Hazard ruled out of Super Cup as Barcelona and Real continue title tussle

Barcelona and Real Madrid recommence their war of attrition on Saturday as Spanish league action returns briefly before the pair controversially head off to Saudi Arabia for next weekend’s Super Cup.

League leaders and defending champions Barcelona have an easy trip to cross town rivals Espanyol, who are floundering at the bottom of the table.

However Espanyol hired former Barca player Abelardo Fernandez in the hope of turning their fortunes around after losing to second-bottom Leganes just before the Christmas break.

Ernesto Valverde’s Barca are unbeaten in all competitions since the start of November and sit two points ahead of Real Madrid despite some below-par performances.

Madrid meanwhile return to action off the back of three straight draws before the break, including a goalless stalemate in the politically charged ‘Clasico’ in December.

They have a trickier task than Barca too, with another derby against a Getafe side showing that their fifth-placed finish last year was no fluke.

Coach Zinedine Zidane will be without the injured Eden Hazard for the clash, captain Sergio Ramos is suspended, although James Rodríguez, Brazilian Marcelo and Lucas Vazquez are all available.

Hazard suffered an ankle fracture during Madrid’s draw against Paris Saint-Germain on Nov.26 and was expected to be out for around four to six weeks.

Zidane said on Friday the Belgian will not play in the Spanish Super Cup next week.

Zidane confirmed Hazard will miss Madrid’s La Liga game against Getafe on Saturday and will not travel to Saudi Arabia, where his team face Valencia in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals on Wednesday before a potential final against either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid four days later.

“He is 100 per cent out of the Super Cup,” said Zidane in a press conference. “He is not travelling, he is recovering and we hope that just after the Super Cup, little by little, we could see him with us again.”

Madrid found form without him before Christmas but trail Barcelona by two points in the table after consecutive draws in the Clasico at Camp Nou and then at home to Athletic Bilbao.

Zidane also suggested some fringe players could be allowed to leave in the January transfer window. Striker Mariano Diaz is among those that could depart. “There are players that have not had minutes and that can be a problem but we speak with them like always,” Zidane said.

Both Barca and Real may switch up their line-ups given their voyage to Saudi Arabia to contest the Super Cup, alongside Atletico Madrid and Valencia, from Jan.8. The decision in November hold a four-team tournament in Saudi Arabia in the European winter for the next three years has caused a storm in Spain.

Barca will face Atletico and Valencia will play Real before the final on Jan.12, a radical revamp to what has traditionally been a the season’s curtain raiser between the league champions and Copa del Rey winners.

The tournament’s scheduling means that La Liga will take another break while the Super Cup is being played, with league action restarting on Jan.17.

Atletico will go to the tournament looking over their shoulder in the league.  Diego Simeone’s side were wildly inconsistent before the winter break.

Fourth-placed Atleti have score just 20 times in 18 matches and have Getafe, Real Sociedad, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao all snapping at their heels for the final spot in the Champions League.

Agence France-Presse

Spanish League fixtures (all times GMT)

On Saturday: Valencia vs Eibar (1200), Getafe vs Real Madrid (1500), Athletico Madrid vs Levante (1730), Espanyol vs Barcelona (2000)

On Sunday: Granada vs Mallorca (1100), Real Sociedad vs Villarreal (1300), Alaves vs Real Betis (1500), Celta Vigo vs Osasuna