La Liga Lowdown

It's the (joint) biggest weekend of the year in Spanish football and there's only one place to get your preview. Join hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) as they go into detail on the first El Clásico of the season.Part 1 is exclusively dedicated to all your Clásico needs as we talk through how each side is arriving at the Santiago Bernabéu - Blaugrana are aptly looking a little blue and quite red-faced after midweek. Then we break down the major question marks hanging over Xavi Hernández and Carlo Ancelotti, where this match will be won and lost, as well as what kind of game we can expect.In the second section we get into it with regards to the rest of the league - there's more than enough to dig into without either of the big two. We get the thesaurus out for a flummoxing decision in Alicante. That leads us into derbies galore across Spain, accompanied by a feverish Saturday night at San Mamés. Oh, and always watch Girona.Have a look at our substack - laligalowdown.substack.co

As the games stack up, it was a tight and tense La Liga weekend from top to bottom. Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@aeroslavee) as they break down the all the doubts plaguing them this weekend.Part one begins with analysis on perhaps the team that raised the most questions about themselves, Barcelona. They go into a crucial week in the Champions League against Inter and de Arquer gives his thoughts on that clash. New Sevilla manager Jorge Sampaoli just about survived Athletic Club, Villarreal were not so lucky against Real Sociedad in a set of battles with European repercussions.In the second half of the show we look at both Madrid sides, who were in action on Saturday. In many ways it was same old for pair of them - although whether that's a good thing is another matter. Further down the table there was a crazy game at El Sadar, a barren run broken for Almería and a curse afflicting one particular position.Follow us on Twitter @LaLigaLowdown and for written analysis, head to la

We have a feature-length pod for you this week as Julen Lopetegui's long and drawn out departure from Sevilla was finally made official. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are on hand to bring you reaction to that and the arrival of Jorge Sampaoli, before the usual comprehensive preview of Matchday 8 in LaLiga.We begin by telling the story of Sevilla's season and how things got so untenable that a change had to arrive. You'll hear from many of our contributors in clips from previous pods, as well as the sounds from the stands, with fans reacting to the poor start and sending their ultimate farewell to a coach whose time was successful in the main.Looking ahead to the weekend's matches, there is plenty to discuss, including Sampaoli's baptism of fire, Barcelona in need of a reaction, and coaches who could be following Francisco and Lopetegui out of a job. Find out which team Paco compares to a wrestler and what his predicted game of the weekend is.You can also follow us on Twitter @LaLig

There were goals all over the place in LaLiga this weekend, and they brought about a new leader to the Spanish league as well. Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Thom Harris (@thomharris_) break down the action across the division.Athletic Club thrashed Almería to start us off, but Getafe and Real Valladolid and later Girona and Real Sociedad brought us the real entertainment in some thrilling encounters.Sam and Thom also discuss the future of Julen Lopetegui at Sevilla after defeat to Atlético Madrid, and what's going wrong for Karim Benzema that has allowed Robert Lewandowski to usurp him as LaLiga's goal king and put Barcelona ahead of Real Madrid in the standings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here comes your man sang the Pixies and after 87 minutes of hard graft, there was Álvaro Morata for Luis Enrique. Join Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they react to Spain's victory over Portugal before looking ahead to the LaLiga Matchday headed our way.Part one is exclusively dedicated to pulling apart this Spain side. What exactly were we taught by this international break? And how does that influence the World Cup? Paco explains what success means for this Spanish side and who has won themselves a guaranteed place on the plane to Qatar.In part two, we meander on to a weekend hinting at upsets. The FIFA virus has taken multiple casualties and Barcelona certainly aren't fully recovered. Find out which two managers are leading the sack race and finally Paco picks out his game of the weekend.Follow us on @LaLigaLowdown for further reaction and you can find th latest written pieces from our team of scribes at laligalowdown.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

Midway through the international break, Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) convene to discuss Spain's surprise defeat against Switzerland in Zaragoza, introduced by some exasperated commentary from Cope.They dissect the lineup, the problems at both ends of the pitch, the positives, and the possible solutions. Ultimately, their Nations League destiny will be decided on Matchday 6 in Portugal, and Lucho's side must win to reach the final four.In Part Two, other stories are on the agenda, including the explosive crisis engulfing the Selección Femenino, with 15 players in open mutiny against the coach, Jorge Vilda. Román opines on the situation and how he sees events unfolding. Elsewhere, frustration is the theme for Barça as they lost not one but two key defenders to injury. Román laments this bad luck, before discussing some of the other results from the Nations League, which most of the major European nations have found challenging to say the least. Does this mean anything with less t

As LaLiga takes the back seat for the next seven days, international football makes a frantic return with the World Cup just under two months away. Join hosts Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they dissect another interesting convocatoria, as selected by Luis Enrique, ahead of two tantalising Nations League ties against Switzerland and Portugal.In Part Two, we're delighted to be joined by Swiss football expert Craig King (@FootballSwissEN) and Breaking the Lines co-creator Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) to analyse Spain's stubborn opposition, with in-depth analysis, players to watch, and predictions ahead of the closing two group games.Make sure to follow @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter for news, reaction and expert analysis, and subscribe to our newsletter at laligalowdown.substack.com to receive fresh content every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning straight into your inbox, for absolutely FREE! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The international break is upon us, leaving the LaLiga table frozen in time for another 12 days. Real Madrid go into the mini-break perfect, sealing their sixth win from six with a huge three points at the Cívitas Metropolitano, while Barcelona make it 18 goals scored and just one conceded to remain the closest challengers to Ancelotti's Champions. Join Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they discuss what looks to be one of the most tantalising title races in living memory.Also on the show, hear our experts dissect the race for European qualification, as Real Betis continue their best ever start to a LaLiga season, before turning their attention to an increasingly tense relegation battle, as basement boys Cádiz finally score their first goal to seal a dramatic away win at fellow strugglers Real Valladolid.Make sure to follow @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter for even more reaction to another dramatic week of LaLiga action, and subscribe to our newsletter to have our in-depth analysis sent st

With the international break nearly upon us, join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) for a comprehensive preview of Matchday 6 in LaLiga.After some reflection on the pair of Champions League defeats in Deutschland, we dive straight into the Madrid Derby, the partidazo of the round and one of the games of the season so far. How will Real Madrid line up? Will Atleti be able to improve their defending? Is this already make-or-break for their title challenge? These questions and more are answered in depth. We then take a tour around the rest of the matches, including a pivotal clash on Friday night, plus the attractive appetisers on offer before the main course in Madrid. You may be surprised to hear which one Ruairidh is looking forward to most.In the second half, we also discuss the upcoming international break, as Spain resume their Nations League campaign. With the World Cup just around the corner, we talk player selection and assess who is banging down Lucho's door. Whether he answe

There were 35 goals in the nine La Liga games across this weekend and yet arguably the most dramatic events occurred off the pitch. Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they slice and dice an incredibly entertaining Matchday 5 in LaLiga.Part one begins with the Sunday night partidazo as Real Betis laid down their credentials for the top four with a crucial victory over Villarreal, as we examine which team are now favourites for fourth place. Julen Lopetegui finally got his and Sevilla's first win away to Espanyol, which staves off fears for his position. Then the rest of part one is dedicated to Madrid. Atlético beat Celta Vigo and Real Madrid beat Real Mallorca, both by three goal margins. Neither were as comfortable as it ended up looking though, ahead of their meeting next week.The second half of the show gets underway as we recount a surreal match between Cádiz and Barcelona, which lasted close to four hours. On the footballing side of things, we question how read

After a momentous midweek in Europe, the domestic action continues at breakneck speed. It was a fantastic set of results which saw six Spanish victories out of seven - only Sevilla were unable to get a result, humbled and hammered by Haaland (sorry Julen). Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to discuss what it all means for the next round of LaLiga: Will Real Madrid stay perfect? How many goals with Barcelona score against Cádiz? Can Sevilla recover from two dismal defeats? These questions and plenty more are on the agenda as Matt and Paco go through all ten upcoming matches. Make sure to keep Sunday night free as Betis take on Villarreal in a fascinating battle in the race for the top four. Paco insists this is a must-watch for everyone.Follow us @LaLigaLowdown and check out our newsletter at laligalowdown.substack.com. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following another scintillating weekend of LaLiga action, the table is beginning to look a little more familiar. Real Madrid edged out Real Betis before Barcelona brushed aside Sevilla. Atleti were unable to keep pace as they slipped to a draw at Real Sociedad, Hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) assess whether the title race consists of just two horses. Beyond that, Villarreal continued their spectacular start with another bag of goals and another clean sheet. Are they set for the top four? How long can Julen Lopetgui hold on at Sevilla, who are no longer stuttering but swerving off course.Part Two kicks off with reaction to Valencia's impressive home performance on Sunday night against hapless Getafe. Gattuso-ball is praised in generous measure, with a similar does of criticism for Geta, as well as Elche and Cádiz, who all occupy the bottom three.The rest of the matches are analysed too, including another Aspas show for Celta - is Luis Enrique watching? Osasuna also continued the

After a frenetic end to the transfer window, we can concentrate on the football once again. That's exactly what Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) do here, with a mouth-watering round of LaLiga action in prospect.Featuring discussion on all ten matches across the weekend, there is a particular focus on the three partidazos on Saturday, which include a clash of the two hitherto perfect sides in the capital.Find out which game Paco calls 'a final' and what he thinks of Valencia's transfer market. Spoiler: it involves Carlos Soler sadness.We'll be back with the reaction to everything that unfolds, but in the meantime, follow us @LaLigaLowdown and subscribe to our newsletter to have all the reaction and analysis sent straight to your inbox - laligalowdown.substack.com. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

It might be late summer but everything still feels fresh in LaLiga. We bring you our review of all the weekend's action, from a late win for the champions to another defeat for Sevilla.In Part One, hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) discuss the big two and compare their respective wins on a rousing Sunday night, forged in highly contrasting circumstances. Also on the agenda is Rayo's poor home form, the Celta captain in the form of an ancient mathematician and Julen Lopetegui's interesting choice of criticism for his own players.Before the break we hear from our man in Seville, Gregor Chappelle (@gregorchappelle), who gives us his analysis of the growing tensions at the Andalusian club, and whether Lopetegui really is in the last-chance saloon.After the break, we speak to Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) on his way home from Mestalla, after Valencia impressed again but fell to a narrow defeat thanks to Antoine Griezmann in his new super-sub role. The man of the moment is Edinson Cava

The LaLiga action keeps coming thick and fast with Matchday 3 already upon us. Join Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they look ahead to ten more tantalising matches across the weekend.Starting on Friday night, can Girona quickly back up their Monday night win without another positive result when Celta visit Catalunya? Then there is a sizzler in Seville as two of the sides with a 100% record face off. Can Osasuna cause a surprise at Betis? Onto Saturday, we get a first look at how Real Sociedad will shape up without Alexander Isak, who is Premier League bound. The boys discuss this bombshell transfer and how Imanol will adjust his attack. Rayo look to continue their fine start with their first match in front of their own fans against Mallorca, before an Andalusian derby at Power Horse Stadium - is this for Sevilla the earliest must-win game in history?Sunday also promises plenty, with Getafe hosting Villarreal, Barcelona hosting Real Valladolid and Espanyol getting a visit from t

The second round of action is now complete and we reconvened to dissect all the action, from a Super Sunday that lived up to the billing to a Sevilla side that definitely did not. With only four sides on maximum points and only two without a point, there was plenty of intrigue across the matchday.Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08), Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) as they discuss 4-1 wins for Real Madrid and Barcelona alike, as well as that significant triumph for Villarreal at the Metropolitano. Part Two brings delights such as Osasuna's resurgent home form, the stark contrast between the two Seville giants, and a manic Monday at Montilivi, as well as the moments of the weekend. Follow us @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter at laligalowdown.substack.com. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to preview the action in matchday two of LaLiga's 2022/23 campaign, including a super Sunday of fixtures.Barcelona travel to Real Sociedad while Atlético Madrid welcome Villarreal. Paco also tells us about how Mestalla has gone up in flames this week ahead of Gennaro Gattuso's trip to face Ernesto Valverde's Athletic Club at San Mamés.We also discuss the need for a win for Sevilla against Valladolid, Betis' optimism against Mallorca, and how the time is right for Espanyol, Osasuna and Getafe to push for the top half against Rayo Vallecano, Cádiz and Girona respectively. Elsewhere, Almería will also be hoping to get their first points on the board against Elche. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

La Liga returned this weekend and it was every bit as fun as you had imagined so join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) as they debrief all the action, with the actual football contradicting the transfer narratives.Barcelona were supposed to destroy everything in their path but nobody had reckoned with quite such a mighty Rayo Vallecano. What went wrong for Barcelona and what went right for Rayo, before we get into two managerial debuts. Diego Martinez's Espanyol and Gennaro Gattuso's Valencia had differing fortunes but there were green shoots to hang onto. Further up the predicted table, the race for the Champions League spot is arguably the tightest in La Liga, hence why Thom is so concerned about a haggard old Sevilla.In part two, Real Madrid looked tireless as knocked repeatedly on the door - find out why just a 2-1 victory over Almeria was so ominous. Atlético Madrid and Real Betis brought the entertainment value on Monday night, as both reminded us that they do actually

As the new season dawns, join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) for a full preview of the first round of matches. From Pamplona on Friday night to Seville on Monday, there are ten tantalising fixtures to look forward to. Will reigning champions Real Madrid back up their Super Cup triumph with a winning start to their title defence? Can Barcelona get all their signings registered in time? How will the new coaches fare in their first outings on their new benches? What about the promoted sides? All this and plenty more was on the agenda, including Ruairidh's assessment of the turbulent summer at Camp Nou.Check out our Twitter feed (@LaLigaLowdown), which features predictions for the season from our squad, and follow us for coverage of the opening weekend. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

The La Liga Lowdown squad are back after the summer break, fit and firing after pre-season training. Join Matt Clark (MattClark_08), Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) for a comprehensive preview of the upcoming season, which promises to be another fascinating one.From Laporta's levers to Sevilla's sales, Madrid minus Mbappé to Atleti's quiet revolution, the top end of the table is the starting point. The pod asks whether there will be a closer title race this time around, and who could mount a realistic challenge for the top four (don't miss Sam's explosive pre-season prediction)!In part two, there is discussion of the remaining European hopefuls, from clubs we expect more from to those who might surprise a few. Lastly, attention turns to the battle at the bottom, with a look at the positive signs for the promoted sides, and the reasons for concern elsewhere. With the 22/23 season less than a week away, LLL are back! Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acas