adminMADRID. — Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale has warned against looking ahead to next weekend’s Clasico clash with Barcelona before his side travel to face Malaga today.
Los Blancos have opened up a four-point advantage on third-placed Barca at the top of the Spanish La Liga soccer table with 11 games to go and could all but end the Catalans’ hopes of retaining their title with victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 23.
However, with both title rivals Barca and Atletico Madrid having suffered surprise defeats on the road in recent weeks, Bale stressed they can take nothing for granted against relegation-threatened Malaga. “At the moment the next game in the league is against Malaga and we are concentrated on playing well there and getting the three points,” he said on Thursday.
“Afterwards we can think about the Clasico against Barcelona. It is important to play in these huge games that everyone loves. Winning a title is always difficult, but they are great games and we can’t wait to play them.”
Madrid were not in Champions League action in midweek and with their last 16, second leg against Schalke on Tuesday a mere formality after a 6-1 hammering of the Germans in the first leg three weeks ago, coach Carlo Ancelotti has no need to rotate his squad.
Fixtures
Today: Levante v Celta Vigo (5pm), Rayo Vallecano v Almeria (7pm), Malaga v Real Madrid (9pm), Atletico Madrid v Espanyol (11pm)
Tomorrow: Elche v Real Betis (1pm), Barcelona v Osasuna (6pm), Sevilla v Valladolid (8pm), Real Sociedad v Valencia (10pm)
Monday: Villarreal v Athletic Bilbao (11pm). — AFP.
Online Reporter