La Liga: It’s a Cruel, Cruel Game…but Los Blancos Don’t Care!

Dani Carvajal scored a dramatic 99^th minute winner in a five goal thriller against bottom club Almeria, to send Real Madrid to the top of the La Liga table…but that isn’t half the story!

It was a game full of action from start to finish but Almeria, who are yet to win a game this season could be forgiven for wondering just what went on. The Andalusian minnows don’t have a lot to hope for, rooted to the bottom of the table on six points and ten from safety. But they have pride, and guts, and they gave the league favourites an almighty scare, going 2-0 up until VAR made three quick interventions to take the game away and hand Los Blancos a crucial win.

This SBOTOP writer isn’t VAR’s biggest fan by any stretch of the imagination and, with that caveat, here is the story. 

With just a minute on the clock the Santiago Bernabeu fell silent as the visitors took a shock lead when Lucas Robertone intercepted a poor pass from Nacho, fed Largie Ramazani and he did the rest though Kepa got a leg to his shot. If that wasn’t enough to upset the Madrid fans, their team struggled to get a grip on the game and found themselves 2-0 down before the break. And this goal was a beauty. Nacho cleared and ball fell to centre back Edgar Gonzalez who hit a first time volley rocketing into the top corner giving Kepa no chance.

A win for Almeria was on the cards and it would have been the biggest La Liga 2024 news of the campaign so far, but then VAR came to Los Blancos’ rescue.

On 54 minutes Joselu challenged for the ball in the Almeria penalty area, and while the ball struck defender Kaiky on the arm the visitors were convinced he had been fouled by the Anton Rudiger. But VAR wasn’t and deemed the handball to be deliberate, awarding a penalty which Jude Bellingham converted.

Almeria picked themselves up and went again, and thought they had restored their two goal lead when Bellingham had his pocket picked and Sergio Arribas finished off a superb move. But as the visitors celebrated VAR got to work and judged Bellingham had been fouled and the score remained 2-1.

But not for long.

Vinicius Junior scored the leveller, on 70 minutes, seemingly with his arm and when the referee was called to the monitor it looked like the goal would be disallowed, but no. The third decision in quick succession went with the hosts. They were all marginal, all debatable and hard to take for Almeria.

The visitors’ manager Gaizka Garitano was red carded (not surprisingly) and he went to the stands where he watched the fourth official signal 11 minutes extra time which was just long enough for Carvajal to score the winner. The La Liga 2024 betting odds back Los Blancos as favourites to win the title and I won’t argue with that. But this was so, so cruel on Almeria, and long term league leaders Girona, who entertain Sevilla on Sunday night will not be amused either.  

Los Ches on the charge

The good times are back at the Mestalla where Valencia recorded a fourth successive league win to climb up to seventh place in the table and within touching distance of the European places. And in doing so they ended Athletic Bilbao’s 14 match unbeaten run in all competitions. 

Athletic have been so hard to break down during their impressive steak, conceding just one goal to an opposition player in the previous nine games and in this match they only conceded one effort on target, but it was a lethal one as Hugo Duro powered a header in for his ninth goal of the season. The deadlock was broken on 61 minutes and then Los Ches showed all the defensive resilience of their visitors, sitting deeper as Bilbao had over 60 per cent possession but they kept chances to a minimum to see the game out.

Hugo Duro playing for Valencia

The Basque side is still in the midst of a battle for Champions League places and manager Ernesto Valverde will pick them up for a Copa del Rey clash against Barcelona on Wednesday. Valencia have been through a difficult period, finishing 16^th last season but manager Ruben Baraja has instilled a winning mentality at the club, which will be tested to the full when they visit Atletico Madrid next week.    

Sociedad back to winning ways

After a run of four league games without a victory, top four chasers Real Sociedad picked up a hard earned three points away to struggling Celta Vigo. Brais Mendez scored the only goal of a tight game which only yielded six shots for each team and two on target each. The 27 year old hit a thunderbolt from outside the penalty area, giving keeper Vincente Guaita no chance and the Basque club a welcome victory.

Mendez was inches away from a second when his effort struck a post, but there was bad news for Sociedad when left back Aihen Munoz limped off in the first half. Head coach Imanol Alguacil was delighted with the result, particularly as he had to blood some young players who stood up well to the task and ensured Sociedad held on to their sixth place. Celta are down in 16^th and just two points above the drop zone.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 23-Jan-2024 at 2:07 PM

Michel, Girona Poised to Make La Liga History

For the first time in a long time, the Spanish top flight isn’t a three-way race between Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid.

To the surprise of many, including this SBOTOP writer, a Segunda Division outfit in the 2021-22 season is mightily looking down on the top clubs in La Liga and could very well be a title contender this campaign.

Michel and his Girona are making a bold statement and have been in the running basically since Matchday 2.

Gironistes have been bouncing around the Segunda Division and La Liga since 2015, struggling to make considerable impact to make themselves a staple in the top flight.

Their most recent promotion to the big leagues came in the 2022-23 season after winning the play-off final 3-1 on aggregate against Tenerife.

Girona were once again bouncing around the Spanish leagues, but their top flight debut during the 2022-23 season showed that they are well and capable of hanging with the Spanish giants in the top flight.

Now, the humble Girona are at the summit of the Spanish top flight along with Real Madrid, who only trail by one point. Girona and the Los Blancos have managed to pull away, while Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Bilbao are stacked against each other.

Michel fits like a glove

But what makes this time any different? Well, all signs point to their new head coach, Rayo Vallecano legend, Miguel Ángel Sánchez Muñoz, also known as Michel.

Ever since the 48-year-old took over as the head honcho for Girona, the Catalonian outfit suddenly became the talk of the town.

After pushing Girona to another promotion to La Liga, Michel and his well-oiled machine finished 10th in the league standings during the 2022-23 season, something to be admired considering they’re a newly promoted team.

Girona CEO Ignasi Mas-Bagà, has nothing but praises for his head coach. “He learned Catalan very quickly. He’s won over the fans, he’s won over the board. He’s young, he’s intelligent, he’s ambitious, he’s driven. He’s incredibly good with his players.”

Gironistes are on a meteoric rise, sitting pretty at the summit of the La Liga table and boasting the most potent offence in the whole of Spain.

Coming into this season, Girona were set aside, as most were glued to the glamour of Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid. But little did they know, there’s a new challenger in town.

Artem Dovbyk’s brilliance

Girona’s Artem Dovbyk celebrates scoring during their La Liga match against Sevilla at the Montilivi stadium

After 21 games played, Girona have netted a total of 51 top-flight goals, eight goals clear of Real Madrid, the second most potent offence in the top flight with 43 goals. Aside from Michel’s offencive structure, the main reason for their success is because of their No. 9, Artem Dovbyk.

After 20 appearances for Gironistes this season, the Ukrainian international leads the La Liga Golden Boot race with 14 goals and five assists, scoring 1.00 goals per 90 with a 32 per cent goal conversion. It won’t be a clear run to the finish line for Dovbyk, though, as Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham is right there with 14 goals and three assists of his own.

Dovbyk skyrocketed to the top of the list of the La Liga top scorers after his masterpiece against Sergio Ramos’ Sevilla, his Magnum Opus of the season thus far. The 26-year-old scored a hat-trick against a helpless Sevilla outfit, who once led the match after an opening goal from Bernal in minute 10.

Dovbyk then proceeded to score three-straight La Liga 2024 highlights, tallying a hat-trick in a span of just six minutes!

 Managing expectations

Girona will have Celta Vigo at Balaídos as their next opponent for Matchday 22, and the La Liga 2024 odds have the Gironistes as the slight favourites to win. 

Aside from their success in the top flight, Michel’s outfit are also making a convincing push in the Copa del Rey, where they’ll face Mallorca in the quarter-final.

Even though they’re atop the La Liga standings, Girona are just the third favourites to win the Cope del Rey, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid placed ahead of them.

Girona are really pulling off the ultimate underdog story, but with their success, head coach Michel still has his head over his shoulders.

“You can think that it is the team’s obligation because what has been done so far is very great, but the objective is not to continue in first position. It is to have a great year and try to reach Europe, which is already a very big goal for Girona,” Michel explained when asked about his team’s aspirations for the La Liga title.

“Madrid, Barça and Atlético are made to fight for La Liga” and Girona is not” quotes Michel Marca.” he added.

Well, it’s safe to say that the Gironistes are overachieving this season, and if they continue their stellar form, their European dreams are well in reach. And who knows, maybe Girona’s first ever La Liga title will ultimately fall into their hands when it’s all said and done.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 23-Jan-2024 at 3:12 PM

La Liga: The Clock is Ticking for Xavi and Barcelona

Barcelona vs Villarreal

It’s not a secret that Xavi is under immense pressure, as he recently talked about potentially leaving his post after Barcelona were eliminated by Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals yesterday.

The Blaugrana legend said after the match that if the team is unable to compete for trophies this season, then he will likely leave.

So Barcelona must pour all their energy towards La Liga and the Champions League. And in the Spanish top-flight, the Blaugrana still have a long way to go because they’re currently third in the standings, trailing by eight points behind surprise leaders Girona.

A victory against Villarreal, who have lost two of their last three, might change Xavi’s tone. The Yellow Submarine are only a few notches above the relegation zone, sitting in 14^th place with only 20 points.

Talking Points

Barcelona badly miss ter Stegen

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen warms up prior the La Liga match against Alaves

Barcelona can get back on their feet if they can solve their defencive frailties, as since the start of 2024, they have already conceded a total of 14 goals in seven matches. Their only clean sheet they had in that span was against Osasuna in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals.

There are two reasons why this is so. The first is because Xavi had to rotate his backline due to their tight schedule, and the second is the long absence of their first-choice goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been one of the world’s best shot stoppers for quite some time now, and he hasn’t played since November due to a back injury. He ultimately went under the knife to fix his issues last month.

The German international recently said that he has already returned to the training field with the rest of the first team, which is the type of news Barcelona supporters want to hear since he is also one of the squad’s four captains this season.

For now, Inaki Pena will continue to start between the sticks, and it’s safe to say that he has a lot of room to improve. Many would agree that the 24-year-old needs to be more of a sweeper-keeper like ter Stegen.

Is Guedes the answer for Villarreal?

Villarreal have only recorded two goals in their last three league games while conceding seven on the other end, which is a recipe for disaster.

Since they’ve been lacking in the final third lately, the Yellow Submarine decided to bring over Goncalo Guedes from the Wolves on loan after the termination of his previous such agreement with Benfica to reinforce their attacking corps.

This move reunites Guedes with head coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, who was his boss during his previous stint with Valencia and had the most success.

The Portuguese winger came off the bench in their 1-1 draw against Mallorca on Saturday, and he can contend for a starting position this weekend, although it is still unclear how he’ll fit alongside top scorer Gerard Moreno up front.

History

Barcelona managed to defeat Villarreal during the third matchday of the 2023-24 campaign in a seven-goal thriller that featured seven different goal scorers. Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Ferran Torres, and Robert Lewandowski scored for the Blaugrana, while Juan Foyth, Alexander Sorloth, and Alex Baena scored for the Yellow Submarine.

Last season, Barcelona recorded a league double over Villarreal via an aggregate tally of 4-0. Villarreal’s last win over Barcelona was a 2-0 result in May 2022.

Despite being under intense scrutiny for their performances lately, Barcelona’s results have been mostly positive (W4, D2), although those two losses saw them eliminated in important Cup tournaments, hence Xavi’s somber mood.

Meanwhile, Villarreal are itching to finally win their first game of the year since their last league win was a 3-2 result at home against Celta Vigo before Christmas.

Betting Tip

Barcelona VS Villarreal

January 28, 1:30 (GMT+8)

Barcelona Asian Handicap -1.75 @2.12

Any result other than a victory is going to be considered bad for Barcelona because they’re heavily favoured in the La Liga 2024 odds. The Blaugrana are 1.32 favourites, while a rare Villarreal win is priced at 6.40, and a draw is at 5.20 in the 1X2 market.

SBOTOP football fans can also check out Total Goal 2-3 at 2.36 as a viable alternative since Xavi’s side is capable of putting up new La Liga 2024 highlights this weekend.

But if you’re swinging for the fences, then you might fancy going for Over 3.75 at 2.16 too. Meanwhile, a Correct Score of 4-3 in favour of Barca – the result of their reverse fixture this season – is being offered at a mouthwatering 85.00.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 26-Jan-2024 at 1:03 PM

La Liga: Xavi is a Culé Through and Through

As usual, La Liga is up to its usual antics, bringing world-class football and primetime-worthy drama to boot. But by far the biggest La Liga 2024 news that has transpired is Xavi’s decision to leave Barcelona at the end of the season, stunning the whole football world in its wake.

As all SBOTOP football fans know, playing and coaching the illustrious Barcelona will automatically place you under the microscope, leaving you to swim in a fish bowl weighed down by immense pressure and expectations.

We’ve seen this with Pep Guardiola, Ernesto Valverde, Luis Enrique, and now Xavi.

So, after learning about Xavi’s impending departure from Barcelona, it would be proper to look back at Xavi’s rich career as a Culé, from his emergence as a player to his resignation as head coach.

Xavi’s Barcelona legacy

Barcelona former manager Xavi during the La Liga press conference

The 44-year-old is already a household name in Catalan due to his rich and successful 17-year career at Camp Nou.

He started carving his name in the pillars of the Pantheon of Barcelona lore when he was named the vice-captain in the 2004–05 season and was a big contributor as to why Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup and the entire La Liga that term. Being the recipient of the La Liga Spanish Player of the Year in 2005 is an attestation of his brilliance and importance for the Spanish outfit.

Xavi was one of the cornerstones for Barcelona during their golden era, winning a whopping total of 25 trophies, which included four UEFA Champions League finals and eight La Liga titles.

He had opportunities to cut his stint with Barcelona after winning Player of the Tournament at Euro 2008, as Bayern Munich was poised and determined to acquire the Spaniard’s services. But the Barca boss at the time, the great Pep Guardiola, convinced him to stay in with the Catalans, where he is well-loved and celebrated.

After 767 appearances and winning every possible contest with the Catalans, Xavi decided to embark on a new journey by joining the Qatari club Al Sadd at the end of the 2014–15 season. There, he signed a hefty three-year contract, which paved his way to becoming an ambassador for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

In Al Sadd, Xavi hailed his first hardware with his new outfit by winning the 2017 Qatar Cup and even led them to the 2018 AFC Champions League semis as captain.

Xavi announced his retirement from professional football by the end of the 2019 season and played his final match as a footballer on May 20, 2019.

From player to coach

Xavi started his coaching stint with flying colours, leading Al Sadd to seven trophies and deep AFC Champions League runs in just his two-and-a-half-year managerial spell with Al Sadd. His success caught the attention of his beloved Barcelona, who were conveniently and unfortunately in a slump under Ronald Koeman.

The Barcelona legend came back to Camp Nou in the middle of the 2021–22 season to further expand his already illustrious CV with the Catalans and bring back their winning ways.

Taking the head coaching job in the middle of an abysmal season is usually a recipe for disaster, as the odds are already stacked against you even before your arrival.

But with the overwhelming support of Barca fans and players, Xavi managed to lead the Catalans to a resurgence. He managed to take his new team to a fifteen-game unbeaten streak at the tail end of the La Liga season, handing Barcelona a second-place finish from ninth position when he took the job.

They picked up where they left off and blazed through the 2022–23 season, winning the Spanish Super Cup by defeating their arch rivals Real Madrid 3-1 and bagging the club’s 27th La Liga title with 10 points clear at the summit. Talk about redemption.

With this meteoric rise as head coach, it understandably put him in the spotlight, and the football world expects perpetual success from Barcelona as long as Xavi is the man at the helm.

That’s the way the cookie crumbles

Which brings us to this season.

Due to Barcelona’s immense success last season, the Catalans were coming into the 2023–24 season as the La Liga 2024 favourites.

Due to injuries and a couple of head-scratching performances, Xavi’s football utopia had started to crumble. They’re currently fourth in the La Liga standings, which is more than fine for any other club in the competition, but due to Barcelona’s incredibly lofty standards, fans are left unsatisfied, which led to the sounding of the alarm at Camp Nou.

The past few weeks have been gloomy for Xavi and his outfit, with a looming sense of urgency every time the Catalans grace the pitch. It really felt like the clock was ticking for Xavi and Barcelona.

Lo and behold, earlier this week, Xavi announced that he would leave the club by the end of the season.

“I will leave Barcelona in June. We have reached a point of no return. It’s time for change. As a Culé, I think that it’s time to leave. I spoke with the board and the club today. I will leave on the 30th of June,” the 44-year-old said.

“The club needs a change of dynamic. Thinking about the club and the players … they play under far too much pressure. It’s best if I leave. I will always give my best with what I have left. I still believe we can complete a great season.”

The immense pressure got the Barcelona legend to his tipping point, and ultimately, he decided to choose what’s best for him and the club.

“You are made to feel every day that you are not good enough,” he told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s game against Osasuna, “It happened to all the coaches: Pep (Guardiola) told me, it happened to (Ernesto) Valverde, I saw Luis Enrique suffer.”

As of now, both Xavi and his men keep their heads up and will still strive for a successful campaign this term. To Xavi’s defence, he championed adversity and brought two shiny silverwares back to Camp Nou in his relatively short stint as head coach. With his success, the Catalans might have a laborious time trying to find a replacement who will deliver world-class results from the get-go. Herculean, but not impossible.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 01-Feb-2024 at 1:35 PM

La Liga: Who is in Line to Replace Xavi?

Just over two years ago, he arrived at the Camp Nou Stadium as a knight in shining armour, but Barcelona legend Xavi has just announced that he will leave at the end of the La Liga season.

Just as Jurgen Klopp’s announcement of his imminent departure from Liverpool rocked Merseyside, Catalonia has fallen silent at Xavi’s decision, which has dominated the La Liga 2024 news over the past few days. Only eight months after he led the Blaugrana to the 2023 La Liga title, a string of poor results has left them well off the pace, and Xavi has had enough.

So the runners and riders are jockeying for position as speculation starts to mount as to who will be the next head honcho in Barcelona, and there are some big names already being touted around.

Jose Mourinho, recently appointed by Roma, is one of the most successful head coaches of all time, but I don’t think the former Real Madrid manager will be at the top of the Barca fans’ lists. Equally, I don’t believe Thomas Tuchel would be a good fit.

Tuchel is still, of course, the manager at Bayern Munich, but as our SBOTOP Bundesliga round-up said, the last seven days have been awful for the Bavarians in both the league and the Champions League. Tuchel is under pressure, but he may bring Bayern’s fortunes round, and even if he doesn’t, he’s unlikely to move straight into another top job. 

So who is the right fit for the Blaugrana?

Roberto De Zerbi

Brighton and Hove Albion manager De Zerbi is the man most fans and pundits are talking about. The Seagulls boss has won legions of admirers for his success on the touchline and the style of football his team plays. Brighton picked up a spectacular 5-0 win away to Sheffield United on Sunday.

Liverpool have already been linked with De Zerbi, but Barca chairman Joan Laporta is also said to be keen, and Barca sporting director Deco has already begun talks with the Premier League club. Whether the Catalans can tempt De Zerbi away from England and whether they can meet his £10 million release clause remains to be seen. But reports in the UK say the Italian’s agents met Deco last Wednesday. 

Thiago Motta

Bologna boss Thiago Motta leads his team against AC Milan

A dominating midfielder with both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Motta would be a popular appointment with the Barca fans. He has been manager of Bologna since 2022, and Rossoblu are currently riding high in fifth place in Serie A, ahead of Roma, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Napoli.

Motta cut his managerial teeth with Spezia, taking over a team heavily touted to be relegated in 2021-22 and with a transfer ban, but he successfully guided Spezia to survival before leaving for Bologna in the close season.

His fluid style of management would suit Barca down to a tee; in an interview with La Gazzetto dello Sport, Motta said he wanted to revolutionise football with a 4-3-3 formation, which can evolve quickly into a 2-7-2.

Shades of Pep Guardiola, perhaps? 

Rafael Marquez

FC Barcelona B team manager Marquez is another fan’s favourite who could do a job in the Barca dugout. A former Barcelona defensive midfielder who made 163 appearances for the Blaugrana in the early 2000s, he is widely known as one of the best Mexican players of all time, nicknamed El Kaiser, and he has been manager of FC Barcelona B over the past two years.

There is a close link between Barca B team and the La Liga side, with young players quickly rising through the ranks, such as midfield ace Gavi and, most recently, 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, who has burst onto the European football scene in some style. Marquez’s ability to bring on young stars, his legendary playing career, and his Barca connection are all in his favour. 

Hansi Flick

There may be another wild card in the race, and a man whom Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski knows well, as former FC Bayern boss Hansi Flick, is on the job market.

In 2020, Flick led the Bavarians to a treble, winning the Champions League, Bundesliga, and DFB Pokal, and his tenure included a 23-year winning streak in all competitions. He was poached by the German national team in 2021, but that didn’t work out, and Flick was sacked in 2023.

Lewi knows how good a manager Flick can be, and it seems he’s better suited to club football at the very highest level. 

Xavi will keep pushing Barcelona until the end of the campaign; eight points off the lead, they have a lot of work to do, and the La Liga 2024 betting odds say it’s Real Madrid’s to lose. There will be twists and turns to come, but then Xavi will say ‘adios amigos’ and the door will open for the next Barcelona manager.

I think it will be De Zerbi or Motta. 

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Feb-2024 at 3:06 PM

La Liga: Girona Stepped off the Gas, Real Madrid Unrivaled

After Matchday 25, Real Madrid have managed to widen their lead by six points in the La Liga title race despite their pedestrian performance during their 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de Vallecas last weekend.

To be honest, Real Madrid’s extended lead in the standings was caused more by Girona’s fumble than Real Madrid’s doing. Girona, who once led the La Liga title race and were the only convincing threat to Real Madrid’s title bid, have lost two straight matches, where they were humbled with a 4-0 loss to Los Blancos, then fell short against Athletic Bilbao 3-2 at San Mames.

Despite failing to score a single point in the past two weeks, Girona are still safe in the second spot of the league standings, but their shortcomings mean that the title race is slowly slipping from their grasps.

Aside from that, teams below them, Barcelona in particular, have been undefeated in their last four top-flight matches and are now just two points behind Girona.

Luckily for Míchel and his men, unlike other La Liga title aspirants, they don’t have any European competition to worry about, and they could funnel all their energy into winning the Spanish league.

They’re set to go against Rayo Vallecano and Mallorca in their next two top-flight ties, which could mean good results for Girona, as both Rayo and Mallorca are currently in the bottom half of the league.

João Félix back in training for Barcelona

Barcelona’s Joao Felix before a La Liga match against Real Betis in January

In the latest La Liga 2024 news, Barcelona forward João Félix has appeared to be back participating in Barcelona’s training sessions.

Félix was sidelined for over three weeks due to an ankle injury he sustained during a training session last month.

The Portuguese forward’s return comes at the most opportune time for Xavi and the rest of Barcelona, as they’ve found themselves one win away from possibly taking the No. 2 seed in the La Liga standings from the recently struggling Girona.

The 24-year-old could make his much-awaited return to the field during their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg tie against the Italian outfit Napoli. Félix was initially ruled out of their clash against Napoli, but it was reported that the forward could travel with the team to Naples.

If Xavi chooses to err on the side of caution and decides to sit his striker out for their clash in Italy, Félix’s next opportunity to grace the field will be against Getafe later this week. Their match against Getafe will be a pivotal one for Xavi and his men, as a win might lift them up the standings and narrow down their deficit from league leaders Real Madrid.

Félix’s impending return serves as a major morale boost for Blaugrana as they continue to strive for a winning season before their head coach, Xavi, departs by the end of the campaign.

Costly bookings for Los Blancos

Ancelotti’s Real Madrid are on a high and are blazing through the Spanish top flight and the UEFA Champions League in the past few weeks. They successfully gained a one-goal lead in aggregate over Marco Rose’s RB Leipzig at Red Bull Arena, then proceeded to annihilate La Liga rivals Girona with a 4-0 clean sheet victory at Santiago Bernabéu.

They however came across a minor speed bump when they faced Rayo Vallecano last week. Real Madrid were the SBOTOP La Liga 2024 betting odds favourites in that match, but Rayo Vallecano were able to hold their own and tallied a 1-1 draw.

The draw forced Real Madrid to settle to leave Estadio de Vallecas with just one point in their back pockets, but arguably the most detrimental thing that transpired was Dani Carvajal’s red card in added time and Eduardo Camavinga’s fifth yellow card of the season.

Carvajal booked two yellow cards in their match against Rayo, the first yellow had been for dissent while the next one was for lashing out at Kike Perez following a foul by the Rayo midfielder. Meanwhile, Camavinga was also booked for dissent, which was his fifth yellow card this season.

Subsequently, both Carvajal and Camavinga are now suspended for one La Liga match, which will be Madrid’s game with Sevilla next weekend. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti would have his hands full and is set to make major adjustments to their defencive line against Sevilla.

An unfortunate predicament for Ancelotti and his men, as they would need every able and capable body they can get to fend off convincing threats from Girona and Barcelona in the Spanish league title race.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Feb-2024 at 3:07 PM

Relegation Battle in La Liga Intensifies, Strugglers Magnified

The race for the La Liga title is heating up, with Girona and Barcelona keeping themselves in striking distance behind the league leaders, Real Madrid while Diego Simeone’s Atleti are still in the mix alongside Athletic Bilbao.

As much as things are intensifying in the upper echelon of the Spanish top flight, teams are also in a cutthroat race in the other end of the league standings, but instead of football glory, teams are fighting for their lives just to stay in the league.

Three outfits are deep in the hole of the relegation zone, and SBOTOP is here to give light to the relentless battle of those clubs at the bottom of the standings.

Almeria

If you’re having a bad day, just remember that Almeria have yet to win a single match in the 2023–24 La Liga season. With a 0-9-17 record after 26 top-flight matches, Gaizka Garitano’s outfit is dead last in the league standings.

As it stands, Almeria need to garner 12 league points just to hover above the relegation zone. But to Almeria’s credit, they have remained unbeaten in their last three La Liga clashes, stunning the top flight with draws against Atletico Madrid, Granada, and Athletic Bilbao.

Almeria’s Luka Romero celebrates scoring their first goal against Atletico Madrid in La Liga

Luka Romero’s inspiring performance against Diego Simeone’s Atleti is probably the greatest La Liga 2024 results Rojiblancos have produced. The mere fact that they were able to rub elbows with one of the best outfits in the Spanish top flight just shows the potential Almeria have, and their fans shouldn’t count them out of their La Liga aspirations just yet.

They will go up against Celta Vigo in their next La Liga tie, a great opportunity for Garitano and his boys to garner their first win of the season, as Rafael Benítez’s Sky Blues are also in a rut this season, treading just above the relegation zone coming into their matchday 27 tie.

As of today, Almeria rely on Sergio Arribas to lead them to much-needed wins, as the attacking midfielder boasts himself as Almeria’s top goal scorer this season with six goals, while his running mates centre-forward Luis Suarez and midfielder Lucas Roertone both have four goals apiece.

Expect Garitano’s offence to run through these three capable scorers when they aim to win their first match of the season when they pay a visit to Balaídos this weekend.

Granada

Like Almeria, Granada have also been unbeaten in their last five matches, recently pulling off a 3-3 draw against one of the La Liga 2024 betting odds favourites Barcelona, who are hoping to give their manager his last hurrah.

Unlike Almeria, Granada have already tallied wins this season—two to be exact. With a 2-8-15 record, Granada have 14 points but are still deep in the relegation zone, making them one of the prime candidates to be sent down to the Segunda División when the season is done and dusted.

Alexander Medina’s outfit just got promoted from the Segunda División last campaign, thanks to their dominant 22-9-11 performance in the 2022–23 season. They managed to edge out Las Palmas and Levante, who were just three points behind in the standings.

They will try to garner their third win of the season against Villarreal on Sunday, but Medina and his men will probably be the underdogs coming into that match as Villarreal have been unbeaten in the top flight since the new year and are poised to make a strong tail-end run to finish the season.

Cadiz

Among the teams currently in the relegation zone, Cadiz have the best chance of staying in the top flight once the season is over. Currently, Cadiz have a 2-12-12 record with 18 points. And they would need to string up a couple of winning results to overtake Celta Vigo in the standings.

Last season, Cadiz fared well in the top flight, finishing in 14th place despite being just recently promoted from the Segunda División. Their steady decline from their respectable finish last season forced the Yellow Submarine to appoint a new head coach, someone who can lead them to a steady climb out of the relegation zone and keep their La Liga dreams alive.

Just last month, Cadiz appointed Mauricio Pellegrino as the new man at the helm, replacing La Liga staple Sergio González. With their new signing, the Yellow Submarine hope that their luck will finally turn around, but unfortunately, it’s been all the same.

Cadiz have yet to garner a win under Pellegrino and are now deeper in the hole since they decided to part ways with Sergio González.

Pellegrino and his men hope for good results against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday before they brave the likes of Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, and Granada in their next string of games.

A tough slate for an outfit on thin ice, but the Yellow Submarine have no choice but to ride the wave and hope for sunny days ahead.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 28-Feb-2024 at 3:22 PM

La Liga: Real Madrid Running Away While Battle for Top Four and Relegation Heats Up

Real Madrid are on the cusp of winning their second La Liga title in three years. However, despite having a comfortable cushion in the standings, their job is far from finished, with seven matchdays remaining in the 2023-24 campaign.

The reason why Carlo Ancelotti’s men have work to do is because they are entering the grueling part of their schedule since they’re slated to face Manchester City and Barcelona in a span of five days.

Meanwhile, there’s still plenty to play for on all levels, as Girona, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao are in the thick of the top four race, while Celta Vigo and Cadiz are pulling out all the stops in order to avoid falling into the dreaded relegation zone alongside Granada and Almeria.

With the 2023-24 campaign winding down, let us examine the Spanish top-flight landscape.

Real Madrid can send a statement with El Clasico win

Real Madrid have kicked things up a notch with a four-game winning streak in the league, taking care of business against Celta Vigo, Osasuna, Athletic Bilbao, and Mallorca.

Their wingers in particular have picked up the scoring, as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo have accounted for five of the last 11 league goals that they’ve scored. Overall, the Brazilian duo has combined for 29 goals and 15 assists this season.

Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo torched Barcelona during their last meeting in the Spanish Super Cup final, so Carlo Ancelotti will look for them to create La Liga 2024 highlights anew against their El Clasico rivals on Sunday.

Beating Barcelona will put Real Madrid one step closer to securing yet another La Liga title because it would give them an 11-point lead in the Spanish top-flight table. However, if they lose, their lead will be cut down to five points.

Carlo Ancelotti has done a masterful job of leading Real Madrid to this point where a double is on the cards despite dealing with injuries to their backline all season, and now with their injury list slowly easing up, it’s only going to get better for them.

Atletico Madrid can breathe easy for now

Atletico Madrid are aiming to secure a spot within La Liga’s top four

Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Girona are all likely to finish within the top four, but the final spot is up for grabs between Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. However, following last matchday’s results, Los Rojiblancos have the edge over Los Leones.

Atletico Madrid really needed the win over Girona, and they did it with a 3-1 scoreline, as Antoine Griezmann (brace) and Angel Correa scored the goals for Los Rojiblancos.

In contrast, Athletic Bilbao are now winless in their last two after being held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Villarreal last night.

Like Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid will face a grueling schedule because they are slated to take on Borussia Dortmund for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-finals tie tomorrow before taking on Alaves five days later.

Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao will enter the lighter part of their schedule now that the Copa del Rey is over (which they’ve won for the first time in four decades).

SBOTOP football fans will have to watch their upcoming clash against Athletic Bilbao with great interest since it’ll help determine who gets the final Champions League spot for next season.

The La Liga 2024 odds are slightly in favour of Athletic Bilbao winning the said game since they’ve already beaten Atletico Madrid in their previous two meetings earlier this season.

Celta Vigo, Cadiz trying to stave off relegation

Claudio Giraldez has the unenviable task of guiding Celta Vigo to safety since he replaced Rafa Benitez at the coaching helm last month. Benitez was relieved of his duties because the Galicians only had five wins in 28 games.

Under Giraldez, Celta Vigo have recorded one win, one loss, and one draw, giving them the slight edge over Cadiz, who are 18^th in the table.

Jørgen Strand Larsen is banging in form for Celta Vigo, as he leads them in scoring with 11 goals this season. The 24-year-old is far from a finished article, but time is on his side because he just turned 24 years old.

Meanwhile, Cadiz have struggled to find the back of the net in their last three games, as they only scored once during their 1-0 win over Granada. Unlike Celta Vigo, Cadiz are bereft of firepower, as their leading scorer is Chris Ramos, with only five goals so far this season.

Because they have a tougher schedule ahead compared to Celta Vigo, there’s a big chance that Cadiz will go back to the Segunda Division at the end of this season.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 17-Apr-2024 at 4:53 PM

La Liga: Hey Jude Wins El Clasico!

Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona

Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga to 11 points as that man Jude Bellingham scored a dramatic late winner in a five goal thriller.

Barcelona, desperate to close the gap on the leaders to five points twice went ahead but Real Madrid pegged them back both times; and then the England man broke Barca heats for the second time this season.   

Los Blancos are seeking a record-extending 36^th La Liga title and Carlo Ancelotti’s side took a huge step forwards on a breath-taking Sunday night.

Highlights of the game

The two sides came into the game with mixed emotions after a dramatic week in Europe. Real Madrid reached the semi-finals of the Champions League with a superb defensive display and a penalty shootout win over Manchester City while the Blaugrana were furious after they lost to Paris Saint-Germain, blaming the referee for sending off Ronald Araujo when the Catalans were well in charge.

And on Sunday night it was Xavi’s Barcelona who flew out of the blocks, maybe fuelled by anger, and they were ahead with just six minutes on the clock as centre back Andreas Christensen planted a header past Andriy Lunin and into the net. But the lead only lasted 12 minutes and the leveller came from the penalty spot when Lucas Vazquez deceived Pau Cubaris to win the award.

Andreas Christensen celebrates with Barcelona teammates after scoring against Real Madrid

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen did his best to put Vinicius Junior off but the Brazilian stroked home the penalty to make it 1-1.

Barca thought they were back in front when wonderkid Lamine Yamal flicked on a Raphinha corner and it looked like the ball had crossed the line; but technology showed it had just stayed on the right side for Los Blancos. For much of the first half Yamal was giving Eduardo Camavinga the run-around, and on 33 minutes the Real Madrid man was booked when he fouled the Barca livewire.

Xavi made a first half change just before the break as Frenkie De Jong’s race was run when the midfielder pulled up to be replaced by Pedri.

Fermin Lopez also climbed off the bench to replace Christensen and he was the man to restore the Blaugrana’s lead, poking in a rebound after Lunin had parried Ferran Torres’ effort.

But again, Los Blancos drew level quickly; this time Vazquez was the man on the spot to convert a teasing cross from Vinicius. 

And so the stage was set and the man delivered as Bellingham smashed his 17^th  goal of the season high into the Barca net to lift the roof off the Santiago Bernabeu.

We just love late drama at El Clasico! 

Statistics

The honours were even in a well contested first half with Los Blancos edging the possession while Barcelona had the shot count by seven to six and both teams registered three shots on target.

The La Liga 2024 betting odds have long since pushed Los Blancos towards the title but they were matched throughout and the final shot counts finished at 15 to 14 in favour of the Blaugrana but eight to six on target for the hosts.    

Madrid’s home record this season now reads 14 wins and two draws while Barcelona have just lost their first away game of the campaign.

Now Madrid have won the last three El Clasicos while both sides had won three each of the last six; and none of the last 14 matches in all competitions between Real Madrid and Barcelona have ended in a draw. But it was close!

What’s next?

Girona’s 4-1 win over Cadiz on Saturday took the season’s surprise package back to within two points of the Blaugrana and the co-Catalans have guaranteed themselves some form of European football next season.

Both Barcelona and Girona will almost certainly qualify for the Champions League and they are set to meet on 4^th May, but before that Barca host Valencia. All the talk is still around the likely departure of Xavi after he announced this would be his last season as Barcelona head coach. The club is still trying to persuade him to change his mind and a meeting has been set for after this El Clasico.

This week keeper and second captain Ter Stegen has added his weight to the clamour for Xavi to stay. The club’s form has picked up in recent weeks with a good set of La Liga 2024 results and a very unlucky exit from the Champions League but Xavi is yet to change his mind.      

Meanwhile Real Madrid have a Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich to look forward and we’ll be all over that game here at SBOTOP. But before that Los Blancos have a difficult trip away to Real Sociedad in the league and, with just six games to play, Ancelotti is inching near to another title.  

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 22-Apr-2024 at 5:45 PM