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Atletico plays Valencia with lead in sight

By WTOP Staff

JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — In what is expected to be the most combative match of the weekend in the Spanish league, players are already trading barbs.

Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves set the tone by questioning Atletico Madrid’s physical style of play, and Jorge “Koke” Resurreccion responded that he and his teammates were used to such criticism and were only focused on winning.

The teams will be playing for second place and a possible shot at the league lead.

Also, Barcelona visits Rayo Vallecano looking to bounce back from its 3-2 loss at Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid hosts a slumping Athletic Bilbao.

Here are some things to should know about this week’s Spanish league’s matches:

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WAR OF WORDS

Chances are it won’t be the prettiest of matches, but Atletico Madrid’s visit to Valencia could be the round’s most prickly, if not hot-tempered, contest.

“(Atletico) is a team that competes with you physically, they test the limits of the referees,” Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves said. “We have to match them in this. We can have a good game if we do that. It’s an important game against the defending champion. They are favorites but we can be strong at home.”

Koke just wants to concentrate on football.

“Well, everyone says we are violent,” Koke said. “We just try to focus on playing our style of football, which is to go out on the pitch and get the win. We aren’t concerned with what the rest say.”

Valencia enters the round ahead of Atletico on goal difference in second place, two points behind Barcelona. Both are unbeaten this season in the league and Atletico will be encouraged, and also worn down, by its 1-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday.

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AGAIN THE DEFENSE

Scoring has not been a problem for Barcelona. That’s why coach Luis Enrique put his emphasis on shoring up a defense that the club reinforced with its first group of offseason signings in years.

Barcelona started the season in superb fashion by scoring 18 goals while not conceding one through seven straight wins.

But while Lionel Messi and Neymar did their part by scoring goals against PSG on Tuesday, Barcelona’s defense allowed its first goals of the season and dug a hole that not even the two South American stars could help it escape.

“Losses always make you worry,” Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano said. “We need to correct our mistakes and keep improving.”

Rayo’s main threat is forward Leo Baptistao, who is enjoying his return on loan from Atletico to the club where he broke out two seasons ago. The Brazilian has scored two goals in each of Rayo’s last two wins.

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RONALDO’S HEEL

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in 10 appearances this season, and his 10 goals lead the league. But the forward finished Wednesday’s match favoring his left leg.

The club hasn’t said if he is injured.

Madrid has struggled without Ronaldo this season, losing the Spanish Super Cup to Atletico when Ronaldo wasn’t fully fit and falling 4-2 at Real Sociedad when he missed the game because of injury.

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BILBAO’S BLUES

This was supposed to be the season when Bilbao consolidated its position as one of Spain’s best teams after a fourth-place finish earned the club its first Champions League berth in 16 seasons.

Instead, Bilbao has slumped since eliminating Napoli in the playoffs to reach the group stage of the Champions League, winning only one game of its other eight games.

Bilbao hasn’t won at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2005.

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CELTA ON RISE

Celta Vigo has found life after the exit of coach Luis Enrique and is flourishing under replacement Eduardo Berizzo.

Led by forward Manuel “Nolito” Agudo’s four goals, it is one of four undefeated teams left in the league and has won its last two games.

Celta has refined the passing attack installed by Luis Enrique and Berizzo, a former Celta defender, has made it more reliable at the back.

Celta is in sixth place, level on points with Madrid, and hosts seventh-place Villarreal on Sunday.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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