Seven games have passed since Valencia last recorded a victory over Barcelona. For most sides, that is hardly a disastrous record, but for a team of Valencia’s overall calibre and desire, that is a disappointment. The Bats have a rich history in Spain’s top flight with six titles to their name, however betting sites currently back Valencia as having more chance of relegation than lifting the coveted title for a seventh time. Even just to record a victory over Barcelona at the Camp Nou like they last did in April 2016 are as long as 8/1. That is probably because trawling through the history books will show you that Valencia have only recorded two victories in their last 28 games against Barcelona in all competitions. Suddenly, it becomes clear there is a real hoodoo. However, do the Bats have enough in their locker to overcome the Catalan giants once more and do the whole of Spanish football a favour a keep a title race of sorts alive? Goals need to be … [Read More...]
Huesca on Course for Fewest Points Ever in La Liga
Everything started so brightly for the smallest club to ever reach Spain’s top flight. A debut victory over Eibar was backed up with a creditable draw away at Athletic Bilbao and suddenly the tiny club from the North East of Spain was making the country’s top flight look like a piece of cake. However, a trip to Barcelona was soon to prove a lesson the club have as of yet failed to recover with Messi and co running riot in an 8-2 hammering at the Nou Camp. Four months have passed since that defeat and Huesca have not recording a single win since and have collected just four points since the 2nd September. It is of no surprise then that those who bet on La Liga with paypal at the start of the season for the minnows to drop straight back down to the Segunda division are rubbing their hands ready for an early pay out. Leo Franco was brought in as manager at the beginning of the season but was dismissed on the 9th October despite recording the clubs sole top flight win and … [Read More...]
Can Anyone Stop Barcelona?
The door has been left wide open plenty of times this season for someone outside of Barcelona and Real Madrid to walk through but as of yet, no one has taken the chance to walk through it. Sevilla and Atletico Madrid have come close but so far trail the Barcelona juggernaut whilst keeping one eye firmly on the wounded European Champions who have endured a nightmare opening half. So far this season, Barcelona has lost two and drawn four in their opening 17 games. That is twice as many defeats as the whole of last season and if the trend continues into the second half then one can only hope both Atletico and Sevilla have enough motivation to ensure they take what could be a golden chance in a current Spanish monopoly. Diego Simone’s Atletico is the best placed to be the ones to repeat their famous 2014 title triumph especially after suffering just one defeat prior to the winter break (away at Celta Vigo). However, Simone’s sides weakness has been a plethora of draws, … [Read More...]
Bilbao win to give Gaizka Garitanoa a perfect start
It was meant to be the match that kick-started new Bilbao head coach Gaizka Garitano’s La Liga reign off to the perfect start to follow up that sublime 4-0 thumping of Huesca in the Copa Del Rey midweek. And that is exactly what it proved to be despite leaving it until the 90th minute in order to beat highflying Girona on Monday night thanks to an Aritz Adruiz penalty. That means that since taking over the Bilbao hot seat on the 4th December, Garitano has already achieved the same number of victories (2) as his predecessor managed. Two matches and two wins is a superb start and it means the win over Girona lifts Bilbao onto 14 points, the same as Villarreal in 17th. However, it should come as little surprise that Garitano has hit the ground running. After all, the 43-year-old has been embedded into Bilbao for a number of years and vacated his role as the Bilbao Athletic B manager in order to step into the breach following Eduardo Berizzo dismissal. So, who is Gaizka … [Read More...]
The 4 Games You Won’t Want to Miss this Weekend
The La Liga table has an unusual feel to it with Sevilla sitting at the top of the pile and Alaves in fourth spot. But, will they still be there come the end of weekend or will it be normality resumed? We take a look to see who’s playing who and pick out the best games you won’t want to miss. Alaves v Sevilla We may as well start at the top as fourth plays first in the most unusual top of the table clash. Alaves have been in sublime form this season but did lose to Leganes last Friday meaning perhaps momentum is dwindling. This is a contest Sevilla would normally look at as a certain three-points and after three wins in their last four, should come away with their lead at the top of the table. Real Madrid v Valencia The Bats are so up and down at the minute it makes them impossible to predict. A miserable start has suddenly improved after back to back wins has remarkable moved them to just three points behind Real Madrid as Santiago Solari’s reign got off to … [Read More...]
Who are the Croatian Players in La Liga?
It has been quite the year for Croatian national football team. A World Cup final thrust those who made the squad into the limelight and although it may not have worked out so well for them in the Nations League, 2018 will still go down as one of the greatest years in the nations sporting history. There are also a number of well-known Croatian faces plying their trade in La Liga with some a strong bet with sites such as sportskokladenje24.com to go on and claim some coveted silverware in the 2018/19 season. So, who are they? Luka Modric – Real Madrid There can be no better place to start than the captain of the National team itself in Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric. The 33-year-old has made over 100 appearances for Croatia and despite his age is one of the stand out players in a squad packed full of talent. Modric began his club career at Dinamo Zagreb but really made a name for himself in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur. His performances for the … [Read More...]
The Irish Students Who Brought Football to Northern Spain
With thanks to Jose Miguel Morales; without his help, this article wouldn’t have been possible. ‘Build it and they will come’ is the refrain that shakes ghosts out of the cornfields in Kevin Costner’s hit movie Field of Dreams; it’s a sentiment that betrays the often-static nature of America’s pastime. Football, on the other hand, has always been fast and frenetic, from the days when the sport offended Victorian virtues to now, where players have been scarcely fitter, the sport more refined. Football, then, has moved outward. Thomas Donohoe brought the beautiful game to Brazil; James Richardson Spensley imported it to Italy, where AC Milan and Juventus were gifted shirts by Notts County; and Mitchell Ince arrived in Egypt with a government job in the offing and a football under his arm. But it wasn’t just the British. The first football club in Salamanca, in the picturesque north-west of Spain, was founded by Irish students. This coming together, this historical curiosity, was … [Read More...]
Just what is going wrong at Valencia……..Again?
This season Valencia Club de Fútbol is currently enjoying their 99th year of existence and after the revival of last season in which the club once again qualified for the Champions League, much excitement was set in place ahead of this campaign. However, twelve games in, it is safe to say it has not gone to plan for manager Marcelino and many sportsbooks such as www.novibet.co.uk may well start offering some serious value on the former Sevilla leaving his post sooner rather than later if he cannot repeat last season’s top four. After all, Valencia firmly believe themselves to be one of La Liga’s bigger players having won the league title six times. They were also the last side to break the Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid monopoly lifting the title in 2003/04. Since then, three third places have been the highest return and a two-season stint in the bottom half of the table as recently as 2015 – 2017 was a serious cause for concern. Even Gary Neville was drafted … [Read More...]