Spanish Football News Blog

1. The most entertaining league on the planet
Granted, the Spanish Primera Division suffers from a number of innate flaws — like referees blowing whistles on the slightest of challenges and defenders happier to rove into opposition penalty boxes than secure their own area. But just like one or two flaws in a genius doesn't make him any less gifted, La Liga's poetic and romantic valour cannot - or at least, should not - be put into doubt because of its defects.

It is not perfect but it is more perfect than others.

Teams have a distinctly attacking style of football that relies on passing the ball around and remaining coherent. Spanish champions Barcelona are the masters of this art but theirs is an advanced form that clubs lower down the order follow in one way or the other. There are, of course, one or two 'physical' sides like Athletic Bilbao but modest teams like Real Mallorca, Getafe, Deportivo La Coruna all adopt a free-flowing attacking brand of football.

Atletico Madrid, who won the Europa League last season in sensational fashion by knocking out Premier League giants Liverpool on their way, are arguably the most unpredictable side in Europe; their ability to lose 3-0 to Espanyol just a week after defeating Deportivo by the same scoreline is just an example. Expect more from Atleti this season, too, and expect the rest of La Liga doing something equally ludicrous.

2. Jose Mourinho vs. Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola won the treble with Barcelona in 2008-09, Jose Mourinho won the treble with Inter in 2009-10 and now both will go head-to-head in Spain. While Mourinho is regarded by many as the best coach in the world as his ability to bring the best out of his players and make them great is unparalleled, Guardiola is only in his third year of senior football management and he has already etched his name in history.

The battle of wits between the two finest coaches will be a marvel to watch. Also remember, Jose Mourinho is renowned for his brilliant and juicy quotes - an extra reason to stay tuned to La Liga this season.

Statements like these are sure to make the Barca-Madrid rivalry even more entertaining: “We are not shopping in a supermarket for groceries like Barcelona. I only want players who are great players or players I can make great."

3. Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo
The Argentine won the Ballon d'Or last year while CR7 won it in 2008. While Lionel Messi is widely recognised as the most talented and finest player on the planet at the moment, Cristiano Ronaldo is said to come close. Both are different type of players and neither of them is exactly perfect or complete (not that there can be a footballer who is 100 per cent complete) but since the advent of Ronaldo in La Liga, the rivalry has taken a more regular tone.

Messi overshadowed Cristiano in 2009-10 but yet the Portuguese was arguably the second best attacking player in Spain last campaign. This season, too, one can expect the duo to go head-to-head.

4. Unpredictability outside the title race
You don't need to be exceptionally intellectual to realise that once again it will be either Real Madrid or Barcelona who will win the league, even though the likes of Valencia, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid continue to claim that they can challenge the Big Two in Spain. However, outside the title race, we have competition for each and every other place.

Two of the four remaining Champions League places will be fought over by four clubs - Atletico, Sevilla, Valencia and Villarreal - but with Valencia suffering from squad depletion it could become even more competitive.

Real Mallorca almost finished fourth last campaign but with gripping financial problems, could struggle while Getafe, having lost Pedro Leon and Roberto Soldado in the summer to bigger clubs, will find it hard to finish in the top six again. Deportivo La Coruna and Athletic Bilbao will look at finishing in a Europa League place.

Source: Goal.com