LIVE LA LIGA ON SKY SPORTS
Espanyol v Atletico Madrid
Saturday, Sky Sports Xtra, 8.30pm
Real Madrid v Levante
Sunday, Sky Sports 1, 8.30pm
Guillem previews the weekend's live bill from La Liga and answers your emails on Spanish football. Click on the link below and send him a question.
ESPANYOL-ATLETICO MADRID
It is such a pleasure to see Espanyol fans disappointed because the defeat at Sevilla meant they ended the week second in the table, behind only Barcelona!
Gone for ever are the days where fighting for relegation is the rule.
The club has taken a step back to take two strides forwards. They made sure they didn't spend what they didn't have in the summer, and then they based their football administrative structure around a former player, the new director of football Cristobal, who has no interest in either overshadowing the coach or wishing to become the new president.
He does his job well and so does the coach Miguel Angel Lotina, who has transported his humbleness and love for work to the side.
Their football is not pretty; it is based on defensive work and the quality of two good wingers (Serrano and Maxi) and two goalscorers (Dani and Tamudo, now injured).
The only debate is Ivan De la Peña. How interesting that, despite the constant media pressure and all the demands to have him in every line up of the teams he has played for (Barcelona, Spain, Lazio, Espanyol), no coach has considered him good enough to start every match.
What do they know that we don’t? Or is it only that de la Peña belongs to another time where being a fantastic passer, although not maybe an athlete, was enough to play? Atletico have got a very poor away record and that should not change here.
REAL MADRID-LEVANTE
I hope we have heard in England the last about racism.
There is a problem in Spain (lack of education although not general widespread racism) and that was highlighted by the English media.
fascinating and healthy debate has started in my country as a consequence and I can only thank you for it. But now I am moved to say to your tabloid-led media, leave Spain alone to sort anything that needs sorting.
We are in a different social context to the English one (hardly no people from other races) and that is why most Spaniards tend to be blind to the fact that we are all racist by nature (we are scared of everything different) and that we have to build the strategies and develop thinking to make sure that when the northern Africans, Latin Americans and Asians become a bigger minority (and it will happen soon as we are a rich country now) they are treated with respect.
I will warn you - the racist chanting at the Bernabeu, although by a minority, has been around for a long time and it will continue to be around for a long time. But we are dealing with it. Calm down.
NOW TO YOUR EMAILS...
Can you explain what the message in the stands before the Barca-Real Madrid game referred to and what is the history of those stadiums messages that Barca do for this game? John Craigs, Barnet
GUILLEM SAYS: The message was ‘Ja som 125.000’, a Catalan message which means, ‘we are already 125,000’ - season-ticket holders, that is. Barcelona can only seat 97,000 people in their stadium but they could fill that three times over. New president Joan Laporta has changed the rules a bit and wants a match to be a party (music before a match, food offered for free sometimes) and wants everybody involved. So with the help of a local newspaper, Sport, they do those murals in big occassions.
As a Chelsea fan I wouldn't mind seeing Robinho wearing the blue next year. I also feel he is more likely to opt for a move to Spain as it would be less of an adjustment. Where do you think he will be playing come January and what kind of impact will he have? Grant Sherwin
GUILLEM SAYS: Because of the sad fact of his mother being kidnapped, it is possible that Robinho will not move anywhere in January. And when it does, it is clear to me that he prefers Real Madrid and that there is some sort of agreement, although I also feel the agent would want another club involved for personal reasons... Real are planning a revolution, the end of the Galacticos era and the beginning of a younger, hungrier team. Robinho has enough qualities to be the leader of the pack. Van Bommel could follow him.
Can you clarify the contract situation with Riquelme? And do you not think that now as he has now setlled in to Spanish football and is playing consistently well that his talents deserve a higher stage? Maybe even replacing the ageing Zidane at Real Madrid. Madrid have a much slower style as they always seem to look for the perfect goal. This style is much more suitable for Riquelme than the fast play of Barca. By the way, have you heard what players Benitez will try and sign for Liverpool in January? Jonny Best
GUILLEM SAYS: Let’s leave the Liverpool question for later (I am not allowed to say much on the matter, only that a striker or two, and a right winger are sought). Riquelme is on loan from Barcelona till the end of this season. A two-year loan is what Villarreal got and it is certainly not a gesture of confidence from Barcelona to their player. Barcelona would not fit him, their pace, as you well suggest, will not suit him as he prefers more pause in the game. He will not be signing for Real Madrid because he has not shown enough consistency to be considered a great. Villarreal suits his personality (ultra shy and scared of pressure) and the Valencian club would be upset if after their efforts were not considered a team that already plays in the higher stage (1 semi-final UEFA cup, 3 Intertoto finals won).
where is this cash coming from then it looks good 
