La Liga News: 26 September 2015; Valencia Return to Winnning Ways, Pepe Ruled Out Two Weeks

Pepe to miss Madrid derby | Football Espana
Pepe will miss the Madrid derby between Real and Atletico on October 4 after being ruled out for two weeks with a muscle injury. Despite Rafa Benitez’s hopes that the defender was in contention for Saturday’s match against Malaga, Los Blancos’ worst fears have been realised after the player was unable to train on Friday.

Rafa Benitez hopeful over James and Bale returns for Madrid - ESPN FC
Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez says he hopes to have James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale back in action ahead of the crunch clash at Atletico Madrid on Oct. 4. Bale and James are currently sidelined with calf and thigh muscle issues respectively, while right-back Danilo is out with a knee problem.

Real Madrid Rafa Benitez tinker lineups vs Malaga - ESPN FC
Real Madrid prepare for their Saturday match against Malaga aiming to keep alive the momentum provided by two positive results midweek -- their hard-fought win in Bilbao and Barcelona's unexpected and emphatic defeat to Celta Vigo.

Shkodran Mustafi's header steers Valencia clear of Granada - ESPN FC
Shkodran Mustafi's header saw Valencia get back to winning ways in a hard-fought Primera Division clash with Granada. Defeats to Zenit St Petersburg and Espanyol either side of a goalless home draw with Real Betis left manager Nuno calling for his team to get back on track.

Iago Aspas the talisman of Celta Vigo - ESPN FC
It's a long way from the middle of the pitch to the goals at Balaidos and almost as long again from there to the stands, but Iago Aspas wasn't about to stop. Twice he ran from his own half to score against FC Barcelona on Wednesday night and twice he kept right on running, first to one end and then to the other, beyond the goal where the ball now lay and up, onto and over the advertising boards into the wide-open space behind where, still some distance away, Celta de Vigo's fans were going as wild as he was.

Valverde expecting ‘spicy’ derby | Football Espana
Ernesto Valverde believes Athletic Bilbao’s lowly position will "spice" up Sunday’s Basque derby against Real Sociedad in La Liga. Athletic have lost four of their first five League matches this season, including their 2-1 defeat at Real Madrid midweek, and the Coach admits his side’s need to add points to their haul makes the Anoeta showdown all the more significant.

Basq-ing for glory | Football Espana
Real Sociedad, the pride of San Sebastian (Donostia, as it is known as in Basque), won back-to-back League titles in 1981 and 1982, before fierce regional rivals Athletic Bilbao repeated the feat in the following two seasons. This Euskadi ascendancy appeared to be the beginning of a stranglehold of a region, whose passion for football is second to none.

VDV injured on Betis debut | Football Espana
Pepe Mel has confirmed that Rafael van der Vaart suffered a muscle injury on his Real Betis debut, a 2-1 defeat to Deportivo La Coruna. The summer arrival from Hamburg came off worse for wear in a collision with teammate Ruben Castro just after the restart at Benito Villamarin as he fell to the ground holding his calf in some distress and subsequently asked to be replaced.

Source: Bostjan Cernensek http://ift.tt/1O0eZou