La Liga, Week 6, Part 1: Midweek matches across Spain

If it feels like week five in Spain just ended, it did. The schedule making computer clearly doesn’t have mercy as a programmable option as La Liga lumbers ahead with the first part of match week six with games Tuesday through Thursday. There’s games over the weekend as well — 11 straight days of matches all together — but we’ll look at those later in the week.

For now, let’s focus on the midweek action since sleep and getting break are clearly overrated.

League leaders Barcelona host struggling Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou on Tuesday in a match that looks to be significantly less enthralling that it could have been. Barcelona are expected to rest a couple players while La Real’s offense have sputtered so far this season. Real Sociedad could really use a positive result for confidence but getting points at the Camp Nou is never easy.

Fellow title chasers Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid — who meet in the first El Derbi madrileño on Saturday — face fairly easy tune-up matches. Madrid travel to face win-less Elche while Atletico are home against Osasuna, who finally won their first match of the season over the weekend. Both games should be good opportunities for both the Madrid sides to rest some starters and still get points.

Here’s a look at the complete midweek schedule:

Tuesday, September 24th

Barcelona vs. Real Sociedad | 2:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. CEST

Levante vs. Real Valladolid | 2:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. CEST

Atletico Madrid vs. Osasuna | 4:00 p.m. ET, 10:00 p.m. CEST

Malaga vs. Almeria | 4:00 p.m. ET, 10:00 p.m. CEST

Wednesday, September 25th

Granada vs. Valencia | 2:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. CEST

Sevilla vs. Rayo Vallecano | 2:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. CEST

Elche vs. Real Madrid | 4:00 p.m. ET, 10:00 p.m. CEST

Thursday, September 26th

Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Betis | 2:00 p.m. ET, 8:00 p.m. CEST

Getafe vs. Celta Vigo | 4:00 p.m. ET, 10:00 p.m. CEST

Villarreal vs. Espanyol | 4:00 p.m. ET, 10:00 p.m. CEST

Follow @SBNationSoccer on Twitter | Like SB Nation Soccer on Facebook

More in Soccer:

• Kolarov’s play exaggerates City’s superiority over United

• New title challengers emerge across Europe

• Paolo Di Canio is out at Sunderland

• Kenneth Vermeer accidentally the ball

• El Salvador bans 14 for life

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHaUY6sgXf3Ck98jwdKRbFzJUq3hQ&url=http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/9/23/4763372/la-liga-week-6-midweek-preview-fixtures-schedule