La Liga Lowdown

On Oscars weekend there was no shortage of drama in LaLiga. From blockbuster encounters to thrilling epics, heroes and villains, Matchday 25 wouldn't look out of place on the red carpet. Hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) pore over the action and leave their reviews. As it went, Barça maintained their nine-point advantage at the summit ahead of El Clásico next weekend, but they had to dig in deep in Bilbao. Another 1-0 win to add to the catalogue, this new-look resilience reminds Román of a different club and manager of recent LaLiga times. Elsewhere there were humongous victories for two of the giants struggling at the bottom as Sevilla and Valencia both put themselves above the water line for another week at least. In the race for Europe, it was a lap of consolation for the pretenders, as Real Sociedad, Villarreal and Betis all drew, keeping the contest intriguing. The big weekend winners were Celta, and we salute them, Iago Aspas and Carlos Carvalhal, who

It was a topsy, but mostly turvy week for Spanish sides in Europe, but no less interesting to unpack. Hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) do so in your midweek podcast, before turning their attention to some of the other major storylines.In part one, Matt Clark (MattClark_08) calls in from the snowy, blustery and generally torrid weather outside Old Trafford - he wasn't much more of a fan of Real Betis' second half in their defeat to Manchester United. Manuel Pellegrini has an uphill task in the second leg of their Europa League tie, as is true for Real Sociedad. Villarreal got a better result in the Europa Conference League, but here's the fun part - they are all battling it out for the top four at the same time. We break down the key weaknesses that might hamper both European and domestic aspirations.In the second half of the show, we turn to Sevilla. Imagine a world where Sevilla win the Europa League but get relegated? One seems more likely than the other, but will Jorge

In our match day 24 recap podcast, host Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) is joined by Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to delve into a crazy weekend of LaLiga action where we may have seen the death of a title race. First we head to the red and white part of Madrid, where a special celebration for Diego Simeone was marked in style as he took charge of his 613th game with the club in a seven-goal thriller. We then move on to Camp Nou, where Barcelona won with very little style, and the Benito Villamarín, where Real Madrid had just as little style but lacked Barça’s cutting edge, as Hasan Karim (@TheHasanKarim) tells us.In part two, we look at the relegation battle, where Getafe secured a crucial and nail-biting win over Girona, while Elche clung onto a faint tinge of hope until the very end against Mallorca in two of the weekend’s most eye-catching results. Stay tuned across lllonline.substack.com and @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter for all the latest in another action-packed week of Spanish football. Hosted on Aca

La Liga Lowdown get down to the nitty gritty of El Clásico on its 5th birthday! Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they break down the big Copa del Rey semi-final.It's likely to be a game defined by injuries with both sides missing players, although the Barcelona limp is a little more obvious at this point. We discuss how both sides might line up, where the weaknesses lie, and how it could leave the La Liga race after the first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.The second half of the show sees us travel around Spain to discuss some of the most interesting statistics and stories from around Spain. Once again Román demands more time for Quique Setién at Villarreal, we break down one of the most exciting and talented youngsters cutting his teeth at Celta Vigo, and make the case for the two best value signings of the season.Follow us @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter, and tune into our Substack too - lllonline@substack.com - where we have daily content and will work our way through t

Comebacks, shocks, goalfests, upsets and twists. That was Matchday 23 in LaLiga, as the form table almost turned upside down and we witnessed another twist in the title race. Hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) are here to break it all down, in a weekend bookended by 3-2 thrillers involving Seville sides.We begin with probably the surprise of the season so far. Following their defensive horror show last weekend, Almería went into their game against the league leaders with little more than blind faith. However, they caught a Barcelona still in hangover mode from their latest European exit, and the Andaluz side took full advantage, scoring early and defending well. As a result, Xavi's side missed a golden opportunity to open up a double-digit gap on Real Madrid.The defending champions could not win either, even against the ten men of Atlético Madrid in El Derbi de Madrid. Teenger Álvaro Rodríguez saved a point for Los Blancos with his first senior goal but most observers felt it was

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We’ve been averaging three goals a game on this 22nd weekend of an enthralling LaLiga season, and with one more to go crunch-match to go, there could be plenty more drama still to unfold.Join your hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) as they discuss the best of the action, including an eight-goal thriller at Montilivi, a last-minute screamer in Elche, and a wonder-assist at Camp Nou. Our experts also dive into a tense top-four, as Villarreal slump to a fourth defeat in a row for the first time in 24 years, before looking ahead to some tasty mid-week European ties, as Real Madrid travel to Anfield, and Barcelona gear up for round two with the Red Devils.   Wild celebrations, uncontrollable tears, and fists literally being swung, you don’t want to miss this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been another momentous week at Mestalla and appropriately we have Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) on the pod to tell Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) all about it. Fresh from attending Rubén Baraja's presentation on location, we start there as Valencia's third coach of the season begins an unenviable task. A cheap option on a short-term contract, is this simply a move by Meriton to pacify an angry fanbase?Paco assesses the move to bring a club legend into the fray, as well as analysing Baraja's first statements as coach. His first match will be a relegation six-pointer away at Getafe, the importance of which cannot be overstated. In Part Two we discuss the other big news from Wednesday; the bombshell involving Barcelona and alleged payments to a company linked to a former senior referee in the CTA. We discuss the reports and where it might leave the Catalans. Then we turn our attention to this weekend's fixtures in LaLiga, featuring some attractive match-ups and a European showdown in Madrid.&

La Liga continues to tighten up all over the table - everywhere except at the very top, where the gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid continues to expand, if perhaps only temporarily. Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@aeroslavee) as they work their way through a weekend that may have serious employment consequences.We start at the top as Barcelona suffer against Villarreal but ultimately get the job done. Another rearguard action, another Pedri goal. Ronald Araújo was the star of the show but how concerned should Barcelona be about the form of Robert Lewandowski, with Manchester United on the horizon? Elsewhere Atlético Madrid mugged Celta Vigo at Balaídos, and Quique Sánchez Flores teeters on the brink.In part two, there's only one place to start - Mestalla. Valencia are deep in crisis mode, and right now it feels like quicksand. Román has his doubts about even Pep Guardiola's ability to turn things around. Sevilla are only four points above them, but are feeling terrific that

On the midweek pod are Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to discuss all the talking points from Spanish football.In the first half of the show, we break down Real Madrid's win over Al Ahly which sealed progression to the final of the Club World Cup. It was a scoreline which ended up flattering Carlo Ancelotti's side, but that's not to say it was a performance without positives.Andoni Iraola and Rayo Vallecano are also high up on the agenda after the Vallecas side moved up to fifth in LaLiga. Iraola attracted the advances of Leeds United but has reportedly turned down a move to the Premier League in order to continue his fine work with Rayo. Rejoice.In Part Two we look ahead to the nine matches in LaLiga this weekend, which sees coaches have reunions with their old clubs and giants in need of home wins to boost morale as much as their respective points tallies.Remember to follow us @LaLigaLowdown and subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com), where you can read articles on e

LaLiga provided us with a weekend full of surprises as five of the top six dropped points, with everyone but Barcelona allowing the Catalans to extend their lead at the top to eight points courtesy of a thrashing of Sevilla.To discuss the action, Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) is joined by Paco Polit (@PacoPolitENG) who brings his insight from Valencia with updates on fan protests and the club's search for a new manager as they fight off relegation. Elsewhere, Elche stunned Villarreal to record their first win of the season, but was it too little too late for Pablo Machín's team? Stay tuned to @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter and LLLonline.substack.com for all the latest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following a furious rather than frantic end to the transfer window, hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@aeroslavee) pick through combative few days in Spanish football.Part one opens with the people that can be feeling pleased with themselves after rushing to hand in their assignments, before coming onto remarkable second transfer window in a row where one president has been in physical danger after his decision-making. Gavi wore number six on Wednesday night, he is registered as a first-team player, but it isn't over until Javier Tebas sings.In part two, we pick through more of the debris of Gennaro Gattuso's Valencia departure, where he surrendered before he was cast off, and the return for what we feel we can now call an icon of Spanish football in Voro. Plus signs of encouragement for Real Madrid, Rayo Vallecano (on the pitch) and Quique Setién.Enjoy our written content at lllonline.substack.com and keep up-to-date @laligalowdown on Twitter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

187 down, 193 to go. We’re just a few games from the half-way point of the 2022-2023 LaLiga season, and what a primera vuelta it’s been.Join your hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) as they dissect the weekend’s results, starting at the Santiago Bernabéu, where not even Vinícius Júnior’s 20 dribbles were enough to break down a sensationally structured Real Sociedad side, who remain just three points off Los Blancos in third. Part One also sees our experts analyse big wins for Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, who continued the theme of 1-0 wins across the weekend. Pedri and Saúl the midfield match-winners in those.  Not all the games this weekend were low scorers though, as Sevilla thumped Elche by three goals to nil on Saturday, to extend the visitor’s winless streak to nineteen games. The guys also have high praise indeed for Cádiz and Almería, who continued their fine form in front of their own fans. Make sure to follow us @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter for all the l

The business end of the Copa del Rey is fast approaching, as this week's crunch-match quarter-finals have whittled the remaining candidates down to the final four. Join your hosts Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they dissect two pairs of thrilling clashes between Spain's greatest teams, as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Athletic Club and Osasuna all took one more huge step to cup glory. In Part one, don't miss Paco's in-depth analysis of the situation in Valencia, speaking to us just moments after witnessing the incredible events that  unfolded outside Mestalla. We also have plenty of praise for the Basque visitors, who make their fourth Copa semi-final in succession. After the break, our experts get stuck into Osasuna vs Sevilla, paying particular attention to their sensational coach, before looking ahead to some of the weekend's big games.Make sure to follow us on Twitter, @LaLigaLowdown, for all the breaking news, reaction and analysis from our team of journalists, and subscribe

As we approach the halfway stage of the season, LaLiga Matchday 18 was a weekend low on goals but not short of drama.Join hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to reflect on the talking points and the implications of all the results.We start at the top, and it's as you were as both Barça and Real Madrid record victories, both having to endure some suffering. Winning championships isn't supposed to be easy, after all.The most impressive team is in third, however, so we laud Real Sociedad once again as they set a new club record for consecutive victories in impressive fashion at Vallecas.Atleti were also impressive, led by their pink prince Antoine Griezmann. They round off the top four and the first half of the show.Into Part Two, we analyse two late victories of significance in Seville and Vila-Real, both courtesy of late pressure penalties. There was emotion and relief in equal measure.Elsewhere there is more pain for Betis, a small glimmer of hope for Elche and a golazo from Seg

It's not often a football team plays on three different continents in a week, but that's exactly the challenge that Xavi's Barcelona will face over the next few days, as they return from Saudi Arabia with the Spanish Supercopa tucked under their arms.Join your hosts Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they discuss the week's news, starting with their analysis of the title race ahead of a gruelling period for Real Madrid. Before part one is out, Paco reflects on Valencia's current situation, before some exciting transfer business for Girona is assessed.After the break, the guys look ahead to the weekend's action, with a relegation six-pointer between Sevilla and Cádiz at the top of the bill.Make sure to follow us @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter for all the latest news, analysis and insight, and subscribe to our substack below, absolute free of charge, for quality LaLiga content emailed to your inbox every single day! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a dramatic weekend of football in Spain, and Saudi Arabia, this weekend, as Barcelona were crowned champions of the Spanish Super Cup with Xavi getting his hands on silverware for the first time as Barcelona coach. To break down the Clásico final, Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) is joined by Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee).Then, we turn our attentions back to the Iberian Peninsula, where there was a thrilling Basque derby on Saturday night. Athletic Club fan Beñat Gutiérrez (@beinatguti) joins us to share his thoughts on the game, a controversial refereeing decision, and what it means for both teams.Sam and Román also run through all the rest of the action, including a game of golazos in Getafe, Girona's late win to send Sevilla into the drop zone, and more dropped points for Atletico Madrid and Villarreal. Stay tuned for more coverage at lllonline.substack.com and twitter.com/laligalowdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A packed midweek podcast this week as Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) discuss the marathon pair of Supercopa semi-finals before looking ahead to a slightly-reduced schedule of LaLiga matches at the weekend.In the first half of the show, the hosts dissect and chew over the semis which saw both giants start well, fade and then rely on their superb goalkeepers to secure passage to the final on penalties. There is praise for the conquered Valencia and Betis and questions about the performances of the big two: is it tiredness or something more fundamental? Both were more Casio than Rolex. Before the break we discuss the dramatic debut of João Félix at Chelsea which went from red hot to red card. Diego Simeone was unavailable for comment.In Part Two we turn our attention to the LaLiga weekend, featuring the Basque Derby as its designated partidazo. Two sides looking to make strides up the table, this should be a fascinating encounter. There are some huge games at the bottom too, which cou

In this week’s podcast, the La Liga Lowdown squad review the Matchday 16 action. Host Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) starts with the Sunday night partidazo and talks to Sam Leveridge (@SamLeveridge) in Madrid about the atmosphere at the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano and what the Barcelona win means for both Barça and Atlético Madrid.Then, Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) joins the action from Valencia to break down Villarreal’s win over Real Madrid, Real Sociedad’s surge on the top four, Joselu’s incredible goalscoring record and Valencia’s struggles after a home defeat to Cádiz.With the January transfer window open and the Spanish Supercopa coming up this week, stay tuned for more at lllonline.substack.com and twitter.com/LaLigaLowdown for all the latest insights and action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) for a midweek dip into the deep pool of Spanish football. On the agenda today is Copa del Rey, LaLiga and the new Kings League. We review the shocks and surprises from the first day of Last 32 matches in the Copa, starting in north Africa, where Elche's nightmare season got even more horrible, if that was even possible. Their agony is ecstasy for AD Cueta, who themselves are bottom of their league. Elsewhere, three other LaLiga sides fell on Tuesday night, including last season's semi-finalists Rayo Vallecano. We discuss all the action and talking points.Román then gives us a fascinating insight into Gerard Piqué's new project: the Kings League. Find out what it is, how it works, and the multitude of big names already involved.In Part Two, we look ahead to the weekend in LaLiga, which features tough away games for the title challengers and plenty of other intriguing games besides.Keep up to date by following @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter and subscr