Early days, but is the league shaping up already?
Yes, I know it’s still early days in the league season, and that some clubs have only played three times, whilst others have had five games to accumulate points, but it may not be too presumptuous to say that LaLiga is shaping up a little now. Champions Real Madrid top the table with ten points, despite having played a game less than the three teams behind them. And, following their 1- 1 draw at the Camp Nou last weekend, in fifth and sixth place lie Barcelona and Sevilla, both having seven points with a game in hand on Los Blancos. It will hardly be a surprise if these clubs fill the three top spots when the league draws to a close.
Across the double Matchdays played ahead of the international break, Real Madrid clocked up a couple of threepoint hauls but without looking wholly convincing. A single goal triumph over troubled Real Valladolid looked laboured and only Vini Jr’s goal sealed the points against one of only three teams yet to register a win, who find themselves rooted to the foot of the table. On paper, a 0- 2 victory at Levante looks comfortable, but the second goal was added in the last minute of injury time from a breakaway with Madrid compelled to defend deeply by the home team’s urgent pursuit of an equaliser.
Zidane is still missing the mercurial skills of Eden Hazard. The Belgian has now missed 27 games through injury since signing as a Real Madrid player, that’s more than in the rest of his entire career. Annoyingly for club, coach and player, this hasn’t been due to a single long- term injury, but six separate problems meaning he’s been unavailable for around 200 days. When Hazard gets back to full fitness, and can string a few appearances together, he may provide the spark to more convincing performances. In the meantime, the Madridistas may well have to content themselves watching their team fight for points, rather than glide to successes.
Ronald Koeman’s Barcelona, while still looking like a work in progress, are picking up points as they develop. Ansu Fati is proving to be a real trump card for the Dutchman plus, with Coutinho back in Blaugrana and seemingly enjoying his time in Cataluña again, there’s plenty of support on the pitch for Messi. The problem of Griezmann remains however. Subbed off again just past the hour mark
against Sevilla for the untapped talents of Trincao, Koeman’s decision to put his faith in the France striker looks dicey. If ever a forward needed a goal, it’s Griezmann, now.
Sevilla have picked up on last season’s form nicely. Another transfer window masterclass by Monchi has given Lopetegui an upgrade on last season’s squad and already Los Nervionenses look genuine title contenders. If Los Blancos continue to stutter along and Barça fail to solve the Griezmann problem, it could be that the title goes down south for the first time since 1946, when Sevilla secured their first and, so far, only league title. Could Lopetegui conjure up a miracle? Well, it’s certainly possible, and let’s say that, at least, it’s looking more likely than for any number of years.
Across the city of Seville, Manuel Pellegrini has breathed new life into Real Beits, and drawn some outstanding performances from veteran, Joaquín. Now 39 years old, the Beticos legend looks on top form and a 0- 2 win in Valencia was the ideal remedy for the disappointing defeat in Getafe. Betis currently lie second in the table going into the international break, with their fans
having the welcome opportunity of looking down on Sevilla, a few places below them. With Lopetegui’s team having a couple of games in hand though, that situation may not last too long, but there’s no reason why the Beticos shouldn’t enjoy the moment.
At the other end of the table, with Elche’s creditable victory at Eibar, the latter’s win at Valladolid and Alavés overcoming Athletic Club, the only teams awaiting their first win of the season are newly- promoted Huesca, who have drawn four of their five games, and Valladolid. With three losses and two draws from their five games so far, Los Blanquivioletas look in trouble, with pressure inevitably building on coach, Sergio González. The club is 82% owned by Brazilian legend Ronaldo, and they could do with someone like him on the field – well, who couldn’t, I guess.. When the league programme resumes after the international break Huesca will entertain Real Valladolid, with both clubs searching for that all- important first win. What price a draw there?
Before we leave the review of the recent Matchdays, there’s a perverse comfort in noting that after their 6- 2 spanking of Granada, Atlético
Madrid dropped back into the normal state of affairs with successive goalless draws away to Huesca and then at home to Villareal. Once El Cholo settles Luis Suárez into their game plan, he will be drumming out those 1- 0 wins again.
As well as the game against Portugal, Spain have a couple of UEFA Nations League fixtures to play against Switzerland and then Ukraine. There’ll be a host of LaLiga club coaches sitting in a darkenedrooms with crossed- fingers hoping that it isn’t one of their players that picks up an injury. With three games to be played, it’s more than likely that someone will.
With no LaLiga games next week, I’m going to take a look back at a time when I visited one of Spain’s classic football stadiums. Now defunct, it was a ground that teemed with atmosphere and one that I needed to make sure I visited before the club that had played there for over fifty years decamped to a nice new shiny ground across the other side of the city. Where am I taking about? Order yourself a nice café con leche next week, draw up a chair with your copy of Costa Blanca News on the table, and you’ll find out.
¡ Hasta próxima semana!