Christmas is over and now we all look to fresh beginnings with a new year upon us. Amongst the twenty La Liga clubs, some will look back at 2019 with a smile whilst some will be glad to see the back of it. However, they don’t have long to reflect as they are straight back into action on the weekend with three games in particular set to steal the show. Espanyol v Barcelona It’s top versus bottom in a crucial game for both. However, throw in the fact that this is a derby and the stakes are ramped up further. Barca occupy top spot but only by two-points from their great rivals Real … [Read more...]
Is Espanyol’s 26-Year La Liga Spell About to End?
To the casual follower of Spanish football, it may be easy to forget that there is another team occupying the city of Barcelona. Throughout its 119-year history, Espanyol have played second fiddle to the giants of the Camp Nou in Barcelona with the club never able to shake the underdog tag. However, there have been successes for the side affectionately known as the Budgerigars with four Copa Del Rey victories and twice UEFA Cup runners up. Of course, that success is dwarfed by Barcelona’s, but Espanyol have for a long time been a valuable member of Spain’s top-flight – However, if … [Read more...]
Barca Stunned & Bilbao Top: What Happened in La Liga
Two eye-catching games took place on Friday 30th August as early table-toppers Seville host Celta Vigo whilst Athletic Bilbao with their own designs on top spot hosted perennial mid-table outfit Real Sociedad. Here’s what happened… Sevilla 1 Celta Vigo 1 Sevilla head coach Julen Lopetegui will view this as a missed opportunity as a former Barcelona man came back to haunt the former Real Madrid manager with a late equalizer to see his side knocked off top spot after three games. The first half gave little to write home about with the home side as expected edging the contest. … [Read more...]
The Latest La Liga Transfer News
The summer is a never-ending rumour mill which we must admit we simply cannot get enough of. The speculation as to who is going where is sometimes more intriguing than when the action actually gets underway and with so many stories doing the rounds, we thought it time for a little look at some of the big deals that are rumoured to be occurring this summer. Antoine Griezmann At the end of the season, Frenchman Antoine Griezmann made it quite clear to all that he was leaving Atletico Madrid. Many expected an announcement to be made within days of his next destination, but nothing … [Read more...]
Copa Del Rey – The route to the final
Barcelona’s bid for domestic dominance could be completed on Saturday but first, they will have to overcome a plucky Valencia side seeking their first piece of silverware since winning this very competition in 2008. So, how did both sides The route to the final Barcelona 5 cultural y deportiva leonesa 1 - (all results given as aggregate totals) The Spanish giants were paired with Segunda B division side cultural y deportiva leonesa for their opening exploits in the competition. Ernesto Valverde’s side breezed through two-legged affair 5-1 on aggregate to get their defence … [Read more...]
Messi Secures Title for Barca
It had to be him didn’t it! Lionel Messi struck the only goal of the game at the Camp Nou against Levante to secure his tenth La Liga title and twenty-sixth in the club’s history. The title success will arguably go down as one of Barcelona’s easiest seasons especially in recent memory with three games still to go and little to no threat coming from Real Madrid all campaign. And so, it was left to the club’s talisman on Sunday night to strike the killer blow against a Levante side who showed plenty of spirit as they tried to get away from the city with a point in the bag which would … [Read more...]
La Liga set for a record-breaking transfer window
Who doesn’t love a transfer rumour? Come on admit, we all do however, this summer looks set to be a window of epic proportions with a host of names being banded around. Some rumours are just that, but a number have been gathering some pace for awhile now and have quickly gone from being an opinion piece in the newspaper, to a genuine target for the clubs in question. With Barcelona running away with the league but boasting an aging squad and Real Madrid with Zinedine Zidane back at the helm and in need of a refresh, there is opportunity galore across Spain’s top flight (as Getafe are … [Read more...]
The Getafe Gate-Crashers out to Make History
At the end of the 2009/10 Spanish top-flight season Barcelona were celebrating their 20th La Liga title, Atletico Madrid were left frustrated down in ninth and Xerez had just been relegated from their one and only appearance in the big time (the club now plays in the fourth tier of Spanish football). However, there was another story that went under the radar unless you hail from a city located in the Madrid metropolitan area known as Getafe. That season, the club achieved its highest ever finish since the club’s reformation in 1983. Sixth place a still unbeaten haul of 58-points … [Read more...]
Can Valencia Break Their Barca Hoodoo?
Seven games have passed since Valencia last recorded a victory over Barcelona. For most sides, that is hardly a disastrous record, but for a team of Valencia’s overall calibre and desire, that is a disappointment. The Bats have a rich history in Spain’s top flight with six titles to their name, however betting sites currently back Valencia as having more chance of relegation than lifting the coveted title for a seventh time. Even just to record a victory over Barcelona at the Camp Nou like they last did in April 2016 are as long as 8/1. That is probably because trawling through … [Read more...]
Can Anyone Stop Barcelona?
The door has been left wide open plenty of times this season for someone outside of Barcelona and Real Madrid to walk through but as of yet, no one has taken the chance to walk through it. Sevilla and Atletico Madrid have come close but so far trail the Barcelona juggernaut whilst keeping one eye firmly on the wounded European Champions who have endured a nightmare opening half. So far this season, Barcelona has lost two and drawn four in their opening 17 games. That is twice as many defeats as the whole of last season and if the trend continues into the second half then one can only … [Read more...]