Atletico Madrid coach Abel Resino has plenty of problems heading into this weekend`s Primera Division clash with Valencia.

Atletico make the trip to the east coast on the back of a dismal start to the campaign, where they have picked up just two points from four games and lie second-bottom of the standings.

Add to that a disappointing home draw with Apoel in the Champions League and unrest amongst their fans and it is easy to see why questions are being raised about Resino's future at the club.

However, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo, who also gave Resino a vote of confidence earlier this week, said after last night's 2-2 home draw with Almeria: "Abel is our coach and all of us at the club have some very difficult weeks ahead. To think about changing the coach now is something I find almost impossible.

"We are going to give him the confidence he needs to get out of this situation. The players are the ones who play."

He added: "Nobody expected this situation because we have a team to be doing much better. The truth is that this team is the same one that qualified for the Champions League."

Some good news for Atletico is their opponents this weekend, Valencia, are not in the best of health either.

Unai Emery's side won their opening two league games but have gone backwards since then, being held 2-2 at home by 10-man Sporting Gijon last weekend and then losing 3-1 at Getafe in midweek.

Two clubs with little to worry about at the start of the season are La Liga heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Both sides boast 100% records after four matches and are already three points clear of the rest of the division.

Madrid are at home to promoted Tenerife this weekend and could be boosted by the return of both Pepe and Xabi Alonso after suspension and injury, respectively.

Pepe, who sat out the last of his 10-match league ban as Madrid beat Villarreal 2-0 last night, said: "It's already in the past. I'm looking ahead and what I want most now is to return to playing and being able to help the team.

"The club have always supported me and now I want to show on the pitch how I am as a man, as a person and as a player."

The Portugal international was handed the lengthy suspension after an incident during last season's home derby with Getafe when he twice kicked out at opponent Javi Casquero after conceding a late penalty and also struck Juan Albin in the face.

While Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini looks set to have two key players back, Barca boss Pep Guardiola may have to do without striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the trip to Malaga.

The big-money summer signing from Inter Milan, who has broken a Barca club record by becoming the first player to score in each of his first four league matches, suffered an ankle sprain in Tuesday's 4-1 defeat of Racing Santander and is a doubt for the Malaga match.

In this weekend's other games, Villarreal will attempt to record their first win and try and climb out of the relegation zone when they go to Deportivo La Coruna, while third goes to fourth when Athletic Bilbao host Sevilla.

Bottom club Xerez travel to Espanyol still looking for their first points and first goals in their debut top-flight season, while Getafe are at Real Zaragoza, Real Mallorca host Real Valladolid, Osasuna meet Sporting Gijon and Almeria face Racing Santander.