  |
|
|
|
After four games, the top half of Spain's first division has a familiar look but the title race shouldn't be a one horse race.
It's overdue we took a look at the most consistently entertaining league in Europe and the season is shaping up nicely already in Spain. The big two clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid, occupy the top two positions in La Liga, and with only three points separating them from Getafe down in eighth, there should be no repeat of the twelve point gap between the Catalans and their great rivals from the capital as there was at the end of last season. Barcelona were the best side in Spain and Europe last time out and as mentioned in an earlier blog, they've strengthened the side further with some signings from the disgraced Juventus and will be the team to beat again. On Sunday night at Camp Nou, they faced a Valencia side tipped to challenge them for the title. Valencia are coached by Quique Sanchez Flores and look to be getting back to the standards set by the now-Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez. Premiership flops Fernando Morientes and Asier Del Horno have been brought in and the transfer deadline purchase of winger Joaquin has strengthened them further. The match at Camp Nou ended 1-1 and was hugely entertaining -- especially after Barca found their form in the second half with the attacking trio of Samuel Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Leo Messi laying siege to the Santiago Canizares's goal. Despite their domination of the last 45 minutes, Barca couldn't add to the goal Andres Iniesta scored in the 49th minute and had to be happy with a point. Valencia's David Villa had opened the scoring on 17 minutes after some sharp passing from the visitors. They finish the weekend on third, level on points with first placed Barca but beneath them and Real Madrid on goal difference. Second placed Real Madrid beat Real Betis on Saturday night with the first goal for the club from one of their new recruits, Mahamadou Diarra. Betis looked disjointed and their new signings -- Johan Vogel and Rafael Sobis in particular -- failed to get involved. Los Merengues will be happy with the three points but not the fact that they've lost Brazilian right back Cicinho for six months with damaged anterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee. Despite that setback, Fabio Capello's side look like being back to their best and will be a real challenge to any side in Spain and Europe. Betis languish in fifteenth. Uefa cup holders Sevilla are currently fifth on nine points, but slipped up to Atletico Madrid who move up to sixth behind the Andalusians after beating them 2-1 in a highly eventful match. Sevilla dominated the first half but could only take the lead through Renato in the 40th minute. Sadly for Sevilla, they also picked up three yellow cards in those first 45 minutes and after only two minutes of the second half Julien Escude was dismissed for a second bookable offence. Worse was to follow for the visitors as Escude's fellow centre-half Javi Navarro also picked up a second booking. The hard-as-nails Navarro plays on the edge most of the time, but coach Juande Ramos can't have been pleased with his captain's reckless approach when they were already a man down. Inevitably, Atletico threw caution to the wind and managed to score two late goals through Argentinian winger Maxi Rodriguez. His first was a thrilling drive from 25 yards and the winner was a close range finish after good work from Fernando Torres. Looking at the wrong end of the table makes miserable reading for Basque fans. Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao take up two of the bottom three places (although it is Racing Santander who prop everyone else up with a single point). If La Liga can keep up the quality of the football we're used to as well as keep the title race open, we will be in for a rare treat.
The copyright of the article La Liga update in Soccer is owned by Simon Melville. Permission to republish La Liga update in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
