Another season of La Liga soccer is about to kick-off, but sadly my excitement was put on hold due to the players strike. A part of me feels cheated but the other part understands the reasons why this needed to happen. Some clubs struggle to pay their wage bill and as a sign of solidarity the players union decided to strike. Thankfully a resolution was swiftly and play begins tomorrow.
The title chasers are obvious so let’s start with the relegation battle, which is also easy to predict. The table can be separated into five groups amongst the twenty teams. Before the first kick-off clubs have a good idea on exactly which group they will be a part of and what to expect in the season. The gap is tremendous and continues to grow.
What goes up must come down. With that being said my apologies to Rayo Vallecano and Granada. Both will have a disastrous campaign in La Liga. Not enough quality to compete at this level and will be swiftly relegated.
Following closely behind will be a group of three teams fighting to avoid the drop. It could be any one of Levante, Real Sociedad and Mallorca. Out of the three I believe Levante have enough to stay up but barely. Mallorca was lucky to avoid relegation last season, unfortunately this year they will fall. The squad is visibly the weakest of the three. Basque Country rejoices as Txuri-urdin supporters can breathe a sigh of relief.
The bottom half of the table is anyone's guess really. Every season it is a tight race. Only six points’ separated eighth through eighteenth place. It is that close, all it takes is a poor run of form and it could be lights out.
Newly promoted Real Betis have finally returned to the top flight after spending two years outside looking in. Crowned champions of the Segunda last year they will try and use some of that confidence to achieve safety. The narrowest of margins will see them finish below Real Zaragoza and Racing Santander.
Rounding out the bottom half lets start with Getafe. The Azulones made a great signing recently bringing back Daniel Guiza from Turkish club Fenerbahce. The added goal boost will see them finish in a better position then last. That leaves Osasuna and Sporting Gijon. Both overachieved finishing in the top half of the table tied for points last season, but a repeat of good fortune is unlikely.
This brings me to the top half of the table. Starting in the tenth spot I have Espanyol. Carlos Kameni has stayed put after speculation had him moving early in the summer. Good news for the Perequitos. The departure of Pablo Osvaldo and his thirteen goals will be sorely missed. The Argentinian moved to AS Roma and has left behind a huge void.
Sevilla and Villarreal will have the biggest drop from last season and will fall outside the European places. It has more too due with the strengthening of other clubs however. Los Rojiblancos have added Piotr Trochowski from Hamburg which will provide another attacking presence in the midfield to assist Jesus Navas in creating opportunities for Alvaro Negredo and Frederic Kanoute. The Yellow Submarine has seen two quality players depart the El Madrigal. Santi Carzola and Joan Capdevilla are gone and Javi Camunas and Cristian Zapata arrive hoping to steady the ship. European competition will push both clubs rosters to the limit and depth will become a factor as the season progresses.
The fight for the Europa League qualification will be tight but I see Athletic Bilbao earning the final spot. Another good season by Fernando Llorente will surely see him move on next summer to a bigger club, but Los Leones will earn back to back sixth place finishes and a spot in the Europe. They have a strong unit and a great core of players who continue to impress. New manager Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping to continue the recent good fortunes of the Basque club.
Atletico Madrid will grab the fifth spot despite the loss of their star striker Sergio Aguero. The Vicente Calderon will definitely miss the Argentine but the club did a great job in replacing him with the acquisition of Falcao from FC Porto. He will be a favorite for the Pichichi this season. The Colombian will hope to form a solid partnership with other newcomer Arda Turan who arrived from Galatasaray. Atleti also sold their prize asset in David De Gea but were able to bring in a strong replacement in Thibaut Courtois on loan from Chelsea. Keep an eye out on the Belgian keeper. There is a reason why the blues see him as the future replacement to Petr Cech. Another potential hole might appear if Diego Forlan is sold to Inter Milan which is looking more certain as the transfer window draws near. You might think it will be impossible to better last season with those losses in personnel but I’m convinced this squad will have what it takes to overcome the changes.
My dark horse this year is Malaga. I see a fourth place finish on the horizon and qualification into the Champions League. Qatari investment has changed the fortunes of this small club. Manuel Pellegrini will have plenty of options this term that will see Los Boquerones catapult into the top four. Their additions this year include Ruud van Nistlerooy, Joaquin, Jeremy Toulalan, Santi Carzola and Joris Mathijsen. The ambition of the new owners is clear. They have strengthened very wisely in key positions and brought in some great character players to build a foundation upon. Even though funds are plentiful the club has not just thrown money around to attract big names. A top four finish will only make Malaga more appealing next summer. The foundation has been laid and the blueprint thus far could pave the way for them to become contenders in the near future. La Liga giants you have been warned.
Valencia are another club that have become sellers in the past couple seasons. Last year Los Che waved goodbye to David Villa and David Silva. What followed was a surprising third place finish and hope was restored despite the club's financial woes. This summer another two high profile names were sold to balance the books, this time it was Joaquin and Juan Mata who departed the Mestalla. Unai Emery has done a great job despite the need to sell and has been able to add a couple new faces to replace the departed. Keep an eye out for Pablo Piatti. A speedy winger who can create and will finally have a good supporting cast to compliment his fine play. He will be looked upon to replace the production that was lost with the sale of Mata. I predict him to have a breakout season under Emery. Another noteworthy addition is Sergio Canales from Real Madrid on loan. He has yet to live up to lofty expectations placed upon him but Valencia look like the perfect at the moment. In defense the presence of Adil Rami will help immensely, another great addition into Emery's squad. Third place is a realistic achievement for Valencia, although the gap between them and the big two will be much larger this campaign.
That brings me to the obvious front runners, Real Madrid and defending champions Barcelona. The Madridistas and the Blaugranes have a rivalry that is unlike any other. Not only for the hatred for one another but for the level of soccer on display whenever they’re in direct competition. The Supercopa was just a taste of what is to come this season. Mark it on your calendars, December 11th. The Bernabeu will host the next El Classico and will be the first hurdle in the race to the La Liga title.
Despite the loss in the Supercopa Real Madrid looked significantly better then last season. Outplaying Barcelona in the first leg but were unlucky not to get the win. What’s disappointing to see was their display during the final moments of the return leg at the Nou Camp. Madridistas pointed the finger at the Barcelona for going down easy throughout the match but Marcelo's tackle on Cesc Fabregas was disgusting. Jose Mourinho's antics during the bust up made things even more appalling. But that’s where the Portuguese manager is a genius, he some how manages to always deflect the pressure off his players and on to himself.
His squad looks more capable of threatening Barcelona. Fabio Coentrao will have the biggest impact of Mourinho's additions this season but what is evident this year is the fear of their rivals has vanished. In two legs, Real Madrid never backed down and really pressured Barcelona right to the end. Karim Benzema looks to have earned the confidence of his manager and has been rewarded with more minutes to prove his worth in goals. Hopefully his scoring will alleviate the pressure from Cristiano Ronaldo's shoulders. He carried the club on his back last season. Despite all the positives for Real I still cannot see them dethroning Barcelona.
The Catalans are a powerhouse and play the most entertaining brand of football I have ever seen. Collectively, there has never been a more compact unit on the pitch. Season after season Barcelona keep getting better. The philosophy of the club is second to none and the driving force towards their success. Money is spent but development is preached.
Pep Guardiola welcomed Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas into his squad, which will provide even more depth. Let's not forget the trump card of Lionel Messi, without question the best player in the world today. I can see him eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo's La Liga scoring record for goals in a season, not even a year after it was set. Fabregas and Sanchez will aide in providing even more service for the Argentine.
The emergence of Thiago is another bonus for Guardiola. Another example of the Blaugranes expertise of developing quality from within the academy. Other most recent graduates include Adriano, Sergio Busquets and Pedro. All have come through La Masia and have been able to work their way into the first team. Barcelona has over ten players on their present roster that have come through the academy. Real Madrid only has two. Iker Casillas being the most noteworthy.
The fact Barcelona allow players to grow and mature within their system is the reason for their dominance. From a young age players learn the Barca way until it becomes second nature, that’s why graduates from the academy fit seamlessly into the first team and make an immediate impact. The formula for success is development. Money can only take you so far and until Real Madrid can find the right balance of both, they will always be trailing behind Barcelona.
The title chasers are obvious so let’s start with the relegation battle, which is also easy to predict. The table can be separated into five groups amongst the twenty teams. Before the first kick-off clubs have a good idea on exactly which group they will be a part of and what to expect in the season. The gap is tremendous and continues to grow.
What goes up must come down. With that being said my apologies to Rayo Vallecano and Granada. Both will have a disastrous campaign in La Liga. Not enough quality to compete at this level and will be swiftly relegated.
Following closely behind will be a group of three teams fighting to avoid the drop. It could be any one of Levante, Real Sociedad and Mallorca. Out of the three I believe Levante have enough to stay up but barely. Mallorca was lucky to avoid relegation last season, unfortunately this year they will fall. The squad is visibly the weakest of the three. Basque Country rejoices as Txuri-urdin supporters can breathe a sigh of relief.
The bottom half of the table is anyone's guess really. Every season it is a tight race. Only six points’ separated eighth through eighteenth place. It is that close, all it takes is a poor run of form and it could be lights out.
Newly promoted Real Betis have finally returned to the top flight after spending two years outside looking in. Crowned champions of the Segunda last year they will try and use some of that confidence to achieve safety. The narrowest of margins will see them finish below Real Zaragoza and Racing Santander.
Rounding out the bottom half lets start with Getafe. The Azulones made a great signing recently bringing back Daniel Guiza from Turkish club Fenerbahce. The added goal boost will see them finish in a better position then last. That leaves Osasuna and Sporting Gijon. Both overachieved finishing in the top half of the table tied for points last season, but a repeat of good fortune is unlikely.
This brings me to the top half of the table. Starting in the tenth spot I have Espanyol. Carlos Kameni has stayed put after speculation had him moving early in the summer. Good news for the Perequitos. The departure of Pablo Osvaldo and his thirteen goals will be sorely missed. The Argentinian moved to AS Roma and has left behind a huge void.
Sevilla and Villarreal will have the biggest drop from last season and will fall outside the European places. It has more too due with the strengthening of other clubs however. Los Rojiblancos have added Piotr Trochowski from Hamburg which will provide another attacking presence in the midfield to assist Jesus Navas in creating opportunities for Alvaro Negredo and Frederic Kanoute. The Yellow Submarine has seen two quality players depart the El Madrigal. Santi Carzola and Joan Capdevilla are gone and Javi Camunas and Cristian Zapata arrive hoping to steady the ship. European competition will push both clubs rosters to the limit and depth will become a factor as the season progresses.
The fight for the Europa League qualification will be tight but I see Athletic Bilbao earning the final spot. Another good season by Fernando Llorente will surely see him move on next summer to a bigger club, but Los Leones will earn back to back sixth place finishes and a spot in the Europe. They have a strong unit and a great core of players who continue to impress. New manager Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping to continue the recent good fortunes of the Basque club.
Atletico Madrid will grab the fifth spot despite the loss of their star striker Sergio Aguero. The Vicente Calderon will definitely miss the Argentine but the club did a great job in replacing him with the acquisition of Falcao from FC Porto. He will be a favorite for the Pichichi this season. The Colombian will hope to form a solid partnership with other newcomer Arda Turan who arrived from Galatasaray. Atleti also sold their prize asset in David De Gea but were able to bring in a strong replacement in Thibaut Courtois on loan from Chelsea. Keep an eye out on the Belgian keeper. There is a reason why the blues see him as the future replacement to Petr Cech. Another potential hole might appear if Diego Forlan is sold to Inter Milan which is looking more certain as the transfer window draws near. You might think it will be impossible to better last season with those losses in personnel but I’m convinced this squad will have what it takes to overcome the changes.
My dark horse this year is Malaga. I see a fourth place finish on the horizon and qualification into the Champions League. Qatari investment has changed the fortunes of this small club. Manuel Pellegrini will have plenty of options this term that will see Los Boquerones catapult into the top four. Their additions this year include Ruud van Nistlerooy, Joaquin, Jeremy Toulalan, Santi Carzola and Joris Mathijsen. The ambition of the new owners is clear. They have strengthened very wisely in key positions and brought in some great character players to build a foundation upon. Even though funds are plentiful the club has not just thrown money around to attract big names. A top four finish will only make Malaga more appealing next summer. The foundation has been laid and the blueprint thus far could pave the way for them to become contenders in the near future. La Liga giants you have been warned.
Valencia are another club that have become sellers in the past couple seasons. Last year Los Che waved goodbye to David Villa and David Silva. What followed was a surprising third place finish and hope was restored despite the club's financial woes. This summer another two high profile names were sold to balance the books, this time it was Joaquin and Juan Mata who departed the Mestalla. Unai Emery has done a great job despite the need to sell and has been able to add a couple new faces to replace the departed. Keep an eye out for Pablo Piatti. A speedy winger who can create and will finally have a good supporting cast to compliment his fine play. He will be looked upon to replace the production that was lost with the sale of Mata. I predict him to have a breakout season under Emery. Another noteworthy addition is Sergio Canales from Real Madrid on loan. He has yet to live up to lofty expectations placed upon him but Valencia look like the perfect at the moment. In defense the presence of Adil Rami will help immensely, another great addition into Emery's squad. Third place is a realistic achievement for Valencia, although the gap between them and the big two will be much larger this campaign.
That brings me to the obvious front runners, Real Madrid and defending champions Barcelona. The Madridistas and the Blaugranes have a rivalry that is unlike any other. Not only for the hatred for one another but for the level of soccer on display whenever they’re in direct competition. The Supercopa was just a taste of what is to come this season. Mark it on your calendars, December 11th. The Bernabeu will host the next El Classico and will be the first hurdle in the race to the La Liga title.
Despite the loss in the Supercopa Real Madrid looked significantly better then last season. Outplaying Barcelona in the first leg but were unlucky not to get the win. What’s disappointing to see was their display during the final moments of the return leg at the Nou Camp. Madridistas pointed the finger at the Barcelona for going down easy throughout the match but Marcelo's tackle on Cesc Fabregas was disgusting. Jose Mourinho's antics during the bust up made things even more appalling. But that’s where the Portuguese manager is a genius, he some how manages to always deflect the pressure off his players and on to himself.
His squad looks more capable of threatening Barcelona. Fabio Coentrao will have the biggest impact of Mourinho's additions this season but what is evident this year is the fear of their rivals has vanished. In two legs, Real Madrid never backed down and really pressured Barcelona right to the end. Karim Benzema looks to have earned the confidence of his manager and has been rewarded with more minutes to prove his worth in goals. Hopefully his scoring will alleviate the pressure from Cristiano Ronaldo's shoulders. He carried the club on his back last season. Despite all the positives for Real I still cannot see them dethroning Barcelona.
The Catalans are a powerhouse and play the most entertaining brand of football I have ever seen. Collectively, there has never been a more compact unit on the pitch. Season after season Barcelona keep getting better. The philosophy of the club is second to none and the driving force towards their success. Money is spent but development is preached.
Pep Guardiola welcomed Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas into his squad, which will provide even more depth. Let's not forget the trump card of Lionel Messi, without question the best player in the world today. I can see him eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo's La Liga scoring record for goals in a season, not even a year after it was set. Fabregas and Sanchez will aide in providing even more service for the Argentine.
The emergence of Thiago is another bonus for Guardiola. Another example of the Blaugranes expertise of developing quality from within the academy. Other most recent graduates include Adriano, Sergio Busquets and Pedro. All have come through La Masia and have been able to work their way into the first team. Barcelona has over ten players on their present roster that have come through the academy. Real Madrid only has two. Iker Casillas being the most noteworthy.
The fact Barcelona allow players to grow and mature within their system is the reason for their dominance. From a young age players learn the Barca way until it becomes second nature, that’s why graduates from the academy fit seamlessly into the first team and make an immediate impact. The formula for success is development. Money can only take you so far and until Real Madrid can find the right balance of both, they will always be trailing behind Barcelona.
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