Last season was quite unique for La Liga as all three promoted teams from the prior season stayed up with relative ease.
Girona’s likeness to new boys Huesca cannot be ignored, after finishing runners-up to Levante in the Segunda season during the 2016/17 season, Girona made their first steps into the top flight and blew the competition away ending the campaign in 10th.
Huesca are now in the same situation after earning promotion to the top-flight for the first time ever.
Spanish yo-yo club Levante had a solid if unspectacular season finishing 15th after earning promotion whilst Getafe pushed the European places close ending the season in eighth.
Now it is up to Huesca, Rayo Vallecano, and Real Valladolid to prove that lightning does strike twice and that the gap between the Segunda and La Liga division is not so great.
But what of their chances of staying up?
Huesca
If people were asking who Girona was last season, this campaign they will have to get to grips with another La Liga first timers in Huesca.
Getting a ticket to a game may also be a problem for the neutral fan as Huesca’s El Alcoraz stadium holds just 5,500 spectators and the side will be up against it from the off.
Girona had more backing and more fan support behind them which is something Huesca may find themselves a little too stretched.
The side are the smallest in terms of capacity ever to grace La Liga and of the three sides promoted, Huesca may find themselves the worst placed team to survive.
Rayo Vallecano
Madrid side Rayo Vallecano find themselves back in La Liga after a two-season stint away.
Los Franjirrojos have plenty of pedigree in Spain’s top flight and it was during the 2012/13 season that they had their highest ever finish ending the campaign in eighth.
However, Vallecano are seemingly destined to flit between the top two leagues unless some significant investment is brought into the club.
That said, 42-year-old manager Michel has impressed since taking over the reins in 2017 and could prove to be the key in his side earning more than a one season stay in La Liga.
Real Valladolid
Much like their fellow promoted side Rayo Vallecano, Valladolid can boast plenty of previous La Liga pedigree.
In fact, back during the 1962/63 season, the Pucelle finished fourth but it has never gotten better than that since.
Sergio González Soriano is the man at the helm of Valladolid and after taking over in April this year, went on to win eight of his twelve games in charge to help earn promotion.
With impressive support and a ‘better than most’ stadium, Valladolid will be disappointed if they fail to remain in the league with plenty going for them.
