Welcome to La Liga Talking Points, a weekly column running throughout the season in which we take a look at the key stories and talking points from Spanish football’s top flight. With an inevitable focus on the biggest teams, such as Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona, there will also be a worthwhile nod toward the rest, we take a look at how the league is shaping up each week and what to look out for going forward.
Can Valencia end Slump?
Valencia host Granada to kick off La Liga this weekend at the Mastalla, with the hosts continuing their frustrating form, which has lead to only one win from five matches.
Valencia’s season has begun in peculiar circumstances where boardroom upheaval has transcended into manager Nuno Santo’s job, who is now struggling as his side sit in 8th place after five games.
Having only won one game in five, the home crowd at the Mastalla are beginning to let their unhappiness be known, with whistles, jeers and even white hankies on show in their last home game – a 0-0 against Real Betis.
Los Che travelled to Barcelona for the midweek clash with Espanyol and were duly dispatched by their hosts to a 1-0 loss, increasing the pressure on Santo’s men.
Friday poses a peculiar encounter as it is essentially a meeting of two poor teams. While Valencia may be indeed expensively assembled, they have not look a great team this season, far from it.
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Yellow Submarine and El Atleti Battle for Place at the Top
Villareal welcome Atletico Madrid to El Madrigal on Saturday night as they look to continue their assault at the top of the table.
The Yellow Submarine have begun the season in flying form, with only goal difference separating them from being clear at the top of the table.
Sitting on 13 points after five games Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side are of course unbeaten, and on the back of a 1-0 win away to Malaga on Wednesday night.
With Celta Vigo to follow their game against Atleti, Villareal could be clear at the top of the table in the coming weeks if they keep up their imperious form. Notably, Villarreal have won their last four home matches in La Liga.
Atletico meanwhile sit one point behind Villareal in 4th place on 12 points after five games. The loss for Barcelona midweek will have opened up an opportunity for Diego Simeone’s team to pounce upon.
El Atleti took on city rivals Getafe on Tuesday night and they made light work with a 2-0 win, with both goals coming from their mercurial attacker Antoinne Griezmann.
Like Villareal, Atleti have a fine chance to stake a claim atop the division in the coming weeks, with Real Madrid to follow the Villareal game next weekend.
Saturday poses a traditionally ‘best of the rest’ clash, but this time both are vying for a place clear at the top of the table.
With tensions high the likely result on Saturday is a stalemate.
Moyes Seeks Win in Basque Derby
Real Sociedad welcome Athletic Club this weekend to the Anoeta in confident mood, having finally picked up their first win of the season midweek.
The pressure was building heavily on David Moyes’ shoulders in the days leading up their clash with Granada on Tuesday.
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Indeed, they were yet to win a game, and had only actually scored in one other game – a 3-2 loss at home to Espanyol.
The magnitude of their win at home to Granada cannot be underplayed, and now sets up La Real to be more than a match in the Basque derby on Sunday night.
Athletic Club meanwhile travel to the Anoeta on the back of consecutive losses, though their last game, a 2-1 loss at the Bernabeu, showed much of the fighting spirit which helped the Basque’s finish 4th in the division last season.
The Basque derby poses a prime opportunity for Ernesto Valderde’s men to reignite their season following a tepid few weeks, with Athletic Club looking to break a record of three successive draws against La Real.
While always a special occasion, the recent history of the Basque derby indicates Sunday evening’s game will likely be a draw, and the stats don’t like either: Real Sociedad have drawn their last three matches against Athletic Club in all competitions.