moreno, Carlos Bacca and Karl Toko Ekambi, the home side are capable of causing problems for Madrid's defense. Isco joined Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio on the Real Madrid injury list during the week, while Zidane looks likely to give a third start to Gareth Bale after sidelining the Welshman for nearly all of pre-season, and Luka Modric is back after suspension. |