LaLiga News, Transfers, Injuries, Player Ratings, Analysis

6Feb

By Javier MartinezNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Explaining Sevilla’s Decline

It’s remarkable how drastically Sevilla has changed in only a year. Last season, Sevilla were seen as outside title contenders to win LaLiga. Now, the six-time UEFA/Europa League winners are currently fighting to stave off relegation. Julen Lopetegui, who won them their last Europa League title and qualified 3 consecutive seasons for the Champions League, was sacked midseason and replaced by Jorge Sampaoli. Sampaoli has not made much of a difference since taking over and the team is still in the realms of the relegation battle, which is making Sevilla fans even more on edge. If that wasn't bad enough, their cross-city rivals (Real Betis) are battling to get into the Champions League and won the Copa del Rey last season. It's hard times for Sevilla, but how did a side competing for the lea...

Why Rayo Vallecano is secretly one of Europe’s most interesting clubs

1Feb

By Cody AcevedaNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Why Rayo Vallecano is secretly one of Europe’s most interesting clubs

To many, Rayo Vallecano is just one of the “other teams” in Madrid. The club isn’t as glamourous as their neighbors Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, but it’s arguably more interesting. You might not believe us now but keep reading and see for yourself what makes this working-class football club so special. Rayo Vallecano’s rise back to LaLiga Rayo Vallecano were promoted from the Segunda Division in 2021 through the division’s promotion playoff. Rayo were the lowest-seeded team in that playoff after finishing sixth in the league that year. Rayo defeated Leganés and Girona in successive two-legged ties to gain promotion. They accomplished this without one of their most important players. Starting goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski was busy representing North Macedonia at the 2020 Euros, ...

1Jan

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Why Real Madrid don’t make major moves in January transfer market

As the footballing world enters another January transfer market, teams like Liverpool and Chelsea have already made major moves, such as signing Cody Gakpo and Benoît Badiashile, to help buoy their top-four chances. Real Madrid signed a player with even more potential than those two, inking Endrick to an expensive deal that could exceed his 60 million euro release clause if he does indeed fulfill that potential. However, manager Carlo Ancelotti has already publicly ruled out any further winter moves, putting an end to the speculation that Real Madrid could sign a player to give them an edge in the LaLiga title race with Barcelona or in their pursuit of a successful Champions League title defense. Los Blancos could have taken a punt on Cristiano Ronaldo, as there was plenty of spec...

28Dec

By Joseph ZebedeeNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

The Rise and Current Malaise of Sevilla

Sevilla have been one of the premier clubs in Europe over the past decade, and yet they are looking at a relegation battle this season in LaLiga. So, how did a team which finished 4th last season end up in such a predicament? A brief history of Sevilla Sevilla are historically not super successful, at least not compared to other clubs who have won major European competitions. Their only LaLiga title was in 1946, yet they have six Europa League titles in the modern era. The Nervionenses spent the majority of their history until the 2000’s flirting with relegation at best and financial catastrophe at worst. A revolving door of club presidents and a disastrous affair with Diego Maradona in the 1990s did nothing to help the situation. Things had to change. The 2000/01 season saw Sevi...

19Dec

By Javier MartinezNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Explaining why LaLiga is in decline

LaLiga is in serious decline and all you have to do is tune in to a game to see why. The quality of play is subpar, the stadiums are partially empty, and many teams are in financial turmoil. Worst of all, the league is struggling on the continental level as we saw in this season's Champions League where three of the four LaLiga sides failed to even get out of the group stage. Sevilla: Didn't even compete in their group. Atletico Madrid: Finished last in a group that included Porto, Bayer Leverkusen, and Club Brugge. Barcelona: Knocked out for the second consecutive season in the group stage. If that wasn't bad enough, LaLiga continues to get weaker every season as its best players and managers leave to sign for the lucrative Premier League; many of which are not even signing ...

Ranking the 10 best LaLiga goalkeepers of 2023

18Nov

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Ranking the 10 best LaLiga goalkeepers of 2023

Thibaut Courtois and Marc-André ter Stegen get plenty of spotlight - as they should. They are the starting goalkeepers for Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively, and the former of the two clearly established himself as the best in the world after helping lead Los Blancos to the Champions League Title last season. But those two superstars aren't the only great goalkeepers in LaLiga worth getting to know. Let's rank the 10 best LaLiga goalkeepers. Courtois and ter Stegen will feature highly, but who is No. 1? And how many surprises are represented on the list? 10. Jan Oblak, Atlético Madrid If this list were made before the 2021/22 season, Jan Oblak would undoubtedly be in the top three. And there was a point before Thibaut Courtois found his best form in the 2019/20 season that...

Real Madrid’s 2022/2023 squad is capable of defending LaLiga and Champions League titles

10Oct

By Javier MartinezNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Real Madrid’s 2022/2023 squad is capable of defending LaLiga and Champions League titles

After a stellar 2021/2022 campaign that saw Real Madrid win LaLiga and the Champions League, the ‘Merengues’ are looking to defend both titles as the 2022/2023 campaign begins to take shape. Despite their success, there were still areas where the team had issues with last season and needed to strengthen in the transfer window. Real Madrid's defense has a new look The most obvious was the defense where they struggled a lot on set plays and whenever any of the regular starters were missing. That need has now been filled with the signing of Antonio Rüdiger, who joined on a free transfer and will provide the necessary height and depth the team was missing. Additionally, it would allow Real Madrid to play in different formations, such as switching to playing with three defenders. What stil...

The Rise and Fall of Málaga in the 2010’s

26Aug

By Amadis HaliNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

The Rise and Fall of Málaga in the 2010’s

The UEFA Champions League is a competition that, despite existing to crown the absolute best team in Europe, is no stranger to deep runs from underdog sides – some of which being clubs that cannot even call themselves the best of their own country, let alone the continent. Just last season, Villarreal, who qualified for the competition as Spain’s fourth-best team, upset German and Italian giants Bayern Munich and Juventus to reach the best four of Europe’s elite competition. 150 minutes into their semifinal tie against Liverpool, Villarreal were level on aggregate with the Merseyside outfit and dreamed of scoring a winner to book themselves a ticket to the final – it was only in the last 30 minutes that their dream was crushed and their Cinderella story was brought to an end. Villarreal...