Spats, sackings and stroppy subs: welcome back to La Liga

[Delima]

Great read. I reckon that Real Madrid will struggle this season. New coach who hasn't proven himself at the highest level, completely revamped squad, and all that.

 

Come on Barca!!

 

The Guardian

 

Spats, sackings and stroppy subs: welcome back to La Liga

 

 

The ball starts rolling again in Spain tomorrow. It should be Barça's season ... but when has anything ever gone exactly to plan in the best league in the world?

 

Sid Lowe

Friday August 24, 2007

Guardian Unlimited

 

Joan Laporta, the president of FC Barcelona who thinks he's the president of the free world, has just got back from another row at an airport. Guti has gone from saviour to substitute. Real Madrid have a new coach, a new identity and have just presented the latest of over €100m worth of new players. There's the smell of a spat at the Mestalla and the whiff of fear at Levante. Manuel Ruiz de Lopera has ventured out of his kitsch coffin room in search of a little love. His sworn enemy, head neatly polished, is busy telling everyone who'll listen - and lots of people who would rather not - that he's really, really great.

 

Article continues

In Villarreal, Juan Román Riquelme is looking morose. At the Vicente Calderón, they've taken a break from another award-winning advert to declare this year their year. Up in Santander, over in Mallorca, across in Murcia and down in Huelva, no one's really declaring very much at all. The Federation and the League continue to argue about anything and everything, especially whether a hunger-striking president and his team should be allowed to exist. A Uruguayan with a big gob has accused his coach of having "no bollocks". There are a million transfers waiting to happen. And there's an argument over the television rights, with Sogecable and Mediapro at each other's throats like some sort of deranged Emu, meaning we still don't know if there's going to be any football on the telly. And if so, which games will be shown. Or when.

 

You can tell La Liga starts tomorrow.

 

Question is, how will it end?

 

Probably not quite like last year. Real Madrid could hardly have set the bar any higher by sacking the man who won the league because he was "too boring". There is something strangely admirable about insisting on a certain identity regardless of the results, as well as a realism that suggests those in the Bernabéu offices know that winning the title was a miracle. But there is something pretty dumb about it too, and something unfair: Capello did exactly what Capello was asked to do, exactly what everyone knew Capello would do, and (arguably) exactly what Madrid needed Capello to do. But still he got sacked. Madrid are beginning another season by completely ripping up one project and starting a whole new one - if you can even call it a project. It's as if that league title, the one that ended the club's longest drought in over half a century, never happened. Rarely can a champion have gone into the new season so engulfed in doubt.

 

The new régime that brought in Fabio Cannavaro, José Antonio Reyes, Emerson, Fernando Gago, Gonzalo Higuaín and Ruud van Nistelrooy last year has brought in 10 more this time round - Pepe, Royston Drenthe, Wesley Sneijder, Jerzy Dudek, Christoph Metzelder, Javier Saviola and, yesterday, Arjen Robben and Gabriel Heinze, plus loan returnees Julio Baptista and Roberto Soldado. For €119m. Pepe, a bloke that no one had heard of, cost €30m. Sneijder cost €27m just days after Madrid told his club that they had 12 hours to accept a "final, final" offer of €23m. Robben cost €36m, having barely played in a year. Heinze came for £8m despite that now infamous fax from Manchester United saying he could go anywhere he wanted - except Liverpool, obviously - for £6.8m.

 

At best, Madrid are not very good at negotiating; though it hardly helps to keep prices down when your coach goes on about having a "suitcase stuffed full of cash", when there are five fingers from five different hands in the transfer pie, and when the man in charge is President Tourettes. At worst, there is something funny going on. And not funny ha-ha.

 

Despite having no discernible planning, Madrid have bought reasonably well, although Metzelder is just not very good and Pepe is a meathead who could well kick, spit, punch and head-butt his way to a new red-card record. Trouble is, the list of those who said no is far more impressive than those who said yes - Cesc Fabregas, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso, erm, Michael Ballack - and Madrid still have huge gaps in the squad. There's no genuine right-sided midfielder, only one genuine left-back, little cover at centre-back (meaning that Sergio Ramos is likely to end up playing there for much of the season) and no one to really get the ball flowing now that Bernd Schuster - like every other coach before him - has realised that relying on Guti to consistently carry the team is not a great idea.

 

Schuster himself admitted yesterday that "with this squad it's going to be impossible to play the way I want us to"; during pre-season they have been awful, and even if Madrid have a decent-looking squad now there has been little opportunity to work with it. It remains unclear how Madrid will line up and it will take time for Schuster to get it right. But time, like a president with decorum, is something Madrid don't have.

 

Worse still for the merengues, while Madrid thrashed about blindly like an epileptic in an Ibiza nightclub, Barcelona have been a model of efficiency, buying the players they most needed (except a new goalkeeper), and buying them quickly. But while Abidal (€15m), Yaya Touré (€9m) and Gabi Milito (€17m, rising to €21.5m) are excellent, if expensive, signings and slot straight into a defined system, and while the return to fitness of Leo Messi and Samuel Eto'o takes them a level above the rest, Barça continue down a galactic path. Thierry Henry's arrival gives them a ridiculously good forward line, but then they already had that; Henry's presence could yet provoke the greatest rumble known to man, especially if strop-merchant Samuel Eto'o gets left on the bench, that short fuse of his rapidly fizzing its way to blasting point. Frank Rijkaard's authority is constantly undermined, training has become a joke and Barça have spent the summer getting carted round the globe, with players queuing up to complain that they're knackered already.

 

Get it right and Barcelona should walk it; get it wrong and there will be a whole pack of teams ready to take advantage. Real Zaragoza have done the business of the summer by replacing Gabi Milito with Roberto Fabián Ayala and making a €14.5m profit into the bargain, and will push for a Champions League place at least. Sevilla, who really should have won the league last season, are unlikely to maintain that form. Dani Alves is about to explode and don't rule out a final twist in the Juande Ramos-Tottenham fib-a-thon, but they will certainly be extremely competitive. Villarreal, for whom Robert Pires will be vital, will stop short of a real challenge, but Atlético Madrid have rebuilt superbly this summer and might not. Every year atléticos say this could be their year; this year, having actually managed to stick to a coach for once (albeit only just), it actually could be. Expect a Champions League place at last.

 

And then there's Valencia. "We don't talk any more," Ruben Baraja sobbed to coach Quique Sánchez-Flores two days ago, somehow resisting the temptation to add "and you always leave the seat up". But while there is a coldness about their relationship, Valencia's all-out war has ended (for now) with sporting director Amadeo booted out by president Juan Soler, and they have added some excellent new signings: Sunny, Alexis and Nikola Zigic. More importantly, Valencia have players back from injury: Edu, Rubén Baraja, Vicente and Asier del Horno, all likely starters, only just put together a season's worth of appearances between them last year, while captain Albelda missed 13 matches during which Valencia collapsed. Last season, only four outfield players avoided injury and still Valencia stayed in the title race until two matches from the end. Stay fit and Valencia, not Madrid, are the side most likely to push Barça all the way to the finish line on May 18.

 

PREDICTIONS

 

Champions: Barcelona. With Valencia close behind.

Relegated: Racing, Levante, and Almería.

Spanish team most likely to win the Champions League: Real Madrid

Copa del Rey: Zaragoza.

Top scorer: Samuel Eto'o.

First coach sacked: If they get it remotely wrong, Hector Cúper at Betis or Javier Aguirre at Atlético. Otherwise, Unai Emery at Almería.

[dcmk]

why dont you just give us a link to the guardian football/blog section

[Delima]

Because I want to post articles that I have enjoyed very much?

[ohmelads]

Good read that, though I think he's underestimating Real Madrid.

[Jamie]

Real Madrid for me like

[SUPERTOON]

Good read and i agree with him about Madrid

 

 

Barca or Valencia for me

[NSG]

Wouldn't discount Sevilla.

[Kev]

La Liga is like the premiership...getting stronger every season

Madrid, Barca, Valencia, Sevilla and maybe some others will be wanting top place

i fancy madrid to win the league again

[Delima]

One major difference between La Liga and Premiership

 

La Liga - the top 4 seems to use more or less the same route to success - big money buy big players, attacking football (except Real Madrid under Capello)

 

Whereas in Premiership - Arsenal rely on youth, Man U rely on money and attacking football, Liverpool rely on money and squad depth, Chelsea rely mega money and conservatism - a lot more variety.

 

I wouldn't swap Premiership for La Liga, personally.

[ohmelads]

One major difference between La Liga and Premiership

 

La Liga - the top 4 seems to use more or less the same route to success - big money buy big players, attacking football (except Real Madrid under Capello)

 

Whereas in Premiership - Arsenal rely on youth, Man U rely on money and attacking football, Liverpool rely on money and squad depth, Chelsea rely mega money and conservatism - a lot more variety.

 

I wouldn't swap Premiership for La Liga, personally.

 

Counter argument to that of course is that in Spain, there aren't the same four teams at the top of the league every year, and last season the title race went down to the last 30 minutes of the season. And I'd argue there's more variety in Spain. Benitez's Valencia played very defensive football to win the league a few years back. Villarreal have a very South American flavour and broke into the top four on a limited budget, much like Sevilla. Both those sides play attractive football, as do Zaragoza, while you have Osasuna who are like the Bolton of Spain, and Atletico who are a bit like the Newcastle. And they've had the kind of shock upsets like Zaragoza beating Real Madrid 6-0 two seasons ago, or Getafe hammering Barca 4-0 last season to overcome a 5-2 deficit in the previous leg.

 

In Spain, after Barcelona and Real Madrid, there are any of a number of teams who can finish in the top 4. The competition is so fierce that even Valencia won't be taking anything for granted. Zaragoza, Sevilla and Villarreal are not to be underestimated and Atletico have invested heavily once again.

 

I wouldn't swap either, but the Spanish league has it's plus points.

[ElDiablo]

I wouldn't swap, but La Liga is better to watch in my opinion. Much more open feel to the games.

[Delima]

I am sure Spanish League has its plus points, very many in fact, the overall standard of football is the highest in Europe - UEFA Cup is a proof of that. But personally I don't buy that English big 4 is boring thingy, on the contrary I find the la liga big 2 (Real Madrid + Barcelona) tiresome.

 

Anyway, Real Madrid have always been rich but the staggering wealth David Beckham brought to the club is just sensational. Without David Beckham they wouldn't have won the league last year, and without him they wouldn't be able to spunk 100M euro to revamp a club that just won the league.

 

Chelsea a bottomless club? Real Madrid is the daddy of all!

[olliemort]

Id much rather watching a neutral game not involving any of the big teams in La Liga because the majority of the teams play football thats easy on the eye rather than just holding out and hoofing the ball anywhere at all!

[Parky]

Barca.

[Mowen]

Barca.

 

  Great Post.   

 

 

[Mike]

Absolutely watching that first Barca game. Gotta feel for Racing.

[spizz energi]

I think it'll go to the wire again this season but Barca will just nick it.

[lxsln]

love the ref in tonights game between Valencia and Villarreal. 2red cards to Valencia(David Villa 2yellows, 2nd for diving and Joaquin for saying something to the ref)  and a penalty to Villarreal.

 

 

0-3 

[The College Dropout]

I am sure Spanish League has its plus points, very many in fact, the overall standard of football is the highest in Europe - UEFA Cup is a proof of that. But personally I don't buy that English big 4 is boring thingy, on the contrary I find the la liga big 2 (Real Madrid + Barcelona) tiresome.

 

Anyway, Real Madrid have always been rich but the staggering wealth David Beckham brought to the club is just sensational. Without David Beckham they wouldn't have won the league last year, and without him they wouldn't be able to spunk 100M euro to revamp a club that just won the league.

 

Chelsea a bottomless club? Real Madrid is the daddy of all!

 

Only Barcelona have managed to retain the title in Spain since the turn of the century. Valencia have won La Liga twice in recent memory as have Deportivo. With Seville putting in a strong challenge last season. Like someone said, the Premiership last year was the most exciting for years yet the La Liga race blows that out of the water. With 6 games to go you had FOUR teams with a realistic chance of winning the league.

[ohmelads]

Barca seem to have the perfect team on paper now, their bench had Henry, Deco and Marquez, and Puyol wasn't even in the squad. Yet they're two points off the pace now. There has been some discussion as to whether Henry will be a solution or a problem, the old argument of "if it aint broke, don't fix it" and of course how you fit the "fantastic four" into three positions. Today Messi came off despite, they say, looking the most creative. I doubt it's a problem that's worrying Barca fans though, quite the contrary.

 

I think many people underestimated Real Madrid last year, not least Barca fans, and they paid the price for that. It seems everyone is doing it again. I personally think Heinze and Robben will be fantastic signings for them and if they land Alves they will be a decent shout for a Champions League push this season, despite the new coach/players etc. As spizz energi says I think it'll go right to the wire again, and hopefully Sevilla can carry on as they did last season.

[Isegrim]

I think many people underestimated Real Madrid last year, not least Barca fans, and they paid the price for that. It seems everyone is doing it again. I personally think Heinze and Robben will be fantastic signings for them and if they land Alves they will be a decent shout for a Champions League push this season, despite the new coach/players etc. As spizz energi says I think it'll go right to the wire again, and hopefully Sevilla can carry on as they did last season.

 

I agree with that and would say a lot of people do underestimate Bernd Schuster. Of course he doesn't have the track record of other managers, but he personifies what is really important at Madrid, an aura of aesthetics. He knows from his time at both Real and Barca what is important at those clubs. People are saying Newcastle fans are expecting free flowing football, but that is nothing compared to the expectations of fans of the big clubs in Spain. That's why Capello "failed" in the end. If Schuster, who did a pretty good job at Getafe, can install good football and get the team working together - and he hasn't as a bad team put together as some on here and the article in the original post imply - he will get the crowd behind the team which is the main task for every Real manager.

[Rich]

I watched 10 minutes of Sevilla-Getafe, saw yet another ridiculous red card decision in La Liga to send the away team down to 9 men in the first half, and turned it off.

 

Cannot be doing with Spanish officials at all, spoils the rest of the action for me personally.

 

With all that time left it became too obvious how things would turn out, after the game was looking very nicely balanced prior to that.

 

 

[ohmelads]

This is precisely why a year ago I questioned whether Van Nistelrooy would succeed over there, because Real and Barca fans not only demand winning, but they want to win in style. Capello has won the league for Real twice and both times it got him the sack because his football was not popular. They're purists. And having seen players over the years like Ronaldo, Figo and Zidane at Real, and Romario and Ronaldinho at Barca, they're also spoilt. I honestly believe the Real job is the most difficult job in football. I think success at Real depends on finding the right balance, for every Van Nistelrooy there must be a Robinho. Because, like at Barca, the fans vote in the board every few years, the manager must not only impress his board but also the fans, because when elections come around the various candidates will pledge all sorts of radical changes and that can mean the manager getting the axe unless he's proven to be very good. It's one of the flaws of the electoral system at these clubs.

 

Getafe last season earned themselves a reputation as giant killers, and they didn't take on the big guns the Bolton way but with good, attractive football, and that was particularly impressive. To be 5-2 down to Barcelona in the cup and win the return leg 4-0, against a full strength Barca team, was frankly incredible, as was the way they took apart Valencia in a 3-0 defeat.

 

I think Schuster is the right man for Real at the right time. How long he lasts will depend not only on results but on whether or not he can give the crowd what they want.

[Guest]

I watched 10 minutes of Sevilla-Getafe, saw yet another ridiculous red card decision in La Liga to send the away team down to 9 men in the first half, and turned it off.

 

Cannot be doing with Spanish officials at all, spoils the rest of the action for me personally.

 

With all that time left it became too obvious how things would turn out, after the game was looking very nicely balanced prior to that.

 

 

I wonder if Spanish supporters see the Healy "goal" last week, the Malouda penalty, the Wes Brown handball, etc and think the same thing of ours?

[ohmelads]

I watched 10 minutes of Sevilla-Getafe, saw yet another ridiculous red card decision in La Liga to send the away team down to 9 men in the first half, and turned it off.

 

Cannot be doing with Spanish officials at all, spoils the rest of the action for me personally.

 

With all that time left it became too obvious how things would turn out, after the game was looking very nicely balanced prior to that.

 

 

 

Somehow the standard of refereeing in Spain is even poorer than it is here. And the bias towards the bigger clubs seems to be even greater with Real and Barca in particular benefitting from favourable decisions.