Spanish La Liga Season Preview 09/10 – Part 3: The Big Six

We conclude our Just-Football.com 2009/2010 Spanish La Liga season preview now with a look at the big six teams; the glamour names expected to be challenging for honours come the end of the season. James S. analyses the fortunes of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Sevilla et al in Part 3 – The Big Six:

The Big 6:

Having waltzed into the Champions League group stages all eyes will be on Atlético Madrid. Simão Sabrosa has set them a target of a top three finish in La Liga and a quarter-final place in the Champions League. Indeed, on paper Atlético Madrid do have the third strongest squad in the league. With Agüero and Forlán up front they can guarantee goals but as always, much will depend on their rather porous defence. Focus will be on promising keeper Sergio Asenjo and perhaps a good time to judge Atlético’s back-line will be in Week 3 when they have to go to the Nou Camp. Watch out for the returning José Antonio Reyes who may surprise a few this year.

We will see Eto’o vs Ibrahimovic in this years Champions League group stages but just how will FC Barcelona play this year with Zlatan? Having someone of Zlatan’s build and stature leading the line rather than a quick and nippy Eto’o was a necessary stylistic change in Guardiola’s eyes. Like all new signings Ibrahimovic must be given time but anything less than a big push for another ‘triplete’ as well as wins against Real Madrid will cast doubts over this swap. Another interesting signing for Barcelona is that of Dimitro Chygrinskiy from Shakthar Donetsk. Will this big centreback add some Eastern European steel to the back line like Vidic at Man Utd? Barcelona will certainly challenge on all fronts again and will come very close to another treble.

Enough has been said about Réal Madrid over the summer and we could talk about their star signings all day long. Clearly there will be games where Real spank 5 or 6 past teams and they will be a pleasure to watch. However, Manual Pellegrini’s job is to knit these wonderful individual signings into a team for the big games. Perhaps the key to this lies with the ‘water carrier’ players like Lass and Granero. How will they fair away from home with their backs to the wall?

Raúl Albiol and Álvaro Arbeloa will add a lot to the defence. As opposed to the last Galáctico era, Réal have bought some excellent defensive players. Pellegrini’s teams also play wonderful football and he declares confidently that ‘we will have no problem matching Barcelona’s football’. The balance of the team looks good, so sit back and enjoy, especially from early 2010 onwards. Nothing less than winning the La Liga and getting into the Champions League Final will do.

Sevilla’s new signing Sergio Sánchez bullishly declared that he had joined to ‘win the league’. Every team will clearly have a tough time when they go to the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán and Sevilla’s passionate fanbase means their home form will be strong. Didier Zokora’s all action style will raise the tempo of their play and in Jesús Navas and Diego Capel the homegrown passion that is key to Sevilla’s make-up will remain. However, away from home they may struggle starting with their trip to Valencia in week 1 and I cannot see Sevilla picking up many points at big rival grounds. It will be interesting to see how much Álvaro Negredo gets to play and what impact he has too.

As we approach the end of the transfer window it is remarkable that Valencia’s two star attractions, the two David’s, Villa and Silva both remain. That is testament to the sheer size of Valencia C.F.

Heavily burdened with debt this Valencia squad is by no means the finished article. Last season they finished just outside the Champions League spots and their captain Carlos Marchena has mentioned the importance of Champions League qualification. The first game against Sevilla should set the tone for the season. Watch out for Michel, a future Spanish international. The two star names will drag Valencia up the table but team spirit and unity is key for Valencia this season. The Mestalla should be a fortress but I fear they will miss out on the financial cash cow of the Champions League once again.

Villarreal are my tip to at least put up a challenge to dominance of Real and Barcelona. El ‘submarino amarillo’ complete with their new star signing Nilmar should surprise a few this season and in Santiago Cazorla and Marcos Senna, Villarreal have players who could grace any stage in the world. In the post-Pellegrini era, the team is basically the same and new manager Ernesto Valverde has an impessive CV, taking Espanyol to a UEFA Cup final a few years back and winning the league with Olympiacos last season. The pressure will crank up if the style of football worsens and Villarreal’s Europa League campaign affects their league form. El Madrigal is an intimidating place to play however, and no team, Barcelona and Real included, will relish going there.

Comments/Predictions welcome. For Parts 1 & 2 use the following links: Part 1 – The Minnows, Part 2 – Best of the Rest.

Atletico Madrid, FC Barcelona, La Liga 09-10 Previews, Previews, Real Madrid, Sevilla, Spain, Spanish Primera Division, Valencia, Villarreal, Writers - James Sullivan