We are just five days away from the new Spanish First Division season and while the English Premier League is lauded as the best league in the world, for many, La Liga is still the most fun to watch.
We will discuss the start of the La Liga season later in the week, but for now, here is a video clip that serves as an ode to reigning La Liga and European champions FC Barcelona:
btw Iniesta has to be one of the greatest players alive
“while the English Premier League is lauded as the best league in the world, for many, La Liga is still the most fun to watch.”
funny cuz i said the opposite. EPL seems more consistently entertaining cuz of its fast pace, whereas La Liga has some wonderful build-up game play (think: Barca), but also can be a real drag with the not-so-good teams.
Now, i’d call EPL the best just cuz they recognize Americanos are awesome too, whereas La Liga doesn’t respect some badasses like Jozy and Adu.
word.
On the Ibra-Eto’o deal.
This was the best way for Barça to get a good value for Eto’o. After next year, Eto’o was a free agent. He was refusing to discuss the possibility of an extension, like he did last offseason.
Laporta saw an opportunity. To get Ibra for cheaper -instead of paying lets say 80 to 90 mill next year- pay 40mill plus get rid of the headache that is Eto’o.
They are both good. Ibra scored 20+ goals in the “toughest defensive league”. Eto’o scored 30 on a team that scored 100+. Different styles indeed, but from I saw during the Spanish Supercup game. Ibra will fit right in.
I predict Real won’t beat them this season.
Barca will rue the day they let Et’o go. He was the swagger on that team. Zlatan is a stiff and his style of play won’t translate in Spain. Think Schevchenko 2.0, but Spain rather than the EPL.
Can’t wait to watch Madrid win the Superclasicos this year. Last year was extremely painful. Real will win the CL, the Copa del Rey, and La Liga.
That is a bad ass commercial
Half the fun this year will be watching the wheels come off los galacticos. But watch out for Atletico Madrid — Forlan and Aguero and a much improved back line.
I.m with mnay of the others on this post: i have a hard time watching the EPL after watching La Liga. I guess it’s what kind of soccer you like or what you get used to, but I think most La Liga games are much more flowing and interesting than most EPL games, although a lot of games with Arsenal remind me of La Liga games. I too am nervous about letting Eto’0 go for Ibra. Eto with his speed and sense of where space was combined with his great finishing made him an ideal forward for that team. I hope Ibra works out. Although I can’t stand Madrid, its going to be fun to watch the two titans clash with all that star power!
I am a huge Barca supporter but mark my words. THEY WON’T WIN TROPHIES THIS YEAR. Ibra is a very good player but doesn’t the chip on his shoulder that E’eto always plays with. Whenever Barca need a goal in a big game E’eto scored, and we all know what Ibra does in a big game
Folks,
La Liga games scheduled for Saturday are:
8/29 14:00 ET Real Madrid vs Deportivo La Coruña
8/29 16:00 ET Real Zaragoza vs Tenerife
For Sunday:
8/30 11:00 ET Málaga vs Atlético Madrid
8/30 11:00 ET Osasuna vs Villarreal
8/30 11:00 ET Racing Santander vs Getafe
8/30 11:00 ET Athletic Bilbao vs Espanyol
8/30 11:00 ET Mallorca vs Xerez
8/30 13:00 ET Valencia vs Sevilla FC
8/30 15:00 ET Almeria vs Valladolid
Barcelona plays on Monday, August 31.
Michael,
Go to ESPN site and click on the TV link on the top bar. Then go to Saturday and Sunday (8/29 and 30). Game on Saturday is around 2:00 PM (EST).
The one on Sunday is at around 1:00 PM (EST).
Hope that helps.
jorge how did u find it out? and what games and the time? i gotta watch them
JP,
ESPN has one La Liga game scheduled for Saturday, August 29 and one for Sunday, August 30.
I agree with Kosh. Top to bottom, I think La Liga is the strongest league in the world. And even just at the top, is there an English team as good as Barca or Madrid this year? That said, I like Sevilla big time as a darkhorse- great back four and strikers. Don’t know if they have the depth to hang with Barca and Madrid all year, but they are tough to break down.
Can’t wait to see the match-ups. Anyone got a list of games being televised this weekend?
cant wait but will have to watch on espn2
it’ll be more exiting than epl
highest scorer in epllast season had 18(anelka)
highest scorer in la liga had last season 32(forlan)w/eto having 30 and villa 28
overall real madrid will get back their title from barca
Its called “La Liga” or “The League” for a reason. They don’t need no extras. Its straight up good entertaining football. Football should be a joy to watch not some battle between brutes with Wolyniec skills.
!Viva Blaugrana!
La Liga is the deepest league in the world. England’s No. 3 and No. 4 team may be better than Spain’s. But no league can touch La Liga from 1 through 12.
1 being Barca, of course.
You heard it here first: Xerez will win La Liga this year, and prove that they didn’t need Jozy Altidore.
But seriously folks…
I’m just hoping that Real Madrid isn’t rewarded for their off-season acquisition policy.
No matter how things go w/ Madrid this year, it’s gonna be awesome to watch. They still have way too many players on the books, they’re crazy.
imo half the reason to sign Ibra was to have a signing to counter Real. I definitely think Eto’o is a better fit for the team, but it’s probably six of one, half dozen of the other in the long run.
ESPN is showing one La Liga game a week on Sundays starting in Sept. I believe.
Every year I have had to endure the torture of watching EPL games while waiting for La Liga to start. And believe me, I have tried to get a taste for it to no avail. For me it always comes down to players with great ball skills and trust in what they can do.
The game could be played at breakneck speed or slow as molasses, but always with a sense of control. None of those long kicks to nowhere hoping that someone can get to them, or 100 MPH passes to a teammate that is 10 feet away from you, or those clearing shots to nowhere for lack of resourcefulness, or being able to control a ball regardless of how it arrives to you.
Someone once commented that it does not matter, that EPL is the most entertaining and that’s it. But I have also heard the same argument from NASCAR fans.
Cheers
Does anyone besides GolTV have broadcast rights in the US? Looking over GolTV’s schedule for the weekend, it doesn’t seem like they have as many matches as last year. They don’t have the Barcelona match, for example, and it seems to me they had Barcelona on a lot last season.
Barca > Madrid
Does Ives or someone have the inside scoop on the whole Eto’o/Ibra thing? I know Eto’o was supposed to be a pretty disagreeable chap…but if that were reason enough to get rid of someone then have the teams in the EPL would be playing with 7 men.
Is Barca’s thinking the Ibra gives them a more physical presence and thus Chelsea and their ilk will have more trouble parking the bus: ie Barca no longer can just pass you off the park, they can mix it up a bit with some “in the box” stuff. I realize Ibra is far more than a target man…..but just my 2 cents. Would love to hear more informed analysis!
We can argue in circles on this one but my take is England has the most ENTERTAINING league in the world but Spain has the BEST league in the world…and I am a Manchester United fan through and through.
Barca is still the best team in the world. England might have the best league, but Spain has the best team.
JOZY!!!!
Jozy just scored! 2-0 Hull in the 43rd.
Zlatannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
I’m sooo excited to see how he performs for Barca. He’ll be getting some great goals but none in the vicinity of Eto’o.
And that video is soo perfect. Why can’t our NT have some commercials like that.