La Liga: Points at a Premium For Sevilla and Cadiz
Sevilla FC vs Cadiz
Five games to go in the 2021/22 La Liga season and things are getting hotter at both ends of the table. Julen Lopetegui’s Sevilla have a chance to cement their top four place when Cadiz come to town, but the visitors too have a huge incentive.
This gameis a great weekend curtain-raiser as the two sides meet at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Friday night.
The hosts are in third place in the La Liga table, coming into the game on the back of a 3-2 win away to strugglers Levante, while the visitors are in 17th -a place and a point above the drop zone. Cadiz lost to Athletic Bilbao by the same margin, a result which leaves Sergio’s team in a precarious position.
The La Liga 2022 betting odds say we’re heading for a home win, but at this time of the season the bottom-end clubs become very dangerous opponents.
Talking Points
Papu Gomez’s return is vital for Sevilla
Los Blancos are on the way to the 2022 title for sure, so the race for a top four place is where the action lies and there is an eight-point gap between Barcelona in second and Real Sociedad in sixth place. Sevilla, on 63 points alongside the Blaugrana have a six-point cushion to fifth place and one or two more victories might be enough to see them over the line.
The return of attacking midfielder Papu Gomez from injury has come at a good time for Los Sevillistas. During his absence, they scored just twice in four games. And in the three since he returned, Sevilla have bagged eight goals.
A Copa America winner with Argentina in 2021 and with an 89-per cent pass completion in La Liga this term, he is a player who can keep control of the ball in the key areas of the pitch and he links up well with top scorer Rafa Mir, who is on nine goals.
With the influential Lucas Ocampos in good form, Sevilla have a dangerous attack. But the defence has conceded eight goals in the last four games and that is where Lopetegui has his work to do.
Lucas Perez can fire Cadiz to safety
A trip to the Camp Nou to face Barcelona last week seemed like a daunting prospect but Cadiz did Sevilla and themselves a huge favour when they inflicted a shock defeat on the Blaugrana.
Sergio’s side took advantage of a lacklustre performance from the Catalans and former Arsenal striker Lucas Perez made them pay with a goal early in the second half.
Cadiz’s Lucas Perez celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during La Liga match against Barcelona
He could easily have scored in the first 45 minutes but narrowly missed when a glorious chance arrived. The unexpected three points lifted Cadiz up to 16th but they slipped down a place when they lost last weekend.
Perez scored in that defeat to Bilbao too and he could be the man to fire Cadiz to safety, while another former Premier League star will also pose a threat to the Sevilla defence.
Ex-Manchester City star Alfredo Negredo has six goals this season and he is well-known to Sevilla fans, scoring 70 goals for their club in 139 games leading up to his 2013 move to Manchester.
With two wins from the last five, Cadiz have given themselves a fighting chance of survival, also beating seventh placed Villarreal, and they will play Sevilla with a battling defence and quick counter attack.
One young player we expect to see in the La Liga 2022 highlights package is 22-year-old centre-back Victor Chust, who has made 23 appearances for Cadiz in this campaign.
A Spain U21 international, he is strong in the air and has a good reading of the game, able to launch counter-attacks with well-placed long passes. A cultural player, Chuck has only been carded twice this season and he won’t be panicked by the Sevilla offence.
History
Sevilla have won eight, drawn two, and lost one of the 11 meetings with Cadiz in all competitions since 2005, and the top four club won the return match 1-0 as Lucas Ocampos scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half – firing home a cross from Ivan Rakitic.
Recent form is identical as both sides have won two, drawn three, and lost one of the last six games, but Sevilla’s home record this season of 11 wins, four draws, and a single defeat means this will be one of Cadiz’s toughest tests over the remaining five league games.
The pre-match SBOTOP odds of 1.52 on the home win, 3.64 for the draw, and 5.99 for the away win suggests a victory for the hosts, which will further strengthen their top four claims while heaping pressure on Cadiz.
But the visitors will have their chances and a 2-1 home win at odds of 6.95 may not be far from the mark.
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Real Madrid are on the cusp of being crowned La Liga champions for a record 35th time. Los Blancos only need to avoid losing at home to 13th-placed Espanyol to seal their title.
Getting a draw at the Bernabeu against a mid-table foe doesn’t seem all too daunting, and the La Liga 2022 betting odds unsurprisingly have Real heavily favoured to win at home.
But with their Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City looming on the horizon, might Real slip up and make their fans wait a while longer?
Talking Points
Real Madrid could rest for Champions League clash
Real Madrid winning the La Liga title has been a foregone conclusion for the last few months. They are 15 points clear of rivals Barcelona and Sevilla, with the latter missing several opportunities to make it a much closer title race.
Meanwhile, Real have continued to rack up wins in the league. They have won eight of their last nine, with their only defeat coming in El Clasico against Barca.
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their third goal vs Manchester City
Real beat Osasuna 3-1 in their last league outing, although it could have been more if Karim Benzema had not missed two penalties.
But Benzema made amends for those misses as he bagged a brace in Real Madrid’s 4-3 defeat to Manchester City in their semi-final first leg. And to prove he wasn’t fazed by his recent misses, Benzema did a Panenka to score a late penalty which keeps Real in the tie.
Carlo Ancelotti is likely to make several changes to his side against Espanyol to rest his key players – including Benzema, Luka Modric, and Vinicius Jr – ahead of the second leg.
But Real’s second-string side, which will likely feature Rodrygo, Marco Asensio, and Eduardo Camavinga, still possesses a lot of quality, enough to get the draw they need to clinch the title.
Real will also have home advantage, which has been big for them this season. They have won 11 of their 16 home league games, with four draws and just one defeat.
Espanyol slowing down
Espanyol’s first season back in La Liga has been a success. They are currently in 13th place with 39 points, a comfortable nine points clear of the relegation zone.
With their status in the Spanish top-flight secure, it shouldn’t be a surprise if Espanyol’s overall effort level slowly begins to wane.
Espanyol’s recent La Liga 2022 results have slipped as they’ve lost three of their last four games, although two of those were very narrow away defeats to Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid. On both occasions, Espanyol lost due to stoppage-time penalties.
However, Espanyol lost 1-0 at home to mid-table Rayo Vallecano last time out. It was a disappointing performance from Espanyol, who saw their five-game unbeaten run at the RCDE Stadium come to an end.
As has been the case for most of the season, scoring enough goals is still a big concern for Espanyol. They have scored just twice in their last four games.
Raul de Tomas remains their lone reliable source of goals. The Spanish international has 15 goals on the season, including two in his last four. As a former Real Madrid player, de Tomas will not be short on motivation to take on his old club.
Espanyol have been disastrous away from home this season. They have won just once in 16 games – tied for the fewest in the division – with five draws and 10 defeats.
History
Real Madrid have absolutely dominated Espanyol in recent years. They have won 21 of their last 26 league meetings, with only three draws.
However, Espanyol beat Los Blancos in their first meeting this season. Raul de Tomas and Aleix Vidal gave the Catalans a two-goal lead, while Karim Benzema pulled a goal back.
But it will be an uphill battle for Espanyol to beat Real in Madrid. Espanyol’s last win at the Bernabeu came all the way back in 1996.
SBOTOP odds have Real Madrid installed as significant 1.51 favourites to clinch the title with a victory. Espanyol are priced at 5.80 to spoil Real’s party, while a draw is 4.20.
While Ancelotti is likely to field a less than full-strength side for this match because of their upcoming Champions League clash with Man City, Real Madrid should still get the point they need to clinch the championship.
Look for Los Blancos to get off to a fast start right out of the gate and take a lead into half-time as they celebrate their title at home.
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Rest is considered a luxury for the Catalans these days since this will be their third La Liga match in just a span of nine days. The same can’t be said for Mallorca, though, as they’ll look to take advantage of their hosts’ tired legs.
Xavi’s men have fallen to third place following their upset loss against Rayo Vallecano last Monday and Sevilla’s draw against Cadiz yesterday. The Catalans now have 63 points, while Los Palanganas have 64 and Atletico Madrid are at solo fourth with 61.
On the other side of the standings, that’s where you can find Mallorca as they’re placed 16th with 32 points. They got the much-needed three points against Alaves on Wednesday in a nail-biting encounter, and they must gain more positive La Liga 2022 results to stay in top-flight next term.
Xavi would prefer to have more options in order for Barcelona to finish their campaign strong. Injuries have ruined their title chances this year and now they’ll have to settle for another possible runner-up finish – marking their third straight season of not winning La Liga.
Barcelona can still aim for a second place finish since they have the head-to-head advantage over Sevilla. They have plenty to fight for despite being out of the title race since their top four spot is not yet fully confirmed, especially having lost two of their last three.
Against Cadiz, the Catalans’ backline was compromised as Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Dani Alves, and Ronald Araujo all limped off, while Clement Lenglet took a shot at the head.
Araujo and Alba played against Rayo Vallecano and the two are likely to play alongside Eric Garcia and Sergino Dest for their back four.
Gerard Pique is progressing well as he was seen in training alongside fellow centre-back Samuel Umtiti. However, Pique might not be rushed back while Umtiti has yet to play since January due to a toe injury.
The good news is that their frontline looks intact with Ferran Torres, Ousmane Dembele, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Adama Traore, Luuk de Jong, and Memphis Depay present. We expect Torres, Aubameyang, and Dembele to get the starting nod here.
Mallorca eager to retain top-flight status
Real Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi celebrates after scoring a goal against Atletico Madrid at the Visit Mallorca Stadium
Los Bermellones secured a return to La Liga by finishing second in the Segunda Division last term and they’re bidding to stay in back-to-back seasons at this level for the first time since 2013.
Mallorca have a tough four-game stretch to wrap up their campaign as they’ll face Granada, Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano, and Osasuna, so Javier Aguirre has his work cut out for him in these next few weeks.
Their leading scorers so far are Salva Sevilla and Vedat Muriqi, who have four goals apiece this season. Other than those two veterans, Barcelona may want to keep an eye on the young Asian duo of Takefusa Kubo and Lee Kang-in on the wings.
History
Barcelona hold an eight-game winning streak against Mallorca here in La Liga prior to Sunday since their 1-1 draw at Camp Nou in 2010 where Pep Guardiola was still their head coach. In those eight losses, Mallorca have failed to score in six of them while conceding an average of four goals per game.
Furthermore, Mallorca have only won once in their last 11 visits to Catalunya in La Liga (D1, L9) after having won two of their previous four away league games against them.
But Barcelona have lost their last three home games in all competitions. Should Mallorca somehow win, it’ll be the first time that they’ve lost four in a row in their history.
Xavi’s side cannot underestimate Los Bermellones looking at their reverse fixture last January. Both teams had 13 total shots, but Barcelona got the victory thanks to Luuk de Jong’s 44th-minute goal and because they held 65-per cent possession.
Barcelona are unsurprisingly favoured by the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 odds for this contest. The Catalans are installed at 1.30 to win, while Mallorca are the underdogs at 7.20 and chances for a draw are at 5.20.
Given how their last meeting went, Barcelona know that Mallorca are not to be taken for granted, especially since they’re playing with a big sense of urgency.
This might a closer game than most would expect, but Barcelona should have enough to secure the victory at home despite being undermanned.
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Salute to Ancelotti’s Aces as Alaves Give Themselves a Glimmer
It has long been known that the La Liga title was staying in the Spanish capital – even if there were going to be different hands on the trophy this year.
For the crown is a fully deserved triumph for Carlo Ancelotti and his Real Madrid players who hoisted their manager aloft in celebration of their title success but also after he became the first coach to win the five major European leagues – Ancelotti has also won titles in Italy’s Serie A (AC Milan), France’s Ligue 1 (Paris St Germain), the Premier League in England (Chelsea) and the German Bundesliga (Bayern Munich).
He won his first league title as a coach almost two decades ago, topping Serie A in 2004 with Milan. He went on to win the Premier League in 2010 with Chelsea, Ligue 1 in 2013 with PSG and the Bundesliga in 2017 with Bayern. To be the best in each of Europe’s top five leagues is something no one has ever achieved before.
In his first spell at Real Madrid, between 2013 and 2015, La Liga eluded him as Atletico and Barcelona lifted the title during those two seasons. However, Ancelotti’s Real Madrid have been the best team in Spain this year and the Italian now has 22 titles in his coaching career.
Real needed only a draw at home to mid table Espanyol to win the title but victory was never in doubt once Rodrygo stroked home from just inside the area.
The Brazilian doubled that advantage a minute before the break when he fired low into the bottom corner.
Marco Asensio finished off a rapid counter-attack to make it three before Karim Benzema came off the bench to sidefoot home from Vinicius Jr’s cutback.
Regardless of whether Real progress from the second leg of their Champions League semi-final in midweek, the veteran Italian has proved his worth to ensure Los Blancos are challenging for all the major honours again after a year where they missed out at home and abroad.
The fact some of the Madrid team is ageing and soon needs replacing is so true but that misses the point.
The achievement is the fact Ancelotti has managed to get another successful season out of the squad he inherited, coupled with helping the development of some younger players such as Vinicius – the Brazilian who has really made his mark this term.
They have created numerous La Liga highlights and should be saluted.
While they were doing the business, their Spanish compatriots in the Champions League semi-final, Villarreal, were resting key men which basement battlers Alaves took full advantage to move off the bottom and give their survival bid a glimmer of hope.
Captain Victor Laguardia headed home the opener after just four minutes before Gonzalo Escalante doubled the advantage on the half hour.
Sloppy Villarreal stay seventh in La Liga after slipping up at Alaves
Samuel Chukwueze’s replied just after the restart but Alaves would not be breached again and, just a fortnight after seeming on the brink of relegation, they are within four points of safety.
Arguably the result of the weekend came on Friday night as Cadiz drew at Sevilla to defy the Andalusians, defy the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds and, crucially, stay one point clear of the bottom three after Granada could only match their result at home to Celta Vigo.
In fact, it required an equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time from substitute Darwin Machis to earn a point as his cross eluded everyone and nestled in the corner. Turning point?
They certainly remain just a point off Cadiz and Real Mallorca who were defeated by Barcelona.
That meant Barca moved back above Sevilla and into second place as Memphis Depay gave them a 25th-minute lead and Sergio Busquets doubled the lead nine minutes after the interval.
Among the other results, Radamel Falcao earned Rayo Vallecano a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad by cancelling out Alexander Sorloth’s first-half effort, while Elche and Osasuna also drew 1-1.
Meanwhile, Atletico’s slip at Athletic Bilbao has provided Real Betis with a chance to close to within a point of fourth place should they defeat Getafe this evening (Monday).
There’s still plenty to play for in La Liga – except at the top where Real’s coronation has begun.
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All eyes will be on the Benito Villamarin Stadium in Andalusia on Saturday night when Real Betis welcome Barcelona in a top-five clash which has plenty at stake.
With the 2022 title already in Madrid, this La Liga clash is the biggest game of the weekend as Betis try to gatecrash the Champions League places and the Blaugrana aim to end the season on a high.
Xavi’s Barcelona are pushing for second place and that is quite a turnaround after a poor opening half of the campaign, but they have stuttered recently.
Barca come into the game on the back of a 2-1 home win against Mallorca while Betis played out a goalless draw away to Getafe.
Talking Points
Betis’ attack needs sharpening
Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis have been free-scoring for most of the campaign and, with 56 goals, they are the fourth-highest scorers in La Liga, with six more than third-placed Sevilla. But Los Verdiblancos are without a goal in their last three league outings, drawing 0-0 away to Getafe and Real Sociedad while losing their last home game 1-0 to Elche.
Real Betis forward Borja Iglesias argues with Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler during their Copa del Rey match in the La Cartuja Stadium
They have the firepower for sure, but the Betis strikers have been blunted and now they need to sharpen up for a fast finish. 28-year-old attacking midfielder Juanmi has had a fine season with 14 goals, while man striker Borja Iglesias has weighed in with nine. He scored Los Verdiblancos’ goal in their Copa del Rey final with Valencia which they won on penalties.
One player we’re sure to see in the La Liga 2022 highlights package is the quick-footed and spiky winger Nabil Fekir. The former Liverpool target has contributed six goals and six assists and he is keen to stake his claim for a place in the France team for the 2022 World Cup, while attacking midfielder Sergio Canales remains a class act.
This team will start scoring again soon.
Barca back on track
Since Xavi’s arrival and a superb January transfer window, Barcelona’s season has been transformed and, at one point, the Catalans were even dreaming of a spectacular La Liga triumph.
But a series of poor results, particularly at the Camp Nou, has rather derailed their campaign. A shock Europa League exit at home to Eintracht Frankfurt was followed by a bigger surprise when Cadiz won at the Camp Nou and then another home defeat to Rayo Vallecano.
But, last time out, the Blaugrana got back to winning ways with a 2-1 win over Real Mallorca as striker Memphis Depay scored his 11th goal of the campaign and Sergio Busquets made it 2-0 before Mallorca scored a late consolation.
Depay has had a productive partner in attack since the arrival of Pierre Emerick-Aubamayang from Arsenal in the January transfer window. The Gabon international has nine goals and, along with newly signed Ferran Torres, he has galvanised the team into one which can challenge Real Madrid again.
Supporting striker Ousmane Dembele has been in scintillating form too, with ten assists. Manchester United are said to be interested in signing the out of contract star, but Barca are hopeful of striking a new deal to keep the 24-year-old France international at the Camp Nou.
Full-back Jordi Alba has been a prolific assister with nine so far this season, but in defence the Blaugrana are still without the injured duo of Sergi Roberto and Sergino Dest.
While they have struggled at home Barcelona have been better away from the Camp Nou in recent weeks and they will be out to bag all three points in Seville.
Barcelona have had the better of the head to head meetings, winning 32 of the 51 encounters while Real Betis have won ten and there have been nine draws.
Betis won the return match 1-0 this season while Barcelona won 3-2 at the Benito Villamarin in the 2020/21 campaign.
The La Liga 2022 betting odds say all three results are in play with Real Betis at 3.01 to win or 3.26 to draw and the Blaugrana at 2.18 to bag an away victory which would keep them in second place.
Barca have been good on the road with eight wins, seven draws and two defeats away from home and are unbeaten in their last ten away games in all competitions.
But Betis are a formidable opponent and a 1-1 draw is at SBOTOP odds of 5.99 may not be far from the mark.
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And it’ll be a fiercely-contested during these next few weeks for Barcelona, Sevilla, and Atletico Madrid – who sit at second, third, and fourth respectively – while fifth and sixth-seeded Real Betis and Real Sociedad are both looking to sneak in.
So Atletico Madrid will have all the motivation when they host Real Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano this weekend since their job isn’t done yet, and because they’re hurt after ceding the domestic trophy to their city rivals.
This match would’ve been the title decider if the race is still close today, but Atletico Madrid are eager to get a measure of revenge against their visitors nonetheless.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds are slightly favouring Los Rojiblancos because of this, which would somehow give Diego Simeone and co. some consolation should they claim all three points.
Talking Points
Atletico Madrid keen to lock top four place
With their top four spot far from being secured, Atletico Madrid’s La Liga 2022 results must improve in these next few weeks to salvage their campaign.
Diego Simeone has been curiously experimenting with his formation and lineups which may have led to their mini-slump, but they need to tighten up with tougher games coming up. After Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid’s last three games will be against Elche, Sevilla, and Real Sociedad.
In their recent defeat against Athletic Bilbao, Diego Simeone used a 5-4-1 formation and he didn’t start the likes of Rodrigo De Paul, Koke, Matheus Cunha, and leading scorer Angel Correa.
Correa has 12 goals and five assists and after being rested, he should get the starting nod to partner up with either Luis Suarez, Joao Felix, or Antoine Griezmann. Meanwhile, the rest of the starting XI should remain unchanged.
Rodrygo recorded the brace to nullify Riyad Mahrez’s goal, while Karim Benzema hit the dagger to break the Sky Blues’ hearts with his 95th-minute penalty.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti and assistant coach Francesco Mauri celebrate reaching the Champions League final after the match with Manchester
Ancelotti would be prudent to rest Benzema especially with his share of niggling injuries, so Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio are likely to soak up more attacking responsibilities up front.
This is the same case for Casemiro, Toni Kroos, and Luka Modric since they’re all on the wrong side of their 30’s, so Federico Valverde, Dani Ceballos, and Eduardo Camavinga will all be given a chance to get more playing time.
History
Atletico Madrid are hopeful to end their drought against Real Madrid. Prior to Sunday night, Real Madrid haven’t lost in eight straight matches against Atletico Madrid in all competitions (W4, D4) while securing a clean sheet in six of them.
Real Madrid have been solid on the road either as they’ve won their last five away league matches while scoring three goals in three of them. They haven’t won six in a row away from home in La Liga since their 13-game winning streak in 2017.
Los Rojiblancos have only lost once in their last 10 league home games. However, they have the worse recent form compared to Los Blancos with two wins, two losses, and one draw in their last five league matches, whereas their visitors have won all five in the same span.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side won in their reverse fixture last December as Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio led Los Blancos to a 2-0 win.
The La Liga 2022 odds are for Atletico Madrid in this contest. Los Rojiblancos are priced at 2.09, while Real Madrid aren’t far behind at 3.35 and a draw is pegged at 3.45 in the 1X2 market.
With Real Madrid’s focus now on the Champions League final, we don’t expect them to put in much effort here since this is pretty much a no-bearing contest. Real Madrid are indirectly doing Atletico Madrid a favour. And if the hosts can’t capitalize, that would complicate their Champions League hopes especially if Real Betis and Real Sociedad win their respective matches this weekend.
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La Liga: European Targets For Villarreal and Sevilla
Villarreal vs Sevilla
Unai Emery and Julen Lopetegui are two of the most ambitious coaches in the league and they manage two teams who play some of the best passing football in La Liga. There will be plenty of players with great quality on the ball on show and we’ll take a look at some of the stars we expect to shine.
Emery’s Villarreal come into the game on the back of a dramatic Champions League exit to Liverpool while Sevilla earned three points in a 3-2 win away to Levante last time out.
And they both have a European target now in mind.
Having been a fixture in the top four throughout the campaign, Sevilla want to nail down their Champions League place, while the Yellow Submarine might qualify for the Europa Conference League in seventh and they can rise another place or two if they finish the campaign with a string of victories.
Talking Points
Parejo can make Villarreal tick
Emery’s Villarreal have been exceptional in the Champions League, beating Juventus and Bayern Munich, and the second leg semi-final tie against Liverpool started with a bang as Boulaye Dia scored for the Yellow Submarine on three minutes and Frances Coquelin wiped out Liverpool’s first leg advantage before the half-time break. But three goals in 12 second half minutes ended Villarreal’s valiant attempt as the Reds ran out 5-2 winners on aggregate.
In their last home game in the league, Villarreal beat Valencia 2-0 and, once again, 33-year-old midfield playmaker Dani Parejo pulled the strings as he has for much of the season.
With six assists in 29 appearances in central midfield, Parejo is the catalyst for much of Villarreal’s attacking play. He is constantly hungry for the ball and uses it well with a passing accuracy of 88-per cent and he’s also sharp in the tackle, winning more midfield duels than he loses.
24-year-old defender Juan Foyth could be an important player too. The Argentine star is a cultured defender with good use of the ball and strong in the tackle, but he is prone to overstepping the line.
And with three yellow cards and a red, the former Spurs centre-back is a regular target for referees as he was in North London.
Ocampos key for Sevilla
Lopetegui’s Sevilla have been in pursuit of Real Madrid for much of the campaign though a recent loss of form has seen them drop to third.
The La Liga 2022 highlights are sure to feature the Argentina wide-man Lucas Ocampos who made two assists in Sevilla’s 3-2 win away to Levante. He will come up against his countryman Foyth and that will be a fascinating duel.
Lucas Ocampos in action during the La Liga match between Sevilla FC and Granada CF played at Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium
With six goals and four assists from his 27 appearances, Ocampos is Sevilla’s most dangerous attacker. But like Foyth, he needs to tread carefully having already picked up seven yellow cards and committed 43 fouls – a hefty total for a creative wide-man.
Behind Ocampos and on the other flank sits 36-year-old captain wing-back and club legend Jesus Navas, and he too is a strong creative threat with his raids down the wing, making three assists this season.
He has superb crossing ability having played much of his earlier career in a more advanced position, but now he needs to be aware of his position to avoid being caught out in defence.
History
There have been some great tussles between these two sides in recent years, including an all action 2-2 draw in 2020. And over the last 25 years, Los Sevillistas have had the better of the exchanges, winning 24 to Villarreal’s 12 while there have been 13 draws.
Sevilla won the return match 1-0, but in this fixture last season, Villarreal ran out 4-0 winners in a match which put a huge dent in Sevilla’s title hopes as Carlos Bacca scored a hat-trick and Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos was sent off.
Villarreal’s home record of 10 wins, five draws, and two defeats is a good match for Sevilla’s strong away form of six wins, eight draws, and three defeats.
Both teams have won just twice in the last six games. But in the case of Villarreal, that sequence does include two matches against the might of Liverpool.
The pre-match La Liga 2022 odds tell us what a wide open game this is, with the Yellow Submarine favourite at 2.29 while Los Sevilliastas are at 2.97, with the draw slightly further out at SBOTOP odds of 3.11.
I think home advantage gives Villarreal the edge but it will be very tight.
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The 2021/22 campaign has brought us La Liga highlights aplenty but there’s still time for some more with three weeks remaining.
This was clear again over the weekend, particularly from those desperately trying to cling onto their top-flight status.
Granada hit six of the best in the nick of time
When you have won just once in the league since December, then it’s hardly surprising if you are in trouble.
That is the reality facing Granada, surprise Europa League quarter-finalists just over a year ago, but now fighting for their La Liga futures.
The importance of a clash with Real Mallorca then, a point above them and outside the relegation zone, was clear.
What followed was a score the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds didn’t even predict.
After the visitors took an early lead through Luis Suarez, Mallorca responded well and for much of the first half looked the better side, drawing level when Vedat Muriqi laid the ball back for Salva Sevilla to rasp a long-range effort into the corner.
That felt significant at the time. Yet just a minute into the second half Sergio Escudero played a one-two with Antonio Puertas who nipped clear and found the corner of the net.
Granada’s Jorge Molina in action during their match against Mallorca
Less than 10 minutes later, Puertas had one of his own – backheeling a Jorge Molina cross into the net from close range. Again Mallorca mustered a response through a Antonio Raillo header.
If he had set up Puertas’ goal within five minutes of entering the fray, he soon took control of the match.
Picking up the ball in midfield he turned and fired a precise effort along the ground inside the left post to make it 4-2.
He then laid the ball into the path of Myrto Uzuni for number five before Molina twisted, turned and fired in the sixth in the final minute.
He may just have saved the day for his employers.
Not that Cadiz and Levante are finished – far from it, in fact.
Cadiz leave it late
The former gave themselves a renewed chance of survival thanks to a 3-0 win at home to Elche.
Sergio Gonzalez’s side continued their recent run of positive form with a dominant second half display, even though they had to wait until the final 10 minutes to secure a breakthrough.
Elche were forced to play the final 20 minutes with ten men and there was 10 left on the clock when veteran Alvaro Negredo nodded the home side in front from close range.
A defensive blunder gifted Ruben Sobrino a second goal and Anthony Lozano wrapped it up in added time.
That’s after Gonzalo Melero kept his cool to slot home a last-minute penalty to clinch a vital three points.
It was a result which kept alive their faint survival hopes and also damaged Real Sociedad’s top five aspirations.
Veteran David Silva had headed them level after Jorge Miramon edged the hosts in front early in the second period.
Sociedad remain in touch with Real Betis though after they lost to their own last-gasp goal as Barcelona confirmed the runners-up position behind Carlo Ancelotti’s aces, arch rivals Real Madrid.
Xavi seals second spot
Barcelona players gave their Betis counterparts a guard of honour before kick-off following the hosts recent Copa del Rey win over Valencia.
It was an entertaining game with Ronald Araujo’s header tipped onto the bar by Betis keeper Rui Silva, and Betis’ Guido Rodriguez striking the post.
Xavi’s side led when Ansu Fati, just off the bench, shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box – his first La Liga goal since November after a campaign impacted by injury. Former Barca defender Marc Bartra headed Betis level moments later but Jordi Alba volleyed in Dani Alves cross in the fourth minute of stoppage time to seal the points and second place.
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La Liga: Kylian Mbappe is a Step Closer to Achieving His Childhood Dream
It feels like it’s just a matter of time to where La Liga will have a new golden boy for years to come in the form of Kylian Mbappe.
The PSG star, who grew up with the hope of playing for current champions Real Madrid someday, looks to be closing in on his dream transfer with his departure from France looking inevitable now.
Yes, it’s a great time to be a Los Blancos supporter given their stronger La Liga 2022 odds next season in line of this development. However, nothing has been formally agreed or signed yet, so fans and neutrals will all have to wait and see.
As we look ahead this summer, SBOTOP examines and break down the impact of Kylian Mbappe’s imminent move to the Bernabeu.
Those moves signaled change for the capital club, signifying their intent to become an established European powerhouse, to which they did a few years later.
Fast forward to today, Mbappe is at the stage of his career where he aims to prove that he’s the best in the world given his immense talent. This means playing for a club who can win the Champions League, but so far he isn’t there just yet.
He came close when PSG finished as runners-up in 2020 behind Bayern Munich, but were eliminated in the semi-finals by Manchester City a year later. This season, they were knocked out of the Round of 16 by Real Madrid.
Last summer, the Parisiens added Lionel Messi to form a powerful attacking triumvirate with Mbappe and Neymar. However, the general sentiment is that PSG are a squad of individuals rather than a team.
It makes you wonder if you’re in Mbappe’s shoes: Can he win the Champions League anytime soon? Will he win a Ballon d’Or and not get overshadowed by Lionel Messi and Neymar?
Those questions along with his expiring contract may have prompted the 23-year old to ponder about his long-term future.
How will he fit in Madrid?
Real Madrid have been courting Kylian Mbappe for quite some time now. Even with Karim Benzema in the lineup, who remains a constant in the La Liga 2022 highlights reel, Los Blancos are already planning ahead since Benzema isn’t getting any younger.
Mbappe is seen as the heir apparent, and with a proven cast under Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid seems to be the ideal place for him to contend for the biggest trophies every season.
Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema celebrates after advancing to the Champions League final
Picture this if you’re a Real Madrid fan where Marco Asensio and Vinicius Junior are racing down the flanks to tee up Kylian Mbappe inside the box for goals.
Meanwhile, Mbappe can also be effective as a winger where he’ll be the one to feed either Asensio or Vinicius Junior. Or from time to time, Toni Kroos or Luka Modric can dish to him the ball with their exquisite passing and all he needs to do is to get in proper position.
Playing for Real Madrid also means that Mbappe will now have frontline partners who share the same high work rate as he does that is ideal for high pressing when needed. They weren’t able to do that in PSG since Neymar and Lionel Messi aren’t those type of players.
According to reports, Los Blancos went as far as to bid around $225-M last summer despite Mbappe having one more year left on his PSG contract. But PSG rejected any bids, meaning that he can now walk for nothing, opening a golden opportunity for Los Blancos.
Real Madrid presents a new challenge for Kylian Mbappe
He was spotted in Madrid recently alongside PSG teammate and former Real Madrid full-back Achraf Hakimi to try and get a feel on what it’s like to be in Madrid. Naturally, Los Blancos fans gave him a warm reception to make him feel comfortable at his future new home.
Real Madrid have a rich winning tradition fueled by star power – from the likes of Alfredo Di Stefano Ferenc Puskas, Raul, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario and Cristiano Ronaldo – and maybe Kylian Mbappe will join this list soon.
There’s no doubt that Kylian Mbappe has the makings to be Real Madrid’s next superstar for the foreseeable future. But as soon as he joins them this July, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he must prepare himself for the daunting spotlight and the heavy burden of lofty expectations.
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Carlo Ancelotti is, without doubt, one of the best head coaches in European football; so was anyone really surprised when he led Real Madrid to the La Liga title in his first campaign in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu?
He has added the Spanish title to those already won in France, Germany, England and Italy to become the first manager to win all five of Europe’s top leagues, and Ancelotti is one of only three head coaches to win the Champions League three times, twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid. And now he’s on the brink of adding his fourth Champions League when Los Blancos take on Liverpool, having already dispatched Premier League leaders Manchester City.
So he has one more big game to navigate this term, but Ancelotti is already planning for next season, with an eye on a resurgent Barcelona he wants the Madrid club to stay in control. The La Liga 2022 betting odds, for the start of the next campaign, are sure to back the Madrid giants but they cannot afford to stand still.
With 26 goals and 11 assists Karim Benzema has just got better and better, but the boss is determined not to be over reliant on the France star and, having watched Manchester City agree a deal to take Erling Braut Haaland to the Etihad, he is ready to move for another Galactico.
Paris Saint Germain star Kylian Mbappe has long been a fan of Los Blancos and reports in France suggest that Real Madrid are gearing up to announce his move to the Bernabeu as soon as the season comes to a close. PSG have just won the Ligue 1 title for a record equalling tenth time but they were dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in the Round of 16, and it appears that Mbappe knows where he would rather be.
It’s looking increasingly likely that PSG are about to lose their most valuable asset.
Ancelotti has already agreed a deal to bring Chelsea centre back Antonio Rudiger to the Bernabeu on a four year contract worth around 400,000 Euros a week. The German defender has been a mainstay of Chelsea’s success over the last four seasons and has an FA Cup final to look forward to on Saturday but, at 29 years of age, he is ready for a new challenge.
With a Champions League final in view, these are exciting times for Los Blancos fans and Ancelotti is determined for the good years to carry on rolling.
Auba homing in on a record
The transfer of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Arsenal to Barcelona, in the January transfer window raised a few eyebrows in both North London and Catalonia. The Gabon star was suffering his worst campaign as a Gunner, while Barcelona too were having a miserable time in the second half of 2021.
But it has been a match made in heaven.
Auba took a big pay cut to move to the Camp Nou but he is set to be rewarded next season as he turned out to be head coach Xavi’s best move so far.
Barcelona’s Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang celebrates scoring their goal against Celta Vigo
With just two games to play the Barca striker needs just two goals to equal a record, set by Racing Santander hit man Nicola Zigic in 2009, for the most goals scored in the league by a player arriving in January. Auba has bagged 11 in 15 league appearances, the sort of ratio which made him one of the Premier League’s most prolific strikers and Xavi has hailed him a ‘gift fallen from the sky’. Few Blaugrana fans will disagree.
After a poor first half of the campaign the Catalans have had a massive uplift in La Liga 2022 results and they can confirm their second place when they visit Getafe on Sunday. Auba will be on the hunt for goals but the hosts have their own man with an eye for goal, Enes Unal who has scored 15 for the season.
This week’s big games
Elsewhere there are more matters to be settled and Atletico Madrid can nail down their third place when they host fourth placed Sevilla at the Wanda Metropolitano. Los Rojiblancos are at SBOTOP odds of 2.15 to win with Sevilla at 2.91 and the draw at 3.11.
Sevilla are five points clear of Real Betis but Los Verdiblancos could keep their hopes of a top four place alive with a win over 16th placed Granada, who should be safe with a four point cushion, but mathematically can still go down. In 17th Cadiz have a good chance of survival, two points clear of the drop zone, but they host Real Madrid on Sunday. The hosts are at 2.71 to win, remarkably short for a game against the Champions but they may benefit from Real Madrid’s sole purpose; to add the Champions League to their domestic title.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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La Liga: Final Champions League Spots Up For Grabs in the Capital
Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla FC
There’s a La Liga match between third versus fourth on Sunday evening and that will usually mean La Liga 2022 highlights.
As it stands with two games remaining, I’d be staggered if both these clubs aren’t competing in next season’s Champions League.
Atletico have already sealed their place, while Sevilla need a point from their remaining two matches which means they may well have secured their place by 9pm on Sunday.
Third place is up for grabs too which Atletico can seal with victory so both have something to play for.
Talking Points
Diego Simeone reacts during the La Liga match against Elche
Make no mistake, Atletico will be disappointed when they reflect on 2021/22.
Despite strengthening the squad, their title defence was all but over by the halfway point of the campaign and their frustrations have been best highlighted by their two most famous players.
Luis Suarez, seen as a catalyst in last year’s triumph, has been virtually anonymous, while Antoine Griezmann’s return has not had the anticipated effect with just three La Liga goals to his name so far.
The French international opted to return to Atletico on a season-long loan deal from Barcelona at the start of the season after growing disillusioned at the Camp Nou.
Indeed, the 31 year-old faces a crucial decision over his future in the coming weeks but is clear on staying in the Spanish capital.
Although it looked far from certain right up until recently, Atletico have now qualified for the Champions League for the 10th year in a row, an achievement boss Diego Simeone is pleased with.
Simeone’s team have impressed at Wanda Metropolitano this season, picking up 40 points from their 18 matches, but they will be welcoming a Sevilla side that have lost just three times on their travels in the league this term.
Sevilla, meanwhile, missed the chance to secure their spot in the top four by playing out a 0-0 with battling Mallorca on Tuesday night which made it three draws in a row for Julen Lopetegui’s side.
Los Nervionenses are five points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis with two games left, and a point in this match would be enough to secure a top-four spot as they have a superior head-to-head record over their rivals.
For the hosts, Thomas Lemar and João Félix remain injured and Sime Vrsaljko is also a doubt, but Marcos Llorente will be back after suspension.
Anthony Martial came off the bench on Wednesday night after over a month out due to injury.
The on-loan Frenchman potentially could lead the line for goal-shy Sevilla for whom Karim Rekik, Fernando, and Suso remain on the sidelines.
It’s 2008 since Sevilla won at Atletico in La Liga.
They have twice managed victories on Los Rojiblancos turf since though, on both occasions in the Copa del Rey.
The corresponding fixture last term was won by Atletico, thanks to goals from Angel Correa and Saul Niguez.
That was preceded by four straight draws.
Sevilla won the return fixture last April in what appeared at the time would be a damaging defeat as Marcos Acuna scored the only goal.
Atletico would go onto win the title, of course, but they have since been dethroned by Real Madrid.
One of the games when it became clear they were unlikely to retain the title came just before Christmas when Lucas Ocampos grabbed the winner in the closing moments for what turned out to be one of their highlights of the campaign.
With home advantage, the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds favour Atletico. You can back them 1X2 @ 2.31 or Asian Handicap -0.50, also @ 2.31.
Likewise, Sevilla are on offer @ 1X2 @ 3.20 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.00 and 0.00 @ 2.51.
The 1X2 draw will pay out @ 3.10 which I have strongly considered, especially given the fact there is only a point between the two teams.
Another 2-1 Sevilla success is available @ 13.00 with Correct Score, while if Atletico repeat their 2-0 victory from last term, you stand to earn with odds of @ 9.75.
For goals, the options include total goal 0-1 @ 2.51, 2-3 @ 1.93 and 4-6 @ 5.00 but my tip is Over 2.50 goals @ 2.38.
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Barcelona welcome Villarreal to the Camp Nou on Sunday for the final game of the La Liga season. It’s a day of celebration for the Blaugrana while the Yellow Submarine still has work to do to guarantee European football next season.
Real Madrid fans might ask what Barca have to celebrate about as, while Los Blancos sit at the top of La Liga and are in the Champions League final, the Catalans are still in the shadows. But they are about to emerge after a brilliant second half of the campaign following the arrival of head coach Xavi which has produced a second-place finish.
This game brings together two of the best passing sides in the Spanish league and Unai Emery’s visitors are currently in seventh place in the La Liga table and just a point above Athletic Bilbao, who have a tough fixture away to fourth-placed Sevilla.
The pre-matchLa Liga 2022 betting odds back a home win, but only just. It promises to be an entertaining final to the campaign and I expect Xavi’s Barca to finish on a high.
Talking Points
Xavi’s Barca revolution
It isn’t too much to describe Xavi’s influence at the Camp Nou as revolutionary as he picked the club up in its darkest moments for over a decade. The loss of talisman Messi and a poor first half of the 2021/22 campaign gave little hope to the fans, and the departure of head coach and Barca playing legend Ronald Koeman became inevitable.
When the new man arrived, he was another beloved by the fans for his outstanding service on the pitch and he vowed to bring the good times back, though supporters would need to be patient.
But he set to work immediately, making shrewd recruitments in the January transfer window, notably the signing of Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has scored 11 goals from 16 games and taken some of the weight from the shoulders of top scorer Memphis Depay who has 12 goals.
And Ousmane Dembele has raised his game to stratospheric levels since the arrival of Xavi, making 11 assists since February. As well as providing ammunition for the strikers, the energetic Dembele provides cover for full-back Dani Alves and the two players use intricate passing movements down the flank to launch many attacks.
19-year-old wunderkind Ansu Fati entered the La Liga 2022 highlights reel when he scored his first league goal since November in Barca’s 2-1 victory over Real Betis and his return from injury is a real boost.
Xavi has already got the fans excited about the next transfer window with his interest in Bundesliga scoring machine Robert Lewandowski.
Behind the front men, Barca legend Sergio Busquets continues the pull the strings. He has transformed the role of the defencive midfielder in his time at the Camp Nou and is one of the most successful passers in the league.
Things are happening quickly at the Camp Nou under Xavi and the steadying influence of Busquets is priceless.
Emery the tactician
Xavi’s counterpart in Unai Emery is known for his tactical nous, which has made him one of the most successful managers in Europe in recent seasons. The Basque-born boss has won the Europa League four times, three with Sevilla, and last season with the Yellow Submarine.
And this term, Villarreal enjoyed an outstanding Champions League campaign by beating Juventus and Bayern Munich before giving Liverpool an almighty scare in the semi-final.
Villarreal’s Dani Parejo and Francis Coquelin in action vs Liverpool in the Champions League
Only a master tactician can take on the best as Emery does year after year and he will be working hard to spoil Barcelona’s last day celebration.
A win would cement seventh place for Villarreal and Emery will create a defencive block with a packed midfield and hope to penetrate the Barca defence with a killer ball.
Dani Parejo is one of the best passers in La Liga and has made nine assists, while Giovanni Lo Celso is another fantastic ball player. But the Yellow Submarine is without its two top scorers in Arnaut Danjuma with 10 goals and Gerard Moreno with nine because of injuries.
Highly-rated defencive pair Pau Torres and Raul Albiol will need to be at their best to cope with the pace of Dembele and the finishing of Auba, and that promises to be the main battle.
History
Barca have won 29 of the last 47 meetings, drawing 10 and losing eight, and the most recent have gone entirely the way of the Catalans as they have won the last five – scoring 15 goals and conceding four.
In the return match, goals from Frenkie de Jong, Depay, and the departed Philippe Coutinho gave the Blaugrana a 3-1 victory.
Barca have won four, drawn one, and lost one of the last six, while Villarreal have won just one, drawn one, and lost four.
With the draw at SBOTOP odds of 3.49 and an away win at 3.30, there is more than a fighting chance for Villarreal.
But Barca are unbeaten in their last 13 games against Villarreal at the Camp Nou and, with an expectant crowd behind them and a depleted attack facing them, I expect Xavi’s men to finish with a bang.
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When these two clubs reflect on their respective La Liga campaigns, sure there will be disappointments – particularly for Atletico Madrid who were unable to make a serious title defence and were all but out of the running by Christmas.
There will, however, also be La Liga highlights to look back on.
For almost a decade we have almost come to expect too much of Los Rojiblancos as they so often overachieve under the canny stewardship of Diego Simeone. Yet the Argentine has once more guided the second club in the capital back into the lucrative land of the Champions League.
Likewise, Real Sociedad cannot finish lower than sixth this term and will be back in the Europa League next season.
As they prepare to meet on the final weekend of the season, surely both teams would have taken this as some form of success at the beginning of 2021/22?
A Europa League berth was secured last weekend when they beat Villarreal on their own turf.
Trailing at the break, Alexander Isak tapped in at the back post to equalise before Martin Zubimendi was on hand to net the winner after Alexander Sorloth’s effort was smothered.
In truth, goals have been the problem all year for Sociedad and five in the space of two matches turned out to be decisive. They qualify for the Europa League again, which is the prize for their perseverance after things threatened to be derailed.
With both sides now qualified for Europe next term, this could turn out to be a low-key affair in what could well be a farewell for Atletico frontman Luis Suarez after two years with the club.
Luis Suarez applauds the fans during their match against Sevilla
A total of 21 league goals powered Atletico to the league title last year but his reduced role this season has persuaded the board not to offer him an extension.
Changes certainly lie ahead for both clubs this summer but, for now, both can enjoy Sunday and look back on a decent return.
History
Sociedad have had the edge this season.
They drew 2-2 at Atletico earlier this season when goals early in each half from Sorloth and Isak put the visitors in the ascendancy before a Suarez double rescued a point.
Then, in January, Sorloth was on target again, along with Adnan Januzaj, as Sociedad sent Atletico packing from the Copa del Rey at the last 16 stage.
Atletico did win the corresponding fixture last season when second half goals from Mario Hermoso and Marcos Llorente sealed a 2-0 victory.
Until this season, Atletico had won 11 out of their last 16 meetings.
Could the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds be any closer?
Well, not really.
For Sociedad are priced 1X2 @ 2.65 and Atletico 1X2 @ 2.64.
The draw @ 3.20 also represents good value.
As for Asian Handicap odds, among the bets on offer are Sociedad 0.00 @ 1.97, -0.25 @ 2.38, Atletico 0.00 @ 1.97 and -0.25 @ 2.33.
For a repeat of their 2-2 league draw earlier in the campaign, Correct Score will pay out @ 13.00, whereas a repeat of last season’s 2-0 Atletico victory is on offer @ 13.50.
Should Sociedad repeat their 2-0 cup win, then you also stand to earn a pay day of @ 13.50.
As suspected, this could well be a low-key affair, but I don’t think that means it will be a low scoring encounter.
So while I am tempted by Total Goal 0-1 @ 2.99, not to mention 4-6 @ 4.00 and Over 2.50 goals @ 2.13, I am going to plump for a 1X2 Draw @ 3.15 as my *** tip.
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As final days go in La Liga, this was one outcome I was not expecting.
We knew we were all set for a raucous final day battle to survive and, with just a single point separating three clubs vying for safety, it was always likely to be close.
What I did not expect, however, was that the team that started the day top of that pile would slip into the drop zone – especially just after a fortnight after hitting one of their rivals for six.
Yet it is Granada who have slipped out of the Spanish top-flight.
Football Espana’s pre-match description was executed word-perfectly: ‘Arguably no other situation in football can cause a stomach to take on the incredible depths that are inspired by relegation. The prospect of losing a place in the division, especially if it happens suddenly, digs a pit within a fan.’
The cocktail of three simultaneous matches provided a drama which, in equal measures, proved gripping and cruel.
The precipice upon which Granada, Cadiz and Real Mallorca tiptoed was also clear.
Cadiz supporters after a La Liga match against Real Madrid at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla
Win at home against an Espanyol team that was just four points above them and Granada were safe.
The SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds would have backed them too given that Cadiz and Mallorca were both away.
Yet try as they might, Granada could not break though and that point, coupled with away successes for the other two, meant heartbreak – despite a fairly respectable points tally of 38.
Only in 2009 (Real Betis, 42) has a side collected more points this century and still gone down.
As that stalemate was being played out, Anthony Lozano’s 76th-minute goal saw off already relegated Alaves to earn Cadiz a 1-0 victory and safety. That feat was matched by Mallorca, who triumphed at midtable Osasuna, courtesy of second-half goals from Angel Rodriguez and Clement Grenier.
Cadiz’s revival was the most dramatic of the two stories as they entered the final 15 minutes still inside the bottom three in the Basque Country, before Lozano got across his man to poke home the winner.
An incredible finish at the bottom and the Segunda Division awaits Granada next term.
That left the remaining night’s action to focus on the final European place with a straight battle between Villarreal, taking on Barcelona at the Nou Camp, and Athletic Bilbao, on the road at Sevilla.
Midway through the first half and it seemed advantage Bilbao as Yuri Berchiche rifled the ball into the bottom right corner only for VAR to intervene.
Had it stood, it could have applied some pressure on the ‘Yellow Submarine’ but, instead, Alfonso Pedraza gave them the lead just before the break, an advantage doubled by Moi shortly after the restart.
Villarreal had sealed seventh place, a position confirmed when Rafa Mir gave Sevilla a 1-0 victory over Bilbao.
That ensured the Andalusians stayed fourth after second-half goals from Rodrigo de Paul and Ángel Correa earned Atletico Madrid third place with a 2-1 win at Real Sociedad, who will play in the Europa League next term.
After another campaign of La Liga 2022 highlights, the final word should go to the champions Real Madrid, who ended their triumphant league campaign with a draw against Real Betis.
The dust is settling on all of Europe’s big leagues and now for the winners it’s time to look back fondly on a great 10 months, but the losers must wipe away the tears, work out what went wrong and come back stronger.
Believe me, as a Burnley fan I know.
There were highs and lows in La Liga this season as Real Madrid marched to a 35th Spanish title and Barcelona began a revival. But in Andalusia, there was a final day nightmare for Granada as they were relegated against all the odds.
The Highs
Clasico bosses can take a lot of credit
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have endured some turbulent times on and off the pitch over the past few years, but there is an air of calm and confidence at both clubs now following the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti in Madrid and Xavi in Catalonia.
Thereis no denying Ancelotti is one of the greatest managers ever to walk the planet but even he must be delighted by the way his team has performed, fired by the goals of Karim Benzema to the title. And this week, Los Blancos are preparing for a Champions League final date with Liverpool and that is not a game to miss.
Over in Barcelona, the season started terribly with the loss of Lionel Messi and poor results on the pitch, but the return of another playing legend turned things around as former midfielder Xavi arrived to coach the team he loves.
And he’s done a great job. Despite a last day defeat to Villarreal, Barca finished in second place as the January signings of Dani Alves, Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang, and Ferran Torres proved to be crucial.
At one poin,t the La Liga 2022 betting odds brought the Blaugrana into the title race but it turned out to be a step just too far.
Iago Aspas and Raul de Tomas
Celta Vigo and newly promoted Espanyol had comfortable mid-table finishes in 11th and 14th and they each had a talismanic striker to win the big games.
Celta had struggled in the 2019 and 2020 campaigns, finishing 17th both times, but recovered in the 2020/21 campaign to a top half finish and it was the goals of all-time top scorer Iago Aspas which had kept Celta in the top-flight. And the 34 year old was at it again this term, scoring 18 times. He’s been capped 18 times for his country and Celta fans wonder why Aspas hasn’t played for Spain more often.
At 27 years of age, Raul de Tomas is coming into his prime. And after top scoring in Espanyol’s Segunda Division promotion campaign, he impressed again by bagging 17 goals on his return to the top-flight and picking up his first two international caps in the process.
Both Aspas and De Tomas have a rate of 0.52 goals per 90 minutes and one-in-two striker is worth his weight in gold.
And a surprise result
The SBOTOPvote for the result of the season was Barca’s stunning 4-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu in March. Aubameyang scored twice on his Clasico debut while Torres scored one and Ronald Araujo also headed in a cross from the excellent Ousmane Dembele.
With 10 games to play, Xavi refused to rule out a late run for the title. There were some surprising LaLiga 2022 resultsin this campaign, but this was the biggest and the most significant of all as, despite failing to catch Los Blancos, the belief had returned to Barcelona.
The Lows
Granada down and out
Granada’s last day relegation came as a shock to many fans from outside Andalusia as well as Granada’s faithful. The last two seasons had resulted in seventh and ninth-place finishes and a Europa League adventure but this campaign ended in disaster despite the best efforts of a new manager.
Appointed in April, Head coach Aitor Karanka was given six matches to save Granada. He started with a 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid and beat relegation rivals Real Mallorca 6-2 to put Granada in control, and they just needed to win at home to Espanyol on the final day to secure their survival, with the safety net of both Cadiz and Mallorca playing away.
But as Cadiz won away to Alaves and Mallorca recorded back-to-back wins in their triumph over Osasuna, Granada just couldn’t break through the stubborn Espanyol defence and a point wasn’t enough to save them.
Granada join Alaves and Levante in the Segunda Division.
Antoine and Ansu had seasons to forget
Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann celebrates after their La Liga match against Real Madrid
With seven goals at an average of over 300 minutes per strike, Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann laboured throughout the campaign on his return to the Wanda Metropolitano.
Angel Correa top scored for Los Rojiblancos with 13 goals while Luis Suarez had 12. Griezmann’s rate of 0.28 goals per 90 minutes made him the club’s fifth-most productive goal scorer, while only Suarez took more shots and eight players had a better shot accuracy than the Frenchman
Griezmann would not like to be known as a one in four striker.
Over in Barcelona, Ansu Fati was fit for only 45 days of the 2021/22 campaign, suffering a knee niggle in September and then being sidelined with a hamstring injury for almost five months between November and March.
After being hailed as “the new Messi” by desperate Barca fans, there is a huge weight of expectation on the teenager’s shoulders and next season will be crucial.
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La Liga: It’s About Trusting the Process For Xavi’s Barca
Xavi has sparked a turnaround at Camp Nou once again – this time as their manager after being their star midfielder before – and it’ll be interesting to see how high Barcelona can go in La Liga and in Europe next season.
Barcelona were in dire need of a savior, and that’s where Xavi comes in as he eventually led the Blaugrana to second place in the La Liga table after slumping down to as low as around ninth at one point.
Xavi still has his work cut out for him, though, and he knows it. But for the first time in a long while, Barcelona fans now can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Barcelona before Xavi
Prior to Xavi’s arrival, Barcelona have had a revolving door of coaches in these past few seasons due to the instability from the higher ups with the much-maligned Josep Maria Bartomeu still in charge.
Barcelona have had three different coaches in the last three years since the departure of Ernesto Valverde. Valverde, at the time, was one of their most successful managers this decade and his replacements couldn’t replicate his success.
Ronald Koeman was the latest collateral damage under the Bartomeu regime. Barcelona had a decent campaign during the Dutchman’s first season at the helm as their flaws were basically masked by Lionel Messi’s brilliance. But when Messi left town, they have been exposed.
Following their 1-0 defeat by Rayo Vallecano last October which saw themselves slide down to ninth place, Barcelona relieved Koeman of his coaching duties, especially since Joan Laporta – who eventually replaced Bartomeu – already had Xavi in his shortlist prior to the Dutchman’s dismissal.
Prior to taking over Barcelona, Xavi was coaching Al-Sadd and he guided them to winning the Qatari domestic league title. He once turned down the chance to coach Barcelona back in January 2020 after Ernesto Valverde was sacked, but finally he took the job much to the fan’s delight.
Youngsters and cast-offs have gained new lease of life under Xavi
Xavi, a La Masia graduate himself, knows a thing or two about internal development and focusing on the youth and he took that to heart upon moving back to Camp Nou.
He gave Ronald Araujo, Gavi, and Pedri more playing time earlier than expected to hasten their development, while he has restored confidence of the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets, Martin Braithwaite, and Gerard Pique.
Barcelona’s Pierre Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring against Celta Vigo
Alves provided a much-needed veteran presence on the defencive end while Traore and Torres have been great at the wings, and Aubameyang even surpassed his goal total with Arsenal this year in just a span of four months.
Although they weren’t immune to a couple of bad La Liga 2022 results, Xavi’s revival of Barcelona has been nothing short of revolutionary and that means that their SBOTOP La Liga 2022 odds ahead of next season has rose dramatically.
Xavi’s honeymoon period is coming to a close
Barcelona may have ended their 2021/22 campaign on a disappointing note with a 2-0 loss against Villarreal last Sunday, but they can give themselves a pat on the back and it’s only going to get better from here.
Xavi is hell-bent on bringing Barcelona back on top of the food chain. After their final game against Villarreal, the manager made it clear that they’re just getting started.
“Football is over, the competition is over, and I think we have saved a season that could have been catastrophic. The diagnosis is made and things have to be changed. We cannot hide reality. This has to change. And they tell us that it is possible,” said Xavi.
“Like the club, I am a demanding person, we did great things but we did not improve enough. We cannot accept another season without a trophy. We will win titles next season,” he added.
Many from the current squad might leave Camp Nou due to the team’s financial issues, so there’s a chance that we might see a whole new group next season. However, Barcelona have been successful with Xavi before, and there’s no doubt that they will be successful again with him leading the revolution anew.
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La Liga has some of the best strikers in the business.
Karim Benzema is currently, alongside Robert Lewandowski, one of the hottest shots in Europe. The French hitman scored 27 goals in 32 appearances and that’s a rate of one goal every 96 minutes.
Just imagine how many he could score if the La Liga defenders were off their game.
Well, head coaches up and down the country have been working hard to stop the top strikers and there are a number of defenders who rarely, if ever, have an off day.
So let’s have a look at five of the best- the players the goalkeepers love to see lining up in front of them.
Inigo Martinez: Athletic Bilbao
Former Real Sociedad defender Inigo Martinez made the tricky move to rivals Athletic Bilbao three years ago but his all action displays and leadership on the pitch have won the admiration of the Bilbao fans.
At a relatively short height of 5’11”, he is known for his heading ability and Martinez has been compared to Barcelona legend Carles Puyol and Burnley skipper Ben Mee.
His tough tackling and reading of the game make him a born leader and only Real Madrid and Sevilla conceded fewer goals in the 2021/22 campaign. Athletic Bilbao had 13 clean sheets and Martinez is also a threat from set pieces, scoring three goals.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid stormed to the league title thanks to the goals of Benzema and, at the other end of the pitch, the commanding performances of Brazilian centre-back Eder Militao.
Since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu from Porto in 2019 for a reported fee of 50-M Euros, the 24-year-old has made himself a mainstay of the back four. The La Liga 2022 betting oddsalways backed Los Blancos for the title and Militao was one of the main reasons why.
A fast and strong defender at 6’1”, Militao is not a giant but he has a physical advantage over most attackers since he is good in the air and skilful for a centre-back, and he has already picked up 21 caps with Brazil. He’ll be a player to watch at the Qatar World Cup and he’s in action for Real Madrid again very soon.
Los Blancos have a Champions League date with Liverpool on Saturday and, here at SBOTOP, we’ll be reporting on that and keeping a close eye on the battle between Militao and Mohammed Salah.
Jules Kounde: Sevilla
French central defender Jules Kounde is a summer target for Chelsea following the exit of Antonio Rudiger, but Sevilla will be keen to keep the 23-year-old as they embark on another Champions League campaign. A fourth place finish was a good outcome for Los Sevillistas and Kounde played his part.
Alongside Diego Carlos, Kounde makes up a formidable defencive pair. And in Sevilla’s recent clash with Atletico Madrid, he comfortably kept Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez at bay.
He reads the game brilliantly and made a whopping 170 interceptions in his 31 games, but Kounde needs to keep a cool head since he has picked up two red cards during the campaign.
Pau Torres: Villarreal
Villarreal’s Geronimo Rulli and Pau Torres in action against Liverpool’s Sadio Mane
The surprise package of the 2021/22 Champions League were Villarreal, and at the heart of the Yellow Submarine’s defence are skipper Raul Albiol and 25-year-old Pau Torres – who have put in some immense performances.
Torres was imperious as Villarreal beat Juventus and Bayern Munich and gave Liverpool an almighty scare.
The most impressive achievement was keeping Robert Lewandowski and co. at bay in a 1-0 win over Die Bayern at the Estadio de la Ceramica and Torres has become one of the most sought after centre-backs in European football.
He impressed with Spain at Euro 2020 and is sure to add many more to his 17 international caps.
Ronald Araujo: Barcelona
Barcelona’s second-half-of-the-season recovery was widely attributed to the arrival of head coach Xavi and his recruitment of some superb attacking talent in the January transfer window, not to mention the resurgence of wide-man Ousmane Dembele.
While Barca’s La Liga 2022 resultstook an upturn, at the back Xavi just tinkered, bringing in wing-back Dani Alves from Sau Paulo and he was happy to see Ronald Araujo develop at the heart of defence.
While Gerard Pique suffered with injury and Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti struggled for form, Araujo was a model of consistency.
And at 23 years of age, he has an old head on young shoulders. He weighed in the four goals and had one of the highest pass completions in the league at 90-per cent.
For his international team, Araujo is a natural successor to Uruguay legend Diego Godin.
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Blistering runs can get the fans off their feet, and so too can a crunching tackle. But when the ball hits the net, the roof comes off the stadium.
And that’s why the best goalscorers sell the most shirts; they cost the most money and are loved by their club, their team-mates, their head coach, the owners and, of course, the faithful hoards in the stands.
Every club needs a clinical striker. So let’s take a look at five of the best from the 2021/22 La Liga campaign.
Karim Benzema, Real Madrid
This French hitman, at the ripe old age of 34, is just getting better and better.
While the battle for world supremacy between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is all but over, and Mohamed Salah continues to win fans for Liverpool in the Premier League, while Robert Lewandowski re-writes history in Munich, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema is the best of the lot on current form.
Benzema spearheaded the La Liga and Champions League winners’ attack brilliantly this season and led the race for the Golden Boot from the start of the campaign, eventually racking up 27 league goals. But, even more impressively, he was the Champions League top scorer with 15 strikes, two more than Lewandowski and seven more than Salah.
With eight assists, he has helped the young strikers alongside him but with 99 shots in the league season he never stops trying to increase his own tally.
Benzema is the player who has covered the most column inches in the media this season, including here at SBOTOP, and that won’t change until he hangs up his boots.
Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid
The La Liga 2022 betting oddsbacked Los Blancos throughout the campaign and with Benzema and Vinicius leading their attack, the league triumph was never in doubt.
And Benzema’s 21-year-old strike partner hit the winner in Los Blancos’ 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final. While Real were under the cosh for much of the game and keeper and Thibaut Courtois put in a man-of-the-match performance, it was Vinicius who bagged the crucial goal, just before the hour mark, turning in a low cross from the industrious Federico Valverde.
He scored a hat-trick in the recent destruction of Levante, which relegated the Granotes, and with 42 of his 80 shots on target, the young Brazil international has a sharp eye for goal.
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has been frustrated by the club’s failure to land either Erling Braut Haaland or Kylian Mbappe to join his attack, but with Benzema and Vinicius up front, he has time on his side.
Iago Aspas, Celta Vigo
With ten years as a youth player and 12 in the senior squad Iago Aspas is Mr Celta. He’s scored 121 goals in 225 games for his beloved club and he’s been at it again this term.
Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas looks delighted after scoring a goal during La Liga match against Barcelona
He scored Celta’s goal in a recent 3-1 defeat to Barcelona to make it 18 for the campaign and with six assists too, Aspas was La Liga’s second top scorer in the 2021/22 season.
At 34 years of age, he made it a one-two with Benzema at the top of the scorers’ charts and Aspas deserves to be there. Celta have flirted with relegation in recent years and without their talisman’s goals the team would have finished below a comfortable 11th place.
Jose Luis Morales, Levante
34 years seems to be a good age for La Liga strikers as Levante forward Jose Luis Morales has proved as he has bagged 13 goals and made seven assists for his club. But unlike Aspas, he has been unable to save them from the drop. With 32 of his 76 shots on target, Morales is a skilful striker who belongs in the Primera Division.
The 6-0 thumping at the hands of Real Madrid sent Levante through the relegation trapdoor. Two wins in the last two games couldn’t save them and in the end Levante’s La Liga 2022 resultssimply were not good enough, but Morales’ goals were a beacon of hope throughout the campaign.
Joao Felix, Atletico Madrid
As Diego Simeone guided Los Rojiblancos into the Champions League again, one of his young strikers had a breakthrough season as 22-year-old Joao Felix scored eight goals and made four assists in his 24 appearances for Atletico Madrid. It may not seem a prolific return, but one goal involvement in every two games is a good contribution and is will give Joao Felix confidence to grow, following his 127m Euro switch from Benfica in 2019.
The huge price tag has weighed heavily on his shoulders and Joao has been hampered by injury, but he has started to show the fans that they have bought and 2022/23 promises to be an exciting campaign for the Portuguese striker.
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La Liga: Fond Farewells, Big Signings and Squabbles!
La Liga has conquered Europe yet again, as the competition which has provided the Champions League winners for the sixth time in the last decade.
Real Madrid won their 14th European Crown with a 1-0 win over Liverpool in Paris, as Brazilian striker Vincius Junior scored the winner. Los Blancos made it a Premier League treble with their win over Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, having already beaten Chelsea and Manchester City and the celebrations are set to go on for days in Madrid.
But fans at the club will also say goodbye to one of their best players of all time as defender Marcelo announced his departure in the aftermath of the showcase match. He skippered Los Blancos in the Champions League final and the Brazilian star was clearly emotional as he spoke to the mass of media, saying: “I’m leaving Real Madrid; and to leave this club while winning a Champions League and being the most decorated player in the history of the club gives me immense joy. It’s not a sad day, it’s a happy day. I spent many years here, many magical nights at the Bernabeu and obviously this is something that makes me and my family very proud”.
The departure of Marcelo after 15 sparkling years at the club is a big moment for Los Blancos fans; but what a way for the legendary left back to bow out.
Barca close to landing Lewi
Robert Lewandowski in action during Bayern Munich’s match against VfB Stuttgart
What else is happening in theLa Liga 2022 newsthis week?
Well, Barcelona head coach Xavi has continued negotiations to bring Robert Lewandowski to Catalonia and it could be that the move is inching ever closer. The pursuit of Lewandowski is the most important job of the summer for Barca as they try to put together a squad that can challenge for trophies. This has been a season of transition at the club and it has ended with the team in better shape than at the start of the campaign.
But the Catalans remained trophyless and that’s something Xavi is determined to put right. The signing of Lewandowski would show Barca’s rivals they are serious, especially Real Madrid who have just completed the La Liga/Champions League double.
The arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January was a masterstroke on Xavi’s behalf but the signing of the Polish star would eclipse that move. The 33 year old has one year left to run on his FC Bayern contract and, having dominated the Bundesliga for so long, he has stated his ambition to test himself in a different league. The Bavarians would dearly love to keep hold of their star striker but they have already started to plan for his departure, preparing a move for Liverpool’s Senegalese striker Sadio Mane. If that transfer happens it could be a difficult week for the Reds. On the back of losing the Champions League final and the Premier League race, there have been suggestions circulating that Real Madrid might try to lure Mo Salah from Anfield to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Back in Catalonia; if Xavi can pull off this deal to buy Lewandowski in the next few days, the La Liga 2022 betting oddswill take a closer look at the Blaugrana for next season’s title race.
Kylian Mbappe’s decision to stay at Paris Saint-Germain last week sent shock waves around European football, especially in Spain where Real Madrid were furious that they had failed to land the French scoring sensation. Here at SBOTOPwe reported the news and no-one thought that would be the end of the story.
And so it wasn’t, as bosses the Spanish and French leagues have continued to row over the player. Following the Bleus star’s announcement that he was happy to sign a new three year contract at the Parc des Princes, La Liga president Javier Tebas described the development as an insult to the game and La Liga are preparing an attack on PSG’s alleged financial irregularities.
Following Tebas’ comments, the president of the French Professional League, Vincent Labrune, has demanded the Spaniard ‘treats players in our league with respect’ while taking a well aimed swipe at La Liga. He said: “Two of your clubs – Real Madrid and Barcelona – have broken a multitude of records in the past decade. In terms of transfer fees, these two clubs have broken the world record six times. In terms of player salaries, Real Madrid currently has two of the highest-paid players in the world sat on their bench.”
Labrune’s irritation may have something to do with Real Madrid dumping PSG out of the Champions League at the Round of 16 stage. Who knows? But it’s fun watching this squabble!
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Here in La Liga this season, the Belgian has a save ratio of 76-per cent which has only been bettered once within a top-flight season in England or Spain – making him the no-brainer pick as our best goalkeeper.
The Austrian centre-back has held his own at the Bernabeu right away by forming a robust partnership with Eder Militao. His versatility has been instrumental for Los Blancos since he can also play as a full-back or as a defencive midfielder.
Eder Militao (Real Madrid)
Speaking of Militao, the Brazilian has established himself as a cornerstone for Real Madrid for the foreseeable future alongside David Alaba. The 24-year-old has logged 3,033 minutes in La Liga this season, which is 881 more than his first two seasons at the club combined following his arrival from FC Porto.
Militao is not only known for his defence as he’s also an adept distributor with 454 ball carries, which has led to some of their attacking build-ups this season.
Jules Kounde (Sevilla)
Kounde has paired up with Diego Carlos over at Sevilla to form the league’s best backline with only 30 goals conceded in 38 matches this season.
The 23-year-old defender is one of the hottest commodities in the transfer market, which isn’t surprising at all given his current upside.
David Garcia (Osasuna)
Garcia is a key reason why Osasuna have had their best tally in a La Liga campaign since 2011/12 with 54 points – which is good for 10th place at the table.
It’s surprising that he was overlooked in our previous list of top La Liga defenders, but it’s hard to ignore his stats. He has made the third-most clearances (166) and he’s the best in aerial duels with 180 of them won at 75-per cent.
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona)
In a team where most of their key players are 25 and under, Sergio Busquets’ steadiness has been a vital part of Xavi’s Barcelona revolution.
Busquets is a physical presence in midfield and he has proven that he’s still got it despite being on a slump earlier this term as he had the most open play possession regains with 196, with 13 of those leading to a shot on target.
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric lifts the Champions League after winning against Liverpool in the final match
Luka Modric continues to age like fine wine for Los Blancos. He is their oldest player at 36 years old, but he looks and plays like he’s still 26.
While his passing wizardry and ball handling are his main strengths, his durability often goes unnoticed as he’s one of the eight players to log at least 2,000 La Liga minutes this season.
Nabil Fekir (Real Betis)
Real Betis have emerged as one of the top Spanish sides this season – which is further validated by their Copa del Rey triumph last April.
Nabil Fekir is a fixture in the La Liga 2022 highlights reel with 14 goal involvements (six goals and eight assists) and he also attempted the most shots following a ball carry in La Liga this year (46).
Because he’s a threat either as a scorer or as a distributor, the Frenchman is also the most fouled La Liga player this year with 92.
Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
Dembele was once a forgotten man in Catalunya, but he was revitalised by Xavi’s arrival where he appeared in 21 of Barcelona’s 26 matches since then.
In the said stretch, the Frenchman has assisted a league-high of 13 goals, which is a personal best for him after he had 12 during the 2016/17 season at BVB.
Not many people anticipated Vinicius Junior’s explosion this season. This year, he has scored 17 goals in 35 league games, which is more than he scored in his previous three La Liga seasons.
He has great chemistry up front with Karim Benzema as they’ve assisted 11 goals for each other, which is the best of any duo in the competition.
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Lionel Messi recently said that Karim Benzema should be the frontrunner for this year’s Ballon d’Or and we couldn’t agree more.
Karim Benzema led Real Madrid to the title with eye-popping totals of 27 goals and 12 assists. And assuming he stays healthy throughout the summer, the La Liga 2022 odds are backing him to win the Trofeo Pichichi again next season.
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Any piece about La Liga right now should begin and end in exactly the same place – with wide acclaim for the newly-crowned champions.
It was a season in which Real Madrid were well ahead of the chasing pack and had already secured their 35th league title before the month of May began.
That achievement capped a remarkable milestone for Carlo Ancelotti as the Italian became the first manager to capture titles in each of Europe’s top five leagues – England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France.
That title was something this SBOTOP writer predicted last August which was hardly going out on a limb given the guile of Ancelotti was returning to shape the club from the capital going up against a Barcelona in disarray and city rivals Atletico.
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric and Marcelo celebrate with the trophy after winning the Champions League
This from a team which is aging in key areas, was deemed to be “past its best” and lost its two central defencive stalwarts last summer – all true factors but, nevertheless, something Ancelotti was able to overcome.
As the Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson noted last Saturday in Paris: ‘It has not been a normal season for Madrid. They have survived by their nerve, by their capacity to produce moments of brilliance when they have needed them.”
‘The way Thibaut Courtois saved them again and again is in part a measure of his own excellence, but also of the fact that this is not a Madrid that can control games. They have needed Karim Benzema to convert an absurd proportion of his chances, they have needed Luka Modric to conjure magical passes again and again, and they have benefited from Vinícius’ growing danger running in behind the opposing full-back.”
‘Perhaps if you have enough great players still just about firing, that is enough. Modric’s outside of the boot pass to Benzema to equalise against Chelsea at the Bernabeu is the defining moment of their campaign because it required such virtuosity at such a vital time. Stars are ageing and Kylian Mbappé, who had seemed Madrid’s future for so long, will not be arriving any time soon. There is rebuilding to be done, but the essence of Madrid, that sense of belief, remains as strong as ever.”
Those words perfectly summed up a team which displayed a character few possess or can continue to possess over many months when up against it.
A team which are Champions of Europe, Champions of Spain, and Supercopa de Espana champions.
After a season that ended without titles and with the departures of three big names in the form of Zinedine Zidane, Sergio Ramos, and Raphael Varane, Real Madrid faced 2021/22 with uncertainty.
Nine months on, Real have closed the campaign by winning three of the four titles they competed for and still they don’t stand still.
Attention has already turned to the future with Antonio Rudiger officially confirmed as a Real Madrid player yesterday following the end of his Chelsea contract.
The German centre-back has been a pivotal part of Thomas Tuchel’s team ever since he took over at Stamford Bridge.
It has been suggested this is part of Real’s transfer strategy: Experience at zero cost with Rudiger following David Alaba, whose Bayern Munich contract had ended and he went to the Bernabeu.
The speculation will increase in the next few months about more arrivals with Aurelien Tchouameni the latest name bandied about and Real rumoured to be closing in on a deal for the AS Monaco star despite late interest from Paris Saint-Germain.
In the words of midfield maestro, Toni Kroos: “Carlo is an exceptional coach. He is incredibly calm and he transmits that to the team.”
‘You don’t see his calmness often in this business and we act accordingly,’ Alaba added.
True words indeed.
What a season they have had and, mark my words, they will be top of the pile when the La Liga 2022 betting odds for 2022/23 are revealed.
Viva Real!
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Goals are worth gold dust in every major league in the world and La Liga is no exception to the rule. And last season, the top two sides had some strikers who were banging in form.
Karim Benzema top scored in the Spanish league and the Champions League as Real Madrid won a spectacular double while their Clasico rivals looked on with envy.
But there were good signs at the Camp Nou where the arrival of Xavi as head coach prompted a superb second half of the campaign, as new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored 11 goals from 17 appearances to make it into La Liga’s top 11 goal scorers in just half a season.
The La Liga 2022 betting odds will install Los Blancos as favourites for the next campaign, but Barcelona are doing all they can to strengthen in readiness for the new season. If Barca can sign Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, then next season’s Clasico will be a blockbuster for sure.
But while some reports suggest he has agreed terms with the Catalans, the deal is some way from fruition as the Pole’s club seems to be digging its heels in as their star striker still has a year to run on is contract and the Bavarians expect him to see that out.
I’m not sure what an unhappy player would do to the German champions’ morale, particularly their talisman, so I suspect there is a deal to be done and it’s just a matter of being patient.
We’re following this story very closely here at SBOTOP. And when it does reach a climax, the outcome will be the biggest La Liga 2022 newsof the summer if Lewy does arrive in Catalonia.
The Blaugrana eventually climbed to second place under Xavi but still 13 points behind champions Real Madrid so Xavi is keen to strengthen.
And reports have emerged that he is also in talks with Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Angel Di Maria. The 34-year-old’s contract is up at the Parc des Princes and, with proven success in La Liga with Real Madrid, the Argentine would be a shrewd buy for the Blaugrana.
Di Maria made 14 goal contributions in 31 matches for PSG last season but Xavi might face competition from Juventus who are also keen on the versatile winger.
Do Real have faith in Jesus?
Over in Madrid, Los Blancos have missed out on the signing of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe and boss Carlo Ancelotti is also keen to strengthen.
Of course, Los Blancos already have two of the hottest strikers in Spanish football with Benzema and Vinicius Junior paired up front in the 2021/22 campaign. But there may be a chance to strengthen if they can do a deal to bring Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus to the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Brazilian will find his opportunities limited following the arrival of Haaland at the Etihad and his agents are working on an exit with Premier League rivals Arsenal looking to bring the player to north London.
Jesus’ representatives are reported to have offered him to Los Blancos and he could slot in to replace Luka Jovic who looks like he is on the way out. Whether the player would be prepared to battle with Benzema and Vinicius for a place remains to be seen, but it would be a high profile move which might appeal.
As La Liga and Champions League winners, Real Madrid’s squad has a lot to live up to and Jesus might just be the man to help them kick on.
Soler to Atleti?
Atletico Madrid are very interested in Valencia’s Carlos Soler
Valencia’s sought-after creative midfielder Carlos Soler looks set to leave the Mestalla pretty soon and he may well be on his way to Madrid, but not to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Atletico have been in talks with the player who, at the age of 25, has already made 222 appearances for Valencia, scoring 35 goals and making 31 assists.
Los Che are ready to offload their main asset this summer and are asking for 30-M Euros for the Spanish international who has one year left to run on his contract, but Rojiblancos head coach Diego Simeone will hope he can get his man at a cut price.
The money men have work to do but Valencia won’t want to lose their star man for nothing next summer and he has already been linked with both Juventus and Barcelona as well as Los Rojiblancos. Soler will have to make his decision whether he wants to stay in Spain or try his luck in Serie A. If he chooses to stay in La Liga, then that would make Los Rojiblancos favourite to win his services as a move to Barcelona would be contingent on the sale of their midfield star Frenkie de Jong.
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The 22 year-old racked up 50 appearances across all competitions last season, contributing five goals and three assists and has made 11 appearances for France since making his international debut in September.
Real, who had been negotiating with the player since March, got in ahead of the competition. Considered to be one of the game’s most exciting young talents, Tchouameni is now a regular in France’s national team and was part of the starting line-up in last year’s Nations League final against Spain.
Adding to a stellar but ageing Real Madrid midfield led by Luka Modric, 36, Toni Kroos, 32, and Casemiro, 30, it shows how Carlo Ancelotti is already planning for the future and Tchouameni will join up with his fellow France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, 19, who joined Madrid last September from Rennes.
Only Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard and Cristiano Ronaldo have arrived in the Spanish capital with higher transfer fees, but if Tchouameni has half of the success that trio have managed, he will be worth every penny of the 80 million euros fee.
Across the city, one club which has created plenty of La Liga highlights over the past decade and at times upset the Real-Barcelona duopoly, is Atletico Madrid.
Yet it seems the days of big signings for Los Rojiblancos may be over for the moment with the club sporting director this week outlining as such.
Perhaps that means swap agreements are the way forward, as illustrated by talks with Juventus over a possible Moise Kean and Alvaro Morata deal in the months ahead.
If Atletico fail to strengthen, they may even find themselves outside the top three in the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds for next term.
While Real have announced the arrival of a midfielder and have already recruited Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea, it is possible Barcelona could be parting company with one of their own middle men.
After finishing well adrift in the standings last term, Barca could certainly do with strengthening rather than shifting.
They have made a start with Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie from AC Milan both due to arrive on free transfers when their respective contracts expire at the end of June.
The Catalan club is also now being linked with the highly rated Napoli central defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Koulibaly is out of contract in 2023 and, if Napoli cannot convince him to sign a new deal, the Naples club may be forced to sell in order to recoup any money.
Another player linked with Barcelona is midfielder Carlos Soler, although if interested, they may have to act quickly with Atletico and Juventus reported to be entering the race to land the Valencia captain.
Overall, there remains a delicate situation with Barca seemingly needing to reduce their wage bill to make room for the two signings they have already made.
However, a few more recruits could certainly spell out a message that the club is not in the dire straits it was last summer and perhaps show players like Ousmane Dembele, who finished the season with a flourish and has been linked with a move to England, that it may be worth him extending his deal at the Nou Camp.
Karim Benzema showed as much at home and abroad as their rivals looked on with envy.
And to prove the point, there were promising signs at Barcelona too where the arrival of Xavi as head coach prompted a much improved second half of the campaign as new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted 11 goals in 17 appearances – helped by Dembele’s return to form.
Although the massive debt leaves little room for manoeuvre when it comes to signing and register new players, one big name could change the mood music.
Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski is the Bundesliga top scorer with 35 goals scored
If that man happens to be a 33 year-old widely regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation, Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski, then we may even have a title race to savour.
All will be revealed now the transfer season is up and running!
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La Liga: Real Madrid Aren’t Likely to Rest on Their Laurels This Summer
Real Madrid are expected to have a busy transfer window after a solid year on and off the pitch. They have around £350-M available to spend because of the windfall from their wins this season – particularly in La Liga and in the Champions League.
The amazing thing about Los Blancos is that they’ve kept on winning despite being frugal in these past windows. But with a huge target on their backs because they’re backed heavily by the La Liga 2022 odds, now is the time for them to further strengthen.
Los Blancos started briskly by bringing in Aurelien Tchouameni to further bolster their vaunted midfield that already has the likes of Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Fede Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga. And they’ve also brought in centre-back Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea via a free transfer.
For a club like Real Madrid, they always feel that there’s more room for improvement. And today, we’ll examine their biggest transfer needs as of the moment.
Striker/Forward
It’s no secret that Carlo Ancelotti has an aging team at his disposal, so it makes sense for them to add some young blood.
While they’re still benefitting from Karim Benzema’s brilliance up front with 42 goals and 14 assists in all competitions this term, the 34-year-old talisman is slowly approaching the twilight of his decorated career.
Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema on the pitch during La Liga match against Real Betis
Benzema had his share of injuries this season and they looked lost without him on the pitch, so pairing him with another top forward alongside Vinicius Junior should make Los Blancos even stronger.
Also, they’re expected to offload the likes of Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz while Marco Asensio and Gareth Bale are also likely to move elsewhere, with the former gaining interest from several rival clubs.
So Christopher Nkunku would be the most marquee option for Los Blancos given his strong 2021-22 season, amassing 31 goals and 14 assists for RB Leipzig.
He is also French like Benzema and they already know each other. But more importantly, Nkunku is versatile enough to play either as a striker, winger, or an attacking midfielder.
Amine Gouiri is another Frenchman that Real Madrid might consider given his untapped potential. Playing for Nice this season, the 22-year-old had 10 goals and nine assists and he apparently models his game after Karim Benzema.
Goalkeeper
Real Madrid should also try to get a serviceable backup keeper behind Thibaut Courtois, who is currently in his physical prime. The big Belgian just turned 30 last month and he was the main reason why his team won the Champions League final versus Liverpool.
Playing behind him is Andriy Lunin, who is looking to go elsewhere since Courtois is there. The 23-year-old is understandably tired of playing second fiddle to the Belgian shot stopper.
Los Blancos are reportedly offering Lunin a new contract before loaning him out in the transfer window in order for him to get more playing time, while West Ham United and Tottenham are reportedly looking to scoop him up.
According to reports, they’re keeping tabs on David Ospina’s situation since his current contract with Napoli expires at the end of this season. Ancelotti and Ospina have worked together in Naples before, so bringing him over at the Bernabeu gives Courtois a suitable backup.
Ospina has fared decently since joining Napoli from Arsenal in 2019. He has been the Partenopei’s first-choice goalkeeper ever since and he has secured 39 clean sheets in his 103 appearances.
Full-back
Los Blancos are fairly deep in the full-back position. But with Marcelo leaving the club this summer, perhaps they might consider adding another capable body there.
As of now, Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal are their first-choice full-backs while David Alaba and Lucas Vazquez are also options with the arrival of Antonio Rudiger. But other than those five, there’s not much else.
Real Madrid can go young and bring in Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano. The 22-year-old has the tools physically and he played a huge role to their 1-0 wins over Barcelona in October and in April.
Another intriguing option would be Feyenoord’s Tyrell Malacia, who’s also a target for several other clubs in Europe. The Dutchman’s pace as a defender is off the charts and he only commands a market value of €17-M despite his upside.
A big summer awaits for Real Madrid and the rest of La Liga, so continue to tune in here at SBOTOP for the latest La Liga 2022 updates.
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La Liga: Barcelona in the Middle of Manchester Midfielder Merry-Go-Round
Barcelona are having a busy summer transfer window. Aside from their much-publicised pursuit of Robert Lewandowski, they are also dealing with the potential sale of midfielder Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United.
And Barca also appear set to do more business with another Manchester club, Man City, as they apparently have their sights set on bringing Bernardo Silva to La Liga as de Jong’s replacement.
Elsewhere, Antonio Rudiger reveals he signed for Real Madrid amid interest from rivals Barca while young Brazilian superstar Vinicius Jr looks set to sign a new long-term deal for the reigning European champions.
Read on as SBOTOP shares the latest news and updates surrounding the Spanish top flight.
Barcelona brace for new Man United bid for Frenkie de Jong
Manchester United are not giving up their chase for Frenkie de Jong. The Red Devils are reportedly set to submit a new proposal to Barcelona in the coming days after their opening bid of €60 million for the Dutch midfielder was turned down.
According to top football insider Fabrizio Romano, the talks between the two clubs have entered the “key stages” and United have their full focus on signing Frenkie.
Despite the arrival of former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, de Jong publicly stated that Barcelona was his “dream club” and that he preferred to stay.
Nevertheless, United appear determined in their pursuit of de Jong as they look to strengthen their midfield ahead of next season.
Barca eye Man City’s Bernardo Silva as Frenkie replacement
Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva celebrates during a Premier League match
As the de Jong transfer saga continues to develop, Barcelona appear to have an ideal replacement lined up should the Dutchman depart.
Barca are reportedly interested in bringing Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva to the Camp Nou.
Xavi is reportedly a big fan of Silva’s and has the City star at the top of his wish list should they decide to sell de Jong.
When asked about Barca’s interest in Silva, Pep Guardiola replied: “As of today, I think Bernardo will continue at Man City next season – but as I always said, I don’t like to keep players that are unhappy”.
Just last season, Barcelona bought Ferran Torres from Man City in a €55m deal and also signed both Eric Garcia and Sergio Aguero from City on a free transfer.
Rudiger rejected Barcelona for Real Madrid
Antonio Rudiger revealed that Barcelona were interested in signing him on a free transfer. But the German international centre-back rebuffed the Catalans’ offer to sign for rivals Real Madrid.
“Yes, there was interest from Barcelona,” Rudiger said in his introductory news conference. “But I told my brother it was Real or nothing.”
Rudiger said Real initially held talks with him last season and revived them earlier this year.
“The first time there was contact it wasn’t really myself, it was my agent,” Rudiger said. “That was in September last year. The second time, when I spoke directly with Mister Ancelotti, was in April. That was the most important moment. That was when I made my choice.”
Rudiger, 29, will compete with David Alaba, who signed for Real on a free transfer last summer, and Eder Militao for playing time at centre-back this upcoming season.
Vinicius Jr looks set to sign a new deal in the next few days that will keep him with reigning European champions Real Madrid until 2027.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real president Florentino Perez decided to change Real’s offer from a four-year deal to five, and Vinicius accepted.
The 21-year-old Brazilian had a breakout season at the Bernabeu as had 22 goals and 16 assists in all competitions and played a crucial role in Real claiming the La Liga and Champions League double.
Vini’s presence is a big reason why the La Liga 2022 odds have Real as favourites to defend their title next season and will likely be contenders for years to come.
Axel Witsel on his way to Atletico Madrid
In some non-Real Madrid or Barcelona-related La Liga 2022 news, Atletico Madrid are reportedly close to signing Axel Witsel on a free transfer.
Atleti appear to have beat out Olympique Marseille, Fenerbache, and multiple MLS clubs for the Belgian midfielder’s signature.
Witsel will compete with club captain Koke, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Rodrigo De Paul, and Saul Niguez in Atleti’s midfield this upcoming season. The 33-year-old Witsel has spent the past four seasons in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. After suffering a torn Achilles in January 2021, Witsel played 29 games (22 starts) for BVB last season.
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2021/22 was a campaign of two halves in Catalonia. Under Ronald Koeman, Barcelona suffered a poor first half, but when former playing legend Xavi took over as head coach last winter, the Blaugrana immediately regained some pride and confidence.
But winning the La Liga title will take more than a boost in morale and the head coach will be asking the club’s money men to dig deep as the title is his clear priority.
The Brazilian star left the Camp Nou in 2017 after four successful seasons with Barca, winning a Champions League, two La Liga titles, and three Copa del Reys. Of course, he has continued to pick up silverware in Paris, but he might be willing to move back to the more competitive La Liga, according to reports.
Neymar is still contracted to the French club for another three years, but PSG may be willing to offload the 30-year-old with a price of £43-M being discussed. Barcelona is the player’s preferred destination if he does move and, if this deal comes off, it will be the biggestLa Liga 2022 news of the summer so far.
The club continues its efforts to sign Bayern Munich’s wantaway striker Robert Lewandowski, and if the two megastars were to link up at the Camp Nou, that would be a huge boost to the Blaugrana fans.
At the other end of the pitch, Barcelona seem to be making progress in their attempt to sign 23-year-old Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde.
With Gerard Pique now 35, Xavi needs a long-term partner for Ronald Araujo who had an impressive breakthrough season in 2021/22 which made him one of the SBOTOP defenders of the season, and Kounde would be the perfect fit.
Premier League club Chelsea are looking to strengthen in defence too and they will provide competition for Kounde’s signature. But Barcelona believe they have an advantage in the race as club president Joan Laporta has an excellent relationship with Sevilla. Kounde is yet to speak to Chelsea and is reported to be waiting for a deal with the Blaugrana to be settled.
The French defender is valued at around €70-M, which would be a big chunk of Barca’s war chest and they may look to negotiate a player plus cash deal, with wing-back Sergino Dest the likely makeweight as a long-term replacement for Sevilla’s Jesus Navas.
Barca aim to keep hold of their brightest stars
Since the departure of Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona have been looking for a way to replace the great man, which is pretty near impossible. But whisper it quietly, they have potentially another world beater.
Gavi burst on to the Spanish and European scene last season and the two biggest clubs in England have been eager to tempt him to move. Manchester City and Liverpool are both very keen on the young star, but he may be happy to avoid the lure of the Premier League if Barca can extend his current deal which expires in 2023.
Club bosses are working hard on a new agreement and Gavi’s agent Ivan de la Pena has been in constant contact with Barca over the past few days.
Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele kicks in action during a friendly match against the A-League All Stars
And the Catalans have received another boost this week with the news that striker Ousmane Dembele is about to make a U-turn and sign a new deal to stay at the Camp Nou. The English press have linked the France star with Chelsea, but if Dembele agrees to stay with Barca, that would be a double blow to the London giants.
The Spanish press believe the out-of-contract star is now ready to sign the deal which has been on the table for months after improving dramatically under Xavi in the second half of the season. If Barca can keep hold of Gavi and Dembele, then it would be a good week’s work and the 2022/23 La Liga 2022 betting odds will take notice.
Meanwhile, the future of Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong remains in the balance. Manchester United have been in pursuit of the player since the close season began, but there seems to be some way to go before a deal is agreed.
The Catalans have already rejected one bid and the Red Devils must be starting to wonder whether they can get this one over the line as they are unable to offer Champions League football.
De Jong may yet stay at the Camp Nou.
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So, the fixtures are out and La Liga will be bursting back into life before you know it!
Just a month after 2021-22 drew to a close, you can now look ahead to another chapter in the Spanish top flight and plan your viewing, note the key weekends and make predictions based on where and when matters may be decided.
Ok, so we are far from knowing how all 20 clubs will look like next season with the transfer window open until September 1.
But fixture release day is still one that brings excitement as fans think of potential La Liga highlights from their favourites.
For the record, the campaign will begin on August 14 with Barcelona hosting Rayo Vallecano and Spanish and European champions Real Madrid travelling to newly promoted Almeria.
It will then end on June 4 when Carlo Ancelotti’s aces entertain Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona visit Celta Vigo.
Two dates for your diary incidentally – the first El Clasico takes place at the Bernabeu on October 16 with the Nou Camp return in mid-March.
Of course, it’s more than just two teams and, among the other opening day fixtures, 2021 champions Atletico Madrid begin their campaign at Getafe, Sevilla – who sealed the fourth and final Champions League spot – are at Osasuna, while the other promoted teams, Girona and Real Valladolid, travel to Valencia and are at home to Villarreal respectively.
The first game after the World Cup will take place over New Year with several derby fixtures lined up.
Barca will take on neighbours Espanyol, while Villarreal and Valencia face off and Cadiz do battle against Almeria.
Real, meanwhile, will return to action with a visit to Valladolid, while Atletico will mark the start to 2023 with a home encounter with Elche.
Clearly, Real will start as favourites with the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds and, as well as being runaway title winners, saw off the best teams in Europe on their way to a 14th European Cup crown.
What’s more they have already strengthened during the summer transfer window through the acquisition of Aurelien Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger, acquisitions which shows they are not resting on their laurels.
Anotnio Rudiger during the unveiling with Real Madrid
It’s no secret that Ancelotti has an aging team at his disposal, so it makes sense for them to add some young blood and Tchouameni fits the bill.
And while he is now 34 and presumably approaching the twilight of his decorated career, as long as Los Blancos are still benefitting from Karim Benzema’s brilliance up front – 42 goals and 14 assists in all competitions in the season just concluded – they will always have a chance.
The option of making up to five changes will be allowed in all competitions that wish to take advantage with each team permitted to use three substitution windows, plus half-time.
Likewise, when a player prevents a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity for the opposing team by committing a handball offence, he must be sent off, irrespective of where it occurs.
They’re among the tweaks in a league which is proving popular with ESPN bosses in America delighted with how their coverage is being received – it was recently announced some La Liga matches games draw bigger television audiences in the States than baseball.
That billing will surely only increase across the globe with stellar talent set to be joined by even more household names in the next few months, including the possible arrival of a frontman who, along with Benzema, has been the top striker in Europe in recent years.
Barcelona will reportedly offer under €40 million for Robert Lewandowski’s services and are fully aware that negotiating with German champions Bayern Munich isn’t going to be a simple task.
The Bavarians have been clear that they’re going to play hardball but Barcelona hope that they realise getting a deal done before July 12, when Bayern return for pre-season, is in the interest of all parties. Watch this space!
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La Liga: How Will Real Madrid Line Up Against Almeria?
Real Madrid begin their title defence in precisely seven weeks time, and head coach Carlo Ancelotti knows those weeks will pass quickly as he prepares his squad to go again.
The 2021/22 La Liga champions face newly promoted Almeria at the Juegos del Mediterraneo Stadium on the Sunday 14th August and there will be some new faces pushing for a start with fierce competition for places.
The early La Liga 2022 betting odds marginally favour Los Blancos for the title, over a Xavi inspired Barcelona and with Atletico Madrid making up the front three. With the Blaugrana resurgent, Real Madrid need a fast start and this is how I think they might line up, to give themselves the best chance of taking three points from their visit to Andalusia.
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
At 6’7”, Courtois towers above opposition strikers and his aura gives his defencive teammates huge confidence. As the last line of defence, he is among the best in the world and at 30 years of age, he’s in his prime as he showed in a man-of-the-match performance in the Champions League final.
Right wing-back: Lucas Vazquez
If anything, Ancelotti has gaps to fill down the right side of his team and rumours are circulating that he may be looking to raid his former club Chelsea for young England star Reece James. But the Blues don’t need to sell and I expect the experienced Vazquez to start the campaign down that flank.
Centre-back: Eder Militao
Brazilian defender Eder was a standout performer for Los Blancos in the back four last term, and he is fully justifying the fee of €50-M Real paid to Porto three seasons ago. He’s a strong tackler with a good reading of the game and will be hard to displace in the 2022/23 campaign.
Centre-back: Antonio Rudiger
Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger officially signs for Real Madrid
Rudiger’s arrival from Chelsea has been on the cards for months and I expect him to make a start in the opening game on the left side of Eder. The competition will come from versatile Austrian defender David Alaba.
Left wing-back: Ferland Mendy
With the legendary Marcelo now departed the French flying wing-back Mendy should make the left berth his own. He has pace to burn and a dangerous cross which makes him an asset at either end of the pitch.
Defencive midfield: Casemiro
The signing of 22-year-old France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni will give Casemiro some competition but I expect Ancelotti to keep faith with the 30-year-old Brazilian star. With 24 goals in 221 games, Casemiro is entering his 10th campaign with Los Blancos and he will be a great mentor for Tchouameni.
Midfield: Luka Modric
This could be the last season for Real Madrid’s creative midfielder but, at 36 years, the Croat shows no sign of aging. His movement on and off the ball is second to none. He remains a brilliant dribbler with a superb array of passes and shots and Modric is always a joy to watch.
I think the midfield trinity of Toni Kroos, Modric, and Casemiro will see a change on the right side as 23-year-old Federico Valverde has shown enough to oust the experienced Kroos. The Uruguayan’s pace, stamina, and work ethic gives Los Blancos the tempo they need in the tight games.
Right attack: Mo Salah
Here’s the wild card!
The future of Liverpool’s Egyptian talisman has been the subject of wild speculation in the UK and Jurgen Klopp is making little progress in his attempt to persuade him to stay at Anfield. My Manchester United supporting SBOTOP colleague, James, would be happy enough to see the Reds lose their star man.
And at a price of £60-M, Liverpool may well be persuaded to sell, with Real Madrid the most likely destination for Salah. If he doesn’t arrive then Rodrygo deserves to continue.
Centre attack: Karim Benzema
One thing you can pretty much guarantee is that the red hot Benzema will continue to write theLa Liga 2022 newsheadlines with his all action attacking displays and prolific goal scoring antics. He stormed to Golden Boot wins in La Liga and the Champions League last term and is primed to lead the way again this season.
Left attack: Vinicius Junior The young Brazilian striker is one of the stars we expect to shine at the Qatar World Cup in November and he’ll be pushing Benzema all the way in the race for the 2022/23 Golden Boot. At 21 years of age, Vinicius has the potential to be a Galactico for a decade to come and he is an asset Ancelotti is desperate to keep.
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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 29-Jun-2022 at 12:54 PM
When assessing the second club from the Spanish capital, it is hard to be too critical given how they have punched above their weight for a decade under the stewardship of Diego Simeone.
Yes, in recent seasons they have not had the all-round quality of some of their predecessors, but it hasn’t stopped them from holding their own at the top table.
Yet they produced enough La Liga 2022 highlights and know-how to seal third place and a return to the Champions League next season with plenty to spare.
Assessing the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds for next season and you can see Los Rojiblancos are third-favourites, well ahead of the chasing pack, which suggests they are going nowhere.
So, what do they need transfer-wise ahead of next season?
Well not a new goalkeeper, that’s for sure.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone instructs his players from the sideline during La Liga match against Espanyol
Jan Oblak has retained his brilliance, despite saying farewell to defensive teammates such as Diego Godin, Lucas Hernandez and Juanfran Torres in recent years, talents who have not truly been replaced.
Hope springs eternal, though. Reinildo Mandava has impressed since his January arrival from Lille and will surely be better for three and a half months of La Liga under his belt going into next season.
Likewise, left-back Renan Lodi and Geoffrey Kondogbia saw their value increase last term and should be regulars in Simeone’s first-choice starting XI.
Overall, though, the Argentine boss will know his team needs strengthening in most positions, especially given farewells have now been said to midfielder Hector Herrera and veteran striker Luis Suarez who was unable to replicate his first season with the club after leaving Barcelona.
One player strongly linked with a move to Atletico is Hector Bellerin who has just had a season-long loan at Real Betis and the Verdiblancos have now registered their interest in bringing him back to the club on a permanent deal.
Betis remain as Bellerin’s first-choice option, but Arsenal’s demands for a €20 million fee – despite his Gunners contract expiring in 2023 – could give Atletico a key advantage in the race for the 27-year-old defender.
Once Trippier left in January, they seemed to lose some shape which makes the position a priority. One of the more exciting names amongst the numerous amounts that have been linked is RC Lens’ Jonathan Clauss. Now a French international, Clauss confirmed that he was talking to Atletico at the beginning of the month.
Elsewhere, Pablo Sarabia may be on his way back to Spain and Atletico have previously been linked with the wide-man, who enjoyed a fine season for Sporting Lisbon where he was on loan from Paris St Germain.
Perhaps more pertinently, he has become a crucial part of Luis Enrique’s Spain squad in the last two years. Renowned for his crosses, he has also contributed nine goals in his 22 international appearances so would surely fit Simeone’s requirements.
Further forward, with Edinson Cavani needing regular football – and to stay fit – to ensure he is part of Uruguay’s World Cup squad, Atletico could do a lot worse than sign the veteran striker on a short-term deal. He would certainly be an ideal stop-gap replacement for his South American compatriot, Suarez.
Talking of veterans, Angel Di Maria has been rumoured with a return to Spain with Barcelona or Atletico, although whether they would want a former Real Madrid man – someone who secured the man of the match award against them in the 2014 Champions League Final – is unclear.
Among other names reportedly linked with a move to the Metropolitano Stadium are Spurs full-back Emerson Royal, Pablo Maffeo of Mallorca, RB Leipzig star Nordi Mukiele and Udinese defender Nahuel Molina.
The Belgian international has been an important member of Simeone’s squad after coming back from the Chinese team, Dalian FC in 2020.
It’s unlikely he will be allowed to leave but, either way, we will know more once the manager recalls the majority of his squad for training from July 13, ahead of four warm up games.
There’s plenty of work to be done.
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Just two years ago Atleti won the La Liga title, edging out Real Madrid, as Luis Suarez scored the winner in a final day clash against Real Valladolid. But now Suarez is heading for the exit door at the Wanda Metropolitano and he will be a big loss which the club needs to deal with, while the departure of experienced right back Kieran Trippier, five months ago, is the second big area to be addressed.
Both Los Blancos and Barcelona are working to strengthen their teams, as we reported in our recent SBOTOP blog, and Atleti will need to do the same to keep pace with the El Clasico giants.
But the financial situation at the club could be kinder for head coach Diego Simeone.
The current squad at the club is exceeding La Liga limits and while the departure of Suarez will ease the situation slightly, Simeone has work to do to balance the numbers and plug the gaps.
Efforts to offload Alvaro Morata to Juventus and Saul Niguez to Chelsea, where they were on loan last season, have stalled with neither club yet ready to spend the money Atleti are looking for. Suarez’ future looks to be settled though, as the 35 year old Uruguayan is close to a move to River Plate in Argentina.
Any fears that fellow striker Joao Felix may be on his way have been dispelled by the player who, despite interest from Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, has said he’s happy to stay in Madrid. Felix is a guy we can rely on for La Liga 2022 highlights, and he could be set to link up with another young striker if Simeone can bring Sassuolo hitman Gianluca Scamacca to the club, but the Atleti boss does have serious competition.
Juventus have been tracking the striker who, at 6ft 5in tall, is a real handful and has already won seven caps with the Azzurri. The Bianconeri’s interest may cool if they can come to an agreement to sign Morata; the Spaniard has plenty of experience and a good relationship with Juve boss Max Allegri. And Scamacca may be tempted by a move to Atletico where he would be the main man, spearheading the attack with Felix in the Number Ten role or drifting in from the wing.
A replacement for Trippier
Since the departure of England right back Kieran Trippier, Atleti have been unbalanced and haven’t really settled on a replacement within the squad, with Sime Vrsaljko also set to leave with his contract at an end. As things stand Simeone can only plug the gap with a makeshift defender; midfield pair Daniel Wass and Marcos Llorente have both been asked to slot in at times.
The boss is after a high quality right back to complete his first 11, and ideally two to give himself some cover throughout a long and grueling campaign.
Kieran Trippier during Newcastle United’s match against Aston Villa at St. James Park
So who is on Simeone’s list?
Udinese’s Argentine star Nahuel Molina is Simeone’s favourite but, until he can raise some cash, the 20M Euro price tag may be a sticking point. So he is looking elsewhere, predominantly in the Premier League where he is keeping tabs on Wolves right back Nelson Semedo and Tottenham Hotspur’s Emerson Royal. Portuguese star Semedo has La Liga experience, previously with Barcelona, and Atleti were keen to buy him when Wolves swooped in 2020. He’s impressed at the Midlands club but suffered a recurring hamstring injury in the second part of last season and still has work to do to regain match fitness by the start of the campaign.
Third on the list is Celtic full back Josip Juranovic who, at 26 years of age, is the type of player Simeone could happily replace Trippier with. Like the England man, Juranovic isn’t the tallest of defenders but he is strong in the tackle and provides good support for the forwards, with a willingness to raid down the flanks and he has a good delivery.
There is another potential opportunity for Simeone to raid Tottenham as centre back Japhet Tanganga has been out of favour, and then he suffered a knee injury to keep him out of the second half of the campaign. He has played on the right side of Spurs’ three man defence but the 23 year old has also operated at right back where he has arguably had his better games under Antonio Conte. The move might tempt Tanganga who will have limited opportunities at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but he might fit in very nicely at Atletico Madrid.
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La Liga: Barca Juggle the Financial Balls to Break Back into Big Time
As July beckons, La Liga transfer news is intensifying and much of it seems to be centring on Catalonia.
And now, at last, there are appears to have been a breakthrough.
For a club which was in financial disarray less than a year ago and is now still seemingly in a difficult position, it appears one departure from the payroll could get things moving.
After much speculation, it is reported Frenkie de Jong is open to joining Manchester United.
Barcelona reportedly need the transfer fee which would also free up some room with salaries and allow them to go for the signings that their manager, Xavi Hernandez, has asked for.
It has been suggested that, should he stay at Barca, de Jong’s contract would increase next season as he is set to receive around 20 million euros for the deferred payments that he had pending. The club could be keen to avoid that.
It is easy to forget that, last summer, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba all reduced or deferred their salaries in order to help register Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay.
It is also an open secret that Milan midfielder Franck Kessie and Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen will be joining them but, over a month after last season concluded, they have yet to be formally announced. Part of the reason is that Barcelona want to close out its financial year, which ends today (June 30), without adding any expenses.
According to one media outlet, changes are being made to the contracts of both players with ‘small adjustments’ to fit in better with financial fair play and more pertinently, the La Liga salary limit.
And then there’s Robert Lewandowski’s potential move which is already threatening to drag on with the Polish international seemingly keen to join the Catalans, but Bayern Munich not willing to allow him depart.
All in all, nothing seems straightforward nor gives the impression of a club with stability.
Another English club could also help ease the club’s wage structure too with Tottenham close to reaching an agreement for a season-long loan signing of Clement Lenglet.
Barcelona currently have seven centre-backs – Pique, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, Lenglet, Oscar Mingueza, Samuel Umtiti and, to be confirmed, Christensen – and would ideally like to wrap up the deal before next Monday when Lenglet is due to report for training.
In addition, manager Xavi wants Jules Kounde to sign in the summer.
The next few days could be key as it seems players have to leave if summer plans are to really gather pace as the club would like the footballing world to think.
Barcelona can, at least, take heart from the fact other big clubs are struggling.
The side which is third favourites with the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds for next season, Atletico Madrid, have been unable to register their first signing of the summer, Axel Witsel.
Reportedly that is because Los Rojiblancos have exceeded their salary limit by €100 million and so are unable to register the veteran Belgian midfielder, despite him being a free agent after the expiry of his contract with Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.
Antoine Griezmann acknowledges the fans after their Champions League match against Manchester United
Aside from their wage bill, Atletico have already admitted that they need to generate sales of €40m no matter what to be able to reinvest in their playing squad this summer transfer window.
One way to reduce the wage bill could be by parting ways with Antoine Griezmann, currently on loan at the Wanda Metropolitano from Barcelona.
Yet a return to the Nou Camp for a player who has provided so many La Liga 2022 highlights seems out of the question and it has now emerged they have officially asked Barcelona to extend his loan for a second season.
That news will presumably be greeted gleefully in Catalonia as Atletico will now have to purchase Griezmann for a fee at the end of the loan, provided he plays 50% of the matches he was available for over the two seasons.
Although it is a risk to be investing in both the fee and the salary in a 31-year-old, if Diego Simeone can inspire the best version of Griezmann then Atleti will receive a jump in quality.It’s fair to say a big summer awaits them, just as much as Barcelona.
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La Liga: Six of the Best for Spain’s World Cup Campaign
The Qatar World Cup is fast approaching and Spain are one of the fancied teams to go all the way.
A semi-final appearance at Euro 2020 and then a runners-up prize at the 2021 UEFA Nations League are a pretty good indication that this is a nation on the up…in contrast with Italy perhaps. And La Liga is one of the best leagues in the world, boasting the champions of Europe, Real Madrid, and packed to the limit with world-class talent.
Many of the Primera Division players will represent other countries in Qatar, but there have been plenty of homegrown players making the La Liga 2022 news too.
So let’s take a look at six of the La Liga stars who will be wearing the famous red of Spain in Qatar. It’s a relatively inexperienced squad in places, but there is bags of talent in the ranks and one or two old faces which are sure to feature.
Sergio Busquets: Barcelona
Luis Enrique is putting together an exciting young team but can anyone imagine Spain lining up with talismanic skipper Sergio Busquets? The Barcelona man has represented his country 137 times and, at 33 year of age, this might well be his last World Cup. He’s one of the best holding midfielders of all time, protecting his defence and allowing the creative players the space to thrive.
Busquets won a World Cup medal in 2010 at the start of his career. According to the La Liga 2022 betting odds Spain are one of the four favourites, and it would be a fine way to close the curtains on his career to lead La Roja to glory in Qatar.
Koke: Atletico Madrid
Koke is to Los Rojiblancos what Busquets is to the Blaugrana. The midfield ace has been at the Wanda Metropolitano since 2009, making 385 league appearances and scoring 37 goals, while he hasn’t scored for Spain in his 66 international appearances, he has become a key player for La Roja, progressing through the Under 19s and Under 21s to the full team.
He is a brilliant ball player and Koke can play on the left, the right or down the middle, in a more advanced position than Busquets, as a prolific creator of chances for his teammates.
Carlos Soler: Valencia
Carlos Soler scored a hattrick of penalties vs Real Madrid
One of Spain’s new generation, the 25-year-old Soler already has 179 league games under his belt with Valencia and he is one of the most sought-after players in Europe. Barcelona have been tracking him and Los Ches will have a difficult task this summer to keep their main man. An attacking midfielder Soler is a big contributor to Valencia’s goal tally as a scorer and assist maker, and he has scored three goals in nine appearances for La Roja, including a volley after four minutes of his debut against Sweden last September.
Pau Torres: Villarreal
Here at SBOTOP we’ve been watching the progress of Pau Torres and we’re not alone.
He had an exceptional season with Villarreal, starring in the Champions League in victories over Juventus and FC Bayern, and he’s now one of the hottest properties in Europe. Premier League giants Manchester United are weighing up an approach for Torres and if they land the deal, the Red Devils will be getting a player at the peak of his powers.
Torres is one of the most comfortable defenders, on the ball, you are likely to see; he is fierce in the tackle and gets his fair share of goals. He could easily turn out to be one of the stars of the Qatar World Cup.
Manchester United’s David de Gea is Spain’s highest-profile keeper but Athletic Bilbao stopper Unai Simon has staked his claim for the number one spot. He has been the first-choice keeper for Bilbao, over the past three campaigns, and he kept goal for Spain throughout the Euro 2020 campaign, putting in a man-of-the-match performance in the quarter-final victory over Switzerland, which included two penalty saves in the shootout.
Mikel Oyarzabal: Real Sociedad
25-year-old Mikel Oyarzabal, like Soler, has become his club’s talisman at a very young age. He made his debut for Real Sociedad in 2015 and has stayed at the Basque club ever since, racking up 63 goals in 224 league appearances. Oyarzabal can play as an attacking midfielder or a winger and he scored Spain’s goal in the Nations League final, picking up a ball from Busquets before beating the challenge of Dayot Upamecano to give La Roja the lead.
With six goals from 21 caps he has shown he can play at the highest level and Qatar is the perfect stage for Oyarzabal.
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What appears certain is that their ability to compete in the forthcoming season will likely depend on the growth of younger stars with one or two adornments.
He gave Ronald Araujo, Gavi, and Pedri more playing time earlier than expected to hasten their development, while he has restored confidence of the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets, Martin Braithwaite, and Gerard Pique.
It also helped that money was spent in January to bring in reinforcements from young and old in Dani Alves, Adama Traore, Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
What now though?
Let’s focus on Dembele. After five years, a €140-M transfer fee and 149 matches, he is no longer a Barcelona player.
The Frenchman was actually a record signing when he moved to Catalonia from Borussia Dortmund. But overall, his spell has been plagued by injuries and a failure to find a rhythm in the team.
Barcelona manager Xavi during the El Clasico match in La Liga against Real Madrid
Only during his final months at the club with Xavi did he have both his fitness and the trust of the manager.
I say final because, while his contract has run out, it’s not certain he will depart.
Xavi has made it public just how much he wants Dembele to stay, which the Frenchman values.
One suspects both player and manager, let alone fans, are somewhat tired of the soap opera that has grown around his future – the club and the player began talks last year and disagreements have been constant.
With pre-season training starting shortly, Dembele is said to want his future resolved soon. And although had money not been a factor, one suspects he’d have long signed on.
One man who definitely won’t be returning is Traore who is back at parent club Wolves after a mixed loan spell.
Veteran Alves’ contract has expired too and Barcelona have decided not to renew his deal. Likewise, Ferran Jutgla and Philippe Coutinho have left, along with the players whose contracts and loans were up: Traore and Luuk de Jong.
All in all then, following a tricky end to the last campaign, it remains to be seen how and if Barcelona can push ahead in the transfer market despite Xavi requesting a significant overhaul of the squad to increase competition and with the desire to compete for trophies.
However, players such as Clement Lenglet, Riqui Puig, Samuel Umtiti, Martin Braithwaite, and Oscar Mingueza, players who were expected to leave, still remain at the Nou Camp.
As it stands, the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds may make Barcelona as second favourites in next season’s title race but does anyone really think they can sustain a long-term challenge with the current squad?
One man who could help them create La Liga 2022 highlights is Leeds United winger Raphinha, though it seems Barcelona are hanging onto hope of signing the Brazilian by their fingernails.
Chelsea have already agreed a deal with Leeds United with the fee thought to be in the region of €65-M– a figure that all parties are aware that Barcelona cannot meet.
The Catalan club have managed to keep themselves in the fight though with Raphinha reportedly delaying any decision, while his agent Deco – a former Barca player of course – pushes the Yorkshire club hard to accept an offer from his former employers.
Perhaps some good news is just around the corner with the signings of both Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen due to be announced after completing all the required paperwork.
Both players are free agents following the expiry of their contracts with Milan and Chelsea respectively and will bring experience and much-needed energy, strengthening the centre of defence and midfield. It can surely just be the start though for a side which finished 13 points behind Real Madrid last season.
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They are the fans’ favourites at their own clubs, but there’s a breed of striker who delivers season after season, goes under the radar and has opposing fans shaking their heads in disbelief.
La Liga is blessed by some of the finest goal scorers in world football. Currently, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema is the hottest striker in world football, having fired Los Blancos to league and European glory. But take a look at theLa Liga 2022 highlightsand you might well see some players you hadn’t expected. They aren’t all prolific goal scorers but they are feared by defenders for their menace, skills and threat in the final third.
They score spectacular goals, tap ins, bullet headers and the odd fluke, and to their teams these goal scorers are worth their weight in gold. Though one or two of them may be heading for pastures new…
Iago Aspas: Celta Vigo
For much of the season it seemed like Real Madrid youngster Vinicius Junior was set to follow Benzema into second place in the race for the Golden Boot. But a goal in Celta’s 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in May meant Aspas ended up on 18 goals and that took second place and made it 121 from 235 games for the striker since he returned to the club in 2015.
Aspas is a Celta legend, scoring 46 goals in 139 games in his first stint at the club, before he took a couple of seasons, at Liverpool and Sevilla, to work out that home is where the heart is, and he returned to Galicia where he has legendary status.
Now 34, Aspas he is in the twilight of his career but I wouldn’t bet against him being in the top ten strikers again next season.
Enes Unal: Getafe
25-year-old Turkish striker Enes Unal had his best campaign of his career so far, scoring 16 goals. And they were absolutely priceless as they fired Los Azulones to safety, finishing on 39 points and just a single point above relegated Granada. Getafe struggled for goals, managing just 33 for the season so Unal’s contribution was a fraction under 50 per cent.
He stunned Real Madrid with an early goal in January which gave Getafe a 1-0 win and ended Los Blancos 15 match winning run.
A Manchester City academy product, Unal can kick on now and realize his undoubted potential. That may mean a move at some stage and reports have surfaced that he is being closely watched by Liverpool.
Marco Asensio: Real Madrid
Real Madrid won’t offer Marco Asensio a new deal
After eight years as a Real Madrid player Marco Asensio looks like he might be on the way out. With just a year left on his contract the 26-year-old Spaniard has also been linked with a move to Liverpool; but would that be wise for both the player and his current club?
Alongside Benzema and Vinicius, Asensio has terrorized opposing defences with his pace, close control and clever use of the ball. He scored ten goals during the 2021/22 campaign and his 71 per cent shot accuracy was the highest of any player scoring ten or more. While the next few weeks might determine whether or not Asensio is a Los Blancos player next season; he has high hopes of being to be on the plane to Qatar with Spain in November.
The La Liga 2022 betting oddshere atSBOTOPare pointing to a battle royal between Los Blancos, Barcelona and Atleti, and Asesnio is the type of player Real might wish they had, should he walk out through the door. But such are the riches at the Santiago Bernabeu; Asensio might struggle to make the starting line-up when Los Blancos kick off their 2022/23 campaign against newly promoted Almeria.
Jose Luis Morales: Levante transferred to Villarreal
13 goals and seven assists, with an impressive shot accuracy of 59 per cent, meant Morales was comfortably one of the most productive ten forwards in La Liga last term. But his efforts couldn’t save the Los Granotes from relegation as a 19th-placed finish sees them head to the Segunda Division along with Alaves and Granada.
And the club couldn’t expect to keep hold of their prized asset this time after Morales stayed loyal on the last occasion Levante suffered relegation. So he’s moved across the Valencia region to join Unai Emery’s Villarreal in a cut-price deal. Morales can play out on the wing or through the middle and, now 34, he deserves his chance to try his luck at the top end of the league and in the Europa arena.
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Granted, there is still, presumably, much transfer business to accommodate over the next few months, but the release of the kits gives you an indication that players are returning to pre-season training.
Likewise, Christensen has signed a deal until 2026 and is due to be unveiled to Barca fans later this week. The Dane decided against renewing his deal with Chelsea.
There’s no doubt that both are good players, especially on free transfers. Yet a bigger test for the club will surely be to assess who they can attract via transfer fees.
To attract their main targets, they may have to offload Frenkie de Jong and it’s reported while the club and Manchester United have already reached an agreement over a fixed fee of €65 million, the issues lie in how to structure potential add-ons.
Another midfield man, Miralem Pjanic, is due to return from loan but he is also expected to depart the club, with his high salary the only issue for potential suitors.
Indeed, to save some money, it looks like a number of players will say farewell over the next few weeks.
In defence, Samuel Umtiti, Oscar Mingueza and Clement Lenglet are closing in on their respective departures.
The former is heading to Rennes, who are negotiating a formula with Barcelona to avoid covering his entire salary. Meanwhile, Mingueza is in talks with Monza and Lenglet is set to sign for Spurs on a season-long loan deal.
Up front, Robert Lewandowski appears to be Barcelona’s primary target, although German champions Bayern Munich are not willing to let him leave, while Ousmane Dembele is a free agent with the two parties still in talks over a potential contract renewal.
Regardless of what happens, Barcelona still have the talent to create many La Liga 2022 highlights next term.
Yet there is a reason why they are quite a way behind champions Real Madrid in the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds and that is because uncertainty seems to be at their every turn, unlike Real who already secured some eye-catching deals within a few weeks of the last campaign concluding.
Karim Benzema with the Champions League trophy after Real Madrid were crowned winners in May 2022
Aurelien Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger will only enhance the squad Carlo Ancelotti is developing and gets the very best out of with a collective will to win and know-how.
We do know of one departure from the Spanish capital, though, with Luka Jovic on the verge of joining Italian outfit Fiorentina according to reports. Negotiations had initially centred on a loan but Jovic will sign a two-year deal with Viola with the option of two more years.
Across the city, Atletico Madrid are another club which needs to strengthen to be able to push Real closer.
It’s been suggested the 2021 champions could reignite their long-standing interest in Italian international Federico Bernardeschi. He is available as a free agent after being released by Juventus following the expiration of his contract in Turin last month
Despite playing a regular role for the Serie A giants in 2021/22, the club opted against offering the 28-year-old an extension, and he is now looking for a new challenge.
Back to Barca and two other players may well prove the most difficult to attain.
Sevilla have accepted that the Frenchman Jules Kounde will leave the Sanchez-Pizjuan this summer after fighting off rival interest for the past two years. Barca appear to be the frontrunners for his signature but, again, their big issue could be producing the right financial package.
Likewise, English Premier League club Leeds United have also accepted that Brazilian international Raphinha will leave to play at a higher level.
Over the past two seasons, he has become one of the most explosive players in England and, while Arsenal and Chelsea are understood to be pushing hard to sign him, Barcelona are his preferred destination.
What happened to the days when their finances did not cause such a hotch-potch!
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When I was asked to rank my three favourites in next season’s La Liga title race, I didn’t need to study the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds.
What I did do, however, was go back season-by-season as I simply could not remember the last time that a club other than Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Atletico Madrid finished outside of the top three.
And I went back and back until I eventually found the La Liga table from the 2011-12 season.
It was notable because Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid gained 100 points and lost just two league games in the process en route to finishing nine points clear of the summit.
It was also noticeable because Barcelona secured 91 points that campaign, which would have been enough to win all bar one of the titles since, only being defeated three times domestically and, even more staggeringly, finishing 30 points ahead of the team in third.
The team in third place was Valencia and, what will surprise you, is that the side in fourth was Malaga – two points clear of fifth-seeded Atletico Madrid who, granted, had been 10th at the halfway point of the season when Gregorio Manzano was replaced by Diego Simeone.
Since then, the Argentine has never finished outside of the top three, also guiding them to two league titles and two Champions League Finals.
The point I am making, though, is that it is 10 years since Atletico ensured the “big two” became an “established three”.
They will start next season as the team to beat and both Barcelona and Atletico have ground to make up.
In fairness to Atletico, they continue to punch above their weight and it is only because of the success of Simeone that they continue to be mentioned in the conversations.
Belgium’s Axel Witsel celebrates scoring their first goal against Poland in the Nations League
The 33-year-old midfielder, part of Belgium’s so-called golden generation, has been a fixture in international football, earning 124 caps for his country and will improve their midfield.
Alvaro Morata could also be back to lead the line following a spell on loan at Juventus in Italy, despite suggestions he and Simeone have a strained relationship.
Perhaps they have little choice after the club’s sporting director recently warned the days of big signings are over.
It has been suggested this week that Atletico are on the limit when it comes to their accounts as they are struggling to offload expensive wages.
Yet it’s reported the club is now in a very tough financial situation and needs to find €40-M that top-level signings cannot come to Atletico because the wage bill is already suffocating the club with high salaries for players like Jan Oblak, Koke, and Antoine Griezmann – who even took a pay cut to return last year.
Of course, no transfer policy appears quite as disjointed right now as Barcelona whose financial issues have been well documented.
The Dane’s former teammates at Chelsea, Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso, are also said to be interesting Barcelona who could use Frenkie de Jong – strongly linked with Manchester United – in discussions.
Either way, Barca need some bigger names to get their fans believing again.
Yes, the mid-season arrival of Xavi as boss saw them improve and they put together an impressive unbeaten run of 15 games between January and April, including a 4-0 thrashing of Real, but it showed what can be achieved.
So, can they push Real closer next term? Yes.
Do I see them winning the league? Probably not.
My top three will be exactly the same three in exactly the same order as last time.
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Last season the Xavi revolution was clear for all to see as Barcelona had an impressive second half of the 2021/22 La Liga campaign to finish as runners up to Real Madrid.
When the former Blaugrana midfielder arrived as head coach of the Camp Nou he had an immediate impact and made some shrewd January signings which transformed the Catalans. Now he wants to strengthen again and the latest La Liga 2022 betting odds say his team is not at all far behind Real Madrid in the betting markets. But Xavi needs some new blood in and, with just five weeks to go before the new season starts, there is a lot of work to be done on and off the field.
Barca fans have been getting a little anxious but, to be fair to the club, Xavi has already made two decent signings. Midfield star Franck Kessie has arrived from 2022 Scudetto winners AC Milan and Spurs free agent Andreas Christensen has arrived to bolster the defence. Kessie said he was happy to join Barcelona to play under Xavi, who he believes can improve his midfield game, and he has signed a four year contract.
But there hasn’t been any serious movement on the big saga of the summer as FC Bayern star Robert Lewandowski is still in Munich. The Polish striker announced his intention to leave the Bundesliga champions as soon as he emerged from the showers after the last game of the 2021/22 campaign!
But Barca are still restricted by the Primera Division’s Financial Fair Play rules and that means they may not be able to recruit before they sell. President Joan Laporta has insisted Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong is not for sale and the Dutch player wants to stay with the club; but Barca are no where near Bayern’s asking price for Lewandowski and the wait goes on.
Another player in Xavi’s sights is Leeds United wide man Raphinha but before anything happens there it remains to be seen whether Ousmane Dembele stays at the Camp Nou. It looked like the France striker had performed a U-Turn after the club tabled a new contract offer for him but reports in the Spanish media says that he and his agent are still weighing up their options.
And while Christensen is a solid addition, Barcelona have offloaded their centre back Clement Lenglet who has become a Tottenham Hotspur player. It will be interesting to see whether Spurs boss Antonio Conte can get the best out of the France international after securing his services on loan. He was superb at Sevilla but has blown hot and cold with the Blaugrana.
Clement’s departure, and with Gerard Pique not getting any younger, there is another space at centre back to fill and Sevilla’s current defensive star, Jules Kounde, is the player Xavi fancies. The France star wants to come to Barcelona but he too needs to wait.
Bale heads to USA
Gareth Bale joins MLS side Los Angeles FC
During the last couple of seasons this SBOTOP writer has been trying to work out where Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale is off to. Once he had made it clear that he was not happy at the Bernabeu and the Los Blancos fans mirrored his displeasure it looked certain that he was moving to China, before turning up at his old club Spurs. In this close season there were even rumours that he was about to sign for English second tier club Cardiff City but that didn’t come off.
Well the La Liga 2022 news is clearer on Bale’s future for sure. The Wales star has finally landed in the United States of America after signing for California based Los Angeles FC on a one year deal with an option to extend. At 32 years of age the MLS club is getting a player wit plenty left in the tank. His nine year stay at the Santiago Bernabeu hasn’t been the happiest but Bale’s goal conversion rate has been impressive with 81 goals in 176 appearances for Los Blancos.
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti wants to strengthen but, like Xavi, he needs to raise some funds and with Marco Asensio entering the final year of his contract he might be the man to go. Asensio scored 12 goals last term and has been monitored by some of Europe’s top clubs, including Liverpool, but there hasn’t been a solid offer for the 26 year old Spain star as yet. One striker who has already left the building is Luka Jovic who has signed a two year deal with Serie A club Fiorentina. The Serbian hitman hopes to revive his fortunes with La Viola after a wretched time in Madrid where he scored just three goals in 36 appearances.
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La Liga: Barcelona and Real Madrid Aren’t the Only Ones Who Have Been Busy
Besides the Barcelona transfer saga and Real Madrid’s revamp, the other La Liga clubs have been fairly busy too in this transfer window.
2020/21 champions Atletico Madrid are coming off a disappointing campaign as they failed to defend their title. However, Diego Simeone and co. are confident about their La Liga 2022 odds next term but they’ll need a couple of tweaks.
Meanwhile, Sevilla have been active sellers in the market and they’ve yet to get their first marquee signing, while fellow Champions League contenders Real Betis are doing their best to retain their core while searching for some team-friendly deals.
Read on below as we bring to you the latest La Liga 2022 updates.
Several departures have already been finalized as Sime Vrsaljko and Luis Suarez are both expected to play elsewhere in 2022/23, while backup goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte will return to Monaco after riding the bench for much of the 2021/22 season.
Vrsaljko joined Atletico from Sassuolo in 2016 and made 100 appearances over the course of five seasons, but he never quite won the trust of Diego Simeone despite Kieran Trippier’s departure.
Suarez, on the other hand, was the club’s second-leading scorer behind Angel Correa last term. The 35-year-old has scored 34 goals in 83 games for Atleti and reports indicate that he is pondering a move away to Europe to possibly join an MLS team in the US.
Atletico Madrid signed Axel Witsel on a free after four years at Borussia Dortmund, while they’ve also announced the returns of Alvaro Morata and Saul Niguez after being away on loan. They’re hopeful that Morata and Niguez would feel like new signings following their underwhelming stints with Juventus and Chelsea respectively.
Diego Simeone is keen to add young blood into his roster so they went out and got 22-year-old Samuel Lino from Portuguese side Gil Vicente, and they have their eyes on the likes of Udinese’s Nahuel Molina and Mallorca’s Pablo Maffeo.
On paper, Atletico Madrid are considered contenders given their strong roster, so it’s all about finding form and consistency in 2022/23.
Sevilla cannot afford to lose more defenders
Los Palanganas boasted the top defence in La Liga last season as they’ve only conceded 30 goals total and they have Jules Kounde, Diego Carlos, and Ludwig Augustinsson to thank a lot for that.
Sevilla’s Diego Carlos celebrates after scoring a goal during La Liga clash against Granada
However, Sevilla are in danger to lose all three of them in one summer as Carlos and Augustinsson are off to Aston Villa, while Kounde is a highly-coveted and is reportedly close to leaving the club amid interest from Chelsea and Barcelona.
Sevilla are trying to compensate by bringing in Marcao from Galatasaray to replace Diego Carlos, while they’re also keeping tabs on Benoit Badiashile – who is also a young prospect that’s attracting a ton of interest around Europe.
Other than their backline, Julen Lopetegui’s side is also looking to strengthen their midfield, with Giovani Lo Celso as their primary target.
Lo Celso was loaned out by Tottenham last season. And following the arrival of Yves Bissouma at North London, the Argentine may seek a move back to Spain given his limited opportunities.
Sevillla will propose a bid for him but they’ll face resistance against Villarreal, who Lo Celso played for last term via loan.
Last summer, Real Betis were under pressure to offload some of their squad since their revenues were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but their decision to stay put has paid dividends as they managed to win the Copa del Rey title to end their 17-year drought last season.
And after having more spending power because of last season’s success, now’s the time for Los Verdiblancos to further reinforce their lineup.
Real Betis did just that by bringing in Luiz Henrique and Willian Jose on cheap deals from Fluminense and Real Sociedad, while former Lazio centre-back Luiz Felipe was signed via a free transfer.
Moreover, Betis are also linked to Edinson Cavani and Isco, and the club can sign them both without having to pay much since both players are currently free agents.
Other than bringing in new recruits, Real Betis must also prioritise maintaining their core by rewarding them with new deals.
Nabil Fekir, Borja Iglesias, and Alex Moreno have already extended their stay with the club, and the ones who are next in line are Juanmi, William Carvalho, and Marc Bartra.
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Bale Leads List of La Liga’s Most Under-Utilised Stars in 2021-22
Real Madrid successfully reclaimed the La Liga title last season as they were far and away the best team in Spain. And they managed to win without the help of Gareth Bale, who was relegated to Real bench for most of the season despite his massive salary.
Bale leads the list of SBOTOP’s most under-utilised La Liga stars during the 2021-22 season, and read on to learn who else made the cut.
Gareth Bale, Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale was far and away the most under-utilised player in La Liga last season. The Welsh star was the third-highest paid player in Europe behind only Neymar and Lionel Messi, but he made just five La Liga appearances and scored only one goal for Los Blancos in the 2021-22 season. Even fellow Real outcast Isco and the crocked Eden Hazard made well over double-digit appearances.
Bale’s hardly been the most reliable player himself due to his constant injury issues, but he still could have played more than just a handful of games and contributed to Real’s title-winning campaign.
Alas, he clearly wasn’t part of Carlo Ancelotti’s plans. Moreover, his strained relationship with Real and their fans – especially after his infamous flag incident – meant it was just a matter of time before his time in Madrid came to an end.
And it finally did this summer as he made his way to MLS with LAFC. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and get much more playing time in LA than he did with Real last season.
Dani Ceballos, Real Madrid
After spending two years out on loan to Arsenal, Dani Ceballos returned to Real Madrid in 2021 hoping to get more playing time.
But that did not turn out to be the case as Ceballos appeared in just 11 games for Los Blancos, the lowest total in his three actual seasons with the club.
With the holy trinity of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro still going strong, Fede Valverde fully established as an Ancelotti favourite, Eduardo Camavinga set to take on a larger role, and big-money signing Aurelien Tchouameni expected to take up the remaining minutes, there just doesn’t seem to be any space for Ceballos in Real’s midfield.
The talented 25-year-old will most likely have to move away from Madrid in order to get more consistent playing time. But Real’s La Liga 2022 odds to win the title will remain high with or without him.
Clement Lenglet, Barcelona
After being a consistent starter at centre-back in each of his first three seasons at Camp Nou, Lenglet’s role was significantly reduced in 2021-22 as he made just 21 appearances, 14 of which were as a substitute.
Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet waits prior a training session in Munich
Granted, Lenglet was not in the best of form when he did play. But new signing Eric Garcia also had his troubles this past season and was still handed 23 starts – over three times more than Lenglet.
Lenglet has now gone out on loan to Tottenham this summer and could get more playing time in Spurs’ back three system.
Denis Cheryshev, Valencia
Four years ago, Denis Cheryshev was on top of the world. The Russian midfielder was one of the standout stars as he led his country’s unlikely run to the 2018 World Cup quarter-finals. He scored four goals – tied with superstars Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku, and Antoine Griezmann – and was picked as part of the tournament’s All-Star Team.
But fast forward to today and the now-31-year-old Cheryshev is coming off a disappointing campaign with Valencia. He made just 17 appearances (five starts) for Los Che, with no goals and an assist.
Cheryshev’s contract with Valencia expired at the end of the season, and he is now free to sign with any club. At 31, it’s unlikely he can recapture the magic of 2018, but he should still have a bit more to offer if given a chance to play more consistently.
Matheus Cunha, Atletico Madrid
There are a few Atletico Madrid players who could be considered under-utilised, many of them attackers. Midfielders Thomas Lemar and Rodrigo de Paul both came to the side with big price tags and bigger expectations, but have not quite lived up to them.
However, Matheus Cunha might have been the most under-utilised of them all. The 22-year-old Brazilian forward had a fine debut season as he scored six goals and had four assists. He also led the team in both shots and shots on target per 90 minutes.
But despite Cunha’s impressive production, he was limited to just eight starts and 21 substitute appearances as Diego Simeone continued to stick with the big names in Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann even though they were in steady decline. With Suarez’s departure this summer, Cunha should get more minutes and more opportunities to produce plenty of La Liga 2022 highlights at the Wanda Metropolitano.
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It is hardly a massive statement of intent when I tell you that Real Madrid, the champions of Spain and champions of Europe, will once again be the benchmark for all their opponents when the 2022-23 La Liga season kicks off in a month’s time.
After all, they romped to the Spanish title last term and added to it by beating a string of Europe’s best en route to winning a magnificent 14th European Cup.
So, when asked to assess whether Los Blancos will retain their domestic crown, the answer from this SBOTOP observer was an emphatic yes – the La Liga betting odds agree (although arch-rivals Barcelona are not too far behind).
They started briskly in the transfer market last month by bringing in Aurelien Tchouameni to further bolster a vaunted midfield that already has the likes of Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Fede Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga. And they’ve also brought in centre-back Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea via a free transfer.
Antonio Rudiger agreed to join Real Madrid on a four-year deal as a free agent
Incidentally, Rudiger is the 10th German to play for the club and if he is half as successful as the ninth – in nine seasons in the capital Kroos has won 16 titles, including four Champions League titles – his time at the Bernabeu will be a real triumph.
The theory that an excess of players in the dressing room creates unrest and tension could well be right and is something the club is supposedly trying to minimise.
But could that leave them short in certain areas?
Well, Luka Jovic has been sold to Fiorentina, experienced duo Marcelo and Gareth Bale have also moved on and Isco’s future is still undecided, two weeks after his contract expired, although offers have not been lacking and he’s not expected to remain at the club next term.
It has been suggested that talented German Leroy Sane, who has a contract until 2025 at Bayern Munich, has been offered to the club.
Reportedly, during negotiations over Jovic’s departure, an offer was made as the two players share representation, yet it’s unlikely the German champions would be willing to sell such a player when star striker Robert Lewandowski is expected to depart.
Perhaps Ancelotti is not keen because he has a player whom, if injury-free, could end up being like a brand new signing.
The Italian has revealed he is willing to try out playing Eden Hazard as a false no.9 when Karim Benzema needs some rest and the Belgian has returned to the Spanish capital in the best shape he’s been in since joining the club three years ago.
Former Chelsea man Hazard has been slowed down by injuries, but his most recent surgery, which saw a plate removed in his right leg, has seen the discomfort in his ankle disappear.
If those muscular injuries can also be consigned to history, he could well become a regular figure in the starting line-up and be responsible for La Liga highlights.
Along with Benzema, Hazard could also be a valuable role model for the likes of Champions League match-winner Vinicius and Rodrygo, both of whom are currently ahead of him in the pecking order.
The latter is on the verge of signing a new deal, reward for his form which, since April, has been particularly impressive.
In the decisive stretch of the season, he scored seven times and provided three assists in 13 appearances – three of those goals helped his team to that European triumph: the goal that forced extra time in the quarter-final second leg against Chelsea and the injury-time brace that took Real into extra time in the dramatic semi-finals against Manchester City.
The final word, however, should go to the boss. One of the finest managers the game has ever produced and a wily operator still proving his worth after all these years.
If Ancelotti wants a smaller squad, he will get his wish; if he wants a key name, he will be backed to the hilt.
This title race will be a lot closer to last season and we should remember, Real have not retained a La Liga title since 2008, 14 years ago. However, they remain the team to beat.
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Of the three teams newly promoted to the Primera Division of La Liga, Union Deportiva Almeria is the one best placed to put up a good fight in the top-flight.
Each of the promoted teams needs a decent set of La Liga 2022 resultsearly in the campaign to steer clear of the relegation mire. Last season, Espanyol was the club which shone on its return to the elite league, happily sitting in mid table for much of the campaign, and the pre-season La Liga 2022 betting odds reckon Almeria should do okay this time around.
Founded as recently as 1989, the Andalusian club made a rapid rise through the ranks and first appeared in the top division in 2007, managed at the time by current Villarreal boss Unai Emery. They stayed in the top-flight for four seasons and then bounced between Primera and Segunda for a while before exiting the premier league in 2015.
After a seven-year stay in the second tier, quite often in the bottom half, Almeria began to challenge again at the top. And following a fourth place finish in 2021, head coach Rubi led them to the promise land in his first full season in charge with a first place.
And now, the 15,000-seat capacity Estadio de los Jueqos Mediterraneos will once again see the best players in the Spanish league strut their stuff.
Almeria begin their first campaign in the top-flight for seven years with a mouthwatering opening day clash against champions Real Madrid. And while the eyes of the world will be on Los Blancos as they begin their title defence, the Almeria fans will be hoping for an open day upset.
The battle for supremacy at the top of La Liga will be contested once again by the two Madrid clubs and Barcelona, with a chasing pack of teams like Sevilla and Real Sociedad making it a competitive race.
But the rest of the league is made up of teams hoping to extend their stay in the top-flight and hand out the odd bloody nose to the biggest teams.
Almeria’s 25-year-old hitman Umar Sadiq could be a player to watch. He has the ability to hurt any defence, scoring an impressive 38 goals in 76 games since joining the club on a five year contract in 2020, and the Nigerian international looks like he has the pace and ability to step up a league.
Here at SBOTOP, we’ll be reporting back on the first round of fixtures due to start on 12th August and the Almeria vs Real Madrid clash is the one we’re most looking forward to.
Last season, Levante dropped to the second tier after a five-year stay in the top-flight and they were joined by Alaves, who dropped out after six seasons in the elite, while Granada returned to the Segunda Division after a three-year run in the Primera.
Girona defeated Eibar in the playoff semifinal thanks to a 91st-minute winner by their captain and talisman, Cristhian Stuani
Captain and Uruguay international Cristhian Stuani was on target for Girona as they returned to the top-flight after a three-year absence. The former Espanyol star was devastated when Girona were relegated in only their second season in the Primera Division and it has been a long and hard road back.
Stuani was 31 when he arrived at Girona in 2017 and he described it as “love at first sight”. Now 35, he is ready for another shot in the top-flight and, with 101 goals in 163 appearances, the love affair looks set to continue.
Real Valladolid head coach Pacheta swapped one relegated team for another 12 months ago when he resigned as boss of SD Huesca and took over at Valladolid. And he backed the right horse as his new club was promoted while his former employers finished in 13th place. Valladolid finished tied on 81 points with Almeria, and a point clear of third place Eibar.
Skippered by goalkeeper Jordi Masip, there is plenty of experience in the side with 33-year-old Sergio Leon leading the line in attack and former Sevilla star Roque Mesa patrolling the middle of the park.
There is a case to be made for all three of the newly-promoted teams. Valladolid and Girona have more recent experience in the top-flight, but I like the look of Almeria who have the firepower to win games at the very best level.
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La Liga: Stand-off in Catalonia Yet to Reach Conclusion
There’s nearly a month until the new La Liga season gets going.
Interestingly, it may take until then – or even longer – to resolve one issue which is threatening to shape one club’s summer.
That is the stand-off between Barcelona, second favourites for next season’s title with the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds, and their Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong.
The situation develops by the day.
Today, Barca have revealed their squad list for the pre-season tour of the USA, with no shortage of storylines to running parallel to it.
And, despite reports that De Jong may be left out to encourage him to agree a move, the Netherlands man has been included in the party.
Ultimately, management decided he should travel but, if the club’s financial predicament is as accurate as widely reported, surely he will have to be sold.
It is certainly a strategy Barcelona have employed with other senior members of the squad. The likes of Oscar Mingueza, Samuel Umtiti, Martin Braithwaite, Neto and Riqui Puig have all been left out of the travel plans in the hope that they will find moves away from the club in the meantime.
The Brazil winger Raphinha completed his €58 million move from Leeds United on Friday, joining Franck Kessié and Andreas Christensen, who were out of contract at Milan and Chelsea, respectively.
Now it seems the most prolific frontman of all in recent years is set to deliver La Liga highlights in Catalonia.
According to reports, the club has reached an agreement in principle with Bayern Munich to sign striker Robert Lewandowski.
On Saturday, the frontman trained with his Bayern teammates for the final time and was seen chatting with coach Julian Nagelsmann and colleagues before receiving a round of applause.
Having arrived in Munich from Borussia Dortmund in 2014, Lewandowski scored an incredible 238 goals in 253 games. He has won eight league titles and one Champions League trophy at Bayern, as well as setting a Bundesliga scoring record in 2020-21 with 41 goals.
His impending arrival means Xavi now has Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, talented teenager Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha competing for the front positions.
Indeed, it’s been quite a few days for the club with Raphinha supposedly turning down a move to Chelsea, while the prospect of Barcelona was on the table and certainly the legacy of a the Blaugrana’s 21st century success appears to be turning to their benefit.
Several players appear to have turned down more lucrative contracts as a result of their allure and, even with financial problems, Barcelona are able to pursue most of their targets.
Frenkie de Jong has been named in the Barcelona squad heading to the US for their summer tour
Yet the main story goes back to De Jong because, due to the club’s position and with all these incomings, it surely means he has to leave?
It makes you wonder what arch rivals Real Madrid make of it all.
They did their business early with Aurelien Tchouameni brought in to bolster a vaunted midfield and centre-back Antonio Rudiger arriving from Chelsea via a free transfer.
Atop the agenda sits Dani Ceballos. The 25 year-old is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Ancelotti is trying to persuade him to stay with the promise that he will have minutes next season on account of the six competitions that Real will play.
However, Ceballos is trying to force his way into the Spain squad ahead of the World Cup, which he may need a starting role for. He has been linked with a return to hometown club Real Betis.
The sticking point there is that Los Verdiblancos are not willing to spend to bring Ceballos in.
Let’s wait and see.
Either way, it’s a lot less complicated than the situation in Barcelona.
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The Robert Lewandowski transfer saga is finally over. The Polish superstar has completed his long-awaited move to La Liga as Barcelona came to terms on a deal with Bayern Munich.
And it appears Barca’s summer transfer business is still far from over, with Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Sevilla’s Jules Kounde reportedly in their sights.
Meanwhile, the latest Cristiano Ronaldo rumours have him making a return to Madrid, but not with Real. And another veteran Manchester United striker could be on his way to Spain.
Read on below as SBOTOP rounds up the biggest La Liga 2022 news from the last few days.
Robert Lewandowski completes Barcelona move
After a protracted transfer saga, Barcelona have finally landed Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich in a €50 million deal.
The Catalan club will reportedly pay a fixed fee of €45 million and a potential €5 million more in add-ons.
The Polish international has signed a three-year contract with a fourth-year option. He is also reportedly set to earn a 9 million euros per year, which is similar to his salary with Bayern.
The soon-to-be 34-year-old scored an incredible 344 goals in 375 career appearances in his eight years with Bayern, including 50 goals last season.
Lewandowski will lead a star-studded Barca attack that already features former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembele, and Memphis Depay.
Lewandowski is already with Barcelona, who are on their tour of the US in Miami, but he didn’t play in their pre-season match against Inter Miami, which they won 6-0. Barca new boy Raphinha got his first goal for the club, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ansu Fati, and Gavi also got on the scoresheet. Memphis Depay scored a brace to complete the blowout.
Barca set sights on new centre-back
With the deals for Lewandowski and Raphinha all sorted out, Barcelona are now set to turn their attention on strengthening their defence. They have been strongly linked with Chelsea centre-back Cesar Azpilicueta, who only has one year left on his contract.
Barcelona have already signed one Chelsea defender this summer in centre-back Andreas Christensen and have also been linked with left-back Marcos Alonso. The Catalans have apparently had a contract proposal for Azpilicueta since March.
Barca have also been linked with Sevilla’s Jules Kounde, whose arrival could significantly boost their La Liga 2022 odds for the title. Although they face stiff competition from Chelsea, who have long been interested in the 23-year-old Frenchman.
The Blues reportedly had their initial bid of €55 million plus add-ons for Kounde rejected by Sevilla, who are seeking a €65 million fee for their star defender.
Chelsea have already signed Kalidou Koulibaly, but they still need to sign at least one more centre-back after losing Antonio Rudiger, Christensen, and potentially Azpilicueta.
Meanwhile, Memphis Depay – who has fallen lower in the Barca pecking order with Lewandowski’s arrival – could be used by Barcelona as a potential make-weight in a deal for Kounde.
Depay, 28, contributed to 14 goals in 28 LaLiga appearances for Barca last season and could add another attacking option to the Rojiblancos.
Cristiano Ronaldo linked with shock move to Atletico Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo’s uncertain future is once again a massive storyline this summer. The 37-year-old has expressed his desire to leave Manchester United this summer in a bid to play Champions League football, but his options appear limited, with big clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea ruling out a move for the Portuguese superstar.
Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo looks frustrated during Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion
But now, a new team has been linked with a shock move for Ronaldo, and it’s Atletico Madrid, who have been on the receiving end of Ronaldo’s brilliance countless times in the past.
Atletico currently have Alvaro Morata, who played with Ronaldo at Juventus, Joao Felix, who is Ronaldo’s Portuguese international team-mate, Antoine Griezmann, the under-utilised Matheus Cunha, and Angel Correa as options at striker.
Edinson Cavani closing in on Villarreal deal
While Ronaldo’s return to La Liga is looking unlikely, there’s another veteran Manchester United striker who is getting closer to a move to Spain, and it’s Edinson Cavani.
The 35-year-old, who is currently a free agent, is reportedly close to sealing a move to Villarreal, according to Marca.
Cavani spent the last two seasons with Manchester United, scoring 19 goals in 59 appearances. However, he was limited to just 2 goals in 20 appearances last season, in part due to Ronaldo’s arrival at the club.
Cavani would add to Villarreal’s striker options, which currently include Spanish international Gerard Moreno, Arnaut Danjuma, Paco Alcacer, and Samuel Chukwueze.
Takefusa Kubo makes Real switch
Takefusa Kubo is switching from Real to La Real as the Japanese international completed his move to Real Sociedad.
The 21-year-old did not make a single appearance for Real Madrid’s first team as he was sent on loan to Mallorca, Villarreal, and Getafe over the last three years. He spent last season with Mallorca, where he scored a goal in 28 La Liga appearances.
Kubo will play alongside David Silva, Mikel Merino, and Martin Zubimendi in the La Real midfield.
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La Liga: Sleeper Picks For the 2022/23 Golden Boot
La Liga has always been the home of some of the finest goalscorers in the world, so football fans are understandably excited to see them all back in action soon.
Since he remains in top form, the Real Madrid talisman is being backed once again by the La Liga 2022 odds for the said award, but he’ll certainly face some stiff competition given the abundance of talent in the Spanish top-flight.
With so many to choose from, join us today as SBOTOP picks out the potential winners who you wouldn’t necessarily pick as the favourites but have the capability to do so.
Juanmi
Juanmi’s €8-M transfer back in 2019 is suddenly looking like a huge bargain for Real Betis as he finally realised his potential in 2021/22.
After an injury-riddled stretch in his first two years with Los Verdiblancos, he surprised everyone last season when he notched 20 goals across all competitions, with 16 of them in La Liga – good for fifth in the Golden Boot race.
The 29-year-old forward has formed a fruitful partnership with Borja Iglesias, Nabil Fekir, and Sergio Canales and was a key reason why Real Betis won their first Copa del Rey since 2005 and why they’re returning to the Europa League next term with their fifth place finish.
There’s higher expectations for Real Betis next season and they can only go to as far Juanmi takes them, but he should be a contender in the Golden Boot race nonetheless if he stays healthy.
Angel Correa
Atletico Madrid’s Angel Correa celebrates scoring their first goal against Villarreal at Estadio de la Ceramica in January 2022
Angel Correa topping Atletico Madrid’s scoring charts last season is not by coincidence since he has improved tremendously in these past few seasons.
Before recording 12 goals and five assists last term (good for ninth in the La Liga Golden Boot race), the Argentine forward hasn’t always featured in the starting lineup under Diego Simeone.
Atletico Madrid have a bevy of top strikers. But with Luis Suarez, Joao Felix, and Antoine Griezmann held out from time to time, that gave Correa the opportunity to shine up front.
Although they were unsuccessful in their title defence last season, Atletico Madrid’s foreseeable future is in good hands with Angel Correa.
Vinicius Junior
While Karim Benzema gets majority of the plaudits after a world-class campaign last term, let’s not forget his partner up front.
Like Benzema, Vinicius Junior was also a vital cog for Los Blancos as he scored 17 goals and 10 assists in La Liga – which is good for third in the Golden Boot rankings.
The Brazilian winger was also the reason why they’ve won the Champions League final against Liverpool since he scored the only goal of the match during the 59th minute when he chipped the ball past Allisson.
Vinicius Junior is only 21 years old and he still has a long career ahead of him. He just signed a new extension with the club until 2026 with a mammoth €1-B release clause inserted into his contract.
Inaki Williams may not be as prolific as the other guys in this list, but his durability might just help him make a strong case for the Pichichi next term. Last season, he notched eight goals and five assists for Athletic Bilbao.
The 28-year-old forward was dubbed as the iron man of football since he hasn’t missed a single match for six years and counting. And their new head coach, former Barcelona mentor Ernesto Valverde, has high expectations for him come August.
In their club friendly last night, he scored against VfL Bochum en route to a 4-1 victory which should give him more confidence.
Besides Athletic Bilbao, Williams is expected to star for Ghana in the upcoming World Cup this November after switching nationalities.
Robert Lewandowski
It’s hard to believe that we’re considering Robert Lewandowski a sleeper candidate for the La Liga Golden Boot award for 2022/23.
Lewa will lead a star-studded Barcelona attack that already features Ferran Torres, Ousmane Dembele, Memphis Depay, Ansu Fati, and former BVB teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Yes, he’ll be turning 34 years old this August, but Lewandowski is still very much capable of producing La Liga 2022 highlights and he’ll show what Bayern Munich are going to miss next season.
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La Liga: Raphinha Stuns Los Blancos in Pre-season El Clasico
Barcelona picked up a huge pre-La Liga boost with a hard-fought win over arch-rivals Real Madrid on their tour of the USA.
The 1-0 victory in Las Vegas came courtesy of Barcelona new wide man Raphinha who beat Thibaut Courtois with a beauty worthy of settling any game. The former Leeds United star unleashed an unstoppable shot from outside the penalty area into the top corner… and it’s a sign of things to come.
We’re going to see plenty of La Liga 2022 highlights from the Brazilian wizard and Real Madrid have already had a warning about what he can do.
The clash was billed as a friendly but El Clasicos just aren’t like that, whenever and wherever they are played. There were plenty of tasty tackles, particularly from the Blaugrana who won the battle of strength as well as skill. It was a good night all round for the Barca fans who also saw an impressive 45 minutes from another of their summer recruits. The Catalans saw off a challenge from Chelsea for the signature of Robert Lewandowski and the former Bayern striker looked as sharp as ever, though he didn’t get on the scoresheet.
A nil for Lewy is a collector’s item and I don’t think we’ll see too many more of those over the next nine months.
On the back of a 6-0 thrashing of Inter Miami, in which Raphinha scored once and had two assists, this was another great result and head coach Xavi was delighted, saying: “The first half was brilliant.”
Barcelona Robert Lewandowski during training session
The La Liga 2022 betting odds here at SBOTOP have now pitched the El Clasico giants as joint-favourites at odds of 2.05 to win the 2022/23 title with Atletico Madrid at 6.00 and Sevilla at a price of 22.00. On the evidence of this game the Catalans have a real chance of lifting the trophy again.
The addition of Lewandowski and Raphinha to an attack which already boasts Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang is a mouth-watering prospect but Los Blancos are not so confident in that department.
With no Karim Benzema, Real Madrid didn’t register a single shot on target. Federico Valverde coming closest when he crashed a rocket of a shot against the upright in the first half.
Rudiger’s sticky start
At the other end of the pitch we haven’t yet seen the best of Carlo Ancelotti’s team either. Real Madrid’s new centre-back signing Antonio Rudiger has had an interesting first few weeks at the club. He had a torrid time of it in a dual with Barca’s Ronald Araujo, who beat him for pace hands down, and he didn’t look his usually composed self against Barcelona’s livewire attack.
The former Chelsea man had already put a mark on one of his team-mates in training…a day before El Clasico!
In the middle of a quick passing exercise Rudiger stretched for the ball and totally wiped out another former Blue, Eden Hazard. His team-mates’ reaction was one of shock while Hazard rolled around in pain and Rudiger looked sheepish.
Los Blancos open their 2022/23 campaign with a match against new boys Almeria who know to expect more than just fast-flowing and clever football, the Madrid giants now have a brutal side too.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona’s defence the veteran centre-back Gerard Pique made an appearance after returning from injury but Xavi is looking to strengthen in that area too. After beating Chelsea to the signature of Lewandowksi, and then Raphinha, they are going head to head again with the London club, chasing a deal to sign Sevilla defender Jules Kounde. Chelsea thought they had the signing all but confirmed with a £55m bid apparently accepted but it looks like Barca may be about to sneak in.
Thomas Tuchel must be sick of the Blaugrana after reports emerged on Sunday that the French international has decided to reject Chelsea’s offer in favour of a move to the Camp Nou. This comes on the back of the Blues losing another centre back Andreas Christensen who joined Barca in the summer and the Chelsea boss has been irritated by noise in the media that his defender Cesar Azpilicueta may be open to a move to Barcelona too.
Tuchel is not in the best of moods after watching his side get hammered by Arsenal in a pre-season friendly where his team looked short in defence and attack. But that won’t worry Xavi one bit because it looks like his preparations at Barca are going just fine. Ancelotti, on the other hand, has some thinking to do.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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La Liga: Atletico Madrid May Have to Temper Their Expectations Next Season
As Real Madrid and Barcelona retooled their rosters this transfer window, these two El Clasico giants are likely to dominate La Liga once again, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the pack.
This means that teams like Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are going to have a harder time in contending for the domestic trophy, and the fact that some of their key players have departed this summer doesn’t help their La Liga 2022 odds.
Without further ado, we’re listing all clubs – including Atleti and Sevilla – who might disappoint their supporters if higher expectations are placed upon them next season.
Atletico Madrid
Atleti weren’t able to repeat last campaign because they were inconsistent all season long. Los Rojiblancos are primarily known for their stifling defence, but that wasn’t the case in 2021/22 as they’ve surrendered 43 goals last season – which was 18 more than their most recent title-winning year.
Centre-back Jose Maria Gimenez was too often missing in action last term, missing 13 matches through injury to make it 62 total across the last four seasons. The Uruguayan was once dubbed as the successor to former club icon Diego Godin for good reason, so his absence was surely felt at the back.
Los Rojiblancos are hoping that the 27-year-old will stay healthy this time, although they’d be better off if they bolster their defencive depth rather than hoping for the best.
So far, Atletico Madrid have done little to address such need since they only have the additions of Axel Witsel and Samuel Lino to show for it, and they’ve also lost some depth up front with the departures of Hector Herrera and Luis Suarez – who was their second leading scorer last campaign behind Angel Correa.
Diego Simeone and co. should still be able to secure a Champions League spot, but their ceiling is a third place finish as previously mentioned here at SBOTOP.
Sevilla are in a similar situation with Atletico Madrid and finishing in the top four is no longer a guarantee, with the likes of Real Betis, Real Sociedad, and Villarreal lurking.
The 23-year-old centre-back is inching closer to a move to Barcelona, who are in a tug-of-war with Chelsea. Sevilla fans would understandably prefer to see him move to Stamford Bridge rather than to their rivals over at Camp Nou.
Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui coaches from the sidelines during one of their La Liga matches last season
Los Palanganas had Giovani Lo Celso as one of their primary targets to strengthen their midfield, but it’s highly unlikely that they’ll get him since Villarreal are pushing hard to retain the Argentine in their ranks.
Julen Lopetegui’s group can compete for a Champions League spot, but there’s a bigger chance that they’ll drop back to the Europa League at the end of next season.
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano raised eyebrows when they finished 12th in their first season back in La Liga. In fact, at one point, they were hovering around the 8th to the 10th spots and were in contention for a Europa Conference League berth.
But it’s unlikely that they’ll finish at the same place or higher this upcoming season since their roster hasn’t changed much, although they should be able to maintain their top-flight status.
Sergi Guardiola – who was their top scorer with eight goals – is about to return to Real Valladolid after the end of his loan, which is going to be a huge blow for them. Rayo Vallecano are reportedly looking to replace him with Diego Costa, but the former Chelsea star is approaching the twilight of his career.
And since they have one of the lowest budgets in the league, Rayo Vallecano can’t do much in this summer transfer window that would’ve reinforced their lineup.
Celta Vigo
Los Celestes’ attacking firepower is going to be a big question mark next season. While they still have Iago Aspas, who was their top scorer last term with 18 goals plus six assists, the 35-year-old can’t do it alone especially in a demanding tournament here in La Liga.
Santi Mina was their second-best scorer last season with seven goals and three assists, but his future with the club looks uncertain after being found guilty of sexual abuse earlier this year, although he was eventually cleared for some reason.
Still, him making it to the La Liga 2022 news for the wrong reasons casts a dark cloud over Galicia, which doesn’t help in their bid for a top half spot.
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La Liga: Big Two in Battle for Spanish Bragging Rights
It would be manifestly unfair to say that La Liga is all about two clubs.
For that would dismiss some of the magnificent achievements of recent years, such as Atletico’s double title triumphs of 2014 and 2021, Sevilla’s ‘super six’ Europa League successes and the way in which a number of smaller clubs have consistently defied the La Liga 2022 betting odds.
Yet for the purposes of this article, this SBOTOP observer is going to focus on the two big guns who almost everyone thinks about when it comes to Spanish football.
Right now, one of them is walking the walk, the other is talking the talk – mainly from one man in fact – although some think that may be about to change.
But despite claims to that effect, and results like the other night, I would be reluctant to read too much info one-sided friendly encounters. In fact, I would recommend against it.
Los Blancos did their business swiftly and early on, bringing in Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni, while Barcelona’s summer continues to be a drawn-out drama full of sagas.
Call it arrogance or confidence, Barca certainly seem ready to mount a challenge this time though, taking significant steps to strengthen their squad, after finishing a distant second to Real last season (13 points adrift) and going out of the Champions League at the group stage.
They have signed Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and young Pablo Torre for a combined £91.6 million, brought in Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessié on free transfers, and continue to pursue players.
Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski controls the ball against Juventus during a club friendly match
Attack seems to be their biggest strength with new signings Raphinha and Lewandowski further increasing competition for places and Memphis Depay’s starting spot now under threat.
Indeed, don’t be surprised if Juventus come in with an offer for the Dutch star.
He could be just one departure from the Nou Camp in the coming weeks as part of a squad overhaul in Catalonia.
So, is the financial position as bad as initially thought?
Well, the news that the club has sold another 15% of its La Liga television rights to a US investment firm to release finances will strengthen their hand in the transfer market.
When Barcelona confirmed that deal they said it would generate a total capital gain of €267m (£227m) for this season and that Sixth Street would initially invest €207.5m.
Perhaps that is why the club appears to have everything ready for the arrival of French centre-back Jules Kounde. Barca have been competing with Chelsea for the Sevilla defender who would cost about £55m.
In fact, earlier this week they even gave fans the option to buy the club’s shirt, marked with Kounde on the back.
Former Man Utd captain Gary Neville has made his stance clear: ‘De Jong should consider legal action v Barcelona and all players should be behind him! A club spending fortunes on new players whilst not paying the ones they have under contract their full money is immoral and a breach. @FIFPRO should be all over bullying like this and stop it.’
Neville is correct, of course, and I expect the situation to be resolved over the next week.
So, what appears to be a straight fight between two teams is ready to go.
Expect plenty of fiery moments in the El Clasico clashes, expect plenty of La Liga 2022 highlights and expect a title race this time rather than a one-way procession.
Above all though, let us finish with the words of ‘wise owl’ Ancelotti who believes the squad he has at his disposal now is superior to the one that won La Liga and the Champions League last campaign.
In a change to the Los Galacticos era, he and Real appear confident in their strategy of waiting for value rather than rushing to make a statement signing.
Building on what they already have, that is why they start as favourites once again for me.
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La Liga’s big three have been busy in pre-season, on and off the pitch, with transfer business continuing at pace and warm-up matches going to plan.
Real Madrid and Atletico both had friendly wins over European heavyweights over the weekend, while rumours have emerged that Barcelona may be preparing a move to bring former talisman Lionel Messi back to the Camp Nou.
Following the arrival of Robert Lewandowski in Catalonia, an agreement with Messi, possibly for the 2023/24 campaign, would be the biggest La Liga 2022 news of the summer and it will be fascinating to see if that story has legs. In the meantime the Madrid clubs continue their preparation for the 2022/23 campaign and the signs are good on both sides of the city.
Los Blancos see off the Old Lady
The La Liga 2022 betting odds here at SBOTOP have pitched Real Madrid and Barcelona as joint-favourites for the title and Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti has been pleased with his team’s gradual progress in pre-season. They lost the El Clasico match to a Raphinha goal and then drew with Club America, but on Saturday, Madrid beat Serie A giants Juventus with a clinical display at both ends of the pitch.
Main man Karim Benzema gave Ancelotti’s side an early lead at the Rose Bowl in California, converting a 19th-minute penalty with his customary ruthlessness, before Marco Asensio doubled the lead midway through the second half.
Los Blancos dominated for long periods and were only threatened when Leonardo Bonucci’s free-kick hit the crossbar, and the boss was happy with his day’s work, saying: We’ve finished this first stage of the season well with a good performance, showing improvement on the previous game. The team is used to playing with the guys who have played in the past. We’ve trained well and we’ve got minutes in the players’ legs, it’s all gone really well.”
The next big test for Real Madrid; it’s the European Super Cup clash with Europa League winner Eintracht Frankfurt.
Meanwhile, third favorites for the 2022/23 La Liga title, Atletico Madrid, put in a superb Diego Simeone-style performance to beat Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United in Oslo. Los Rojiblancos soaked up a lot of pressure and then hit the Red Devils with a sucker punch, seven minutes from time as second-half substitute Joao Felix drilled home a low drive.
One interesting subplot was that Cristiano Ronaldo was absent after being linked with a move to Atletico Madrid in the media. Simeone insists his business for the summer is complete and the array of talent he brought on in the second half against Manchester United, including Felix, Koke, Rodrigo de Paul and Antoine Griezmann shows he already has some real depth in his squad.
Ronaldo is due to play in the Red Devils’ Sunday clash against Rayo Vallecano.
Barca’s squad chaos continues…
Lionel Messi playing for Paris Saint-Germain against Nantes
The financial situation at the Camp Nou is complex, to say the least, with the incoming of Lewy from Bayern, the never-ending saga of Frenkie de Jong’s future, another marquee signing in Raphinha and the constant need to balance the books.
So, wait for it…news from the Barca camp has emerged that Barca head coach Xavi would dearly love to bring his former team-mate Messi back to the club. Word is it that Xavi is seriously considering a move for the Argentine star in 2023 when his contract expires, but that has set pulses racing in the French capital.
Officials at Paris Saint-Germain have contacted Messi to try to extend his contract at the Parc des Princes. They know that the spat between Kylian Mbappe and Messi’s mate Neymar has increased tension, and that could make their position more difficult.
Back in Barcelona two exits are looking likely from the Camp Nou, the first being striker Martin Braithwaite who looks like he may be on the way to Saudi Arabia. The Danish international preferred to stay near Madrid with a move to Rayo Vallecano or Getafe mooted, but a chance to play in Saudi might turn his head.
22-year-old midfielder Riqui Puig has failed to nail down a place in the Barca team and was not on the pre-season tour. There were suggestions that he might be sold, but the latest thinking at Barca is to loan him out and see how he develops.
And then there is De Jong.
The Dutch midfielder got his first start for the Blaugrana on their pre-season tour of America, in a 2-0 victory over New York Red Bulls. Manchester United have agreed to pay 75m Euros for De Jong but he is still not keen to go to Old Trafford, preferring to stay and fight for his place in Catalonia.
It may be that he wants repayment of the 17m Euros owed in deferred wages, and Barca need him to go so that they can register new players; but they have so far offered just half of the owed money.
It’s a weird situation for sure!
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Barcelona have had an absolutely bonkers summer transfer window as they’ve signed several big-name stars despite their ongoing financial difficulties. As we speak, they are closing in on another signing with Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso likely on his way to the Camp Nou.
However, Barca face a race to register all of their new stars before the start of the new La Liga season next weekend. Meanwhile, they are also busy trying to unload a few more players, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being linked with a return to London.
Read on below as SBOTOP shares the latest La Liga 2022 news a week before the start of the new season.
Barca yet to register new stars with La Liga
Barcelona begin their new La Liga campaign on Aug. 13 as they host Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou. However, it remains to be seen whether Xavi will have all of the club’s new summer signings available for the season opener as they remain unregistered with La Liga.
Barca bought Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde for over €150 million this summer. Meanwhile, Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie have arrived on free transfers.
Furthermore, Ousmane Dembele and Sergi Roberto signed new contracts with the club and must be registered again for them to be able to play in La Liga.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has already sold off significant portions of the club’s domestic television rights as well as their in-house production company to fund their summer transfer business.
But La Liga have told them they will need to pull the fourth of these so-called ‘financial levers’ if they want to have everyone available for the season opener.
Barca close to Marcos Alonso deal
Despite Barcelona’s inability to register their newly signed players, they are still keen on adding another member to their squad, with Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso reportedly close to joining.
If he completes his move, Alonso would be the fourth player with Chelsea ties to join Barca this summer. Christensen joined on a free transfer, while Barca pipped the Blues for both Raphinha and Kounde. But Cesar Azpilicueta, who was also strongly linked with a move to the Camp Nou, opted to sign a new contract with Chelsea.
Alonso has spent the last six seasons with Chelsea, providing 25 goals and 15 assists in 154 Premier League appearances for the Blues. He will likely be the primary backup to 33-year-old Jordi Alba at left-back.
Aubameyang set to join Barca exodus?
Barcelona’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang controls the ball during their pre-season friendly against Juventus at the Cotton Bowl
While the list of incoming Barca players is already long and seemingly growing, their outgoings are starting to catch up.
Last week defender Oscar Mingueza was sold to Celta Vigo on a €3 million deal. Backup goalkeeper Neto looks set to join Premier League side Bournemouth, former highly rated prospect Riqui Puig has left for Los Angeles Galaxy on a free transfer, and the Frenkie de Jong saga remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s time at Camp Nou could be short-lived. The 33-year-old just joined Barca last January from Arsenal, but he could be coming back to the Premier League as he’s been linked with a move to Chelsea.
Aubameyang, who scored 11 goals in 17 La Liga appearances for Barca last season, previously worked with current Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund.
Aside from Aubameyang, Memphis Depay could also be headed out of the Camp Nou. The Dutchman is reportedly seeking a deal to terminate his contract and become a free agent.
Sevilla looking to strengthen
While Barcelona are busy sorting out their transfer business, Sevilla are also trying to strengthen their La Liga 2022 odds of winning the title ahead of the season opener.
The Rojiblancos just sealed a loan deal for Manchester United left-back Alex Telles. The 29-year-old Brazilian will compete with Argentine Marcos Acuna for the starting spot in defence.
Sevilla are also being touted as a potential landing spot for Lazio playmaker Luis Alberto.
Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri admitted Luis Alberto is keen on a move to Spain, but while the two clubs are negotiating, it remains to be seen whether the 29-year-old will leave Lazio this summer.
Luis Alberto has spent the last six seasons with Lazio after moving from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna. He has been one of the Biancocelesti’s most important players during that time, providing 36 goals and 47 assists in 174 Serie A appearances.
Gattuso confirms Goncalo Guedes Valencia exit
New Valencia coach Gennaro Gattuso has confirmed that Goncalo Guedes is set to leave the club this summer.
Gattuso claims Valencia have received a huge proposal for the Portuguese forward, who will not be called up for the club’s upcoming game against Girona.
Leeds United have been linked with Guedes, but sporting director Victor Orta has denounced these rumours as ‘clickbait’.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United, and Arsenal have also been touted as potential Guedes landing spots.
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The summer of transfer madness continues at the Camp Nou with just three days to go before the new La Liga campaign begins.
The action starts when Sevilla visit Osasuna for the curtain-raiser on Friday night, and Barcelona get their season underway 24 hours later at home to Rayo Vallecano. But while the Blaugrana work on the training pitch to get ready for action, the chaos continues in the boardroom and among the club’s accountants.
The latest La Liga 2022 betting odds here at SBOTOPshowed Barca closing in on Real Madrid following the signings of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha and a pre-season El Clasico win.
But the off-field drama won’t be helping Xavi to prepare his team.
Barcelona can still not register their summer signings after the league refused the club permission to use its own funds to inflate asset sales they have used to balance the books. Now, the Catalans are planning to sell 25-per cent of their media production company Barca Studios so that it can register Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, and co. in time for the clash with Rayo Vallecano.
As well as selling non-playing assets, Barcelona have flung the exit door wide open in the hope they can push a few of their big earners through, notably Frenkie de Jong. The club is putting pressure on the Dutchman by threatening to annul his contract, claiming that there was criminality relating to the terms agreed by the previous board.
It’s all turning into a soap opera and experienced centre-back Gerard Pique has added more pressure to de Jong after he took a huge paycut to help the club. But the midfielder, wanted by Manchester United and now watched by Chelsea, is holding out for full repayment of wages deferred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The previous board led by Josep Bartomeu insist they did nothing wrong in the deal and the sorry situation looks likely to rumble on.
Barcelona’s Memphis Depay in action during their El Clasico friendly against Real Madrid at Allegiant Stadium
Barca are looking elsewhere to move some high earners on and the club has announced it is prepared to sell one of last season’s top scorers in either Memphis Depay or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who arrived in the January transfer window.
I suspect it is more likely that Depay will be the man to go as former Arsenal player Aubameyang was sensational during Barca’s second half of the season revival and Xavi will be keen to see him link up with Lewandowski and Raphinha.
Depay’s No. 9 shirt has already been handed to Lewandowski, a heavy hint to this Dutchman where he stands in the pecking order.
Barcelona need to move some players on to bring new faces in and one Blaugrana imminently on his way is 20-year-old midfielder Nico Gonzalez, who the club have agreed to loan to Valencia.
Gonzalez is a player who can make some special La Liga 2022 highlightsand Los Che will be delighted to get him on board.
At the start of the campaign, it looked like he was in Xavi’s plans after he burst onto the scene in the 2021/22 campaign. He’s been heavily involved in pre-season and is one of the most talented midfield players to emerge in La Liga in recent years, but Xavi now feels the time is right to give him some loan experience and he is likely to get a full season under his belt at the Mestalla.
It’s a deal which works well for Valencia head boss Gennaro Gattuso who has recently admitted the club’s pursuit of Juventus star Arthur Melo is as good as over. It hasn’t worked out for Arthur at Juventus and the Turin giants are keen to offload the Brazilian but Valencia can’t afford his wages and so the deal has collapsed.
Arthur’s big salary means it’s been difficult for the Old Lady to move him on, not a problem excusive to I Bianconeri as we know. But the fat salary has put off potential suitors and the Serie A club has received precious few enquiries.
Gattuso, who has just signed a two-year deal to manage Valencia, knows he is expected to improve on last season’s ninth place finish. But he has to spend wisely, saying: “He has a salary that is absolutely out of our reach. We can not afford it. This is the truth.”
Arthur is blocking a space in the Old Lady’s squad but his recent form has been distinctly underwhelming and Gattuso might well have got a much better deal with the loan of the young Barca player.
Valencia open their season on Sunday with a home game against Girona. The Mestalla Stadium will be bouncing as ever, full of anticipation, and they may get to see a new star in Gonzalez.
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La Liga: Catalonia Chaos Threatens to Disrupt Barca Opener
Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano
La Liga is back and with it a meeting between the club responsible for the biggest soap opera this summer and the club whose achievements in the first half of last term were as special as anything across Europe.
They have signed Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde and young Pablo Torre for more than £140 million, brought in Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessié on free transfers, and continue to pursue players.
In the away corner is Rayo Vallecano who began last season as the newly promoted club which had finished in sixth place in the Spanish Second Division and ended the campaign in a respectable midtable,
In between all that, however, they took Spanish football by storm.
Indeed, at the back end of 2021 the side held a one point lead over then defending champions Atletico Madrid and were two points clear of the mighty Barca, including a famous win over the Catalonians courtesy of a Radamel Falcao strike – one they repeated at the Nou Camp in April through Alvaro Garcia’s early goal.
Lightning surely can’t strike twice though, can it?
Talking Points
Radamel Falcao in action playing for Rayo Vallecano
Well, let’s stay with Vallecano for a moment because, while it won’t happen in time for this weekend, they could soon have an exciting front line with Falcao partnered by another experienced marksman in Diego Costa.
How they would love to welcome back a former favourite for it was Costa won over the Rayo fans, after netting 10 goals in 16 games during a six month loan move, to save them from top-flight relegation in 2012.
Rayo have been locked in talks with the 33 year-old and his representatives, over a one-year deal back in Vallecas, with a €1m annual salary.
We wait and see.
The club has already made a few acquisitions this summer such as a season long-loan move for Alaves defender Florian Lejeune and midfielder Salvi Sanchez, a stalwart from Cadiz.
Of course, most of the attention not just in Spain but across Europe has involved Barcelona and that remains the same on the eve of football’s return.
As it stands, they still cannot register their summer signings. All teams in La Liga need to comply with the league’s financial fair play rules, especially around salary caps, before they are allowed to register players for competition.
La Liga rejected an attempt to use the club’s own funds to inflate the value of two of the asset sales they had resorted to balance the books and strengthen their team.
The intention now is to turn to a fourth source of extraordinary income with the sale of a further 25% of their content production company, Barça Studios, for an estimated €100m in the hope that it will allow them to include their new arrivals against Vallecano.
What’s more, the club has reportedly told Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, wanted by both Manchester United and Chelsea, that they want to annul his existing contract and return to the terms he had before – claiming the terms given to him by the club’s previous board contained certain irregularities.
It is a mess borne out of the pandemic and massive salaries. Put simply: the wage bill is out of control.
What happens between now and Saturday now is unclear.
Barcelona have the players to create plenty of La Liga highlights this season but whether they can play them remains to be seen.
It is a situation which could go right up until the first whistle is sounded in the Nou Camp in less than 48 hours time.
History
Vallecano’s memorable victories last season were the only time they had avoided defeat against Barca since 2002 and ended a run of 13 successive Barcelona victories.
Overall, Barca have 24 league wins with eight draws and six Vallecano victories.
Given the run I’ve just mentioned, no wonder the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds back Barca. Even given the uncertainty surrounding the club at the moment, as well as the spirit of the visitors, I’m plumping for a winning start to the new campaign for Xavi’s team.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
= €10 (CONFIDENT)
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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La Liga: Atletico Can Win Their First Madrid Derby
Getafe vs Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid launch their 2022/23 La Liga title campaign with a trip to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Sunday to face Quique’s Getafe.
It’s a Madrid derby in which Los Rojiblancos are strong favourites. Los Azulones finished 15th in La Liga last term and are likely to hover between halfway and the drop zone again this season, but that will not stop a capacity 17,000 crowd from giving Atleti a hostile welcome and their own team a boost.
Diego Simeone will have his team primed for a tough opening and they come into the game in good shape.
While the La Liga 2022 betting odds reckon this season’s title race will be fought out between Real Madrid and Barcelona, the Atleti fans will be determined their team can gatecrash the El Clasico party.
And they have plenty of reason to be optimistic after watching their side reel off four successive victories in pre-season, including a classic Diego Simeone performance in 1-0 win over Manchester United and a 4-0 drubbing of Juventus in their last outing.
Alvaro Morata scored a hat-trick in the victory over I Bianconeri and the 29-year-old has made a good case for a starting place.
Atleti’s performance against the Italian giants was pretty much faultless as they conceded the majority of possession but won the shot count by 10 to four and seven to one on target.
Simeone can be pleased with his pre-campaign work.
One player we expect to produce plenty of La Liga 2022 highlights is Portuguese forward Joao Felix. Since his big money transfer from Benfica, he has struggled to reach his full potential. But last season was his best so far and, if he stays fit, this could be his year.
And when you look at their star-studded team, including Felix, Morata, Koke, Rodrigo De Paul, Renan Lodi, and Jose Gimenez, you can see why they don’t think the need the 37-year-old former Real star.
Getafe still need to strengthen
Goalkeeper Kiko Casilla during his time with Premier League club Leeds United
While Atleti have been firing on all cylinders in pre-season, we can almost say the opposite for Getafe who, following a 2-1 win over Championship club Preston North End, have played out two draws and suffered three defeats without really facing a big name club. They did suffer a morale-sapping defeat to fierce local rivals Leganes, who currently ply their trade in the Segunda Division.
Former Leeds United keeper Kiko Casilla has returned to Spain and signed for Getafe. The 35-year-old spent last season on loan at Elche where he made 16 appearances, and he will add a lot of experience to the squad.
And Los Azulones have made permanent the signing of striker Borja Mayoral to play alongside the dangerous Enes Unal. Quique may be set to raid Real Madrid again, with his eyes on 22-year-old midfield star Antonio Blanco.
History
Pre-season form certainly favours Diego Simeone’s men and there isn’t a lot of comfort for Getafe fans in terms of head-to-head meetings. Los Rojiblancos have won 26 of the 39 meetings since 2001, drawing nine and conceding just four losses to Getafe.
Last season, Atleti did the double, winning 4-3 at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in February after eking out a 2-1 win on Getafe’s home turf earlier in the campaign. The underdogs were kicking themselves after throwing away a 1-0 lead, gifted to them by Atleti keeper Jan Oblak late in the game.
It all seemed to be plain sailing. But when midfield enforcer Carles Alena was sent off on 74 minutes, the balance of the game changed and Luis Suarez made the hosts pay.
The Uruguayan hit man levelled the scores on 78 minutes before snatching an injury-time winner to break the home fans hearts, while Atletico continued their unbeaten start to the 2021/22 campaign.
The pre-match SBOTOP odds are pointing to an away win and I have faith in Los Rojiblancos to get off to a winning start. But Getafe fans will rightly have high hopes of their own side to earn a result.
At odds of 3-01 to draw and 4.07 to win, it would not be a shock of major proportions for Getafe to spoil Atleti’s opener, and home fans might fancy an option of either the double chance, Getafe Draw at 1.76 or Getafe +0.50 at a price of 1.96.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
= €10 (CONFIDENT)
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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Real Madrid kick off the defence of their 2022 La Liga title with a visit to newly- promoted Almeria in a match to set the pulses racing at the Estadio del Mediterraneo.
The Andalusian hosts will come into the game full of hope and expectation after storming to the 2021/22 Segunda Division title and Almeria boss Rubi will have his team primed to take on the best.
And who better than Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, who simply obliterated the opposition in Spain’s top-flight last season to win a record 35th La Liga title, leaving runners up Barcelona 13 points in their wake.
Los Blancos expect the Blaugrana to put up a much better fight under Xavi and a fast start, including a win start in Almeria, is key to their hopes of defending their title.
Talking Points
Benzema aiming for another Golden Boot
A 2-0 UEFA Super Cup victory over Eintracht Frankfurt was the perfect way for Los Blancos to tee up this season opener. David Alaba and Karim Benzema were both on the score sheet as Ancelotti’s side brushed way the Europa League champions with a professional display.
Benzema was also on target in a pre-season 1-0 win over Juventus and the French scoring sensation looks to be in the perfect mood to carry on where he left off last season. He won the La Liga and Champions League Golden Boots in 2022 and it’s difficult to see who can stop him.
But then again, Robert Lewandowski has just rocked up at Barcelona and that could launch the biggest one on one battle since Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominated the Spanish league.
There could be a start too for summer signing Aurelien Tchouameni, who made a cameo appearance in the Super Cup triumph in Helsinki and he might take his La Liga bow alongside fellow newcomer Antonio Rudiger.
Sadiq can fire Almeria to safety
Nigeria striker Umar Sadiq is on his way out of newly-promoted Spanish La Liga side Almeria
The La Liga 2022 betting odds give Almeria a decent chance of survival with a handful of clubs, including fellow newcomers Girona and Real Valladolid, while the likes of Cadiz, Elche, and Mallorca more likely to take the drop. Rubi’s side put in an impressive run to win the Segunda title, winning five and drawing four of the last nine games to pull away from the chasing pack.
They will turn up to their home ground in a confident mood with a 1-0 win over Cartegina in their last pre-season outing.
25-year-old striker Umar Sadiq will be Almeria’s biggest goal threat. He was outstanding in their promotion campaign and has scored 38 goals in 76 appearances for the club.
If he can get anywhere near maintaining a one in two record, then Almeria will be just fine. It’s a big ask, but Espanyol’s Raul de Tomas proved it can be done, scoring 17 in 34 last season in his first campaign in the top-flight.
The 15,000 capacity crowd at Almeria will love to see their team face up to the best clubs in Spain, but they will not turn up to admire the likes of Benzema, Luka Modric, and David Alaba.
Sadiq is their man and they’ll back him all the way as the leader of the fierce underdogs.
History
These two teams have met 12 times and Los Blancos have won nine of those meetings, drawing two and losing just the once back in 2008. In fact, Real Madrid have won each of the last five encounters with a goal difference of 24 to two.
The SBOTOP stats team have come up with an encouraging note for the hosts, though, in that Almeria are unbeaten in five on home soil.
But then Los Blancos haven’t played there since 2014 and that ended in a 4-1 victory for Madrid as Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace as Carlo Ancelotti, in his previous stint as head coach, led his team to a 20th consecutive victory in all competitions.
An Almeria win, or even a draw, would dominate the La Liga 2022 news headlines but the price of 6.76 for the hosts to win will surely be too good for their fan to resist.
It’s been seven years since Almeria were last in the Primera Liga and, founded in 1989, their experience in the top-flight is relatively limited. But they have only lost one of their last six top-flight opening day appearances, winning two and drawing three.
This is the type of games which dreams are made of and the draw at 4.45 would also send the underdogs into raptures, while 1.39 is about as good as you can get on a Los Blancos victory.
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La Liga: The Challenge to Madrid Makes a Stuttering Start
2022 La Liga champions Real Madrid begin their title defence on Sunday night, away to new boys Almeria, but the new campaign has already started well for Los Blancos.
The pre-season La Liga 2022 betting odds pitched Xavi’s Barcelona as serious challengers to Real’s supremacy but, having spent heavily to strengthen their squad, the Blaugrana stumbled at the first hurdle at a packed Camp Nou against a stubborn Rayo Vallecano.
Champions League qualifiers Sevilla had already lost their opener on Friday night, so the Madrid giants (Atletico visit Getafe on Monday) can steal a march.
Lewi gets a tough welcome to La Liga
Some of Barca’s new signings made their first competitive appearance at the Camp Nou after the club had hurriedly registered all but one of the new boys so they could face Rayo Vallecano. But while winger Raphinha had a lively game, Robert Lewandowski discovered that La Liga is a different prospect to the Bundesliga and he barely had a touch as Barca were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw.
The Catalans dominated possession and racked up 18 goal attempts to two, but Rayo’s five-man defence did a superb job, and the best two chances fell to the visitors as Marc-Andre Ter Stegen made a fine stop to deny Alvaro Garcia while Sergio Camello shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
Centre-back Jules Kounde was the one who missed out as Barca registered his fellow new recruits and he is sure to feature as soon as the paperwork is done.
It won’t be the biggest shock of the season but this will certainly be one of the La Liga 2022 results of this weekend.
Sevilla missing Kounde already
While Kounde sat in the stands to watch his new team, his old mates at Sevilla went down to a shock 2-1 defeat away to Osasuna. Los Sevillistas will fancy their chances of another top-four place or even better, but they were stunned as early as the ninth minute when Argentine striker Ezequiel Avila gave the hosts a lead.
The visitors hit back straight away through Rafa Mir, after good work from Papu Gomez. But Osasuna, who finished the 2021/22 campaign in tenth and 27 points behind Sevilla, won the game when Aimar Oroz scored a 74th-minute penalty.
As well as losing Kounde to Barcelona, Sevilla also said goodbye to his defensive partner Diego Carlos who transferred to Aston Villa and, on Friday, they were also without new midfielder Isco after his arrival from Real Madrid.
Yellow Submarine off to a winning start
Meanwhile, another Champions League hopeful made a superb start as Villarreal thumped newly promoted Real Valladolid 3-0. An away win with this margin is always impressive but the Yellow Submarine worked hard for it after a goalless first half.
Just four minutes after the break Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson got a debut goal, and when head coach Unai Emery threw on Alex Baena and Samuel Chukwueze, just after the hour mark, it had the desired effect. Chukwueze teed up Baena to double the lead, and then Baena scored his second and Villarreal’s third with a stunning strike from distance into the top corner.
Next up for the Yellow Submarine…it’s Atletico Madrid.
Aspas opens his 2022/23 account
While Lewandowski had a frustrating debut for Barcelona one of La Liga’s old hands showed him how to do it as Iago Aspas scored the opener for Celta Vigo in their 2-2 draw with Espanyol.
Espanyol’s Iago Aspas in action during a La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao back in 2020
Only Karim Benzema scored more than Aspas’ 18 goals last season and the 34-year-old striker opened his 2022/23 account on the stroke of half time, picking up a headed pass from Augusto Solari, before firing in from a difficult angle.
It was a typical poacher’s goal and Celta Vigo thought they had the three points in the bag when Goncalo Paciencia met a cross from Javi Galan and powered his header into the top corner. But Espanyol fought back hard and were in the game again when Edu Exposito fired a left-foot shot from distance low into the bottom corner to halve the deficit… and the hosts got the jitters.
Espanyol’s comeback was complete when Oscar Mingueza tripped former Celta academy player Joselu in the penalty area deep into stoppage time. The hosts protested but Joselu kept his cool and smashed the spot kick home, down the centre of the goal, with 98 minutes on the clock.
So now it’s over to Los Blancos. The SBOTOP odds say they will win their opener and top the table after Round One.
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La Liga: Real Madrid Remind Us Why They’re the Reigning Champs
Almeria certainly made a huge impression during their first match back in La Liga as they had Real Madrid’s backs against the wall.
After seven years away from the first division, it took them less than seven minutes to score as Largie Ramazani finished from a brilliant pass by Inigo Eguaras, and the fans over at the Power Horse Stadium were ecstatic.
But such feeling was fleeting as the defending champions took charge to secure the victory. Still, Almeria left the arena with a sense of validation that they belong with the big boys.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid and Real Betis have kicked off their campaigns with huge wins too, while Real Madrid’s El Clasico rivals Barcelona are back to the drawing board following their goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano.
Read on below as SBOTOP reviews the latest La Liga 2022 updates.
Real Madrid’s youngsters still have a long way to go
Carlo Ancelotti critiqued Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga as the young pair didn’t play up to par against newly-promoted Almeria.
The Italian tactician tweaked his starting XI by fielding them alongside Toni Kroos, opting to rest Casemiro and Luka Modric after they helped the team win the UEFA Super Cup not too long ago.
Neither Tchouameni nor Camavinga made an impact and both were eventually subbed off since the latter was left on the bench at half-time after picking up a yellow card while the former only lasted 59 minutes.
Perhaps this is just growing pains for the young midfielders and Ancelotti pointed out that the pressure of playing for such a big club like Real Madrid has probably affected them.
Almeria would’ve been more than happy for the game to end 1-0 in their favour, but Real Madrid found a way to unlock their compact backline to get all three points.
Lucas Vazquez slotted the ball home after the hour mark, and then David Alaba put the finishing touches when he scored via a spot-kick after just 13 minutes off the bench.
Alvaro Morata boosts stock with impressive outing against Getafe
Atletico notched their first win in the 2022-23 season by beating Getafe with ease as Alvaro Morata found the back of the net twice, while Antoine Griezmann added one for good measure. However, we shouldn’t forget Joao Felix since he was the one who assisted in all of those goals.
It wasn’t too long ago when Morata was a frustrated figure since he wasn’t high in Diego Simeone’s pecking order. The Spaniard was loaned out and spent the last two seasons with Juventus, but that’s all history now.
Atletico Madrid’s Alvaro Morata in action with Getafe’s Mauro Arambarri during their La Liga opener
Morata has something to prove at Atleti and he’ll look to sustain his fine form, but he has been linked with a return to Juventus or possibly another Premier League stint, this time with Manchester United.
Manchester United are desperate to bolster their striker depth before the summer transfer window closes. With Cristiano Ronaldo facing an uncertain future and Anthony Martial not fit, adding Morata for around £30-M is certainly not the worst idea despite not being a top target by Erik ten Hag.
Juanmi picks up where he left off for Real Betis
Real Betis also got off to a winning start as they cruised past 10-man Elche, 3-0, at the Benito Villamarin Stadium last night.
Los Verdiblancos took full advantage when John Nwankwo was red carded after 16 minutes as Borja Iglesias slotted home the first goal to put his team ahead for good before the half-hour.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side will look to keep their momentum going against Mallorca and Osasuna before visiting Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on September 3.
Xavi wants more new Barcelona signings
Following their disappointing draw against Rayo Vallecano, Xavi said that Barcelona need to further strengthen their squad in order to boost their La Liga 2022 odds.
The Blaugrana handed debuts to four of their five summer signings as Raphinha, Andreas Christensen, and Robert Lewandowski all got to start, while Franck Kessie came off the bench in the second half.
Jules Kounde, meanwhile, was unable to play since he’s still unregistered until Barcelona create more salary space.
Barca are reportedly eyeing further signings before the transfer window closes, with Marcos Alonso, Bernardo Silva, and another right-back on top of their list – namely Juan Foyth, Thomas Meunier, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Diogo Dalot, and Jeremie Frimpong.
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It’s Saturday night and the La Liga champions are coming to Galicia.
When the champs are in town, opponents tend to either raise their game or, on occasion, it is too much for them.
Celta Vigo certainly fall into the former camp and, while their record against Real Madrid has seen them suffer some very one-sided defeats in recent years, home boss Chacho Coudet will have a plan to thwart Carlo Ancelotti’s aces.
Former Manchester United striker Largie Ramazani fired Almeria into a shock lead after just six minutes and goalkeeper Fernando Martinez then made a series of saves to frustrate the Spanish and European champions before Lucas Vazquez levelled.
They led Espanyol 2-0 at home with 18 minutes remaining in their opener after goals from the evergreen Iago Aspas and Goncalo Paciencia before being pegged back with Joselu’s equaliser from the penalty spot recorded as being scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
The club is currently in the middle of a rebuild and has brought in nine new faces this summer, including Carles Perez who has arrived on loan with an option to buy from AS Roma.
He should add some depth out wide for Celta Vigo, who said goodbye to Nolito and Brais Mendez this summer.
One man on the verge of a move is actually on Real’s books, although Antonio Blanco would be a loan deal rather than a permanent one.
Blanco has struggled for opportunities and, with Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni also coming in, there appears little chance of him getting regular first team football this season.
He joins a competitive position group at Cadiz and will have to win minutes from the likes of Tomas Alarcon, Ruben Alcaraz, and Fede San Emeterio.
Of course, he won’t be involved this Saturday night but, as the fixture list quirk of fate would have it, it may feel a little unusual for him.
Just who will he support!
History
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema reacts during their La Liga match against Almeria at Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos
The teams last met in April when two goals from Karim Benzema, the second a 69th minute penalty, sealed a 2-1 success after Nolito had briefly equalised for the hosts.That was in the corresponding fixture last season.
In Madrid last September, Real ran out 5-2 winners, thanks to a Benzema hat-trick and goals from Vinicius and Camavinga.
Celta had briefly led twice through Santi Mina and Franceo Cervi.
Real have won eight and drawn one of the last nine meetings, one of which was
in November 2018 when I covered a 4-2 victory for Real, at a time when the club was reeling from the recent sacking of Julen Lopetegui.
The last time Celta beat Los Blancos was in May 2014 when a double from Charles secured a 2-0 home win in an end of season encounter.
The last time they won in the Bernabeu was November 2006 when Jorge Larena netted the winner in a 2-1 Vigo victory.
Overall, Celta Vigo have 29 wins in the history of this fixture, compared to 66 Real wins and 17 draws.
Real are priced 1X2 @ 1.82 and Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.38 in contrast to Vigo 1X2 @ 4.20 and Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.12. The draw is on offer @ 3.55.
Goals have been commonplace in meetings between these sides, including some very one-sided encounters in favour of Real.
Among the options this time are Over 3.00 @ 2.20, Total Goal 0-1 @ 4.20, 2-3 @ 1.98, and 4-6 @ 2.93.
Another 2-1 success for Ancelotti’s men on Saturday night will pay out @ 7.00 with Correct Score.
That has tempted me but, instead, I am going to opt for Real to lead at the break.
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La Liga: Barcelona Aim to Get on Board in Basque Visit
Real Sociedad vs Barcelona
Barcelona’s La Liga title challenge is off to a stuttering start after being held scoreless last week by Rayo Vallecano, and they’ll aim to turn things around when they visit Real Sociedad.
It was a match that was theirs for the taking since they had 21 shots on goal and the majority of possession at Camp Nou. However, they were unable to break the deadlock against last season’s 12th place finishers.
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad started their 2022-23 campaign with a road win over Cadiz. So, although they haven’t had much success against Barcelona lately, they will return home with more confidence than their visitors.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds are predicting a close affair between these two sides, so football fans who will be watching this match at the Reale Arena are in for a big treat.
Talking Points
Real Sociedad have to kick things up a notch
Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil gives instructions to his squad during a match against RB Leipzig in February 2022
La Real would need to be more clinical in the final third if they are to snap their drought against the Blaugrana.
Against Cadiz, who were almost relegated last season at 17th place, Real Sociedad had 15 shots total with seven of them on target and had 61-per cent possession, but they only mustered one goal which was enough to win the match.
Takefusa Kubo scored his debut goal for La Real, which was the kind of impact Real Sociedad would’ve wanted to see on his first La Liga start with them. David Silva and Mohamed-Ali Cho both had their chances against Cadiz, but were denied by Jeremias Ledesma.
With talisman Mikel Oyarzabal sidelined indefinitely due to a torn ACL he suffered last March, everyone from La Real would have to step up their games in these next few weeks.
Patience is key for Barcelona
Xavi calls for patience after his team couldn’t find a way past Rayo Vallecano last weekend. After all, it’s all about trusting the process for this group following their summer makeover.
He started new acquisitions Robert Lewandowski, Andreas Christensen, and Raphinha, while Franck Kessie came off the bench, but all of them didn’t make much impact. To make matters worse, veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets is out for one match after he was sent off late when he elbowed Radamel Falcao in the face.
Barcelona have been busy during this transfer window, having spent £140-M on new players despite being cash-strapped due to the league’s financial fair play rules. Earlier this week, the Catalan giants were under pressure to register all of their new signings, but Jules Kounde missed the cut.
Kounde’s absence was sorely missed, but he is sure to feature as soon as the paperworks are done.
There’s still a few more days before the summer window closes and Barcelona continue to find new reinforcements while trying to offload certain players.
It remains to be seen on what Xavi’s full roster would look like at the end of this month. However, he should still have enough firepower to get their campaign up and running with positive La Liga 2022 results.
Real Sociedad have yet to win any of their last 12 league encounters (D2, L10) versus Barcelona, which is their longest winless streak against them in the Spanish top-flight since a stretch of 17 games between November 1952 and October 1960 (D3, L14).
The Blaugrana have a six-game unbeaten streak against Real Sociedad at Reale Arena in La Liga (W4, D2), winning the last two. The last time Barcelona have won three or more consecutive away matches against Real Sociedad dates back to 1955.
In terms of recent form, Real Sociedad have the edge over their visitors – winning three of their last four league games (L1) after failing to win any of their last four before that (D2, L2).
On the other hand, Barcelona have yet to win or even score in their last three La Liga matches (D2, L1), and they’ve never gone four straight without scoring in their top-flight history.
Barcelona are predicted to get into the win column, according to the La Liga 2022 odds. The Blaugrana are installed at 2.12, while Real Sociedad aren’t far behind at 3.90 and a draw is priced at 2.11 in the 1X2 market.
While this match could go either way, I am leaning towards a narrow victory for the visitors since they have better depth and quality than their hosts.
With these two sides yet to find their groove in the final third lately, Under 3.00 @ 1.86 seems like a plausible alternative bet.
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La Liga: Atleti and Villarreal in First Top Four Clash
Atletico Madrid vs Villarreal
The La Liga match of the weekend takes place at the Civitas Metropolitano Stadium on Sunday when pacesetters Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are set to do battle.
Okay, we’re only one week into the new season and we need a few more La Liga 2022 results to roll in before we can see the league table take shape. But Los Rojiblancos and the Yellow Submarine, who enter Round Two at the top of the league table, will both expect to be in or around the top four places in May 2023.
Diego Simeone is entering his 11th season as boss of Atletico and his style has matched the club perfectly during that time, winning the title in 2021. But last season, his team struggled to keep pace with Real Madrid and Barcelona, finishing 15 points behind Los Blancos, and they will do all they can to hang on to the El Clasico pair throughout the campaign.
Meanwhile, Unai Emery’s Villarreal have shown they can live with Europe’s finest, reaching the 2022 Champions League semi-final with a victory over FC Bayern on the way. But they finished seventh in the league which means they will take part in the 2022/23 Europa Conference League.
Emery is a European specialist, leading the Yellow Submarine to Europa success in 2021 and he will take the competition seriously while setting his sights firmly on a top four finish in La Liga.
Both team started the campaign with 3-0 away wins, Atleti against Getafe and Villarreal on a visit to Real Valladolid and they come into the game in good shape.
The current La Liga 2022 betting odds place Los Rojiblancos as clear third favourites to win the 2022/23 title at a price of 5.50 behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. And if they carry on as they started last week, it could be an exciting campaign for Atleti fans.
The impressive Alvaro Morata scored twice against Getafe and Antoine Griezmann bagged the third with a crisp finish after latching on to a superb through ball from Joao Felix.
Morata showed what a good striker he can be, taking a pass from Felix and firing in a low shot into the bottom corner from just outside the penalty area for his first, and smashing his second high into the top left corner after more good work from Felix.
Simeone fighting off interest for his biggest stars
While things have been going well for Los Rojiblancos on the pitch, the boss is dealing with some unwanted attention for two of his best players.
After Joao Felix made a hat-trick of assists in the opener, Atletico have mocked reports that Manchester United were ready to make a £110-M move for the young Portuguese star.
Simeone has labelled Felix as priceless and the Red Devils have rowed back, saying they have not yet made an offer. But Atleti will be delighted when the transfer window shuts.
There may be a bigger risk of Atletico losing midfield star Marcos Llorente after Premier League giants Chelsea were reported to have tabled a £40-M bid for the Spain star. He has played 122 times for Los Rojiblancos and featured for an hour in their win over Getafe and is clearly part of Simeone’s plans.
Villarreal’s blend of youth and experience can go far
Villarreal boss Unai Emery gestures during his squad’s Champions League quarter-final match against Bayern Munich
While Atleti are ranked third in the list of La Liga title hopefuls, the Yellow Submarine is the fourth favourite at a SBOTOP price of 23.00 and ahead of Sevilla, the team which has pushed the big three the closest in recent campaigns.
The Yellow Submarines brightest young star, 19-year-old Yeremy Pino, is still at the club despite growing interest from a number of sources, including Emery’s ex-employers at Arsenal.
Alongside Pino, the 30-year-old Gerard Moreno remains a lethal goal scorer with 58 strikes in his 121 appearances for the club.
While Emery has blooded some exciting young stars in his creative positions, he has an established centre-back pairing to keep things tight at the other end of the pitch.
36-year-old skipper Raul Albiol and 25-year-old Pau Torres form one of the best pairings in European football, and Morata and Griezmann will not find it so easy on Sunday.
History
The Yellow Submarine has enjoyed considerable success in this fixture, edging Atleti by 15 wins to 14, while there have been 13 draws between the two sides over the past 42 games.
Recent form is comparable too as Atleti have won their last six while Villarreal have won five and drawn the other, and both were enjoying a strong pre-season before winning handsomely on the opening day of the campaign.
Both Atletico Madrid at 1.90 and Villarreal at 3.73 will be targeting another three points on Sunday, but I expect a tight match and these two top class teams may well cancel each other out.
For an alternative bet, 2-3 goals is priced at 1.85, while a 1-1 draw at 5.60 is the most likely outcome.
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La Liga: Casemiro’s Move to Old Trafford Inches Closer
One of La Liga’smost decorated players looks set to leave the Spanish top flight as Brazilian midfield star Casemiro could be a Manchester United player within the week.
In nine seasons with Real Madrid, the 30-year-old defensive midfielder has won three La Liga titles and an incredible five Champions League winners medals. But the competition for places at the Santiago Bernabeu, and the arrival of Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco, has meant Casemiro’s opportunities have become limited.
He’s just the sort of player Manchester United need: a technically gifted, fierce battler who can show some leadership on the pitch in a team sadly lacking at the moment. And United fans would dearly love to see him in the side when they meet Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday night, but they will have to wait. The two clubs have made an agreement to transfer the player and all that remains is a medical, a UK visa and the agreement of personal terms, hopefully with minimal discussion.
If all goes to plan, the Selecao star could make his Manchester United debut in Southampton on Saturday. He may not be the marquee signing some fans were hoping for, but he is certainly the right pedigree, always making Real Madrid a better and more successful team when he was in the starting 11. And he has much more experience and ability in the defensive midfield role than Scott McTominay, and will be the ideal replacement for Nemanja Matic. A physically strong and hard-tackling player Casemiro can get the United fans on their feet, probably quicker than their creative players who, at the moment, couldn’t punch their way out of a paper bag!
In other La Liga 2022 news, the situation at Barcelona is becoming more frustrating by the minute for the Blaugrana’s summer signing Jules Kounde. The France star signed for the club in a 55m Euros move from Champions League hopefuls Sevilla, but he may be starting to regret the switch as the club has, so far, failed to register him to play as they wrestle with the financial fair play regulations.
The 23-year-old defender snubbed Chelsea as he preferred a move to the Camp Nou. But while Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha were registered, Kounde was forced to watch again from the sidelines in the weekend match with Real Sociedad. There have been suggestions that, only a month after arriving in Catalonia, he could be ready to move on if the situation isn’t sorted quickly.
Head coach Xavi has voiced his frustration on behalf of the player saying: “It bothers me because we signed him to play and he understands that. Let’s wait for the next week. Let’s see if there is luck in this.”
Kounde needs more than luck; he needs Barca to reduce their squad wage bill or he’ll be sitting the next game out too. It’s a problem the club needs to address urgently and, with nine games to go before the transfer window closes, there is a lot of work to be done.
Barca hoped to offload Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United but that deal has collapsed and the Red Devils have already looked elsewhere…towards Madrid to be precise.
Perfect start for Yellow Sub
Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno celebrates scoring their second goal with Alfonso Pedraza during their La Liga match against Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid met Villarreal in the clash of the weekend and the Yellow Submarine came out on top thanks to late goals from Yeremi Pino and Gerard Moreno, the second coming in the 97th minute.
Here atSBOTOP,we predicted a draw or at least a tight game with 2-3 goals; the latter shout was right but Atleti’s night was a disaster which became even worse when Nahuel Molina reacted badly to a foul by Alex Baena and received his marching orders. Moreno also went into the book for an excessive celebration following his late, late goal…but who can blame him?
The La Liga 2022 betting odds back Villarreal to win a Champions League place this season and, as we speak, they sit at the top of the pile.
Real Madrid continued their winning start with a thumping 4-1 victory away to Celta Vigo. Iago Aspas scored for the hosts but goals from Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde swept Celta away and sent Los Blancos to second in the table.
Real Betis and Osasuna have also registered maximum points and they face each other next Friday. After a frustrating goalless draw with Rayo Vallecano on the opening day, Barcelona got up and running with a 4-1 victory away to Real Sociedad. Robert Lewandowski opened his account in the very first minute and, after Alexander Isak had equalised for La Real, the Blaugrana took total control with goals from Ousmane Dembele, another for Lewandowski and one for Ansu Fati.
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It was a bumper weekend of La Liga with matches spanning from Friday evening to just before midnight (Spanish time) on Tuesday morning.
Now every team has played two games, the talking points have well and truly begun and they involve all manner of topics.
But what caught my eye? Well, for a start there was plenty of drama crammed into the final stages in Seville on Friday night.
Goalless with 10 minutes remaining, there was little indication of what was to come at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
First, Anuar Tuhami delivered a brilliant opener for newly promoted Real Valladolid to dream of the points. Then, six minutes later, Karim Rekik pounced on an error to prod Sevilla level.
There was still time for both teams to be reduced to 10 men, two minutes from time, as Marcos Acuna and Jawad El Yamiq were giving their marching orders.
Both teams were also down to 10 in the other Friday night contest, although both Espanyol and Real Vallecano had been numerically disadvantaged by the half hour mark.
Florian Lejeune and Sergi Gomez were the players dismissed and the visitors adapted far better with Isi Palazon powering them in front five minutes before the break.
When Pathe Ciss tapped home a second from close range just before the hour, the points were sealed, although Espanyol struck the post twice in the final 10 minutes.
Fast forward 24 hours and Real Madrid, justifiably title favourites with the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds, were playing their second away match in succession.
After confirming the departure of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro to Manchester United, the Spanish and European kings flexed their muscles with a display which highlighted their strength in depth.
Two penalties awarded for handball were given in the opening 22 minutes and converted by Karim Benzema and Iago Aspas respectively.
That’s how it stayed until four minutes before the break when Luka Modric put the visitors back in front with a long-range shot which made La Liga 2022 highlights.
Champions League final hero Vinicius Junior got in on the act and made it 3-1, bursting into the penalty area following an impressive individual run and rounding the keeper before rolling the ball into an empty net.
The Brazilian was again involved when he played in Federico Valverde to side-foot home the fourth.
It would have been five had Agustin Marchesin not saved Eden Hazard’s 87th-minute penalty, awarded after the Belgian was fouled, but it mattered not.
Things didn’t go as well for their city rivals, 2021 La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, as they were beaten at home by Villarreal on Sunday teatime.
The deadlock was broken 18 minutes from time when Yeremi Pino fired into the bottom left-hand corner.
Pino had to leave the fray three minutes later through injury but last season’s Champions League semi-finalists held out under home pressure – including a Matheus Cunha header which hit the crossbar – and after Nahuel Molina was dismissed for violent conduct in stoppage time, Gerard Moreno wrapped up the points for the Yellow Submarine following a quick breakaway.
After a frustrating start to the campaign, Barcelona were still unsure if they could play new signing Jules Kounde at Real Sociedad.
Barca had registered four other new players the night before their league opener last weekend after freeing up funding with several ‘economic levers’.
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong in action during their La Liga match against Real Sociedad
As it turned out, they still couldn’t include Kounde and may not be able to for a few weeks but, unhappy with their opening goalless draw at home to Vallecano, Xavi did bring in Alejandro Balde for Jordi Alba at left-back while Ferran Torres and the much talked about Frenkie De Jong replaced youngster Ansu Fati and new signing Raphinha.
It was deadlocked for much of the first half with Lewandowski opening the scoring in the first minute from a Balde ball before Alexander Isak latched onto a pass from David Silva to equalise.
It took until the introduction of Fati, the Spanish teenager who has been struggling to recover after a series of knee surgeries in the last two years, to turn the match in Barca’s favour.
First, he combined with fellow sub Raphinha to set up Ousmane Dembele before Fati played his own role in Lewandowski’s second.
Lewandowski returned the favour 10 minutes later, enabling the 19-year-old to score the visitors’ fourth goal and wrap up the points.
After all that, there were still two La Liga matches on Monday night and both involved newly promoted clubs.
Last season’s Liga 2 champions Almeira, who gave Real such a battle on the opening weekend, deserve credit for holding out at Elche for an hour following the 32nd-minute dismissal of Alex Centelles in a 1-1 draw.
Girona did themselves proud too, seeing off Getafe at home 3-1 to secure their first win of the season in what is only the third season they have played in Spain’s top flight.
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La Liga: Villarreal’s Perfect Start to Continue in Madrid
Getafe vs Villarreal
Top plays bottom at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Sunday when Villarreal head to the suburbs of Madrid to take on pointless Getafe.
Unai Emery’s Villarreal are full of confidence at the moment. They made their way to the 2022 Champions League semi-final last season, but the Yellow Submarine finished their domestic league campaign in seventh place and so find themselves in the 2022/23 Europa Conference League.
The head coach will take the European competition seriously as ever, but Emery’s aim is to achieve a top four place in La Liga and his team has made the perfect start, coming to Getafe on the back of a victory in a potential top four clash against Atletico Madrid.
Meanwhile, Quique Sanchez Flores’ Getafe have looked badly out of sorts in their two openers and need a lift before the gloom sets in.
I don’t expect it to come on Sunday, though.
Talking Points
Villarreal firing on all cylinders
The La Liga 2022 betting odds are certainly taking the Yellow Submarine seriously with a SBOTOP price of 25.00 to win the title.
Remember, not so long ago Leicester City won the Premier League at a starting price of 5001.00. If Villarreal continue to rack the wins up over the next few weeks, we could see their price slide towards single figures and that’s when to watch really closely.
They come into the game on the back of a 2-0 win away to Hajduk Split in a Europa play-off, having won the home leg 4-2 and the aggregate victory takes the club into the Conference League group stages.
Villarreal had a tough test in Croatia as ex-Inter Milan striker Marko Livaja threatened to cut the deficit, giving the visitors’ defence plenty of problems but goals from Alfonso Pedraza and striker Samuel Chukwueze eased the Spaniards to victory.
And Villarreal’s La Liga 2022 results have gone as well as they could too with two away wins in the league, 3-0 against Real Valladolid and then 2-0 away to Atletico taking them to the top of the table, on six points alongside Real Madrid, Real Betis ,and Osasuna.
Gerard Moreno and Yeremy Pino were on target against Los Rojiblancos and Emery will be keen to keep the two together against the backdrop of Premier League leaders’ Arsenal admiration for Pino with five days of the transfer window remaining.
The player has five years left on his contract but there is a buyout clause of £67-M which could tempt the ambitious Londoners.
The win over Atletico was Emery’s first ever victory over Diego Simeone on their 20th managerial meeting – another reason for the Villarreal boss to be happy in contrast with his opposite number Quique, whose problems are beginning to stack up.
Getafe’s defencive woes getting worse
After finishing the 2021/22 campaign in 15th place, Getafe are priced at 6.00 to be relegated. It is not time to panic yet, but a 3-0 loss at home to Atletico Madrid on the opening day, followed by a 3-1 reversal away to Girona has given Quique little to smile about.
Enes Unal is an absolutely ruthless finisher for Getafe
Losing to new boys Girona was bad enough, but defender Fabrizio Angileri copping a red card in stoppage time made it a wretched night for Los Azulones who already have defencive duo Damian Suarez and Omar Alderete out injured.
Forward Enes Unal scored Getafe’s consolation goal against Girona and the tall Turk, who has scored 21 in 67 games for Los Azulones, is the hosts biggest goal threat.
History
Villarreal have won 23 of the 36 head-to-head meetings with Getafe this century.
Los Azulones have won eight and drawn five of the encounters, but they have returned empty handed from each of the last six meetings which the Yellow Submarine have won with a goal difference of 11 to three.
The teams last met in April when Villarreal took a 2-1 victory away from Getafe as two early goals from Gerard Moreno and Manuel Trigueros put the Yellow Submarine in charge before Unal halved the deficit with half an hour remaining.
Villarreal are unbeaten in 13 and Getafe are winless in seven. Every run has to be broken sometime and why not two at once. If you fancy an upset, then Getafe is priced at 4.07 to win with the draw at 3.16.
But I don’t think these particular runs will be broken on Sunday and Villarreal at 1.88 is a good bet. For a correct scoreline of 1-0 to Villarreal is at 5.84, while a 2-0 win is at 7.33.
If you fancy Getafe to earn a first point of the campaign, then 1-1 at odds of 5.60 is worth a shout.
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Two clubs who share ambition and a reminder of great times in the not-too-distant past will clash in La Liga on Monday night.
Valencia host Atletico Madrid in the final match of the weekend and, if truth be known, they probably have the same objectives this term – to qualify for the Champions League.
Valencia have pedigree in the tournament; they were beaten finalists in both 2000 and 2001, although have not made it for the past two seasons.
Atletico, who reached the final in 2014 and 2016, will see qualification as their minimum requirement given they were champions as recently as the previous season.
But in this SBOTOP writer’s mind, they will struggle to keep punching above their weight and, after winning La Liga in 2021, their title defence was all but over by last Christmas – seven days before to be precise.
So, there is plenty in common between these two clubs.
To add to the mix, this is also a clash between two former midfield heavyweights in the shape of Gennaro Gattuso and Diego Simeone at the respective helms so perhaps we can expect La Liga 2022 highlights.
Talking Points
Valencia’s meetings with the established big hitters in Spanish football have often ended in defeat, including the last time I covered them in action., and they clearly feel they need to strengthen given developments in recent days.
They have been busy with the signing of Turkish central defender Cenk Ozkacar on a season-long loan.
The 21-year-old has arrived to strengthen central defence with an option to buy Ozkacar outright.
They have also signed Andre Almeida, 22, from Vitoria Guimaraes. The Portuguese midfielder has signed a six-year deal for a reported €7.5 million and should add creation in the middle of the park.
Atletico could also be busy before Thursday’s transfer deadline and are being linked with former Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon from Spurs – the news broke shortly after reports of a deal between Nottingham Forest and Atletico for Renan Lodi.
If a deal is done, it won’t be in time for Reguilon to feature on Monday night.
Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann in action during their recent La Liga match against Villarreal
As an aside, it will be interesting to see how much Antoine Griezmann features going forward.
The Frenchman is actually on loan at the club where he made his name and, should he play at least 45 minutes in 50% of their games this term, Los Rojiblancos will be forced to pay Barcelona €40 million.
It’s been suggested the club does not want to pay that fee and is willing to take measures to avoid doing so.
However, would Simeone really tolerate that if it hinders his team’s chances of progress?
We wait and see.
Injuries permitting, surely Griezmann will feature aplenty and will want to help Atletico bounce back immediately following their first home defeat since February last weekend, a 2-0 loss to Villarreal.
History
This is Valencia’s longest-ever winless streak against Atletico.
Los Che have not beaten them in each of their last 15 outings in La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
The last Valencia success was in April 2014 when future Premier League players Andre Gomes and Nicolas Otamendi were among the scorers in a 3-1 win at the Mestalla.
The corresponding fixture last term was a thriller as the sides shared six goals.
Atletico won the return in Madrid in what was another exciting contest and this time the revenge was all theirs.
After Yunus Musah and Duro earned Valencia a 2-0 advantage, Matheus Cunha pulled one back before Angel Correa (90) and Mario Hermoso (90+2) secured the points for Los Rojiblancos.
For the record, the very first time they locked horns was in January 1935 when Atletico ran out 5-2 winners at home.
Real Betis went to the top of La Liga on Friday night with a 1-0 win over Osasuna (another of the teams which started the weekend on six points). And after a fifth placed finish last term, Betis showed they have the stomach for a fight for a top four place, recording a third successive victory despite ending the game with ten men.
Head coach Manuel Pellegrini had already led his team to win over Elche and Mallorca and star striker Borja Iglesias scored his fourth goal of the campaign to continue the perfect start. The hosts were holding on a little after Argentine defender German Pezzella was sent off for a nasty foul on Manu Sanchez on 73 minutes, but Betis deserved the victory.
Real Madrid can make it three wins from three when they face Espanyol on Sunday night while Atletico Madrid meet Valencia on Monday, but Real Betis are the team to catch as the weekend draws to a close.
And with nine points from nine, Los Verdiblancos currently have the bragging rights in Seville…
Slow start for Sevilla
…particularly as city rivals Sevilla are some eight points behind already after going down to a 2-1 defeat away to new boys Almeria. After Oliver Torres had headed the much fancied Sevilla into a first half lead Largie Ramazani equalised for the newcomers just before the break. And with the score at 1-1 and Sevilla pushing for a winner Umar Sadiq slammed home the crucial goal to give Almeria a first La Liga victory in seven years.
It was a spirited fight back from Almeria and the La Liga 2022 betting odds give them every chance of extending their stay in the Primera Division for another year at least, and beating such a strong opponent will give them a huge boost. Los Sevillistas had 68 per cent possession in the game but Almeria had plenty of opportunities with 11 shots to Sevillas 13 and five shots on target each.
The win takes Almeria into the top half of the table while Sevilla are stuck on a single point. Head coach Julen Lopetegui needs to get his side going quickly with two home games to come against top class opposition; Barcelona in the league and then Manchester City in the Champions League.
Lewi settling in at Barca
Robert Lewandowski scored for Barcelona against Real Valladolid at Camp Nou
Barcelona moved on to seven points and two behind the league leaders thanks to a resounding 4-0 victory at home to Real Valladolid. And Robert Lewandowski got the fans in the Camp Nou on their feet with a typically clinical display, bagging two goals either side of half time. He opened the scoring on 24 minutes when he got on the end of a cross from Raphinha, and bagged his second with a superb finish on 64, after Pedri had doubled Barca’s lead before the break. Lewandowski almost completed his hat-trick in stoppage time with a fierce shot which Jordi Masip did well to save, but there was nothing the Real keeper could do to stop Sergi Roberto making it 4-0 to the Catalans.
Villarreal miss out in Madrid
The Yellow Submarine had a great chance to return to the top of the table on Sunday evening when they went to Getafe in search of a third successive win. Here at SBOTOP we previewed this game and there wasn’t much of a case to make for Getafe who had looked out of sorts in their two openers, and Unai Emery’s Villarreal had plenty of chances to win the match, with 65 per cent possession and six shots to two on target.
The game had 11 minutes of injury time in a dramatic finale, as Gerard Moreno’s 97th minute shot was blocked by Mauro Arambarri and the referee saw it as handball, pointing to the penalty spot and booking Getafe’s defender. But VAR intervened to overturn the decision and Villarreal settled for a goalless draw.
In other La Liga 2022 news, Celta Vigo’s 1-0 win over newly promoted Girona was their first of the season and it was no surprise where the goal came from as veteran striker Iago Aspas scored the 49th minute winner with a clinical left foot finish to the bottom right corner. He has scored three of Celta’s four goals in this campaign and in his two stints at the club Aspas has scored 170 goals in 377 appearances and, since his return to the club in 2015, 124 goals in 238 games.
Los Celestes fans must fear the day their 35 year old talisman retires, but they don’t need to worry just yet.
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La Liga: Betis to Challenge Real Madrid at the Summit
Real Madrid vs Real Betis
Real Madrid and Real Betis are set for an important clash at the Bernabeu this Saturday with the top spot of the La Liga table up for grabs.
After the first three matchdays, these two teams are standing tall with three consecutive wins each. While many expect this from the defending champions Real Madrid, the same can’t be said exactly for Real Betis.
Betis mean business and they have a well-organised side under Manuel Pellegrini, but facing Los Blancos on the road is going to be their biggest challenge yet.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds may have the hosts as the huge favourites to win, but their visitors are going to give them a huge run for their money just like in their most recent encounters.
Talking Points
Real Madrid’s depth in full display
Real Madrid star Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their second goal against Espanyol
Real Madrid’s recent victory over relegation-threatened Espanyol looks familiar to their season opener against Almeria.
It can be remembered that against the newly-promoted side two weeks ago, Real Madrid were down by one goal early, but they reminded us why they’re the reigning champs by completing an impressive fight back courtesy of second half scores from Lucas Vazquez and David Alaba.
Last Monday, they found themselves in a position of having to make another furious comeback.
Vinicius Junior claimed the lead for Los Blancos 12 minutes in, but Espanyol hitman Joselu replied two minutes before half-time.
Real Madrid struggled early in the second half, so Carlo Ancelotti turned to his Champions League comeback formula from last season by bringing on Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo from the bench for fresher legs.
Rodrygo teed up Karim Benzema with a cross for the 88th minute goal, and then the French talisman and Ballon d’Or candidate added one more to seal the deal at added time.
Camavinga did well during his short cameo, but it was Aurelien Tchouameni who stood out in this game since he was nearly flawless – pinging passes left and right for a 94-per cent completion rate.
Tchouameni looking at home is great news for Real Madrid since it softens the blow of losing Casemiro to Manchester United. Only a few teams enjoy the luxury that the defending champs have.
Borja Iglesias on fire for Real Betis
As it stands now, Borja Iglesias is the top scorer in La Liga with four goals after the first three matches. He and last season’s top scorer Juanmi are the main reasons why things are clicking for Los Verdiblancos.
After the game against Osasuna last weekend, Iglesias admitted that he’s in the best form of his career and he will make a strong case why he should be considered in Spain’s World Cup roster few months from now.
But while Real Betis’ initial La Liga 2022 results are commendable, they haven’t faced a top-tier squad and that’s what they’ll get from Real Madrid.
Elche, Mallorca, and Osasuna are teams normally residing at the bottom half of the table, so they have to do much better when they visit the reigning titlists.
While Real Madrid have the edge in their overall head-to-heads with Real Betis, they have won just two of their last seven La Liga matches against their green-shirted counterparts (D3, L2).
At the Bernabeu, Los Blancos are winless in five consecutive games against Los Verdiblancos in La Liga – which is their longest against them – and they have yet to score a goal as well.
Meanwhile, Real Betis are also winless in their last 11 visits to Madrid-based teams in La Liga (D6, L5), and they’ve failed to score in 10 of those fixtures since a 2-0 victory in May 2019 against Real Madrid.
Their most recent meeting took place in May where both teams had to settle for a goalless draw. Los Blancos defeated Los Verdiblancos in their reverse fixture last August 2021 (1-0).
The La Liga 2022 odds are expecting Real Madrid to win in this contest. They’re priced at 1.40 in the 1X2 market, while Real Betis are the underdogs at 7.40 and chances for a draw are at 4.50.
Real Betis have fared much better against Real Madrid lately. And overall, we see this as a tight match that might be decided by a single goal, although we won’t be surprised if this ends up as a draw. Real Madrid thrive in these kinds of games, though, so we’re tipping them to win. On the other hand, Under 2.75 @ 2.36 sounds like a plausible alternative bet.
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La Liga: Can Slumping Sevilla Stop Burgeoning Barcelona?
Sevilla FC vs Barcelona
Sevilla and Barcelona are set to collide in a blockbuster La Liga battle this weekend at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
Sevilla are off to an awful start to the season and are still searching for their first win after two defeats and a draw in their first three games.
And their La Liga 2022 betting odds of beating Barcelona are not good, especially with the Catalans – led by marquee summer signing Robert Lewandowski – looking quite impressive in recent weeks.
Talking Points
Sevilla off to a slow start
Things are not going so well for Sevilla at the moment. The Rojiblancos have only a single point after some disappointing La Liga 2022 results to start the season. They suffered 2-1 defeats away to Osasuna and Almeria and needed a late equaliser at home to escape with a 1-1 draw against Real Valladolid.
Coach Julen Lopetegui is struggling to find the right combination in the early going. He has switched up his starting formation in each of the first three games, and none have looked particularly effective.
He went with a 4-2-2-2 formation last time out in their loss to Almeria, with Erik Lamela partnering Rafa Mir up front. Mir, who led the team with 10 goals last season, already has 11 shots this season but only two have been on target.
Sevilla no longer have wingers Jesus Corona, who suffered a serious ankle injury, as well as Lucas Ocampos, who has been loaned out to Ajax. But Lopetegui still has decent attacking options in Youssef En-Nesyri and former Real Madrid man Isco, who can shake up the attack.
Meanwhile, the Sevilla defence is not as secure as it has been in the past. After selling off their central defensive partnership of Diego Carlos and Jules Kounde, Sevilla are giving up too many good chances to their opposition in the early going.
Barca new boys in the spotlight
Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele with coach Xavi after being substituted off
Barcelona went on an outrageous spending spree this summer as they brought in several new players. And they are seeing that spending bear fruit in the first few weeks of the season.
After a disappointing draw at home to Rayo Vallecano in their La Liga season opener, Barca have reeled off back-to-back big wins against Real Sociedad (1-4) and Real Valladolid (4-0) as they have risen to third in the standings.
Xavi will also be pleased by the early season form of wingers Ousmane Dembele, Ansu Fati and Raphinha, as well as young midfield maestro Pedri. Dembele and Fati already have two goals and four assists between them this season.
Sevilla have been among the best teams in La Liga over the last few years, but they have still been unable to compete with the Catalans. Barca have an astounding 20-1 edge in wins over their last 29 meetings, with eight draws. Moreover, the Catalans are currently on a 13-game unbeaten run against Sevilla, with 9 wins and 4 draws.
Sevilla held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw at the Sanchez Pizjuan last season despite going down to 10 men for the last half hour after Kounde’s red card. And Barca won the reverse fixture at the Camp Nou 1-0 thanks to a Pedri strike.
SBOTOP odds have Barcelona installed as 1.85 favourites to get their third win in a row. Sevilla are priced at 4.00, while a draw is 3.60.
Based on recent form of the two clubs coupled with the overwhelming dominance of Barcelona in their La Liga encounters, it’s hard not to go with the Catalans in this match.
Barca are now back to full strength after their injury issues and registration concerns, and it will be very difficult for an out-of-sorts Sevilla side to stop Lewandowski and co. Look for Kounde to celebrate a Barca win on his Sevilla homecoming.
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The spending may have not been at the same levels as the juggernaut that is the English Premier League but it was still an exciting deadline day in La Liga.
Ok, so perhaps the actual day the window closed was fairly low key but there is much to look forward in Spanish football’s top flight given the summer arrivals.
Yes, we can look at the actual spending and the fact English football dwarfs everyone and anyone right now.
In fact, the disparity has existed for some time and is hitting eye-watering levels when the likes of newly-promoted Nottingham Forest can outspend Barcelona in what was a big summer for them.
Indeed, the summer window saw La Liga clubs outlay a total of €505 million according to Mundo Deportivo. That pales in comparison to the Premier League spend, which stands at €2.208 billion, over four times that of their Spanish counterparts.
That is nothing new though – in whatever major European league you assess – and you would still expect Spain’s top clubs to hold their own and more when it comes to battles with Europe’s elite, just as they did last term.
Champions Real Madrid did their business swiftly and early on, bringing in Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni, and while they bid farewell to Brazilian international Casemiro last week, Carlo Ancelotti believes his squad is well stocked with sufficient quality to make a bid for all the major prizes once again.
Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso applauds fans after the match
Two more acquisitions followed on deadline day with 31 year-old Marcos Alonso, a great servant for Chelsea, joining the Catalan giants.
By terminating his contract with the west Londoners, it bought Barca extra time to seal his registration and he has now signed a contract which includes a €50 million buyout clause, although the club has not confirmed the option to potentially extend his deal beyond next summer.
He is looking to make his first La Liga appearance since 2010 this weekend and is joined by another defender who has enjoyed a considerable time in London.
Hector Bellerin says he wants to win a major trophy following his deadline day return. The Spanish international had already confirmed his intention to move back to Spain after spending last season on loan at Real Betis from Arsenal.
The 27 year-old came through Barcelona’s La Masia academy between 2003 and 2011 before opting to move to England as a teenager.
He is expected to play a key role for Barcelona in the coming months with US international Sergino Dest joining AC Milan on a season long loan in a whirlwind 48 hours in the transfer market.
Like his methods or not, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has certainly backed his manager Xavi Hernandez this summer as they look to close the gap on Real and their European rivals and Xavi now has the job of merging a new look team together.
As for the chasing pack, one of the best acquisitions for me is a veteran centre forward who is undoubtedly talented and a real asset if he can stay injury-free.
Over the past two seasons, Manchester United saw the best and worst of that.
Now Uruguayan international Edinson Cavani has spoken about his excitement at getting started at Valencia.
He has joined Los Che as a free agent, the 35 year-old previously linked with a possible moves to rivals Villarreal and Real Sociedad before opting to join Valencia as part of his desire to return to Spain.
If he hits the heights he is capable of, Valencia could well challenge for a top four finish after coming home in ninth place last term.
Overall, despite the financial gulf, there is much to be excited about in La Liga, but the top two will not change. Not this season or for some time to come.
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Four games in and four wins have taken Real Madrid to the top of the La Liga table on 12 points, two ahead of Barcelona and Villarreal and, at the time of writing, Los Blancos have just got their 2022/23 Champions League campaign off to a winning start.
So with a perfect set of La Liga 2022 resultsin the bag and a smooth opening to their European campaign, Madrid have a great foundation to work on. But what are the key factors in Carlo Ancelotti’s early success?
Well, here are my five takeaways from Real Madrid’s first four games in their quest to win back to back league titles.
Vinicius Junior and Benzema form a lethal partnership
While Barcelona’s summer signing Robert Lewandowski has been dominating the headlines, already topping the race for the Golden Boot on five goals alongside Celta Vigo veteran Iago Aspas, Ancelotti is more than happy with his front two as Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema have started in superb form.
With three goals and an assist each, they look ready to emulate their efforts of last season when the Frenchman won the Golden Boot and his Brazilian apprentice tracked him for much of the campaign.
The only caveat is that Benzema picked up a first half injury in Real’s Champions League opener against Celtic, so we’ll keep an eye on that one.
Tchouameni is ready made
Ancelotti did his business early in the transfer window, bringing in centre-back Antonio Rudiger and defencive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni to bolster his already highly talented squad. And Tchouameni has settled in at the Santiago Bernabeu as if he’s been there for years.
Los Blancos paid a huge €80-M to Monaco for their man, rising to a possible €100-M and that could be a smart piece of business.
The 22-year-old France star was brought in to challenge Casemiro for the deep-lying midfield spot, but Real sold the 30-year-old to Manchester United for £70-M, so the Spaniards have emerged from the two transactions very nicely indeed.
The sale of Casemiro to Manchester United has given Tchouameni an immediate opportunity and he looks determined to take it.
Modric as excellent as ever
His mate Casemiro may have departed, but veteran midfielder Luka Modric is still an integral part of Ancelotti’s plans. The Croatian wizard has been influential as ever in Los Blancos’ opening and has weighed in with two special goals.
Luka Modric scored on his 100th Champions League match as a Madridista
In the win away to Celta Vigo, Modric scored the crucial second goal with a screamer from outside the penalty area into the top corner. And, in the victory over Celtic last night, he showed all his guile by taking a ball from Eden Hazard before cutting inside before stroking it into the corner of the net with the outside of his boot.
Pure class.
A message to Real’s rivals
Los Blancos had a relatively gentle opening to the campaign with matches against Almeria, Espanyol, and Celta Vigo. But then, a meeting with in-form Real Betis was a good test of where Los Blancos are, and they came through with a 2-1 win to end Betis’ perfect start.
The latest La Liga 2022 betting odds see this as a two-horse race between Los Blancos and Barcelona, though Atletico Madrid may have something to say about that, and both their rivals would have loved to see Betis peg Los Blancos back. But Ancelotti’s men found a way to win which is what Champions do.
Here at SBOTOP, we’ll be following the twists and turns throughout the La Liga campaign but Real Madrid are already on the right road.
Relentless Real
After Real Betis star Sergio Canales had equalised Vinicius Junior’s opener in last week’s top of the table clash, the score stayed at 1-1 until midway through the second half when Rodrygo latched on to a ball from Federico Valverde and fired home the winner.
Los Blancos have been forced to keep plugging away in all their four victories so far and they have reaped their rewards.
In Real’s match away to Espanyol, the game was at 1-1 on 88 minutes when Benzema scored a brace, and against Celta Vigo Los Blancos were again pegged back after taking an early lead. But when Luka Modric restored Real’s advantage, they didn’t look back and ran out 4-1 winners.
The season started in a similar vein. Madrid had to fight back in their opening game away to new boys Almeria who lead through Largie Ramazani for almost an hour. But second half goals from Lucas Vazquez and David Alaba, with a brilliant free kick 15 minutes from time, saved Los Blancos from slipping on the very first banana skin.
So they have not had it all their own way but Real have been relentless and come through every time.
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La Liga: Mallorca Face Impossible Task of Breaking Real Madrid’s Streak
Real Madrid vs Mallorca
Real Madrid are the only side who has a 100-per cent record in the 2022-23 La Liga season and they’re hoping to keep it that way when they host Mallorca this weekend at the Bernabeu.
Los Blancos have breezed through their first four opponents and the only thing you could nitpick is that they haven’t secured a clean sheet. Still, they’re getting the job done and they remain the team to beat this season.
Mallorca, on the other hand, are sitting 11th in the Spanish top-flight standings. They’re aiming to do much better than last season where they had one foot in the relegation zone.
Continue to read on below for the SBOTOP preview of this matchup.
Talking Points
Real Madrid suffer major injury blow
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema reacts during their Champions League group stage match vs Celtic
Karim Benzema may be aging like fine wine, but it’s clear that Real Madrid cannot be over-dependent on him if they are to maintain their run of positive La Liga 2022 results.
The 34-year-old is set to be sidelined for four weeks as he picked up a quad injury during their Champions League group stage match against Celtic. Without the Frenchman, Los Blancos will need Vinicius Junior, Marco Asensio, and Rodrygo to carry the offencive load.
The three of them can pick up the slack, which just goes to show how deep Real Madrid are, and they have another x-factor in the form of Eden Hazard.
Against Celtic yesterday, Hazard turned back the hands of time with a vintage performance – recording a goal and an assist – and they’re going to need more of those from him. The former Chelsea star always had the capability to take over games, it’s just that he was never fully healthy during his stay so far at the Bernabeu.
Other than their forwards, Real Madrid are going to need continuous production from the midfield too and they have the quality to show for it.
Despite losing Casemiro to Manchester United this summer transfer window, they’re still stacked with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde, and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Javier Aguirre has done it again as he saved Mallorca from relegation few months ago and he’ll be tasked to take this team to new heights this term.
In their first four matches this season, Mallorca have tallied one win, two losses, and one draw – good for five points and four above the relegation zone.
It’s a good start for Los Bermellones and the encouraging part is that they’ve been scoring goals at a healthy rate. Leading the way in that category is their front duo of Vedat Muriqi and Lee Kang-In.
Against Real Madrid, Mallorca are expected to drop deep with their 5-3-2 formation and they’re going to be in for a long night defencively. But if they can somehow get a point against the reigning champs, that is considered a huge win for them.
Mallorca have lost 10 of their last 12 meetings with Real Madrid in La Liga (W1, D1). Their last win dates back to October 2019 where they won 1-0 at their home pitch, courtesy of Lago Junior.
These two teams last met in March where Real Madrid earned a comprehensive 3-0 victory as Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema (twice) found the back of the net in the second half.
The said result meant that Mallorca suffered five consecutive defeats for the first time in top-flight since November 2012 where they were still coached by Joaquin Caparros, who, at the time, lost six straight.
Los Bermellones went on to lose two more matches against Espanyol and Getafe before pulling off a huge upset against Atletico Madrid.
It’s no surprise that the La Liga 2022 odds are batting for Real Madrid. They are priced at 1.25 to win, while Mallorca are the underdogs at 9.50 and chances for a draw are pegged at 5.20 in the 1X2 market.
Mallorca may be unbeaten in their last two games, but those were against sides who are at the lower half of the table and Real Madrid are definitely not one of them.
Over 3.00 @ 1.76 is another bet to think about given that Los Blancos have feasted on Los Bermellones. We sense that Real Madrid are going to get their first clean sheet of this season as well.
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Fourth plays third in the La Liga match of the weekend as two of Spain’s best sides come head-to-head in Seville, where Real Betis vs Villarreal is the entertainment on offer.
Much like the rest of the Spanish league, both clubs have lived in the shadow of the two Madrid giants and Barcelona for years, but they are challengers to the big three as they each pursue a top four place and cup silverware.
So far this season, Real Madrid are shaping up well and the Blaugrana are in second place and ahead of Villarreal on goal difference. Atleti are off the pace and so these two challengers will fight tooth and nail to keep hold of a Champions League spot.
Real Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini led his side to three consecutive wins before losing to Real Madrid last weekend, while Villarreal remain unbeaten in the league after thrashing Elche 4-0.
They were both in Europa League action on Thursday night and both came through well as Betis won away in Helsinki and Villarreal beat Lech Poznan 4-3 at home.
Former Arsenal boss Emery has led Villarreal to European heights with a Europa League title in 2021 and a Champions League semi-final last season.
And the early season La Liga 2022 betting oddshave installed the Yellow Submarine as clear fourth favourites for the title, while Betis are battling just behind alongside Real Sociedad and Sevilla. The winner of this game will cement a top four place while the loser could slip into the pack.
Maybe a point apiece will suit Pellegrini and Emery?
Talking Points
Can Betis get over the Real blip?
Real Betis’ Sergio Canales in action with Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal
Los Verdiblancos briefly went top of the league when they beat Osasuna 1-0 two weeks ago and they had a chance, albeit a slim one, to retake the top spot when they faced Real Madrid last week.
Los Verdiblancos gave it a good go, and when attacking midfielder Sergio Canales drew them level, a surprise result looked on.
But Rodrygo’s second half strike gave Los Blancos a win and ended Betis’ winning streak.
They got back on the winning trail on Thursday as two goals from Willian Jose gave them a win over Helsinki, but Villarreal will provide another big test.
Star striker Borja Iglesias has been providing plenty of La Liga 2022 highlightsas usual, and with four goals he is the third top scorer in the league behind Robert Lewandowski and Iago Aspas who have five. And alongside Willian, he will stretch Villarreal’s defence at every opportunity.
Winning in Europe is good, but the Betis players know this clash with Villarreal is vital.
Baena could be the real deal for Villarreal
21-year-old winger Alex Baena has been blooded by Villarreal boss Emery this season and he looks like a star in the making.
Baena is a real livewire, playing wide out on the left or he can operate as a number 10 and he scored twice in the Yellow Submarine’s narrow win against Poznan.
He also has two goals in the league, alongside experienced striker Gerard Moreno, and Emery has plenty more creative talent in his side.
Samuel Chukwueze scored in Thursday’s Europa League tie and, at 23 years of age, the Nigerian forward is also developing into a hot property while attacking midfielder Yeremy Pino is being watched by the biggest clubs in Europe.
Giovani Lo Celso, on loan from Spurs, has good vision and an impressive array of passing while centre-back pairing of Raul Albiol and Pau Torres is one of the best in Spain.
This looks like a top four side.
History
Real Betis and Villarreal only have one La Liga title between them and that was way back in 1935 when Los Verdiblancos were the Kings of Spain, though the Yellow Submarine came close in 2008 when they finished as league runners-up.
The head-to-heads tell a story of an evenly-matched tussle with the Yellow Submarine winning 15 of the last 36 encounters to Real Betis’ 12, and there have been nine draws.
Emery’s team did the double last season with two 2-0 victories over Betis and, in terms of recent form, Villarreal have the edge with five wins and a draw from the last six games, while Betis have won four, drawn one, and lost one.
The SBOTOP odds favour the Yellow Submarine but only just with all three results well in play.
And Betis fans will fancy a return to winning ways at a price of 2.76, while there are good cases for the draw at 3.16 or Villarreal at 2.40. I think the visitors’ strength in depth gives them the edge and, if this game is to go either way, it will be in Emery’s direction.
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During a weekend in which the footballing fraternity joined the wider world in paying tribute to Her Majesty the Queen, the Spanish capital was no exception.
Before any La Liga highlights were played out, Madrid decided to light up its landmarks in the colours of the British flag, red and blue.
It was a fitting gesture ahead of the start of the latest set of fixtures which included two games in the capital – one of them involving Spanish footballing royalty.
Cibeles Palace getting illuminated with British flag colours red and blue
Mallorca faced the impossible task of breaking Real Madrid’s La Liga streak, and, in hindsight, made a mistake by having the temerity to take the lead in the Bernabeu as Vedat Muriqi headed home a Lee Kang-in cross.
In the end, it was one they held for 10 minutes as Real levelled in first-half injury-time through Federico Valverde’s fine strike from the edge of the area.
Last season’s Champions League Final matchwinner, Vinicius Jr, put them ahead with a calm finish and that was how it stayed until the closing moments when spirited Mallorca’s rearguard was twice breached.
First Rodrygo netted a superb individual goal before Antonio Rudiger volleyed in a fourth in the third minute of stoppage time – the German’s first goal since joining the club from Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer.
A 4-1 home success – all without star striker Karim Benzema who is out with a thigh injury.
The scoreline was also one-sided when lowly Cadiz hosted Barcelona, just as emphatic as the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds suggested.
The drama, however, was confined to off the pitch but, thankfully, had a happy ending.
In the 81st minute, Cadiz goalkeeper Conan Ledesma was seen sprinting across the pitch with a defibrillator supplied by Barcelona’s medical staff, which he then threw into the crowd.
The match was then suspended for nearly an hour as medical staff worked to attend to a fan who had suffered a cardiac arrest in the stands.
Jose Mari was also seen carrying a stretcher through the stands to the supporter.
When the match started again, Barcelona went on to score twice in the dying moments, but both Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele were muted in their celebrations.
They had earlier gone 2-0 up through Frenkie de Jong and Robert Lewandowski to break the resistance of the home team, who look like they could face a long winter ahead.
La Liga has raised the club’s spending limit by £700 million, bringing it out of a spending deficit after it sold off chunks of assets to patch up its finances.
Barcelona were given a cap of €96m last year, which was slashed by January to minus €144m – meaning the team had to find savings elsewhere to sign new players – after they ran up debts and future liabilities. As a result of their financial turnaround, the league said on Friday it has given Barcelona a cap for the 2022-23 season.
A few hours before their victory in Cadiz, Sevilla finally got off their mark with their first victory of the fledgling campaign.
Before their trip to Espanyol, they had gone down to 3-0 and 4-0 defeats in the space of five days to Barcelona and Manchester City (in the Champions League), prompting the club’s board to meet on Wednesday morning to discuss the future of manager Julen Lopetegui.
Yet they made a dream start, scoring after just 45 seconds when Erik Lamela raced clear and finished coolly.
With confidence boosted, the Andalusians attacked with purpose and Lopoetegui’s decision to select young academy defenders Kike Salas and Jose Angel Carmona paid off as the latter tapped home. Carmona then pounced again on a mistake just before half-time to make it 3-0.
That appeared that, even after Marcos Acuna handled the ball in first half stoppage time and Joselu converted the resulting penalty.
Espanyol pushed forward and it was game on just after the hour mark when Martin Braithwaite pounced on a loose ball.
The home side threw men forward in the closing stages and Lamela received a second yellow with five minutes remaining but, while the contest ran into the 100th minute, Sevilla held on for victory.
Like Cadiz, Elche could be in for a survival struggle this season, and belief seemed low as they fell three goals behind to Athletic Bilbao inside the opening 22 minutes.
The contest finished with a 4-1 reverse and leaves left Elche one off the bottom.
Sunday night’s game saw two of the early season high-flyers as Real Betis hosted Villarreal.
A meeting of two challengers, even though neither are likely to last the pace, it was settled just past the hour mark when Rodri converted a brilliant delivery from youngster Luiz Henrique. Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis are up to third.
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La Liga: Barcelona Look to Extend Winning Run Against Elche
Barcelona vs Elche CF
Barcelona’s unbeaten start to this season came to a screeching halt in midweek as they were humbled by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
But Xavi’s side – currently in second place in the La Liga standings – still have a domestic winning streak going, one that they will expect to extend to five games when they host second-from-bottom Elche this weekend.
Elche, who were the surprises of last season, are struggling mightily this year and have just one point from their first five games. And the La Liga 2022 betting odds will be overwhelmingly against them at the Camp Nou as they take on Barca, whom they haven’t beaten in nearly 50 years.
Talking Points
Barcelona aim to bounce back from Bayern setback
Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong with manager Xavi as he gets ready to come on as a substitute
Barcelona’s immense struggles against Bayern Munich continued as they suffered a 2-0 defeat away to the German champions in the Champions League.
Barca were arguably the superior side and created the better chances, but they couldn’t convert their opportunities while Bayern were more clinical in front of goal.
Robert Lewandowski, who was in the spotlight as he faced off against his old club, had a subpar game by his incredibly high standards as he was guilty of squandering several opportunities. Only two of his seven shots ended up on target as his five-game scoring run finally came to an end.
Lewandowski will surely be out to redeem himself in La Liga, where he has scored a league-leading six goals and provided two assists in his first five appearances.
Meanwhile, Xavi could opt to shuffle up his side after their midweek disappointment. Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele started on the wings against Bayern, but the likes of Ansu Fati – who scored last time out in their 4-0 victory over Cadiz – and Ferran Torres will be pushing for a start.
Similarly, Frenkie de Jong and Franck Kessie, who both came on as substitutes against Bayern, will be hoping to come in and replace captain Sergio Busquets as the holding midfielder.
Elche in the midst of extended winless run
After an impressive 13th-placed finish last season – amid several coaching changes – Elche look like they will be back in a relegation scrap this year. Francisco’s side have started the season in disastrous form with four defeats in their first five games, which sees them second from bottom with just one point.
They and bottom side Cadiz are the only clubs left in La Liga who have yet to win a game this season.
Francisco, who guided Elche to the midtable upon his arrival last November, is under increasing pressure amid his longest winless run in charge of the club (five games).
Elche are coming off back-to-back heavy defeats to Villarreal (4-0) and Athletic Bilbao (1-4). They were four goals down by half-time against Athletic in what was a humiliating showing in front of their home fans.
Elche have now conceded 13 goals in five games this season while scoring just two goals, both the second-worst behind Cadiz.
Forwards Pere Milla and Lucas Boye, who were both instrumental in Elche’s success last season – they had 15 goals and six assists combined – have yet to provide any La Liga 2022 highlights. Granted, the two have started just two games apiece thus far, and they started at the same time for the first time against Athletic.
Meanwhile, veteran midfielder Javier Pastore – formerly of Paris Saint-Germain and Roma – has only played five minutes this season amid his continuing injury concerns.
Barcelona’s record against Elche is as one-sided as it gets. The Catalans have unbeaten in their last 19 matches against Elche and have won each of their last nine meetings in all competitions.
Unsurprisingly, Barca have been dominant at the Camp Nou, where they’ve scored at least three goals in their last five home matches against Elche in all competitions.
Although, Elche did give Barca a bit of a scare as they came back from two goals down last season. But Nico Gonzalez got a late winner to give Barca a 3-2 home victory. And Barca again needed a late winner, this time from a Memphis Depay penalty, to beat Elche 2-1.
The SBOTOP odds for this second-vs-second-from-bottom showdown are astounding. Barcelona are installed as massive 1.094 favourites to beat Elche, who are astronomical 29.00 underdogs to pull off the upset. A draw is 8.25.
Clearly, based on recent form as well as history, Barca should beat Elche quite handily at home. The only question is by how much they will win.
With the bitter taste of their defeat to Bayern still fresh in their mouths, look for Barca to deliver a heavy beatdown on struggling Elche.
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La Liga: Madrid Derby is Los Blancos’ Biggest Test
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid
The Civitas Metropolitano Stadium is the place to be on Sunday as the Madrid derby takes centre stage as the La Liga blockbuster of the weekend.
Real Madrid come into the game on the back of a Champions League victory over RB Leipzig while Atletico fell foul of Bayer Leverkusen, but both teams won their last La Liga game 4-1. Los Blancos beat Real Mallorca with ease and Atletico saw off Celta Vigo in great style.
Rojiblancos boss Diego Simeone is searching for some consistency, but his side is as dangerous as ever and they will be right up for this game in a noisy and packed stadium.
Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti’s Los Blancos have been shaping up quite nicely in the league. But the latest La Liga 2022 betting odds place them neck-and-neck with Xavi’s resurgent Barcelona, and anything other than a win at the Metropolitano could see them pass the lead to the Catalans.
Talking Points
Another 29 minutes for Griezmann?
Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann applauds fans after their La Liga clash against Celta Vigo
Los Blancos face an Atleti side which has started the season with a patchy set of La Liga 2022 results and a poor opening to the Champions League.
This erratic start sits Simeone’s side in seventh place in the La Liga table and five points behind the leaders. Los Rojiblancos are yet to put back-to back wins together in their domestic campaign and this would be a great time to put that right.
But they could do with resolving a bizarre situation surrounding star striker Antoine Griezmann which has meant the French player has been limited to second half substitute appearances.
He is on-loan from Barcelona on a two-year deal which would then become permanent if certain conditions are met. And that means Los Rojiblancos would have to fork out £35-M if the player appears for 30 minutes or upwards in 80-per cent of Atleti’s games.
Griezmann has been appearing as a substitute just after the hour mark and that has been a frustration for him as well as his parent club.
Reports in the French press suggest a compromise has been agreed for Atleti to pay a reduced fee of £22-M, but nothing has yet been agreed and so we may see the France forward appear on 65 minutes or so on Sunday.
He’s scored two goals so far in these limited shows, which would translate to six if he was a full-time player – food for thought for Simeone.
In terms of injury news, wing-back Sergio Reguillon is out and there will be late fitness tests for goalkeeper Jan Oblak and centre-back Jose Gimenez.
Real Madrid’s France striker is out
Los Blancos have started the season in stunning form with a 100-per cent record across all competitions but they too have selection problems, most notably the absence of prolific striker Karim Benzema – who was injured during Real’s 3-0 win over Scottish club Celtic.
He picked up a thigh strain and the French star could be out for a few weeks. This means Los Blancos will have to face their biggest test yet without their captain and talisman.
Ancelotti’s men have been sharing the striking responsibility as Vinicius Junior with four goals and Rodrygo – with two goals and two assists – have both been in fine form, while 24-year-old Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde has chipped in with a couple of stunning strikes recently.
In Valverde’s fifth campaign at the Camp Nou, he has already matched his best season tally of three and his last two have been classics.
Last week, he ran from midway inside his own half before unleashing a thunderbolt beyond the Mallorca keeper and in Real’s clash with Red Bull he hit another pile-driver to set Los Blancos on the way to victory.
Los Blancos have had much the better of the head-to-head meetings with three times as many victories as losses over the past three decades.
39 wins to 13 and 20 draws is a very solid record against their city rivals, but Los Rojiblancos are unbeaten in three consecutive home derbies and won the last encounter at the Metropolitano.
The home fans would give anything for another Simeone special. But in terms of recent form, the visitors have a clear edge with six wins from the last six in all competitions, while Atleti have won three draw one and lost two.
At a SBOTOP price of 2.41, Los Blancos are marginal favourites to win this Madrid derby but all three results are well in play, with Atleti at 2.70 and the draw the outside bet at 3.16.
I fancy a 1-1 draw or a 2-1 either way and maybe we can get another goal from the bench for Griezmann.
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As La Liga weekends go, there were fairly limited highlights, but three matches stood out for me – the beginning, the end and one contest in the middle.
The action began on Friday night when two strugglers met in Valladolid as Real Valladolid hosted Cádiz.
Just how important the solitary goal from ex-Manchester City man Alvaro Negredo in the second minute of stoppage time will be for Cadiz is unclear, but it was a moment the veteran marksman will cherish.
Both sides were in search of some much-needed positivity after their respective dismal starts and, perhaps reflecting a lack of confidence, neither created anything of note before the break at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla.
That pattern continued at both ends of the pitch after the restart before Oscar Plano crashed a superb effort against the hosts’ crossbar on the hour mark.
Cadiz’s reward for stepping up the tempo in the closing stages arrived when Negredo produced a deadly close-range finish in added time to snatch the win.
Moving to Saturday’s La Liga action, imagine this scenario: you’re bottom of the table and you’re off to the Nou Camp.
What’s the first thing you have to do?
‘Keep it tight and maintain your discipline’ would be the obvious instruction.
Unfortunately for Elche, the plan went out of the window before the quarter-hour mark as captain Gonzalo Verdu was sent off for pulling Robert Lewandowski down when clean through.
Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring their first goal against Elche
The Pole would exact perfect revenge, netting either side of half-time as Barca moved top of the table, temporarily, en route to a comfortable win over 10 men.
The final game of the weekend was the biggest game of the weekend.
City rivals, the 2021 champions against the reigning champions, Atletico Madrid against Real Madrid who, according to my SBOTOP colleague, were facing their biggest test of the season so far.
If they felt it, Carlo Ancelotti’s men certainly didn’t show it.
It took the champions just 18 minutes to take the lead when impressive youngster Aurelien Tchouameni scooped a cheeky ball over the top which Atletico defender Felipe missed and, as the ball landed, Rodrygo was ideally placed to blast a half-volley past Jan Oblak.
Another 18 minutes in and Real doubled their advantage.
Livewire Vinicius Jr flew down the left, cut inside and was unlucky to see his shot hit the inside of the post, yet the fortune was with his team as the ball bounced into the path of Federico Valverde, who slotted home number two.
Atletico’s anger was clear amongst a section of home fans and Thibaut Courtois had to direct the match official to objects thrown onto the pitch (in both halves).
They briefly had something to cheer seven minutes from time when the usually unflappable Courtois missed an Antoine Griezmann corner and Mario Hermoso knocked the ball in with his shoulder.
However, with stoppage time about to start, the same player saw two yellow cards in as many minutes, the second for a foul on Dani Ceballos, and he was off and Atletico’s chances went with it.
A couple of stats for the visitors to enjoy.
At 22 years and 234 days, Tchouameni is the second youngest Madrid player to provide an assist in his first La Liga derby in the 21st century since Karim Benzema in November 2009 (21 years and 323 days).
Real have won all nine of their games so far this season in all competitions, the third time they have won their first nine games in a single campaign after 1961/62 and 1968/69 when, in both campaigns, they won their opening 11 games.
Ominous?
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Barcelona Keen to Keep La Liga Dominance Going After the Break
Mallorca vs Barcelona
Barcelona are ready to return to action after the international break and will be looking to keep up the pressure on rivals Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga standings.
Barca were in the midst of a brilliant winning run before the break, and they will be keen to continue their dominance against newly promoted Mallorca.
Mallorca are off to a decent start to the season as they lie in 10th in La Liga. However, they have already been on the receiving end of a beatdown from one of the Spanish giants, and the La Liga 2022 betting odds will not be in their favour against in-form Barca.
Talking Points
Barcelona brushing foes aside
Barcelona may be second to Real Madrid in La Liga, but they are without a doubt the most in-form side in Spain at the moment. They are on a dominant five-game winning streak where they’ve scored a remarkable 20 goals and have conceded just one.
Robert Lewandowski has led the way up front with eight goals during that five-game winning run. He was unable to hit the target in both Nations League games for Poland during the international break, so he will be desperate to get back to his goalscoring ways in the league.
Meanwhile, the Barcelona defence has been surprisingly strong. They have conceded just one goal all season, which leads La Liga.
Although, it should be noted that three of their wins were against the sides currently in the relegation zone – Real Valladolid, Cadiz and Elche – who have scored just six goals between them this season.
Barcelona banged up after the break
Barcelona’s Raphinha in action with Cadiz’s Luis Alfonso Espino during a La Liga match at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla
Barcelona had quite a bad international break as several of their players picked up injuries. Their defence was hit particularly hard as both Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde picked up injuries that will keep them out for several weeks.
Hector Bellerin is expected to fill in for Kounde at right-back, while Andreas Christensen looks set to step in for Araujo alongside Eric Garcia.
Luckily, Barca have decent depth in midfield and up front to weather the absence of the two Dutchmen. The Spanish trio of Sergio Busquets, Pedri, and Gavi are expected to start, with Franck Kessie in reserve. Meanwhile, Raphinha – who scored a brace in Brazil’s 5-1 win over Tunisia – and Ansu Fati are strong options to start on the wing.
Mallorca off to a decent start
After just about surviving their first season back in La Liga, Mallorca are off to a good start in their second season. They are in mid-table with eight points from their first six games after two wins, two draws, and two defeats.
Javier Aguirre’s side, who conceded 63 goals last season (third-most in the league), have tightened up a bit at the back with just seven goals conceded in six games. Although, four of those goals came in a 4-1 beating at the hands of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu and two were in a 2-1 defeat to Real Betis. Both of Betis’ goals came from the penalty spot.
That means Mallorca have conceded just one goal (which was also a penalty) in their other four games with three clean sheets, which is a decent record.
Mallorca had a tough time finding goals last season; they scored the fourth-fewest goals (36) with their leading scorers (Vedat Muriqi and Salva Sevilla) getting just five each.
They still haven’t completely solved that problem as they have just six goals in six games. But Muriqi has been providing La Liga 2022 highlights with three goals already through six games.
History
Barcelona have beat up on Mallorca over the years. They have won 13 of their last 16 meetings, with Mallorca winning just twice. The Catalans are unbeaten in 12 consecutive games against Mallorca, with 11 wins and just one draw.
Barca did the double over Mallorca last season on their return to La Liga. Although, both were just by a single goal. Barca win 1-0 at Mallorca thanks to a Luuk de Jong goal, then won 2-1 at the Camp Nou with goals from Memphis Depay and Sergio Busquets.
There will be an odd atmosphere in the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Saturday. It will be a hot as ever as Sevilla welcome Atletico Madrid but there will be more tension, and even a little fear on the terraces.
Because this year, at this very moment, Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid is not a La Liga top four battle. It’s not even a top six clash but it’s 15th versus seventh and the hosts, led by Julen Lopetegui, are just one point above the drop zone after a sluggish start.
Now at a whopping 251.00 to win the 2022/23 La Liga title, Sevilla are trailing seven teams in the betting market, which is a better picture than the current reality of 15th place in the table behind the likes of Rayo Vallecano, Girona, and Mallorca.
It’s not a good sight for a team which, alongside Atletico Madrid, have threatened to gatecrash the El Clasico party in recent years.
Things have been picking up a little for Sevilla who earned a 1-1 draw away to Villarreal just before the international break and that followed their solitary win away to Espanyol.
This looks like a must-win game for both sides, but I’d say it is most definitely a must not lose.
Talking Points
Life without Ocampos is tough for Sevilla
A year ago, Sevilla were fourth in the table and that’s where they finished up. But their early La Liga 2022 results were little short of disastrous with just a point to show for their first four games and a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Manchester City in the Champions League.
The transfer of Lucas Ocampos to Ajax on loan looks like it may have been a mistake as the attacking midfielder has been such a key player for Los Sevillistas in recent years.
Captain Ivan Rakitic says, despite the poor start in Spain and in Europe, that the team is squarely behind Lopetegui but the club owners will be anxious in their wait for an improvement.
The win over Espanyol was invaluable to Sevilla to at least keep the proud club out of the bottom three, but they relied on defender Jose Carmona for two of their goals.
Erik Lamela, who scored the other goal before being sent off, is available again.
But Rakitic and Lopetegui have other problems, not least the recent report that midfield ace Papu Gomez was more focussed on Argentina’s World Cup preparations than the plight of his domestic club.
At moments like these, the team needs to be united.
Time for Felix to reassure Atleti fans
Such is the intensity of the renewed El Clasico battle as the current La Liga 2022 betting oddsare stark in their assessment of any other club’s chances.
Here at SBOTOP, we are pricing both Barcelona and Real Madrid at 1.95 to win the title, with Los Rojiblancos in third place at 31.00.
That must be hard to take for Atleti fans who saw their team lift the league title just 15 months ago, but they have made a stuttering start with off-field issues around Antoine Griezmann’s availability to sort out.
And there is still uncertainly around the progress of Joao Felix in his third season at the club. The big money transfer from Benfica seemed to weigh heavily on the young Portuguese star’s shoulders and he has struggled with injury.
Mario Hermoso scored against Real Madrid before being sent off
However, he has also showed flashes of brilliance, notably in a pre-season victory over Manchester United, and he has made three assists in the league.
In the end, Atleti need more from Felix and now at 22 years of age, he has the chance to show what he can do. There is an undoubted talent in there which persuaded the normally thrifty Simeone to splash out €126-M on the attacking midfielder and the club needs him to perform more than ever.
Alvaro Morata is top scoring with three goals, while Antoine Griezmann has scored two from his regular appearances from the bench. And if Felix starts firing, Simeone will have a potent attack.
There are concerns at the other end of the pitch as Jose Maria Gimenez is injured and Mario Hemoso is suspended after his red card in the Madrid derby.
History
With 21 wins to 18, Sevilla have marginally had the better of the head-to-head encounters, and there have been 20 draws in all encounters since 1993.
Neither side has been in sparkling form so far this season, but Atletico have been a little stronger with three wins, a draw, and two defeats, while Sevilla have two wins, a draw, and three defeats over the last six games.
Sevilla re unbeaten at home to Atleti in the last four meetings at the Ramon Sanchez, winning this game last year 2-1 as Ocampos scored a late winner for the hosts. But Los Rojiblancos have been strong on the road this season, winning two and drawing one away from Madrid.
La Liga is taking shape already and it doesn’t look pretty to Sevilla fans, and they would dearly love a win at a price of 2.71.
The home fans will be loud and passionate and an away victory at 2.51 would be a superb result for Los Rojiblancos. It all points to a draw for me and a score-line of 1-1 is relatively low in price at 4.84.
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La Liga: Osasuna Beating Real Madrid is a Tough Proposition
Real Madrid vs Osasuna
Osasuna have put the whole La Liga on notice with their auspicious start to this season, but they’ll face their biggest challenge yet when they’ll visit Real Madrid at the Bernabeu this Sunday.
Los Rojillos are getting the job done thus far. As a result, they are currently fifth in the standings with 12 points, which is unusual considering they’ve always been at the bottom half.
Their opponents Real Madrid, on the other hand, look unstoppable. They haven’t lost or drawn a game across all competitions so far this season and they’re standing tall with 18 points here in the Spanish top-flight.
This is basically a David vs. Goliath matchup according to the pre-match SBOTOP betting odds, but Osasuna have shown before that they’re capable of making Real Madrid uncomfortable.
Talking Points
Karim Benzema to return for Real Madrid
Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema during the match against Real Betis
Even if Real Madrid stayed perfect without Karim Benzema, the Frenchman’s return will no doubt still be celebrated since we know that he makes Los Blancos more formidable than they already are.
The 34-year-old was sidelined for a month after picking up a quad injury during their Champions League group stage match against Celtic. And with a packed schedule coming up, Carlo Ancelotti will have to manage his load moving forward.
The good news for Real Madrid is that they have a ton of depth. Fede Valverde is fresh from winning La Liga player of the month for September with his share of La Liga 2022 highlights, while Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo have done well to fill in for their French talisman, scoring eight goals total and dishing out four assists.
The only bad news for Real Madrid this weekend is the absence of veteran playmaker Luka Modric since he returned from international duty with a hip knock. The evergreen Croatian will miss this game as well as their upcoming Champions League group stage match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
With him sidelined, Dani Ceballos, Toni Kroos, and Aurelien Tchouameni should continue to man the midfield.
As always at the back, Thibaut Courtois remains the man between the sticks and he’ll be covered by David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy, and Eder Militao.
Osasuna’s backline getting the job done
Los Rojillos have been renowned for their low-scoring affairs this season, so they’ll probably stick to the same defencive formula against Los Blancos.
Osasuna have already recorded three clean sheets in their first six games. Also, it’s worth noting that they’ve managed to hold Real Madrid to two 0-0 draws in the last two seasons.
Centre-backs David and Unai Garcia aren’t afraid to get into it against the league’s top attackers as they’ve already combined for seven yellow cards this term, and they’ll have their hands full once again.
Jagoba Arrasate will have to cope without their top scorer Chimy Avila since he was red carded during their defeat to Getafe in the last time out. Aimar Oroz and Ruben Garcia will have to pick up the slack for the meantime, while Ante Budimir will be keen to open his scoring account this season.
Real Madrid haven’t lost in any of their last 14 matches against Osasuna in La Liga (W10, D4), which is their longest unbeaten run against them in the top-flight. Their last loss to them was a 1-0 result back in January 2011.
Los Blancos also haven’t lost to Los Rojillos in their last 14 league games at home (W12, D2) since a 3-0 defeat in April 2004. Carlo Ancelotti’s side hasn’t conceded a goal too in their last three.
Should the reigning champions win on Sunday, it would be the fourth time in their La Liga history that they’ve won all of their first seven league games of the season. They’ve done this particular feat in 1961/62, 1968/69, and 1987/88.
With 12 points in their first six league games (W4, L2), Osasuna matched their best start to a campaign since 2005/06.
It’s not surprising that Real Madrid are backed by the La Liga 2022 odds. For this game, they’re priced at 1.33, while Osasuna are huge underdogs at 8.75 and a draw is installed at 5.00 in the 1X2 market.
Osasuna would prefer to turn this into another low-scoring affair, so Under 2.75 @ 1.75 is our recommendation, although Real Madrid should win in the end given their collective firepower. The return of Karim Benzema helps Los Blancos continue their perfect start to their campaign, but they cannot take their visitors lightly by any means.
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Barcelona went top of the La Liga table on Saturday night after a goal from Robert Lewandowski was enough to earn a narrow win away to Real Mallorca.
It was the Polish hitman’s ninth strike in seven league games as he curled a low shot into the bottom corner of the net after good work from Ansu Fati.
The Blaugrana started the weekend in second position and Real Madrid have the chance to retake top spot if they maintain their 100 per cent record when they face Osasuna on Sunday night.
Lewandowski had a good chance to double his tally when he saw Mallorca keeper Predrag Rajkovic off his line, but the stopper recovered to save the striker’s attempted lob.
And at the other end of the pitch, Barca’s goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was busy too, as he made a brilliant save to deny Mallorca’s Jaume Costa. Ter Stegen also had to be alert to keep out Antonio Sanchez and Lee Kang-in and ensure Barcelona held on for all three points.
The latest La Liga 2022 betting odds reckon Barca can push Real Madrid all the way in this season’s title race and Lewandowski might just make the crucial difference.
Pressure mounts on Lopetegui
Reports have emerged in the Spanish media suggesting that Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui could be on his way out after another defeat, this time to Atletico Madrid, left Los Sevillistas just a point above the drop zone with a single victory from their first seven games.
Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui during their match against Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid moved up to fifth place as Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata pierced the Sevilla defence for a comfortable 2-0 victory. On his 554th appearance for Los Rojiblancos, midfield veteran Koke made the opening goal for Llorente and Morata converted a one on one chance early in the second half.
The hosts showed little sign of recovery and there are now suggestions that former Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli is being lined up as a replacement for the beleaguered Lopetegui. Sampaoli is rumoured to be awaiting a call in his home country of Argentina.
Here at SBOTOP we billed this as a ‘must not lose’ game. It turned out to be mission accomplished in some style for Los Rojiblancos… and a disaster for Sevilla and Lopetegui.
Williams Boys do it for Bilbao
With the most impressive of the weekend’s La Liga 2022 results Athletic Bilbao moved up to third place on Friday night thanks to a 4-0 mauling of new boys Almeria as Inaki Williams and his kid brother Nico both got on the score sheet. The two forwards had three goal involvements as Nico teed up his elder brother for the opening strike.
Inaki thought he’d made it 2-0 but was denied by VAR which adjudged him to be marginally offside, before Oihan Sancet did make it 2-0. Nico made it three with a beautiful finish and Mikel Vesga completed the scoring from the penalty spot.
Bilbao boss Ernesto Valverde was purring after the match, praising his players’ work ethic and skill, saying: “The points are a result of our performance.”
And it was certainly an impressive showing from Bilbao as they increased their points tally to 16 from their opening seven games. With 60 per cent possession, passing accuracy of 86 per cent and 17 shots to eight the hosts were in total control. And they were lethal in taking the big chances, all four of their shots on target ending up in the net…not a great day for Almeria keeper Martinez Rubio.
Yellow Submarine misfires in Cadiz
Unai Emery’s Villarreal missed a chance to move up into the top four after failing to beat struggling Cadiz on Saturday. The Yellow Submarine dominated possession and won the shot count by 14 to ten, and six to two on target; but they just couldn’t break down their resolute hosts.
Cadiz keeper Conan Ledesma was in outstanding form, making late saves to deny Alex Baena and Dani Parejo. But Cadiz remain in the relegation zone with four points from seven games.
So now it’s over to Real Madrid who will return to the top of the table if they defeat Osasuna on Sunday night. Los Blancos have a 100 per cent record so far, while Osasuna have started well with four wins and two defeats, lifting them into the top half of the table, currently seventh. Elsewhere, fourth-placed Real Betis are away to Celta Vigo, where a victory would lift Betis back up to third in place of Bilbao.
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Matchday 8 of La Liga kicks off with an intriguing matchup between Osasuna and Valencia at the El Sadar Stadium.
Osasuna are currently in sixth in the standings with 13 points and are coming off a draw with Real Madrid, ending the champions’ perfect start to the season.
They will now look to pick up more points against Valencia, who are three points behind in ninth and have yet to claim a victory away from home this season.
Talking Points
Osasuna off to a strong start
Osasuna have been the picture of consistency under coach Jagoba Arrasate. Arrasate arrived in 2018 and led Los Rojillos to La Liga promotion in his first season in charge. Since then, he has guided them to comfortable mid-table La Liga finishes in each of the last three seasons (10th, 11th, 10th).
This season, though, Osasuna are off to a surprisingly strong start. They currently sit in sixth in the La Liga standings with four wins from their first seven games. Their 13 points are the most at this stage of the season in the top flight since 2005/06, when they finished in fourth.
Osasuna’s Juan Cruz celebrates with teammates after their La Liga match against Real Madrid
Moreover, they are coming off one of the most surprising La Liga 2022 results to date: a 1-1 draw from their trip to Madrid, which ended reigning champions Real’s perfect start to the season.
Osasuna successfully held the champions despite being down to 10 men for the last 12 minutes after centre-back David Garcia was sent off. Garcia will miss the Valencia match due to suspension.
However, they will get back leading scorer Chimy Avila (3 goals), who is served out his suspension for his red card in their previous match against Getafe.
Kike Garcia made his first start of the season against Real in place of Croatian centre-forward Ante Budimir, and he could get the call to start again after he scored Osasuna’s equalising goal.
Valencia still searching for first away victory
Valencia are off to an underwhelming start under new coach Gennaro Gattuso. Los Che are down in ninth in the table with three wins and three defeats from their first seven games.
It has been a tale of two Valencia teams thus far: one that does well at home and one that struggles on the road. All three of their wins have come at the Mestalla, where they’ve scored 9 of their 12 goals. Meanwhile, they are still winless in three away matches, with two losses and a draw as well as only three goals scored.
They were actually mere seconds from losing three of three on the road, but substitute defender Eray Comert equalised late in stoppage time as Valencia salvaged a 2-2 draw with Espanyol last time out.
Comert and fellow centre-back Gabriel Paulista got the goals for Valencia, who are still waiting to get consistent production from their forwards. Samu Castillejo is the team’s top scorer with just two goals. Meanwhile, fellow newcomer, former PSG and Man United striker Edinson Cavani, has not found the net in his first two games for Los Che.
To make matters worse for Gattuso, forward Marcos Andre will be suspended after his red card against Espanyol, which means he will be down to Cavani and Hugo Duro as his only two striker options against Osasuna.
History
Valencia have had the edge over Osasuna over the years. Los Che have an 11-5 advantage in terms of wins, with five draws.
However, Osasuna have won two of the last three matches against Valencia, which is as many wins as in their previous 15 meetings.
The away side win both fixtures between the two sides last season. Valencia crushed Osasuna 4-1 at the El Sadar, but Osasuna hit back with a 2-1 win at the Mestalla.
SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds for this match are quite close. Osasuna are narrow 2.26favourites to beat Valencia, who are priced at 3.10. A draw is 3.25.
Osasuna are without a win in their last two La Liga games – they lost 2-0 at home prior to their draw with Real Madrid – but they are a good bet to end that drought against Valencia.
Having home advantage will be huge, especially with Valencia’s lack of form away from home. And with top scorer Chimy Avila back, I expect Osasuna to edge out what is likely to be a tight, defensive match.
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Real Madrid are keen to secure another road win when they visit Getafe this Saturday night at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum.
Los Blancos are still undefeated in all competitions this 2022-23 campaign. However, they’ve fallen to second place at the table behind Barcelona since they were held 1-1 against Osasuna in the last time out.
Getafe, on the other hand, have had a difficult start to their campaign as they only have seven points – leaving them at 14th position in the table.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds are siding with the reigning Spanish top-flight champions for this contest.
There’s no time to waste for Carlo Ancelotti’s men since they want to get back on top, so they will give it their best shot against their hosts.
Los Azulones were brought back to Earth on Saturday as they saw their two-game winning streak halted by Valladolid. Before Valladolid, Getafe notched impressive wins over Osasuna and Real Sociedad.
Los Pucelanos were buoyed by Sergio Leon’s brace and another goal from Oscar Plano as they were desperate to move out of the relegation mire, and that’s the kind of urgency Getafe need to have to get better La Liga 2022 results.
Getafe have players who can cause headaches for Real Madrid. Enes Unal – who scored in their 1-0 win against them last January – leads the way with two goals and one assist while the young Gaston Alvarez has the same amount of goals.
Joining Unal up front is a familiar name at Real in Borja Mayoral and for sure he would like show his old employers what they’re missing. The 25-year-old striker opened his scoring account in their defeat against Valladolid last weekend.
Midfield is going to be a weak point for Getafe as they’ll be missing the services of Mauro Arambarri and Jaime Seoane. Both hobbled off the pitch against Valladolid due to ankle injuries and it’s unlikely that either will be able to return as quickly as Saturday night.
Tough injury blows for Real Madrid
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois gestures during the warm up before their La Liga match
Real Madrid’s injury list has been a revolving door, which is normal considering they’re one of the most experienced sides in La Liga.
Thibaut Courtois is dealing with a bout of sciatica so he’s out indefinitely, while Dani Ceballos is projected to be out until the early stages of 2023 due to a serious hamstring issue.
Backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin will replace Courtois, so this could be a pivotal moment in Real Madrid’s campaign. And while Ceballos is not a regular starter under Carlo Ancelotti, he is a quality player who fills in a lot of gaps in certain matches.
Luka Modric’s return from injury couldn’t come soon enough for Los Blancos, but it may take him some time to find his rhythm.
History
While Real Madrid have the upper hand in the overall head-to-heads, Getafe have surprisingly done well against them in their most recent encounters.
Los Azulones have collected points in two of their last three La Liga games (W1, D1, L1) – which is as many as in their previous 22 matches together in the competition (W1, D1, L20).
Real Madrid are winless in their last two away games against Getafe (L1, D1) as they failed to score in both occasions, and they could equal their longest run without an away win against them in La Liga (D1, L2 between 2005 and 2006).
Getafe, though, have been poor lately at home as they’ve only won one of their last eight games at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum (D4, L3) after winning seven of their previous 10 (D3). They’ve yet to lose two in a row at home under Quique Sanchez Flores since December 2004, his first stint with the team.
The La Liga 2022 odds are backing Real Madrid to stay undefeated. Los Blancos are installed at 1.47, while Getafe are pegged at 6.00 and chances for a draw are at 4.50 in the 1X2 market.
Their recent encounters didn’t produce much goals so another bet worth considering is Under 2.75 @ 1.86.
While Getafe have the capability to frustrate Real Madrid, especially since fatigue will play a factor for the visitors, we’re backing Carlo Ancelotti’s men because of their overall quality but it will be a close contest.
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La Liga: Barca Cannot Take Celta Vigo for Granted at Home
Barcelona vs Celta Vigo
Barcelona are back on top of La Liga and they’re keen on staying there longer by aiming to defeat Celta Vigo for more valuable points.
The Blaugrana are level with Los Blancos at 19 points apiece. However, they’re leading the pack because of goal difference so it means that there’s still more work to be done for Xavi’s side.
Their opponents in Celta Vigo are currently 11th at the table with 10 points and once again they’re pushing for a top-half finish this season.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds are favouring Barcelona, but Celta Vigo have been their bogey team in recent years.
Celta Vigo would love nothing more than to put a dent in Barcelona’s title aspirations. The good thing for the Blaugrana, though, is that this game is not going to be played at Balaidos.
Talking Points
Barcelona getting it done on both ends
Barcelona forward Ansu Fati celebrates scoring their third goal with Frenkie de Jong
Since their goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano on the opening weekend of the 2022-23 campaign, Barcelona have won six league games on the bounce.
Xavi’s side has scored 19 goals as of this writing, but what’s even more remarkable is the fact that they haven’t conceded once in the league since their 4-1 beating of Real Sociedad.
The same can’t be said in their Champions League run so far, though, as they’re in danger to drop back into the Europa League after losing back-to-back Group C games against Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
Still, Xavi should be commended for his work at the touchline especially since they are banged up. Their backline depth has been compromised with the absences of Andreas Christensen, Hector Bellerin, Jules Kounde, and Ronald Araujo.
The Netherlands international might be inserted back into the starting XI assuming he’s 100-per cent fit, while veteran centre-back Gerard Pique is likely to deputise Andreas Christensen at centre-half.
Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, and Raphinha will remain as their front three and all of them are capable of creating new La Liga 2022 highlights.
Iago Aspas to lead the line for Celta Vigo
Iago Aspas was given the night off in their 1-0 victory over Real Betis last week, so he’ll have fresher legs for this big Camp Nou showdown.
The evergreen striker has long been a scourge for Barcelona, scoring 10 goals in 15 appearances and he’ll look to haunt them once more.
Eduardo Coudet has built a side suited for Aspas to succeed as he surrounded the 35-year-old with a couple of Under-25 wingers who will get valuable experience from this upcoming fixture.
Oscar Rodriguez and Gabri Veiga have already opened their scoring accounts this season with three goals and one assist combined, while Jorgen Strand Larsen and Carles Perez are capable wing threats as well.
While it’s been established that Barcelona are the better team overall than Celta Vigo, it’s surprising to know that they’ve only won four of their last 10 matches with them in La Liga (D4, L2).
Celta Vigo claimed points in two of their last five away league games against Barcelona (W1, D1) after losing in seven of their previous nine visits at Camp Nou (W1, D1).
Their most recent matchup took place in May where the Blaugrana defeated Los Celestes 3-1 at Camp Nou as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang notched a brace and Memphis Depay added one, while Iago Aspas scored the consolation goal.
In terms of recent form, Barcelona have the clear edge as they’re enjoying a six-game winning streak in the league, whereas Celta Vigo have won three and lost two in their last five.
Barcelona are highly rated in the updated La Liga 2022 odds. The Catalan giants are priced at 1.72, while a Celta Vigo triumph is installed at 7.60 and the likelihood of a draw is at 2.58 in the 1X2 market.
Since they’re fresh from a disappointing result against Inter Milan in the Champions League, Barcelona are eager to return to winning ways and they should be able to do so at home against Celta Vigo. While their recent encounters have yielded a bunch of goals, we feel that the visitors will find it harder to score at Camp Nou so we’re also recommending Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.11 for an alternative bet.
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Week 8 of La Liga and, whilst always compelling and often entertaining, none of the matches which followed the very first contest of the weekend could quite match its drama.
The La Liga 2022 highlights all began on Friday night at Osasuna, who went into their home clash with Valencia three points ahead of their opponents. What followed were three goals, three red cards, two missed penalties and a result which ensured Los Che leapfrogged the hosts in the process.
Fresh from a surprise draw at the home of the champions last weekend, Osasuna fell behind midway through the first half when Edinson Cavani slipped in Justin Kluivert to fire home his first goal in Spanish football.
That lead was extended nine minutes after the restart when Mouctar Diakhaby pounced on a loose ball to double the visitors’ advantage.
It was far from over though.
In the final 20 minutes, both home forward Chimy Avila and Cavani missed spot-kicks before Unai Garcia and Diakhaby were dismissed in the final minute.
There was still time for Darko Brasanac to pull one back in stoppage time but Valencia held out, although not until Ruben Pena then became the third player to be sent off in the 96th minute as Valencia finished with nine men.
Edinson Cavani gestures during his official presentation as Valencia’s new player at Mestalla Stadium
Pena felt the frustration of his manager Gennaro Gattuso as the club’s bad-tempered start to the season continued. Diakhaby’s red card was their fourth so far this term with their last five league games involving eight red cards (on both sides).
While those two sides are in the upper reaches of the table, there’s a shock for those who regularly study the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds.
Sampaoli enjoyed an ideal start at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan as Oliver Torres stabbed them ahead inside the first five minutes.
Yet, when Mikel Vesga smashed home a superb long-range leveller with 17 minutes remaining, it was hard to begrudge Bilbao a deserved equaliser as they stay third in the table.
That, of course, is behind Spanish football’s big two and it was Eder Militao’s early header which gave Real Madrid a low-key 1-0 win at Getafe to move them back to the top of La Liga – temporarily.
Only three minutes had elapsed when Militao ghosted between several defenders to head home a Luka Modric corner from close range.
Rodrygo, playing up front in place of the rested Karim Benzema, missed a great chance with a header while Modric also fired a shot wide from the edge of the box as the champions asked most of the questions.
The pattern of play continued after the break and it took a fine save from Getafe goalkeeper David Soria to deny Aurélien Tchouaméni from inside the box and, while the pace of the game eased in the closing stages, Carlo Ancelotti’s men were always in control.
Their city rivals Atletico completed the weekend in fourth spot, but they were given a mighty scare by newly promoted Girona.
A double early in each half from Angel Correa had set Atletico on their way; first he converted an Antoine Griezmann cross before intercepting a poor pass from goalkeeper Juan Carlos to double the lead.
They took the lead after 17 minutes when Gavi timed his run to perfection and, while his cross was cut out on the stretch by Unai Nunez, it fell to talented youngster Pedri, who tapped home from six yards out.
After the break, Celta Vigo did have the ball in the net as Jorgen Strand Larsen headed in the rebound after a Javi Galan effort came back off the post.
However, Galan had strayed offside to the relief of the majority inside the stadium.
Barca had made hard work of it but, after seven minutes of stoppage time, they returned to the summit on goal difference.
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It’s always been the biggest game in Europe, if not the world, but this year, El Clasico – the meetings of La Liga’s big two, Real Madrid and Barcelona – is something very special.
Los Blancos will host the Blaugrana at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday with the two teams locked on 22 points from their opening eight games, five clear of the chasing pack and the Catalans are top on goal difference. Real Madrid need to win the game to knock their fiercest rivals off the summit and that outcome would cause a shiver in the betting market.
The latestLa Liga 2022 betting oddsfor the title here at SBOTOPhave brought the Blaugrana in to a price of 1.75 with Real Madrid at 2.20 and Atletico the next in line at 23.00. Three points for Los Blancos and the top two may just swap places.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid come into the game on the back of a 1-0 win away to Getafe and they made the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday night thanks to a 1-1 draw in Donetsk. Barcelona beat Celta Vigo last week to hold on to top spot and then met Inter Milan on Wednesday night when they battled to a 3-3 draw.
Barcelona’s Raphinha celebrates his goal during their pre-season friendly match against Real Madrid
Strictly speaking, this isn’t the first Clasico of the season as Xavi’s Barcelona beat Real Madrid 1-0 in a pre-season friendly in Las Vegas, as Brazilian ace Raphinha scored his second goal since his transfer from Leeds United… so the bragging rights are currently in Catalonia.
Talking Points
Benzema is back and Real Madrid are hard to beat
An injury to Madrid talisman Karim Benzema in the Champions League against Celtic interrupted the France striker’s season and that was a blow to Los Blancos. He was vital to Real Madrid’s 2021/22 success with an incredible 44 goals in all competitions. So fans at the Bernabeu will be delighted to see him back in the white shirt in time for the Clasico. He appeared in Los Blancos’ 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday and, while he didn’t score, he always makes his team harder to beat.
Ancelotti’s men left it late but a 95th-minute goal from Antonio Rudiger, as he headed in a Toni Kroos cross, was enough to see them through to the knockout phase of the Champions League and now the boss can concentrate on La Liga matters. The triumphant centre-back clashed heads with the Shakhtar defender and left the field at full time covered in blood.
And Ancelotti said this was a fine example of how his team will always fight to the very end.
Following Benzema’s absence, Vinicius Junior is top scoring with five goals while Federico Valverde has three and is enjoying his best period at the club in some time.
While Barcelona have toiled a little in the Champions League, their La Liga 2022 resultshave been excellent and 1-0 win over Celta Vigo last week took them to the top of the league.
Xavi didn’t take Celta for granted, and quite rightly so as Barca had to nervously hold on for the win after young midfield star Pedri had handed them a 17th-minute lead. Officials at the club have said Barca are unlikely to invest in the January transfer window and the emergence of Pedri, and fellow teenagers Gavi and Ansu Fati as key players make the future look bright at the Camp Nou. Fati has made three assists this term and Pedri is playing higher up the pitch where he looks at ease in support of Barca’s main hit man Robert Lewandowski.
Lewy already has nine league goals to his name, putting him nicely in front in the race for the Golden Boot, three ahead of Real Betis star Borja Iglesias and Espanyol’s Joselu, and the addition of a proven goal scorer to a squad Xavi has been successfully moulding for almost 12 months, may be enough to see the Blaugrana through.
History
While Barcelona have had the better of the head to head El Clasico results, winning 34 of the last 77 to Real Madrid’s 24, Los Blancos had fared better in recent times winning four on the bounce until Xavi’s new look Barca plundered a 4-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu last March before also winning the pre-season friendly.
Real Madrid have won four of the last six, drawing the other two, while Barca have three wins, all in the league, and two defeats and a draw from the last six.
While Real Madrid have won two and drawn one of their home games in La Liga, Barcelona have won all four of their league matches on the road.
Los Blancos, with the home advantage, are at odds of 2.26 to take all three points with the Blaugrana at 2.73 and the draw is 3.44.
Five of Los Blancos’ last six games have featured 2-3 goals while only one of Barca’s last six have featured more than three goals, so a 1-1 draw or a 2-1 either way looks like it might be on the cards.
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La Liga: Los Leones Won’t be Docile Against Atleti at San Mames
Athletic Bilbao vs Atletico Madrid
Two of the top four teams in La Liga will go head-to-head this Saturday as Athletic Bilbao host Atletico Madrid at San Mames.
While Atletico Madrid –champions back in the 2020-21 season – are expected to be here, the same can’t be said for Athletic Bilbao, which is why it’s a pleasant surprise to see them punching above their weight.
Los Leones’ fantastic start has put them third in the Spanish top-flight standings with 17 points, which is one point ahead of their opponents Los Rojiblancos.
Atletico Madrid are fresh from a frustrating draw against Club Brugge yesterday, so Diego Simeone’s men are looking for a positive result here. However, the pre-match SBOTOP betting odds say that they’ll have to earn their points the hard way again.
Talking Points
Williams brothers leading the charge for Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao missed out on Europe last season given their eighth place finish, but there’s a sense that they can make it this time around. Having no continental competition this season meant that they could fully focus on their domestic commitments, which has turned into an advantage for them.
Los Leones have been one of the most exciting attacking sides as they’ve already scored 17 goals in their first eight games – good for third in the league. They have done it by committee as they have four different scorers with three goals apiece, namely, Alex Berenguer, Oihan Sancet, and the Williams brothers.
Nico and Inaki Williams have been making headlines in the La Liga 2022 news. They were the first brothers since 2005 to score in the same La Liga game during their come-from-behind 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano and both are on course to represent their respective countries at the World Cup in Qatar.
Both are big, strong, and technically adroit, so opposing centre-backs have their hands full dealing with them.
Valverde will have a fully fit squad to choose from against Atletico Madrid, with only Ander Herrera sitting out after he was red-carded in their 1-1 draw versus Sevilla on Sunday.
Antoine Griezmann can now play full time for Atleti
Antoine Griezmann has started playing in three straight games with two goals and two assists for Atletico Madrid
Antoine Griezmann has finally completed his permanent transfer to Atletico Madrid which means that Diego Simeone can utilise the Frenchman however he sees fit, and his main task is to find the proper attacking combination with quality players at his disposal.
Prior to the said agreement with Barca, Griezmann initially returned to Los Rojiblancos on loan in 2021. Atletico Madrid didn’t want to pull the trigger on their £34-M buy option on him that would be activated if he played a certain amount of minutes, and that was the reason why the Frenchman only got off the bench after the hour mark.
Griezmann has now started in three straight games, although he has yet to find the back of the net since then. This season he has three goals, and that number should improve if Atletico Madrid are to vie for major honours.
History
Athletic Bilbao fancy their chances since they’re undefeated in their last three La Liga games against Atletico Madrid (W2, D1) and they’ve tallied a clean sheet in their last two. They’ve avoided defeat in four or more games in a row against Madrid-based sides in La Liga for the first time since April 2003 (W3, D1).
At San Mames, Los Leones are also unbeaten in their last four league games against Los Rojiblancos (W3, D1), which is their longest undefeated run at home against them since December 1991 (W10, D5).
Their last meeting took place in May where Athletic Bilbao beat Atletico Madrid 2-0 through an own goal from Mario Hermoso and a penalty kick by Inaki Williams near the hour mark.
Since they’re in better recent form, Athletic Bilbao were given the edge by the La Liga 2022 odds. The hosts are installed to win at 2.53, while Atletico Madrid are not far off at 2.77 and a draw is priced at 3.20 in the 1X2 market.
Given that this match is tough to call, we’ll look into the first half and we’re backing the hosts to make a fast start since they’ve led at half-time in majority of their La Liga games this season, while Atletico Madrid can take a bit longer to get going.
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Real Madrid have returned to the top of La Liga thanks to a hard earned victory in the El Clasico in front of a packed and deafening crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius Junior had just had a shot saved when Benzema lashed home the opener with only 12 minutes on the clock. The Blaugrana pushed for an equaliser but they were two down at the break after Federico Valverde fired a beauty into the bottom corner, from just outside the penalty area, for his fourth goal of the campaign.
Barca beat Los Blancos in a pre-season El Clasico and they had dominated the first half of this match with 60 per cent possession and eight shots to four; and that pattern continued in the second period. Robert Lewandowski saw his header brilliantly saved by Los Blancos keeper Andriy Lunin, and the Polish scoring sensation had a hand in Barca’s 83rd minute goal, setting up Ferran Torres for his strike which made it a tense last ten minutes.
But the Bernabeu erupted again when Barca’s Eric Garcia conceded a penalty on 91 minutes. With Benzema substituted, Rodrygo, who had just been on the pitch for five minutes, coolly slotted the spot kick home.
The latest La Liga 2022 betting odds have been backing a title win for the Catalans but this result puts Los Blancos three points clear and back into pole position.
Griezmann is back home
Athletic Bilbao 0-1 Atletico Madrid
Forward Antoine Griezmann celebrated the only goal that helped Atletico Madrid to win against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga
In other La Liga 2022 news, Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid leapfrogged Athletic Bilbao into third place thanks to a backs-to-the-wall performance to deny their hosts, who registered 13 shots to Atleti’s three. My SBOTOP colleague said Los Leones would not lie down for Atleti and he was right on the money as the hosts dominated possession as well as the shot count. It was a classic Simeone one goal win, and a familiar face was smiling at the end of the game.
Antoine Griezmann has just signed a contract to keep him at the Wanda Metropolitano until 2026 and that will be a weight off his shoulders after a frustrating start to the campaign during which he was still a Barcelona player. He left Los Rojiblancos in 2019 in a £103m deal but things have not worked out for him at the Camp Nou and now he’s back home where he is loved.
Griezmann scored with Atleti’s only effort on target, a clinical finish with an assist for Alvaro Morata; it was the Frenchman’s 100th goal for Atleti over his two stints at the club and he is now Los Rojiblancos’ fourth highest scorer of all time.
Sampaoli’s Sevilla are showing real fight
Mallorca 0-1 Sevilla
Following the departure of head coach Julen Lopetegui, Jorge Sampaoli was back in the hot seat at Sevilla in an instant and he faced a tough introduction in his first three games. First the struggling side faced up to high flying Athletic Bilbao and won a hard earned point in a 1-1 draw. Los Sevillistas pulled off another 1-1 away to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and then, on Saturday, they picked up their first three points under the new boss with a battling victory away to Mallorca.
Sampaoli’s team had the lion’s share of possession but while keeper Bono had a busy afternoon, making five saves, Sevilla scored with their only shot on target of the game; and it was a beauty. When Isco teed up Nemanja Gudelj the Serbian midfielder hammered an unstoppable right footer into the top left corner.
Cool Cavani so good for Los Ches
Valencia 2-2 Elche
Edinson Cavani has been one of the best forwards in world football over the past 15 years, striking up a brilliant partnership with Luis Suarez while bagging 58 goals in 133 appearances for Uruguay; and now he’s plying his trade with Valencia.
The 35 year old striker is still a class act and he scored his 272nd and 273rd career goals to give Los Ches a point. Pere Milla gave Elche a lead on the half hour from the penalty spot and when Valencia had a similar opportunity Cavani stroked the spot kick home, low into the bottom left hand corner. And the Uruguayan hit man made it 2-1, in the last minute of the first half, meeting an Andre Almeida cross with a thundering header into the roof of the net. In those two goals Cavani showed the finesse and power which has characterised his long career.
But he was matched by Milla as the Elche man powered his header into the top corner to grab the hosts a draw.
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La Liga: Midweek Draws with Late Drama and Laporta
It’s been quite an eventful last few days in La Liga. There was of course El Clasico over the weekend, then the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema led a host of La Liga stars who received awards.
The round of midweek matches also kicked off, and while all three ended in draws, a couple of them featured some late dramatics. Radamel Falcao haunted his former club Atletico Madrid, while Sevilla needed late penalty heroics to remain undefeated under new coach Jorge Sampaoli.
Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is dealing with some negative publicity at the moment after his ill-advised run-in with the referee after El Clasico coupled with Frenkie de Jong’s recent comments.
Read on below as SBOTOP delivers all the latest news and updates from the Spanish top flight.
Alvaro Morata had given Atleti the lead after 20 minutes after he was set up by strike partner Antoine Griezmann, who now has a goal and an assist after making his move back to Atleti from Barcelona permanent.
The home side looked on course for the win, but they conceded a late penalty after Jose Maria Gimenez was called for handball following a VAR review.
Falcao, who spent two successful seasons with Atleti from 2011-13 and scored 52 goals in 68 La Liga appearances, stepped up to score the equaliser for Rayo.
Falcao faced Atletico Madrid backup goalkeeper Ivo Grbic as Jan Oblak missed the match due to a concussion.
The draw snapped Atleti’s three-game winning streak, but thanks to their promising run of La Liga 2022 results, they still rose to third with 20 points, five points back of leaders Real Madrid.
Sevilla remain unbeaten under Sampaoli
Sevilla are still undefeated under new coach Jorge Sampaoli as they drew 1-1 against Valencia in a match that featured more late drama.
Edinson Cavani had given Los Che an early lead with his third goal in two games. But substitutes Kike Salas and Erik Lamela combined to score Sevilla’s equaliser four minutes from time.
Sevilla manager Jorge Sampaoli gives instructions from the sideline during Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund
However, Salas seemingly turned into the villain of the piece as he conceded a penalty deep in stoppage time and was sent off.
Jose Gaya stepped up to take the pressure-packed kick, but he was unable to convert as Bono made a crucial save to preserve Sevilla’s point.
With that dramatic draw, Sevilla are now unbeaten in four games in all competitions under Sampaoli, with one win and three draws.
However, the La Liga 2022 odds will be significantly against Sevilla as they face Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend.
An angry Laporta made his way to the referee’s locker room after the match looking for explanations about certain calls that did not go his club’s way.
However, Laporta will reportedly only be fined 602 euros for his infraction since it was his first offence.
De Jong bares Laporta pressure
Aside from his fine, Laporta has more bad press to deal with after Frenkie de Jong accused him of pressuring him to leave the club in the summer.
Laporta stated publicly that he wanted de Jong to stay amid interest from Manchester United, but he was strongly implying that the Dutch midfielder needed to cut his salary to do so. In the end, though, de Jong remained at Barcelona on his existing deal.
“I was calm. I decided in May that I wanted to stay,” De Jong said. “My opinion never changed during the whole period. I remained calm.
“But then, you know, the pressure started coming. From the newspapers, from the president…from everywhere, in fact.
“But I wanted to stay at Barça, so it never bothered me.”
Despite all the summer drama, the 25-year-old de Jong is still an active member of Xavi’s squad and even started the Clasico. However, he is no longer first choice in midfield, with Gavi taking his place alongside Pedri and Sergio Busquets.
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If ever a reminder was needed – and it wasn’t, despite what some Catalonians will tell you – Real Madrid are the current kings of Spain.
Yes, Barcelona have closed the gap.
Following a summer of major spending – and incentives to free-up cash – so they should (after all, they were 13 La Liga points behind the champions of Spain and Europe last term).
However, last Sunday’s victory in El Clasico showed there is still a gap on the pitch between a settled squad (which knows each other inside out and has the winning mentality) and one which is still adapting to each other.
It takes a combination of talent, character and astuteness to achieve what Real Madrid are achieving right now.
This weekend will be another test of that as Sevilla come to town, but you would not bet against Carlo Ancelotti’s aces.
Talking Points
Especially in the week in which the best player in the world in 2022 was richly crowned.
It cannot be forgotten just how invaluable he has been as the club from the Bernabeu have despatched all before them at home and abroad.
Leading the charge, of course, has been Karim Benzema who, last season alone, scored 44 goals in 46 games and provided 15 assists. He was top scorer in La Liga and top scorer in the Champions League, on 15, two off the record former team mate Cristiano Ronaldo set back when Benzema was providing for him.
In addition, the Frenchman won both, plus the Spanish Super Cup. He won the Nations League with France, scoring in the final and netting the goal that began the comeback against Belgium in the semi-final.
The La Liga highlights have continued this season too, as shown by Benzema’s input in last weekend’s El Clasico victory which was followed up by another goal in the midweek 3-0 victory over Elche which maintained their three point lead at the summit.
Thibaut Courtois before Real Madrid’s match against Atletico Madrid
They should be near full strength again this weekend too with Thibaut Courtois – who was named as the best goalkeeper in the world at the same ceremony in which Benzema was crowned – back in their starting XI after a back injury which has kept him out of the last six matches.
As for Sevilla, they played out a 1-1 draw with Valencia in the league on Tuesday night, with Erik Lamela coming off the bench to level the scores four minutes from time.
Tanguy Nianzou is expected to be fit for Saturday night, despite being replaced due to muscular discomfort in that game.
Karim Rekik, Fernando and Jesus Manuel Corona remain on the sidelines through injury, while Jose Angel Carmona is a doubt due to the issue that forced him off in midweek.
Sevilla will be no pushovers but there is no club quite like Real Madrid right now – both the team and individual accolades prove it.
That includes their last three visits to Seville when they have recorded 1-0 victories on the first two both occasions, and then edged a five goal thriller last term which saw Benzema grab a last minute winner – all this after Rodrygo and Nacho Fernandez had wiped out a 2-0 Sevilla advantage, given to them courtesy of Ivan Rakitic and Eric Lamela inside 25 minutes.
The other meeting last season in the Bernabeu saw Real run out 2-1 winners, thanks to a late Vinicius Junior winner after an early Rafa Mir goal was cancelled out by Benzema.
Betting Tip
As you would expect in a meeting between the leaders and a side in 12th place, the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds are very much in favour of the hosts.
They fluctuate from Real Madrid 1X2 @ 1.30 to Sevilla 1X2 @ 7.80. Even the Draw is quite adrift @ 4.60.
Likewise, Asian Handicap options include Real -1.50 @ 2.16 and Sevilla +1.25 @ 2.05.
Goals are expected given Over 3.00 goals will pay out @ 2.05.
La Liga: Barcelona in Must-Win Mode Versus Athletic Bilbao
Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao
The La Liga title race is getting tight between El Clasico rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid, so every match moving forward is going to be treated as a must-win for both of these teams.
Since Real Madrid are in pole position with 28 points because they’ve yet to lose a game, there’s a bigger sense of urgency at Camp Nou given that Barcelona are trailing behind with 25 points, good for second place.
The Blaugrana recently returned on the winning track and now they’ll face Athletic Bilbao, who are currently at sixth place following a three-game winless run.
But even if the visitors are on a downswing, Barca can’t take the ambitious Los Leones lightly, since they’re not pushovers by any means.
Frenkie de Jong making considerable impact at Barca
While Robert Lewandowski and Ansu Fati were the ones who delivered the goals and La Liga 2022 highlights, it was Frenkie de Jong who has been Barca’s most influential figure in their 3-0 win against Villarreal yesterday.
The Dutch midfielder was perfect in successful dribbles, ground duels won, aerial duels won, long balls completed, cross completed, and was 95-per cent in his passing accuracy.
Villarreal’s forays forward were thwarted mostly by de Jong as he provided sufficient cover for Jules Kounde and makeshift centre-back Marcos Alonso, and he was also great at linking up play for his teammates up front.
Prior to this game, de Jong’s form has been erratic due to inconsistent minutes as Xavi tends to rely more on the likes Gavi, Pedri, and Sergio Busquets to lead his midfield.
But with games coming in thick and fast, Xavi decided to start de Jong here. And given his masterful performance, it would be criminal for the Spanish tactician to not play him more.
Frenkie de Jong has been quite adamant –even before, amid interest from certain Premier League sides last summer – that he wants to stay and prove his worth at Barcelona, although that won’t stop rival clubs from pursuing his signature come January.
Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams and Inaki Williams during the warm up before the match
The law of averages has finally caught up with Athletic Bilbao. Not too long ago they were in contention for a European spot, but with two draws and one loss in their last three games, they’re in danger of falling out of the top half of the table.
Los Leones weren’t docile to Los Rojiblancos, but Antoine Griezmann’s goal in the 47th minute was enough to see them lose. And then on Wednesday, they wasted points as they were held to a 2-2 stalemate against relegation-threatened Getafe.
Getting a positive response against Barcelona should help them restore their confidence ahead of winnable games against Villarreal, Girona, and Valladolid – who are all below them in the standings.
Inaki Williams – who recently made his 350th appearance for Los Leones – has been a large thorn for Barca over the past few seasons, so look for him to be aggressive this weekend.
History
Barcelona haven’t lost in 20 consecutive home games against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga (W17, D3). They last tasted defeat at Camp Nou at the hands of Athletic Bilbao way back in November 2001 via a 2-1 scoreline.
The Blaugrana dominated Los Leones in their previous meeting last February with a 4-0 scoreline as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ousmane Dembele, Luuk de Jong, and Memphis Depay all found the back of the net.
Following their goalless draw in the opener versus Rayo Vallecano, Xavi’s side have not conceded a league goal at Camp Nou, and they’ve scored in all of their La Liga games so far (24 goals – second-most in Spanish top-flight).
That’s bad news for Athletic Bilbao as Ernesto Valverde’s men have given up goals in six of their last seven fixtures (8).
The SBOTOP La Liga 2022 odds are backing Barcelona for this one since they’re priced at 1.56 to win, while Athletic Bilbao are at 5.40 and chances for a draw are at 4.20 in the 1X2 market.
The Blaugrana have been formidable at home so far this season. And since they’re the better squad, we believe that their quality will shine through on Sunday evening.
Recent encounters between these two have been high-scoring, so going for Over 2.50 @ 1.67 is not a bad idea, with Barcelona likely to ship in more goals.
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La Liga: Betis and Atleti in Fourth Place Shootout
Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid
They are locked on 20 points in fifth and fourth separated by a single goal and the winner of the La Liga game between Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid will finish the weekend happily in the Champions League places.
Neither team has been firing on all cylinders in recent weeks. Diego Simeone’s Atleti come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano, while Betis drew 0-0 away to Cadiz and these results left them both eight points behind leaders Real Madrid.
Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis would be happy with a top four place, but Atletico fans’ memory of their 2021 La Liga triumph is still fresh in their minds and they would dearly love to gatecrash the El Clasico pair.
Diego Simeone has managed Los Rojiblancos since 2011 and has turned the club into one of the hardest to beat in Europe, and the La Liga 2022 betting odds reckon we’re in for a tight contest at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Five points from the last four games has seen Real Betis drift out of the top four after a highly impressive start. One win, one defeat, and two draws is mid-table form and Los Verdiblancos will be keen to replicate their European form back in Spain.
Pellegrini’s side has dominated Europa League Group C with three wins and a draw. But Real Betis’ 3-1 win over Almeria was their first league win in over a month and having taken a step forward they slipped back with a draw against strugglers Cadiz.
That disappointment was compounded when influential midfielder Sergio Canales picked up a second yellow card in the 98th minute, which means he won’t be on the pitch to face Atletico.
Los Verdiblancos are heavily reliant on star striker Borja Iglesias who has scored seven goals and made three assists, and with Juanmi injured, he will probably start up front with Alex Moreno.
And in the absence of Canales, more responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Portuguese midfielder William Carvalho who scored in last weekend’s victory over Almeria. As a box-to-box player, he can exert the energy Betis need to rise to this challenge.
At the back, Argentine defender German Pezzella will put his body in the way of anything Atleti can throw at the hosts. He has already picked up two red cards and isn’t afraid to get involved.
Atleti looking for killer instinct
Atletico came through a tough test away to Athletic Bilbao last week with a 1-0 win thanks to an Antoine Griezmann goal, but they too took a step back against Vallecano when they conceded an injury time equaliser after Griezmann teed up Alvaro Morata in the 20th minute.
Atleti had some opportunities to kill the game off but Angel Correa, Morata, and Matheus Cunha all missed their chances.
It looked like we’d see another “Simeone 1-0” but Atletico Madrid’s wastefulness came home to roost when centre-back Jose Gimenez handled in the penalty area and Radamal Falcao slammed home the spot kick.
Two more points would have lifted Atleti to third place, but they have another chance on Sunday and Simeone is asking his players to show more bravery in the key moments, saying: “The idea is to work, to have security, to have confidence, and have enough personality so that in decisive moments we can be effective. You have to work, to improve, because it is a decisive tool.”
There is no lack of ability in this side and they have some serious firepower that can generate multiple La Liga 2022 highlights. Alvaro Morata has five league goals and Antoine Griezmann is happy again having signed for the club permanently.
Antoine Griezmann created seven goalscoring chances against Rayo Vallecano, the best tally in a single game in his entire La Liga career
But Los Rojiblancos want to see more from Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, who has put in a series of lacklustre performances and has been linked with a summer move to AC Milan.
After an impressive El Clasico win last week, Real Madrid have gone top of La Liga and, if Atleti are to close the gap on the top two, then they need all their big players to perform – De Paul included – and they need the killer instinct.
History
Atleti have had the better of the head-to-heads, winning 25 of the last 51 while there have been 14 draws and Betis have come out on top 12 times.
Last season, Simeone’s men did a comfortable double over these opponents, winning 3-1 in Seville after a 3-0 victory at the Wanda Metropolitano earlier in the campaign.
Los Rojiblancos have won three, drawn two, and lost one of the last six games while Betis have won two, drawn three, and lost one.
Real Betis have won all five of their league games at the Benito Villamarin while Atletico Madrid have won four and drawn one on the road.
With Betis atSBOTOPodds of 3.01, Atleti at 2.26, and with the draw at 3.06, this is a tight game to call.
And I don’t think we’ll see a goal fest. Four of Betis’ last six games have yielded two goals or fewer while Atleti have racked up five from six with no more than two.
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La Liga: Mind the Gap Barca; Los Blancos are Pulling Away…
Real Madrid opened up a six point gap at the top of La Liga thanks to a 3-1 win over Sevilla at a bouncing Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night.
Los Blancos left it a little late, entering the last 12 minutes all square, but strikes from Lukas Vazquez and Federico Valverde broke down Los Sevillistas’ brave resistance. Midfield playmaker Luka Modric gave the league leaders an early lead but when Erik Lamela fired home a leveller early in the second half it set up a thrilling finale. The hosts rained down 18 shots on the Sevilla goal and six on target and finally, on 79 minutes, they regained their lead when Vinicius Junior launched a speedy attack and fed Vazquez who fired home.
Two minutes later Federico Valverde scored his sixth goal of the season with a sweet shot from outside the penalty area into the bottom corner and the points were in the bag. Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti challenged the Uruguayan to score more goals this season and the 24 year old attacking midfielder is certainly responding.
Real won El Clasico last week to take a grip on the top spot and now Barcelona must respond in a difficult Sunday night meeting at home to Athletic Bilbao. The early season La Liga 2022 betting odds were behind the Blaugrana but now Los Blancos have nudged ahead; and they will take some shifting.
Over to you Barcelona…
Sociedad stumble in Valladolid
Imanol Iguacil’s Real Sociedad missed a chance to strengthen their grip on third place when they went down to a frustrating 1-0 defeat away to Real Valladolid. La Real totally dominated the game with 75 per cent possession and 20 shots to nine, but they only registered two on target, the same as their hosts, and that was Sociedad’s undoing.
When Valladolid striker Sergio Leon latched onto a through ball and smashed his shot into the top corner on 16 minutes, the visitors had plenty of time to respond and they laid siege to the Valladolid goal, but without success. Brais Mendez saw his long range effort saved and Carlos Fernandez headed just over the bar. And the two combined again before Mendez fired inches wide; and then Fernandez had his own long range effort saved. But in a scrappy second half, Valladolid put in a backs-to-the-wall rearguard effort to stop Sociedad scoring as the visitors failed to hit one more shot on target.
Next up la Real continue their Europa League journey with a trip to Cyprus to face Omonoia, and Iguacil will be able to rest his key players as they are already through to the next phase of the competition, leading Group E with four wins from four.
Griezmann stars for buoyant Atleti
Striker player Antoine Griezmann scored the second goal for Atletico Madrid with a right footed shot against Real Betis.
Here at SBOTOP we billed the match between Real Betis and Atletico Madrid as a fourth place shootout, but with Sociedad slipping up in Valladolid, Los Rojiblancos climbed up to third place on 23 points as the returned Antoine Griezmann scored a second half brace. After a goalless first half the France striker broke the deadlock early in the second with a stunning long range effort from an angle into the top left corner. And he made it 2-0 on 71 minutes, taking a pass from Matheus Cunha and slotting home clinically.
Betis made it interesting when Nabil Fekir fired home a brilliant free kick into the top left corner, but Joao Felix almost made it 3-1 in injury time as Diego Simeone’s men hung on for a vital and famous victory.
Three Red Cards in latest Cadiz disaster
There were plenty of La Liga 2022 highlights in the clash between Rayo Vallecano and Cadiz …but not the right kind for Cadiz head coach Sergio Gonzales as he saw his side ship five goals and land two red cards in a very bad day at the office.
Los Piratas had been on a decent run, with a win and four draws following a shocking start to the campaign when they lost their first five games without scoring a single goal and conceding 14. It seemed like Gonzales was finding the right formula but all the nightmares came flooding back on Saturday as a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Rayo left them in the relegation zone.
Towards the end of the first half Cadiz were in decent shape at 0-0 then it all fell apart. Iza fouled Rayo’s Alvaro Garcia in the penalty area; he saw red and Isi Palazon planted home the spot kick. And the visitors went two down before the break when Garcia scored in injury time. On the hour Ruben Alcaraz picked up a second yellow card, leaving Cadiz with nine men and Florian Lejeune fired home the resulting free kick.
Sergio Camello made it 4-0 with 11 minutes remaining and then Cadiz got their consolation when Rayo’s Ivan Balliu put through his own net. The hosts went down to ten men when Randy Nketa was red carded for violent conduct before Lejuene scored his second and Ray’s fifth. A day to forget for Cadiz!
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La Liga: Emery Leaves Villarreal for Premier League Return
In La Liga’s fastest-moving story Villarreal boss Unai Emery has announced his decision to leave the Yellow Submarine and take the vacancy at Premier League club Aston Villa.
The announcement comes as Villarreal are striving to stay in touch with the La Liga front runners after a patchy start. They are quite handily placed in seventh, a point behind the Europa places and four behind Real Sociedad in fourth. So this is not ideal timing for the La Liga side, but time is of the essence for Aston Villa whose owners are fiercely ambitious and have just potted former boss Steven Gerrard.
The ex-Liverpool star was shown the door last Thursday and the Villains responded with a 4-0 thrashing of Brentford, a result which lifted them to 15th position in the Premier League.
I wonder what Gerrard thought of that!
A relegation battle is a new kind of challenge for Emery and he, as well and the Villa fans, will hope it is a short-lived struggle and he can guide the team up to its expected mid-table position and beyond. But his recent managerial experiences have been at Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain and Villarreal, and before that he managed Arsenal in the English league.
Emery struggled to make his mark at the Emirates where the odds were stacked against him to be fair, taking over from the legendary Arsene Wenger and at a time when Manchester City and Liverpool were on the rapid rise. He missed out on a top-four spot and lost the Europa League final to Chelsea, and was sacked within 18 months.
Yellow Submarine fans may not agree with me at this moment but Emery is a man of principle, famously turning down the Newcastle United job after the club’s Saudi takeover and he will have considerably less to spend at Villa Park. And he will be fondly remembered at Villarreal as the man who led the side to Europa League glory with a final win over Manchester United, and then made the semi-final of the 2022 Champions League thanks to a string of spectacular results, including victories over Juventus and FC Bayern.
The frontrunner to replace Emery in Valencia is former Barcelona coach Quique Setien, who the club have identified as their prime target and, if Setien can agree to terms, there could be an announcement within a week.
Villarreal have been hit by a bombshell and need to move on.
El Clasico Pair look to strengthen
While the race for European places took an unexpected twist at Villarreal the top two battle looks set to rage on with Real Madrid and Barcelona both desperate to win the big domestic prize. As ever, 2021 La Liga winners Atletic are in the near view mirror but the latest La Liga 2022 betting odds make this a battle between Los Blancos and the Blaugrana with Los Roji blancos at odds of around 30.00 to gatecrash the party again.
Real Madrid have opened up a three-point gap at the top of the table following a dramatic El Clasico win and they have nudged ahead as favourites, and boss Carlo Ancelotti is reported to be making a move to keep Marco Asensio at the club. The attacking midfielder has been at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2016, making 246 appearances and the club wants to tie him down to a new deal.
Real Madrid have proposed a three-year agreement with a higher pay to Asensio, in order for him to stay in La Liga.
In other La Liga 2022 news,the Blaugrana are set to offer their highly rated left back Alejandro Balde a new deal following an impressive start for the 19-year-old this season. Balde has made 11 appearances and has shown defensive steel while also making three assists, and his performances are keeping the legendary Jordi Alba at bay.
Xavi has some outstanding young players at the club, with Gavi, Pedro, Ansu Fati and Balde all promising a stellar future. But he needs to continue to strengthen for the current campaign, and he has received a blow in that his pursuit of Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez might well come to nothing after the 25-year-old Argentine hitman pledged his future to Inter Milan; well at least he has said he has no intention to move.
Barca may come back to that one, but in the meantime Xavi has been delighted by the form of Ousmane Dembele who is playing alongside Robert Lewandowski up front. The France striker was unsettled last year and looking for a move but he is back to his best at the Camp Nou. His brilliant performances in the second half of last season led to him signing a new deal and he looks happier than ever, with four goals and seven assists.
The one dark note at Barcelona is that their Champions League campaign is hanging by a thread and the visit of FC Bayern on Wednesday night may well see them drop into the Europa League.
We’ll be all over that story as it happens, here at SBOTOP, before it’s back to La Liga matter next weekend…without Unai Emery.
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The gap between the established duo in Spain and the rest of La Liga is growing apace as far as this SBOTOP writer is concerned.
Real Madrid’s place as the undisputed kings of Spain and Europe was confirmed when they romped to the Spanish title and Champions League double last term.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s newfound ability to splash the cash on a high level this summer has earmarked their determination to return to the pinnacle of the game.
Now another team considered one of the “best of the rest” is up next for the new-look Catalonians of Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and co and, fresh from their group stage exit from the Champions League, Xavi and his men will be extra keen to continue their quest for domestic supremacy.
Despite the positivity of a dominant win against their Basque visitors, Barcelona fans were distracted by a first half injury to La Roja star Gavi.
The teenager left the pitch in pain before the break with early rumours hinting at his World Cup place potentially being in danger.
Barcelona boss Xavi passes the ball during a Champions League match against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou
On Sunday, the oft-criticised right-back was a constant threat and was even rewarded with a goal before in the final stages of the match, going down clutching his shoulder. At least they have Hector Bellerin and Jules Kounde who are more than adequate replacements.
Valencia have one Barcelona player in their ranks in Nico who is on loan. It’s reported he could be recalled midway through the season, although Los Che manager Gennaro Gattuso this week said the player has not spoken to him if he is unhappy at a lack of game time.
They have had some good news this week with a key figure renewing his contract in a deal which will keep him at the club for a further five years.
Jose Gaya, who joined the club at the age of 11 and worked his way through the ranks at Paterna before winning a place in the first team, is an ever-present in the side and has been captain since the departure of Dani Parejo two years ago.
For home fans, there will be no better way to mark his new deal than to lead his side to victory on Saturday night.
Barcelona have a distinct upper hand in this fixture with 35 victories compared to 14 Valencia successes and 18 draws.
On saying that, Valencia have more than held their own in recent seasons, not least in the 2019 Copa del Rey Final and in this corresponding fixture two seasons ago when Lionel Messi and Ronald Araujo goals were cancelled out by Mouctar Diakhaby and Maxi Gonzalez in a 2-2 draw.
Barca won the return match 3-2 courtesy of Messi and Antoine Griezmann with Gabriel and Carlos Soler replying for the hosts.
Barca completed a league double over them last season, winning 3-1 at home and 4-1 away.
As you would expect, Barca are clear favourites with the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds.
You can back the visitors in a number of ways, including 1X2 @ 1.60, Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.07, and -1.25 @ 2.44.
Valencia have thwarted Barcelona in the past but are not expected to this time judging by odds which include 1X2 @ 5.20 and Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 2.11.
The draw is a result I am considering and is available @ 3.95.
Certainly, it would be a very good pay day for anyone who expects a repeat of the scoreline in the corresponding fixture last term. Correct Score 1-4 will pay out @ 23.00.
I do expect this to be tight as Gattuso will insist on 100-per cent from his men.
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It’s fourth versus fifth in La Liga this Sunday and that in itself deserves much credit.
For here are two sides extremely well managed by Imanol Alguacil and Manuel Pellegrini – astute bosses who are again keeping their teams them at the right end of the action as they juggle domestic and European exertions.
Could one of them split the leading trio of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid this term? Almost certainly not.
But it is a fine achievement that they are leading the chase from the likes of Villarreal, Sevilla, and Valencia.
Talking Points
Real Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil speaks with Mikel Merino during their Europa League match against Omonia
Both teams come into this contest on the back of Europa League group stage action on Thursday.
Already qualified Betis faced Ludogorets where a Nabil Fekir goal proved enough, while Sociedad sealed their progress with victory in Cyprus against Omonia Nicosia.
Sides with much bigger squads have struggled to cope with the congested schedule of Thursday-Sunday matches, combining European and domestic duties.
Their achievements in qualifying for Europe are impressive enough, but to become regular participants on that stage can be even trickier. Still, they are giving it a damn good go.
At one stage, it seemed like this weekend’s fixtures could be under threat of industrial action but thankfully that seems not the case and so San Sebastian looks forward to La Liga 2022 highlights.
Only the top two in the league have claimed more victories than Sociedad so far this term.
Silva was forced off in last weekend’s defeat away at Real Valladolid and he remained at home when the squad flew to Cyprus for their Europa League clash, a game they won 2-0 with goals from Robert Navarro and Brais Mendez incidentally.
That La Liga will begin a midseason break after the weekend of November 12/13, as players begin to join up with their national teams ahead of flying to Qatar, may help the likes of Silva.
Yet he will still miss three league games – a Copa del Rey first round tie at Cazalegas and a final European game at home to Manchester United.
The Valladolid match was doubly frustrating as Sociedad also missed a chance to strengthen their grip on third place – a match they dominated with 75-per cent possession and 20 shots to nine but only registered two on target, the same as their hosts, which proved their undoing.
The following day, Betis were beaten 2-1 at home by Atletico Madrid and an Antoine Griezmann double with Fekir replying.
Like Sociedad, Betis have their own injury woes.
Centr- back German Pezzella was injured in the lead up to the Ludogorets match and Chilean coach Pellegrini must have been cursing his luck when captain Joaquin had to be taken off before the half hour mark.
Before the end, Guido Rodriguez was also forced off, leading to a debut for academy product Enrique Fernandez.
Betis have now won their group with a game to spare, but Pellegrini will likely be facing Sociedad on Sunday night with depleted resources.
That could just give the home side enough of an advantage against a team which has won just once in their previous five matches in the Spanish top-flight.
Last December, Betis romped to a 4-0 win with Alex Moreno (two), Juanmi, and Fekir on target.
They repeated the comprehensive victory by exactly the same scoreline a few months later in the Copa Del Rey – a trophy they memorably went onto win –when it was Juanmi who netted a double, added to by a Willian Jose penalty and an Aitor Ruibal goal.
Sociedad finally managed to keep them out in a goalless draw in the league last Easter.
Overall, they have met 25 times in La Liga with 11 wins apiece and three draws.
La Liga: Barca Gain Ground on Frustrated Los Blancos
Real Madrid are still at the head of the La Liga table after another great round of Spanish top flight football but, after drawing at home to Girona, Carlo Ancelotti’s side has seen their three point lead reduce to one ahead of victorious Barcelona.
After a goalless first half against struggling Girona, Los Blancos finally broke through when Vinicius Junior scored from close range after good work from Federico Valverde; and then the Santiago Bernabeu crowd expected Real Madrid to go on and win. But battling Girona had other ideas, and when Marco Asensio handled in the penalty area the visitors had a glorious chance on 80 minutes, which club legend Cristhian Stuani took with a superb penalty into the bottom corner.
Madrid were desperate for the winner and Toni Kroos overstepped the line when he chopped down Aleix Garcia and received a second yellow card as the game entered injury time. In 11 extra minutes Los Blancos failed to break through again and their lead at the top of the table is chopped down to a single point, while Girona climb out of the drop zone.
La Liga is now Barca’s big focus
Striker Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for Barcelona ending with an away victory against Valencia in La Liga.
After a disappointing exit from the group stage of the Champions League Xavi’s highly rated young Barcelona team now has its main focus on the domestic league title. And they briefly went top on Saturday afternoon thanks to a last gasp victory over mid table Valencia at a raucous Mestalla Stadium. The Blaugrana bossed the entire game with 67 per cent possession and 13 shots to three but, with just two shots on target each, Barca’s cutting edge was missing.
That was until you know who, Robert Lewandowski pounced in the third minute of time added on, latching on to a through ball from Raphinha and slotting his shot past the Valencia stopper. In a tetchy game the referee handed out nine yellow cards, four to Valencia and five to Barcelona, but Xavi won’t mind that one bit as his team showed the fight they will need to push Los Blancos all the way. The La Liga 2022 betting odds here at SBOTOP began the campaign giving the Blaugrana a slight edge but Los Blancos have nudged in front.
There’s plenty to come in this clash of the Titans.
Atleti not so tough in Cadiz
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid have become renowned as the toughest team in Europe to break down in recent seasons. But strugglers Cadiz didn’t have much problem when Los Rojiblancos rocked up on Saturday as they came out on top of a five goal thriller after a manic final 20 minutes. The hosts have spent much of the campaign in the drop zone and remain in there even after a shock 3-2 victory over the Madrid giants, after they set about their illustrious visitors with real menace, Theo Bongonda opening the scoring in the very first minute.
The hosts fought like tigers and entered the final ten minutes still 1-0 up, and when Alex Fernandez smashed home the second on 81 minutes the home fans started to celebrate. But Joao Felix scored a five minute brace, the second a brilliant strike from outside the penalty area on 89 minutes, and when the referee signalled nine minutes of injury time the visitors pushed for a third. But the hosts’ shock winner came a full 98 minutes after the Cadiz opener when Ruben Sobrino poked home the ball from close range to spark bedlam in the crowd.
On this evidence Cadiz should be okay but I can’t see Atletico troubling the El Clasico two.
Sevilla stumble again
It’s been a shocking start to the 2022/23 campaign for Sevilla fans who have watched their team turn in an abject set of La Liga 2022 results which has left them languishing in 18th place, and above 19th placed Cadiz on goal difference alone. Two wins from 12 games from a side which boasts the quality of players including Ivan Rakitic and Isco is very poor, and they fell woefully short again when Rayo Vallecano visited Seville on Saturday.
Los Sevillistas had more possession throughout the game but were out-gunned by their visitors who had 15 shots to their ten and five to four on target; and when Alvaro Garcia rounded finished off a fast break with a calm finish it was no more than Rayo, or their mis-firing hosts deserved. They have long been top four contenders in La Liga but this time around Sevilla are fighting at the wrong end of the table, while Vallecano move up to ninth.
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La Liga: Messi-Barcelona Reunion Rumours Rumble On
The future of one Lionel Messi has been the subject of much speculation of late, with David Beckham’s MLS club Inter Miami once again being linked as a likely destination for the Argentine.
However, Messi is also being linked with a stunning return to Barcelona just a couple of seasons after leaving the La Liga club.
Meanwhile, Barcelona may already be planning who will be their next head coach despite club legend Xavi only being on the job for a year.
Read on below as SBOTOP lists down the latest news and updates surrounding La Liga.
Lionel Messi linked with Barcelona return
Lionel Messi left Barcelona – the only club he’d known for 21 yards – in dramatic circumstances last season and signed for French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
But now, it seems Barcelona are plotting to bring him back, with one report claiming they might try to do so in January!
Messi’s contract with PSG expires at the end of the season, which is why it’s much more realistic that any Messi move would take place in the summer.
Andres Iniesta, Messi’s former Barcelona teammate, said recently in an interview that “it’s still a possibility” that Messi could return to the Camp Nou, so it could yet happen.
Barcelona eyeing Mikel Arteta as next coach
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta coaching his side during the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest
Aside from Messi, another big name Barcelona have been linked with is Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta.
Barcelona have reiterated their confidence in Xavi despite their disappointing Champions League exit and do not appear to be keen to replace the Barca legend at this time.
Although, things could change if the Blaugrana deliver underwhelming La Liga 2022 results, and if they do decide to move on from Xavi, Arteta might be at the top of their coaching wish list.
Arteta is having a terrific season with Arsenal, leading the Gunners to the top of the Premier League standings. And the Spaniard also has strong Barcelona ties as he came up through Barca’s youth system and also served as an assistant for Barca great Pep Guardiola.
Franck Kessie’s agent disputes departure rumours
Franck Kessie’s agent has denied rumours that the Barcelona midfielder wants to leave the club in January despite arriving on a free transfer and signing a four-year deal just a few months ago.
“It’s all fake news, totally false,” Kessie’s agent told Mundo Deportivo. “He is happy in Barcelona and he doesn’t want to leave.”
“Franck has only been at the club for a few months, still in the process of adapting to the team and Barça’s style of play.”
Kessie has been below the likes of Pedri, Gavi, Sergio Busquets, and Frenkie de Jong in the Barca midfield pecking order and has found it hard to get consistent playing time this season. He has appeared in just seven La Liga matches, with two starts.
And he has also been hampered by injuries. In fact, he suffered a thigh injury in Barcelona’s 4-2 win over Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League and may be out for a few weeks.
Diego Simeone does not intend to leave Atletico Madrid despite failing to lead the club past the Champions League group stage.
Los Rojiblancos failed to make it out of the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2018 and just the second time in a decade despite being heavy favourites in a group that included Porto, Club Brugge, and Bayer Leverkusen.
“It’s a hard moment, but I will continue push hard with this club to get something we want, such as the Champions League,” Simeone said.
Simeone’s current deal with Atleti, which makes him the highest-paid manager in the world, expires in 2024. Simeone’s Atleti side will no longer have European football this season after they lost 2-1 to FC Porto in their Champions League finale. And their La Liga 2022 odds of reclaiming the title are not great as they remain nine points behind city rivals Real Madrid.
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For those who like their history, the Seville derby (Derbi Sevillano) is also known as The Great Derby (El Gran Derbi) and is contested by La Liga clubs Sevilla and Real Betis.
Brothers and rivals. A healthy rivalry, often taken to humorous extremes by fans with inexhaustible arguments and comebacks, as often happens in those families where fans of the two different teams are forced to live together.
Nervión is the neighborhood home to Sevilla FC and the Sánchez Pizjuán stadium. Meanwhile, the Heliópolis is where Betis play – the Benito Billamarín stadium.
Manager Jorge Sampaoli will no doubt be waiting on the fitness of Fernando Reges and Youssef En-Nesyri, who missed that encounter and their midweek Champions League clash with Manchester City which they lost 3-1.
Since Basque boss Julen Lopetegui was sacked early last month after just one win in their opening ten games, matters have barely improved with his replacement, Sampaoli, only managing two wins in seven as his side have dropped into the La Liga relegation zone.
Yet, they retain players of quality and, even at 34, Ivan Rakitic retains the smoothness on the ball that helped Croatia reach the World Cup final four years ago.
Should Sevilla fall to another defeat, the sense of pessimism will envelop Los Nervionenses once more.
That is in stark contract to their opponents who sit in fourth place in the table going into the weekend – that is despite missing some of their key players, notably Nabil Fekir and Juanmi, through injury for much of the opening months of the campaign.
Their absence has given opportunities for others though, most notably young Brazilian winger Luiz Henrique who has started in eight La Liga matches so far and shown good form, including netting some crucial goals against Roma and Ludogorets in the Europa League – a group they topped with the most points of any team.
Managed by the astute Manuel Pellegrini, they had already qualified for the knockout stages before Thursday night’s victory over HJK Helsinki and continued their good form domestically last weekend when two late goals saw off and helped them leapfrog Real Sociedad – the complete opposite of the result I predicted.
So one team in form against another very out of form but, there again, doesn’t form count for very little in a derby?!
Manuel Pellegrini might steal the third-placed in the La Liga standing if they win in their next match
History
En route to their memorable Copa del Rey triumph last season, Betis knocked out their city rivals as goals from Fekir and Sergio Canales secured them a 2-1 win after Alejandro Gomez had put Sevilla in front.
Canales was also on target in the league match in Seville the last term but that was a consolation goal as a Rakitic penalty and Munir El Haddadi found the net for the hosts.
In the corresponding league fixture last season, Sevilla were also victors against 10-man Betis with second-half goals from Marcos Acuna and Hector Bellerin.
Betis have not beaten Sevilla in La Liga since 2018 when club hero Joaquin netted the only goal of the game.
Overall, they have met 137 times in all competitions, including the Segunda Division and a Europa League thriller in 2014.
Sevilla have 65 victories to their name with 40 Betis wins and 32 draws.
The SBOTOP La Liga betting odds favor the home side with Betis available 1X2 @ 2.13 and Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 2.20.
Sevilla can be backed 1X2 @ 3.30 and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.51.
The draw is on offer @ 3.20 and over 2.50 goals @ 2.17.
I do not think there will be many goals but I do think there will be some.
I do not believe they will stay in the bottom three for long but I do think Sevilla will finish empty-handed this weekend which is why I am opting for a repeat of their Copa del Rey tie last season and why my ** prediction is Correct Score 2-1 @ 7.80.
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Yet they cannot afford to be over confident against opponents who enjoyed a fine 1-0 win at Sevilla last weekend and are now unbeaten in four matches.
Talking Points
Rayo Vallecano’s Radamel Falcao in action against Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez
Vallecano certainly have nothing to lose and will be aware they have frustrated Real’s arch rivals already this season – on the opening weekend of the campaign, in fact, when a resolute display saw them hold Barcelona in the Nou Camp.
The hosts will have nothing to lose as they aim to pile domestic frustration on Real, just as they did Barca and Atletico.
Los Blancos have already experienced their own frustration domestically, as shown last weekend when they were held at home by struggling Girona.
When Vinicius Junior scored from close range after good work from Federico Valverde, the majority of fans inside the Santiago Bernabeu crowd expected Real Madrid to go on and win.
However, battling Girona had other ideas, and when Marco Asensio handled in the penalty area, the visitors had a glorious chance to equalise and duly did when Cristhian Stuani netted a spot-kick 10 minutes from time.
Madrid, who hold a one point lead at the top of the league, were desperate for the winner and Toni Kroos overstepped the line when he chopped down Aleix Garcia and received a second yellow card as the game entered stoppage time.
That means the classy German playmaker will be suspended for Monday’s visit, the first of two matches in four days for both sides before club football breaks for the World Cup.
They are also expected to be without the injured duo of Eden Hazard and Aurelien Tchouameni, although newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema could return. The Frenchman has been given time to recover from muscular fatigue after a period which saw Madrid play nine matches in October alone.
Under the management of Andoni Iraola, Vallecano are continuing to compete with the best as they aim to finish higher than the 12th place they managed last term following promotion.
There have certainly been plenty of positive signs early in this campaign as they bid to make it back-to-back seasons in the top-flight for the first time since 2016.
Their only doubt is Andrés Martín who hopes to be fit following a shoulder injury.
Realistically, Madrid should have too much. But with veteran Falcao leading the line, they will need another disciplined showing defensively to emerge with the points.
This fixture usually goes the way of Madrid who have defeated Vallecano 30 times in the league with a further three draws and five Vallecano successes.
That included a league and cup double last term with Kroos and Benzema the goalscorers before Falcao pulled one back.
It was also close in the return fixture in February when Benzema, who else, scored the only goal seven minutes from time.
One of the rare Vallecano successes came in their top flight meeting in 2019 when a penalty from Adrián Embarba earned victory.
Vallecano have also suffered some really heavy defeats at the Bernabeu and you have to go back to 1996 to when they last won there – a game when a double from Guilherme de Cassio Alves secured a 2-1 success against opponents whose lineup included Raul (their scorer that day), Fernando Hierro, Fernando Redondo, and Michael Laudrup.
Gerard Pique recently announced that he’ll retire from football and he’ll play his final La Liga game on Saturday when Barcelona host Almeria at home.
“It has been 25 years since I joined Barca. I left and I came back. Football has given me everything,” said Pique on his social media accounts. “Barcelona has given me everything. You culers have given me everything.”
“And now that this kid’s dreams have come true, I want to tell you that I’ve decided that now is the time to bring this journey to its end,” he added.
Pique’s retirement is inevitable since he looks like a shell of himself. However, this piece of La Liga 2022 news caught everyone by surprise since we’re right in the middle of the 2022-23 season.
There’s no doubt that he’ll be remembered fondly by die-hard fans in Catalonia. So without further ado, allow SBOTOP to pay homage to the Barca icon as we chronicle his football journey.
Pique got his big break at Barcelona
Gerard Pique came through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before signing with Manchester United in 2004.
He made his full debut in January 2005 during the FA Cup against Exeter City, and his Premier League debut took place in October that year when he was subbed in during a 3-1 victory over Sunderland.
But Pique never really cracked into the starting XI since they had Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic as their first choice centre-backs. He was loaned out for one season at Real Zaragoza in 2006-07, although he returned to Old Trafford and even scored goals against Dynamo Kyiv and AS Roma in the Champions League.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique in action with Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries during the Champions League match
He was a vital part of those famous tiki-taka Barcelona teams that were led by the likes of his current coach Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Lionel Messi – who also left Catalonia last season.
The La Masia product was a commanding presence in the box given his physical profile and he can play as a defencive midfielder from time to time because of his good passing skills. His former centre-back partner Carles Puyol even described him once as “the best centre-back in the world”.
Pique won a lot of awards in Barca – including eight La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey’s, and three Champions League trophies. All in all, he played 615 games for the Catalan giants – 396 in La Liga and 126 in the Champions League.
He was also a mainstay in Spain’s national team with 102 caps, winning the World Cup in 2010 and Euro 2012.
He sacrificed more than he should at Camp Nou
When Barcelona’s financial problems came to a head during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gerard Pique gave up a lot to keep his boyhood club afloat.
Pique was on the third year of his five-year deal that he signed back in December 2017. At the time, he was costing the club around €30-40M in annual wages and taxes, so he and other senior players did the noble gesture of deferring their salaries to aid the team’s finances.
Those sacrifices surely helped the Blaugrana since they were able to bring in players this summer to boost their La Liga 2022 odds, such as Robert Lewandowski, Franck Kessie, Jules Kounde, Marcos Alonso, and Andreas Christensen.
But while Barca were excited with their new acquisitions, many believe that Pique didn’t get the respect he deserves since he fell down Xavi’s pecking order – although it was more because of the fact that he’s on a decline.
It became clear that Gerard Pique’s services were no longer needed at Barca, so he felt that now’s the right time to step away. In fact, during the summer, Pique has been told that the club was planning to offload him but he stayed since there were no suitors.
In his heartfelt retirement video, he ended with an “I’ll be back” statement as he was glancing at the directors’ box at Camp Nou – hinting that he may return to the team in a different capacity.
Gerard Pique has been rumoured to be interested in running to become Barcelona’s president, and La Liga boss Javier Tebas believes that he can be a great president if it happens.
With his unwavering loyalty to Barcelona, Pique might get a shot at the club’s presidency someday and it’ll be a full circle moment.
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La Liga: Points at a Premium for Valencia and Real Betis
Valencia vs Real Betis
Real Betis head to the Mestalla Stadium for a crunch match with Valencia on Thursday, and it’s a game both teams need to win.
This La Liga game pits together two sides with serious ambitions but Los Verdiblancos are ahead of their hosts and have been for some time.
Betis sit in fourth place in the league table and need a victory to stay there, and are thriving in European competition, while Los Che are in 11th and seven points away from sixth.
The Mestalla is a notoriously difficult place to play. The Stadium is a white-hot cauldron of passion which can work in the favour of Valencia or their visitors, depending how the game is going. And the La Liga 2022 betting odds back a tight game with the hosts as slight favourites to take all three points.
Both come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw, Valencia away to Real Sociedad and Real Betis at home to Sevilla.
Talking Points
Cavani doubtful for Valencia
This has been a frustrating first third of the campaign for Valencia fans who see their team in the bottom half of the table after a mixed set of results.
Los Che appointed Gennaro Gattuso, the uncompromising Italian boss who has managed Serie A giants AC Milan and Napoli in recent seasons. They were going well in September with big home wins against Getafe and Celta Vigo but are now without a victory in five.
Valencia manager Gennaro Gattuso gives instructions from the sideline during La Liga match against Barcelona
The attack has been leaning on the experience and quality of Uruguayan hitman Edinson Cavani who has scored four goals in seven games, but the former PSG striker has struggled to put a run of games together, missing the first three of the campaign and he has completed 90 minutes just once all season.
But he’s a proven goal scorer, so when he limped off after 18 minutes of Valencia’s recent 1-0 defeat to Barcelona, it was another blow to Gattuso.
Cavani suffered an ankle strain which kept him out of Los Che’s draw with Sociedad and is now concentrating on recovering in time for the World Cup in two weeks time.
In the meantime, Justin Kluivert – on loan from Roma – is set to start alongside Atletico loanee Samuel Lino in attack.
And Real Betis are short up front too
Manuel Pellegrini’ side faced Sevilla on the back of three wins in all competitions and with a chance to cement their top four position, but a 1-1 stalemate left Los Verdiblancos just a single point above Osasuna and Real Sociedad in the fifth and sixth places.
Head coach Manuel Pellegrini was a highly frustrated man after his side threw away a golden opportunity, mainly through ill discipline.
Los Verdiblancos had been handed a one-man advantage and a goal lead after Sevilla’s Gonzalo Montiel was sent off and Jesus Navas put through his own goal before half time.
But Betis began to implode even before the break as Nabil Fekir was sent off for violent conduct. And just four minutes after half time, Borja Iglesias followed him down the tunnel for a nasty foul on Joan Jordan.
It looked like Betis would hold out for three big points, but two of them went up in smoke when Nemanja Gudelj hit a beauty from distance into the top corner to hand Sevilla a share of the spoils.
And Pellegrini needs his players to keep cool as defender German Pezzella has already picked up two red cards and Betis need to finish this game with 11 on the pitch.
Los Ches have won 27 of the last 53 meetings with Betis while Los Verdiblancos have won 15 and there have been 11 draws.
But Real Betis won this fixture 3-0 last May, while also putting Valencia out of the Copa del Rey and thumping them 4-1 in Seville earlier in the 2021/22 league campaign.
Betis have won three of the last six games in all competitions, while Valencia have won just one, drawn three, and lost two and they are without a win in the last five.
Los Che are favourites to win this match at SBOTOPodds of 2.20, while Betis are at 3.01 and the draw is 3.20.
The pre match La Liga 2022 news is dominated by key absentees in attack, but both teams have players capable of winning the game and it promises to be a fascinating 90 plus minutes.
Five of Valencia’s last six fixtures have yielded two or three goals, while four of Betis’ last six games have landed in that range, so I’m heading towards a 1-1 draw or a victory by the odd goal in three.
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Barcelona manager Xavi left El Sadar with mixed emotions on Tuesday. Despite getting a 2-1 victory over hosts Osasuna to extend their lead in the La Liga standings, he will have to deal with the fact that he’ll miss two of his key players for their next domestic match.
Robert Lewandowski and Gerard Pique were both sent off before halftime and Xavi himself was also given a yellow after complaining to the referees.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid got back on the winning track against Cadiz, while their city rivals Atletico Madrid are currently in shambles.
The 14th matchday of the Spanish top-flight is done and dusted, and we’re now headed to the international break. So read on below as SBOTOP brings to you the latest La Liga 2022 updates.
Barca pull further ahead
Gerard Pique’s final game didn’t go exactly as planned, but he’ll take the win anyway. This could’ve been his final appearance before he officially retires. Instead, he was sent off after barking continuously at referee Jesus Gil Manzano at halftime.
Barcelona were angered by several decisions from Manzano. They were frustrated when he refused to rule out Osasuna’s goal after Unai Garcia hit Marcos Alonso during a corner that led to David Garcia’s opener.
Things went from bad to worse for Barca as Robert Lewandowski was sent off after 30 minutes for his second yellow card. Lewy was booked previously for his foul on Nacho Vidal, and his second was his rude bump on David Garcia as they fought for a loose ball.
Pique was then sent off too despite being on the bench, although Ferran Torres’ goal that was ruled offside gave Barcelona a glimmer of hope before the break.
In the second half, Barcelona roared back as Pedri converted a cross from Jordi Alba and then Raphinha put the game away during the 85th minute. Chimy Avila could have won it for Osasuna in a sequence prior to Raphinha’s match-winner, but Marc -Andre ter Stegen saved the day.
With the win, Barcelona’s La Liga 2022 odds of winning the title have improved now that they have a two-point lead over Real Madrid at the table.
Toni Kroos the hero for Real Madrid
Real Madrid midfielder Tomi Kroos fights for the ball during the La Liga match against Cadiz
Speaking of Real Madrid, they’ve returned to winning ways by beating Cadiz last night with a 2-1 scoreline. Los Blancos scored one apiece in both halves and Toni Kroos had a hand in those goals.
Cadiz were content in defending all evening and Real Madrid struggled to breach their defence. Los Piratas almost took a shock lead when Alfonso Espino rifled a long-range shot that hit the woodwork at one point to test Thibaut Courtois.
But after enough persistence, Real Madrid took the lead for good in the 40th minute when Kroos teed up Eder Militao for a header from a short corner.
After halftime, Real Madrid controlled the match and Kroos extended their lead via a strong strike from a rebound during the 70th minute.
Luka Modric almost added a third for Los Blancos after receiving a cross from Vinicius Junior and Cadiz grabbed a consolation goal when Lucas Perez hit the ball past Courtois at the 81st minute.
This was a nice bounce back effort from the defending La Liga champions after losing 3-2 against Rayo Vallecano on Monday, their first league defeat this season.
Cadiz, meanwhile, are still in the relegation zone – placing 19th with only 11 points.
The resurgent Mallorca heaped further misery to Atletico Madrid, as they defeated them 1-0 at Son Moix last night.
Atletico Madrid outshot Mallorca 17 to 9, but it was Vedat Muriqi’s goal at the 16th minute that proved to be the difference. Muriqi has now scored in five straight matches and he remains on top of Mallorca’s scoring charts with seven goals and one assist.
Los Rojiblancos could’ve equalised if Alvaro Morata didn’t stray offside before scoring at the top corner few minutes after halftime. Since then, Atletico Madrid were mostly passive and Mallorca were content with that.
But Morata had another chance in the game’s dying minutes as Antoine Griezmann teed him up for a header, only to be denied by Predrag Rajkovic. On the other end, Amath Ndiaye almost put the hosts up by two goals.
It didn’t matter, though, as Toni Amor’s side are now unbeaten in their last four, moving them up to 11th in the standings. Atletico Madrid, in contrast, have fallen to fifth place as Diego Simeone’s coaching seat is apparently getting warmer.
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