Wanted to start a new thread for la liga.

I see real madrid got beat last night by real sociedad 4-2 and Barcelona won 1-0 at Villareal. It will be interesting to see how the coming months pan out.

I fully expect to see Atletico challenging again this year too. Barcelona, I feel, will win the league next year once suarez settles in.

Edited September 1, 201411 yr by enigma

It's Barcelona's to lose. I don't think Atletico have the firepower to compete for the title and they look like they really need to gel again. Third should be quite comfortable for them however.

I'm really interested to see how Griezmann, Cerci and Mandzukic replace Costa. I for one think Atletico have done brilliantly in the transfer market seeing how reports always suggest they are an extremely poor club. Since I visited Madrid as a teenager, I have always liked Atletico, so I really hope they can put on a serious challenge this year. WIll be tough, but they have an exceptionally talented squad and probably the second or third best manager in world football.

Also love the history behind Athletic Club and how they only sign players of Basque origin. I always enjoy seeing them do well and am glad they beat out Napoli in the play-offs. I hope they will have enough depth, but it is probably unlikely, to challenge in Spain and have a good run in Europe.

Also love the history behind Athletic Club and how they only sign players of Basque origin. I always enjoy seeing them do well and am glad they beat out Napoli in the play-offs. I hope they will have enough depth, but it is probably unlikely, to challenge in Spain and have a good run in Europe.

 

Same, iv'e always been a fan of them, amazing how they have stuck to their roots 

I am hoping to catch a couple of Elche games live this season. Gonna try and make the Elche v Sevilla match in October.

Madrid just don't look balanced at all.

It seems their obsession with bringing in the current pin up of football has hampered them.

Di maria was their best player and he's gone while Alonso is also shipped out.

I hope any team wins it other than real. Can't stand "look at my spastic abs" and eye brown shaven ronaldo. Come on give us real in the UCL knock out stages and with some luck we can dump them out!

I don't like Real too and I also hope Atletico retain the title. But I'd rather Real win than Uefalona. It's disgraceful that they were able to sign players. Then suspension was resumed after they've brough it in the players they needed. I'm so glad they ended up with Vermaelen and his "legs".

I don't like Real too and I also hope Atletico retain the title. But I'd rather Real win than Uefalona. It's disgraceful that they were able to sign players. Then suspension was resumed after they've brough it in the players they needed. I'm so glad they ended up with Vermaelen and his "legs".

 

You know that FIFA did exactly the same thing for us when we were 'banned' over Kakuta, right? 

Nope. Really?

When inventing conspiracy theories it also helps to know the difference between UEFA and FIFA.

Atletico are 1-0 up against Real at Real. 

Full Time: Real Madrid 1-2 Atletico Madrid

 

Well done Atletico! 

 

Is Varane injured ? because if he isn't then why the hell doesn't he play ?

Last weekend I was in Madrid - booked it months back.  And then I thought "Aw one or other of Real or Atletico will be at home, I'll see if I can go".  Bloody international break!

 

Did a tour of the Bernebau, impressive enough but God their staff were bloody miserable! No chat, just take your money, give you your ticket.  No asking if you were a fan, whether you'd been before or anything.  Unlike when I've been on the tours at Chelsea, lots of banter, jokes etc.

What's going on with Real? They missing the injured Khedira? Was letting Alonso and Di Maria go a mistake?

What's going on with Real? They missing the injured Khedira? Was letting Alonso and Di Maria go a mistake?

A mistake from day one (especially di maria). And everyone but Perez knows it.

Do Madrid get a penalty every game or something? Every time I look on the Madrid score I just see 'Ronaldo pen'.

A mistake from day one (especially di maria). And everyone but Perez knows it.

The Di Maria one was bizarre, they signed the latest show pony James Rodriguez, yet I can guarantee had they had him already instead of Di Maria then Di Maria had a great World Cup they'd' have signed him. They seem obsessed with having to have the latest name instead of looking what they actually have and realising its already good enough.

It looks like the case of 'too many chefs' that everyone predicted for Real this season. Despite being thoroughly superior to Atletico throughout, they never managed to take the lead and ultimately relinquished control of the game during the 15-minute period of Atletico dominance after Arda Turan came on.

 

It seems like they've had to sacrifice a lot of midfield balance to wedge in Rodriguez as a #10. Even using the 4-3-3 they had last season it's not as if they were wanting for creativity considering they had Alonso, di Maria and Modric on the pitch, and the system seemed to suit Ronaldo and Bale quite a lot better too.

 

Admittedly small differences in the formation don't really count for a lot when you are using a player who can do as much as di Maria, but my point is that they seem to have spent a lot of money on becoming a weaker side. Atletico don't look quite as strong as last season either, although I suppose they were missing Simeone (and it's harsh to criticize considering the result). Certainly I will say that I am fast regretting my pro-Mandzukic stance over the summer after seeing how good Costa has been for us already.

Real madrid have no transfers plans. They have torn apart their team based on 5 games at the world cup.

There is no way they were planning on replacing di maria with rodriguez before the world cup.

Real madrid have no transfers plans. They have torn apart their team based on 5 games at the world cup.

There is no way they were planning on replacing di maria with rodriguez before the world cup.

Agreed and as I said week roles reversed and they had Rodriguez with Di Maria been the stand out player at the World Cup they'd have sold Rodriguez and signed Do Maria

Last weekend I was in Madrid - booked it months back.  And then I thought "Aw one or other of Real or Atletico will be at home, I'll see if I can go".  Bloody international break!

 

Did a tour of the Bernebau, impressive enough but God their staff were bloody miserable! No chat, just take your money, give you your ticket.  No asking if you were a fan, whether you'd been before or anything.  Unlike when I've been on the tours at Chelsea, lots of banter, jokes etc.

 

Couldn't agree more with visiting Stamford Bridge. The staff were so nice, knowledgable and witty. They even interviewed my family and I for being American Chelsea fans and put us in the Chelsea mag!

Have any of you ever noticed that Carlo seems to be a cup manager? He very rarely wins league titles. I think the only ones are '04 Milan, '10 Chelsea and '13 PSG in about 20 years as a manager. The man has as many CL titles as leagues - which is probably a rare feat considering the CL is widely considered more difficult to win. Not that I begrudge him anything -- I love him as a manager and for the Double. And Real Madrid I'm sure knew what they were getting and (mostly) hired him to win La Decima anyway. Just interesting that such a great coach struggles so much in the league. The man is a cup manager.