Sports Burst - America vs. America In LaLiga
Americans set to be on opposite sides of the Camp Nou pitch as Barcelona face off against Valencia in LaLiga's Apple Pie Derby
by Tim Stannard
USMNT stars Sergino Dest, Konrad de la Fuente, and Yunus Musah could all feature in LaLiga's biggest battle this weekend
It's a tough state of affairs for the US of A.
Americans - supposedly united by a love of freedom, the Constitution and apple pie, refusing to concede in the fight for supremacy to leave the other without hope, taken to pieces by a hostile media and supporters who crave nothing but the other's demise and humiliation.
It's a tantalizing game where there could be not one, not two, but three Americans out on the Camp Nou pitch. The first is now a stalwart in the Barcelona starting line up - Sergino Dest. He might well be joined on Saturday by Konrad de la Fuente - to give some fresh legs to a team that is playing two must-win matches a week at the moment.
But there will be another American in action, for Valencia - Yunus Musah, an 18-year-old born in New York, has the choice of about five different national teams to play for, but is currently opting for the US of A having played in recent friendlies for the USMNT.
The attacking midfielder has taken advantage of a cash-strapped Valencia side that has had to shed as many players as possible - Rodrigo, Ferran Torres, Dani Parejo - to balance the books, and use as much young talent as possible. It's a challenge that Musah has taken up with 12 appearances in LaLiga so far and one goal.
On Saturday morning, enjoy the potential site of three Americans on the pitch in one of Europe's big games of the day as Barcelona takes on Valencia from 10:05AM ET.
Atletico Madrid to build on most efficient win in history
Scratch that, you're going to need to be up and about a little earlier on Saturday, as the league leaders are in action at 7:50AM.
Those league leaders are Atletico Madrid who performed with so much efficiency under Diego Simeone during the week, that the team moved to the top of the table, not with a narrow 1-0 win, but by not even playing at all. Peak El Cholo.
Barcelona's defeat of Real Sociedad on Wednesday altered the goal difference at the top of the table to put Atletico Madrid into number one spot. While all games are challenging this season, Simeone's side will be fairly confident of bouncing back from last weekend's Derby defeat with a home clash against Elche.
The third side in that trio of teams on 26 points, Real Madrid, are in action at Eibar from 2:30PM ET on Sunday.
However, LaLiga Round 14 gets underway on Friday live on beIN SPORTS from 2:50PM ET and it's a struggling Athletic Bilbao side, without a win in four, against Huesca, which is still giddy from picking up its first win of the season last weekend.
The Sports Burst live show will be looking ahead to the whole weekend live on our beIN SPORTS USA Facebook page from 12PM ET.
Neymar could return for key PSG battle
It's quite remarkable considering the tears of pain from Neymar after a horror tackle in the final moments of last Sunday's home loss to Lyon suggested many, many months out of action for Neymar.
However, the injury to Neymar's ankle only appeared to be a strain to leave the possibility of Neymar facing the league leaders in Sunday's clash that is live on beIN CONNECT from 3PM ET.
"I can't say 'No, he's not playing against Lille'. It is possible. We can try, we will try everything," said Thomas Tuchel after Wednesday's Ligue 1 win against Lorient.
PSG will be needing Neymar as the other matches against the club's title rivals this season have all ended in defeat - Marseille, Monaco and Lyon have all beaten the reigning champions.
However, by the time Sunday comes around for the big Lille vs. PSG match-up, another team could be top of the table in quite the Ligue 1 title race. If Lyon defeat Nice in a game that is live on beIN SPORTS from 2:30PM ET then Rudi Garcia's side will be posing on the perch.
