After a rough couple of weeks, Real Madrid has managed to get a handle on some of its problems thanks to two Cristiano Ronaldo-backed wins proceeding a winter hiatus.
Key wins over Granada, Real Mallorca and Athletic Bilbao have put Real Betis atop the La Liga table proceeding the opening three rounds. The football club is tied with Valencia with nine points and will look to continue its success when they host Real Zaragoza on Thursday.
bOn Saturday, powerhouse Barcelona will make the trek to Real Valladolid, which comes at a time when the team's heads have been focused on more serious matters than the La Liga. Skipper Tito Vilanova had underwent surgery on Thursday to remove a recurring tumor in his salivary gland.
Diego Simeone acknowledged a successful first-year campaign as the skipper of Atletico Madrid as his squad looks to go out on a high note in its final game of the year versus Celta Vigo.