La Liga Lowdown

Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Harry Gillies for their MD5 LaLiga analysis, with reaction from Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) on Valencia’s sacking of Carlos Corberán. The first coaching casualty of the season is joined at the exit door by CEO Ron Gourlay.

The guys discuss the sporting restructure at Mestalla, and the problems still facing the next manager in charge, whoever they may be… 

Fully recovered from his fury at VAR decisions, José Mourinho is somewhat happier after a convincing win against Rayo, but the Real Madrid manager admits they are still missing too many chances. 

Barça have scored 21 goals in the opening five matches, with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha combining to devastate Levante, although Luís Castro’s side nearly pulled off a late comeback. 

The Pichichi already has some interesting contenders, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang starring once again for Dépor in a 1-1 draw with Getafe, while Morocco striker Yassir Zabiri looks a real talent for Racing. 

Some of the best young managers in the league have struggled at the start of this season. We review what is going wrong for Celta and Claudio Giráldez, and look ahead to Villarreal V Betis, where Iñigo Pérez will be desperate for his first win as manager of the Yellow Submarine. 

Thanks for listening in, and remember, we’ve got more pods and articles coming your way in our Substack: lllonline.substack.com.

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All the MD4 drama and talking points unpacked by Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) in our recap pod of the weekend.

Who had it on their cards for Atlético and Real Madrid to both collect their first defeat of the season so early on and on the same weekend? Definitely not us! But aside from those shocking results, we also had plenty of entertainment and goals from other LaLiga sides.

Deportivo A Coruña stunned the Estadio de la Cerámica with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (who else if not?) scoring a later winner against Villarreal, while Alavés slammed five past Osasuna for their best-ever start in LaLiga, now second in the standings with 10 points.

Matt and Román also review Espanyol's late and desperate draw vs Sevilla, Barça annihilating Valencia and Rayo Vallecano finally finding their first win through an inspired Sergio Camello. Catch it all in this recap pod!

Thanks for listening in, and remember, we've got more pods and articles coming your way in our Substack: lllonline.substack.com.

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Check out our Matchday 3 review with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee)!

Three games into the new campaign, and the early picture is already starting to take shape. Real Madrid remain perfect after another convincing win, while Atlético Madrid finally got their first victory of the season after an impressive first half. 

Meanwhile, Levante’s 5-2 demolition of Real Betis and Racing’s 3-2 win vs Elche were some of the highlights of the weekend, with most of the newly promoted sides making encouraging starts.

Three matchdays is too soon to draw any definitive conclusions, but there is already plenty to get excited about!

As always, thank you for listening to us and remember that you can subscribe to access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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The LaLiga train goes steaming on, as Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Harry Gillies break down eight games from Matchday 2. 

The guys discuss José Mourinho’s second debut as manager of Los Blancos, who were saved by their new star man up top. 

There was a goal feast in Barça's clash against Elche, with Hansi Flick’s side managing just fine without a recognised striker. 

That won’t be good news for Julián Alvarez, who has sacrificed almost everything to try and secure a move to the Catalan club. The boys analyse how Atleti did on the pitch while the transfer saga surrounds the team. 

And there were plenty more matches to get through, including a tough opening game for Athletic’s Edin Terzić. 

Stay tuned for non-stop LaLiga coverage during a jam packed start to the season!

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La Liga is back, and so are the LLL pods!

Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Harry Gillies as they go through the first four games of match day one. 

The guys discuss new managers, dubious penalty decisions, and a future Scottish star in Sevilla.

There was plenty of room left for transfer talk, including Rodri’s move to Barcelona. We give our thoughts on how the big clubs have strengthened, and what they still might be missing ahead of deadline day. 

The focus turned to Barça’s striking options, as Culers will still be dreaming of Julián Álvarez in a blaugrana shirt.

It’s going to be a great season for the pods, and we can’t wait to share more episodes with you, including the weekly bonus pod on lllonline.substack.com.

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Welcome to the new season!

We are back and better than ever for another LaLiga campaign, the best league in the World (yes, we are biased).

Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) for the full lowdown on the season ahead. We begin with the raft of new additions at Real Madrid, including a certain Portuguese manager back in from the cold for another crack at the big time, plus a new defence, a renewed Vini Jr, and the small matter of their most expensive acquisition of all time!

Barcelona have been a little quieter, but have added pace and tenacity in the forward lines, but thus far no big replacement for Robert Lewandowski. What impact will the Julián Alvarez saga have on him, and both the affected clubs? Can Hansi Flick's side retain the title again, or will Los Blancos wrestle it off them?

Will Atleti challenge? How will Villarreal do under new management? Who else might be the surprise package? Who looks to be in trouble? What about the promoted teams? Who are the new faces on the scene?

All these questions and more are answered inside an hour!

With exciting new features ahead for the new season, including an extra free articleevery week, head to lllonline.substack.com to subscribe to our content.

This podcast was produced by Nick Bell.

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The end of the season calls for a special pod. So join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08), Ben Sully (@SullyBen), Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they get together to pick out the good and bad from an eventful 2025/26 LaLiga campaign. 

The season review pod starts with a ‘Team of the Season’ category before the focus turns to the standout player, which yields some picks from Barcelona and even a player from a relegated club. 

After piling the praise on a certain overachiever in our ‘Coach of the Season’ discussion, the positive vibes flow as we pick out our top surprises. But it can’t all be positive, which is why we then choose our major disappointments, and it's not a good section for the two big Madrid sides. 

The bumper podcast wraps up with talk of key moments and a particular turning point of Real Madrid’s tumultuous season.

If you enjoyed the discussion, why not let us know who your picks are for: 

Thanks for listening throughout the season and supporting over at lllonline.substack.com. And stay tuned for our coverage of Spain’s upcoming World Cup campaign.

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Join us for the recap of the final matchday of LaLiga's 25/26 season with Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee)!

So many outcomes, so many possibilities... but finally Mallorca and Girona are the two unlucky sides who will no longer be a part of Spain's top tier football league next season. Mallorca won, Girona got a point, but that was not enough to escape the bottom three, with Elche, Osasuna and Levante surviving the battle.

On the other end, Getafe sealed their European spot with a win over Osasuna with a meagre total of 32 goals throughout the whole campaign. A miraculous feat led by the mastermind José Bordalás. Villarreal finished third after thrashing Atlético de Madrid 5-1, in what was a perfect farewell for Dani Parejo and Marcelino. We also said goodbye to legends like Dani Carvajal, Antoine Griezmann, Robert Lewandowski, Marcelino and Ernesto Valverde. Meanwhile Barça’s Femení team lifted their fourth Champions League against Olympique de Lyon, and Deportivo de La Coruña joined Racing in winning promotion to the top flight.

Thanks for listening to us this season! We hope you enjoyed the pod and articles, and hope to have you on board for next season.

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Check out our matchday 37 review with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee)!

The relegation battle takes centre stage in our latest podcast. The Sunday results favoured Alavés, Sevilla, Espanyol and Valencia, who are now safe and will play the final fixture with no pressure whatsoever. In fact, Espanyol and Valencia now have a slight chance of playing in Europe! But should we be surprised? Swinging from one end of the standings to another has been a very common theme this campaign...

Levante, on the other hand, are very close to pulling off a miracle after defeating Mallorca 2-0 in what was a “final” for both teams. Only a dramatic combination of results in the last day would see ‘los Granotas’ go down. Osasuna, Elche, Girona, and, of course, Mallorca, are the other teams involved in the relegation fight for MD 38. In the pod, we also went through their games and options for the final fixtures, which will certainly have a lot of drama.

As always, thank you for listening to us and remember that you can subscribe to access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to recap the title-deciding weekend in LaLiga. 

It’s official: Barcelona are champions. We knew it was coming for a good while now, but at last, Hansi Flick and his team can celebrate a second consecutive title. They won their 11th consecutive match to seal the title and for the first time ever, they confirmed the result by winning the Clásico. We salute the champions, discuss their record-equalling pace and begin to unpick where it all unravelled for Real Madrid. We also pay tribute to Hansi Flick, who was present at the game despite the passing of his father. Understandably emotional at full time, we evaluate his brilliant contribution to the club in the last two seasons.

Elsewhere, there is still the race for Europe and the battle to avoid the drop. Celta closed the gap on Betis, but have they left their Champions League charge too late? Below them, no one else won this weekend, so it is still all to play for in the remaining weeks.

At the bottom, Oviedo are all but done following their stalemate against Getafe. The result encapsulates their season: fighting and resisting against the odds, but ultimately coming up a little short. Above them, Levante, Sevilla and Valencia recorded big wins to help their respective causes.

Levante came from 2-0 down to win on Friday night with forgotten man Etta Eyong scoring the winner in stoppage time. There was also a late winner for Sevilla, who condemned Espanyol to an 18th game without a win. Valencia went to Bilbao, missed a penalty, but still won thanks to Umar Sadiq, and they look almost home and hosed. Worryingly, Nico Williams went off injured, and his brother spoke ominously after the game. 

Beyond that, Elche and Alavés shared the spoils and Mallorca got a point against Villarreal with another goal from Vedat Muriqi. Rayo host out-of-form Girona on Monday night before Matchday 36 begins on Tuesday. Hold on to your hats!

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Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Harry Gillies as they review the latest round of fixtures from Spain’s top flight.

Barcelona can’t celebrate yet. Their city rivals Espanyol fell to Real Madrid at home, meaning El Clásico next week could be when the league is sealed for the Culers. We discuss the challenges facing the next Real Madrid manager, as Los Blancos have now gone two seasons without lifting a major trophy. Meanwhile, Barcelona will need to find a replacement for Lewandowski if they want to make a proper run in the Champions League next season. 

There is a great contest for the European places, with Real Betis and Celta Vigo having picked up their league form after heartbreaking Europa League exits. Athletic Club are also in the mix, after a 4-2 win away to Alavés, won by a delightful finish by Nico Williams. 

The relegation battle is just as exciting, with Mallorca beating and leapfrogging a wasteful Girona, while Valencia slip further down after failing to beat an Atleti side made up mostly of academy players. And of course, what was seemingly impossible is now becoming likely - the relegation of Sevilla, who have it all to do tonight against Real Sociedad. 

We break it all down, so we hope you enjoy. As always, thanks for listening and subscribing! lllonline.substack.com

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Review all the weekend action with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as the title fight almost comes to a close, while the relegation battle is still wide open.

With Barça's win over Getafe and Madrid's draw to Betis, the gap has increased to 11 points, meaning culers could celebrate LaLiga next weekend if Madrid don't defeat Espanyol. Otherwise, the title could be decided in 'El Clásico'...

Title race aside, Sevilla experienced a heart-shattering defeat to Osasuna, conceding in the 99th minute of the match and consolidating their position in the relegation zone. A Levante win on Monday could see them drop down to 19th, dragging them even closer to Segunda. 

More relegation drama in Oviedo, after losing to an Elche who hadn't managed a single away win this season, until now. The numbers still say Oviedo have a shot at salvation, but it would require pulling off too many miracles. Alavés, on the other hand, got a massive win against Mallorca that sees them escape the bottom three and almost reach the light at the end of the tunnel.

Find all these stories and much more in our recap pod! 

As always, thank you for listening to us and remember that you can subscribe to access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Today it's Copa del Rey with Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee)!

What a final! A fantastic display of football from Real Sociedad and Atlético de Madrid at La Cartuja, with both sides giving everything they had to try and conquer Spain's domestic cup.

After 120 minutes and a penalty shoout-out, it was the underdogs, led by Mikel Oyarzabal, who succeeded in achieving their third Copa del Rey. Matt and Román look into the epic twist behind Real Sociedad's rollercoaster season, led by Pellegrino Matarazzo's revolution, as well as pointing out key players like shootout specialist Unai Marrero and Zubieta-produced Pablo Marín and Jon Martín. We also ask where this leaves Atleti, and whether this disappointment will affect their Champions League prospects.

They also preview the upcoming LaLiga midweek fixtures of Matchday 33 (yes, you read correctly. Matchday 33 will be played before Matchday 32), with plenty of crucial do-or-die clashes.

We hope you enjoy the pod and thank you for listening! Remember you can also access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to review the retro-inspired LaLiga matchday 31.

In part one, they cover the title race, which is turning out to be more of a runaway after Madrid dropped points against Girona while Barça managed to succeed in the Catalan derby with a 4-1 win. They then turn to the relegation battle, which is heating up, after most of the bottom sides achieved positive results. They first look at Elche’s home win against a receding Valencia and Sevilla’s victory against an Atlético de Madrid packed with subs, with the UCL & Copa del Rey in mind. 

They continue into part two with Muriqi’s record-breaking goals for a very convincing win against Rayo. They also review the crazy goal fest between Real Sociedad and Alavés, Real Oviedo's thrashing of Celta and all the other fixtures from the weekend.

Once again, thank you for listening to our pod and remember that you can subscribe to access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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La Liga is back! Join Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Harry Gillies as they review the latest round of fixtures from Spain’s top flight. 

Is the title race over? As Real Madrid lost in Mallorca, and Barcelona snatched a 2-1 win away at Atleti, the Catalan giants now have a seven point lead over Los Blancos. We discuss if the two Madrid clubs will now turn all of their attention to the Champions League, something Simeone seemed to suggest against Barça, leaving Julián Alvarez and Ademola Lookman on the bench. 

The league winner might be a certainty, but the race for the European places is gets more exciting with every week. We discuss the parallels between Real Betis and Celta, as both clubs are fighting for the same goals. Celta deployed some beautiful football away in Valencia, showing once again the fearless play style of Claudio Giráldez. Real Sociedad and Getafe have also greatly impressed and are well in the hunt to qualify for Europe. 

As for the bottom of the table, we discuss the stark reality for Sevilla fans that the seven-time Europa League winners get relegated, with Mallorca and Alavés putting in better performances in the fight against the drop. We also spare a thought for Real Oviedo, where it might be a case of too little too late for the Asturian side. 

And as always, thanks for listening and subscribing!

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The international break is on, so we gathered Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to review Spain's latest 3-0 win against Serbia.

A friendly game where Spain didn't really face too much opposition and Luis de la Fuente got the chance to try things and give newcomers, like Victor Muñoz, a chance to shine. He also sent a clear message by starting Unai Simón ahead of the other in-form goalkeepers... 

Matt & Román also pick their favourites to challenge Spain in their ambition of winning the World Cup and take some time to talk about Raphinha's injury which will keep him away for a while, missing both UCL matches vs Atleti, and potentially a UCL semifinal.

We hope you enjoy the pod and thank you for listening! Remember you can also access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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A pulsating weekend with goals galore! Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to recap Matchday 29 in LaLiga.

We begin in the capital for the Madrid derby. The visitors were looking to do the double over their rivals and took the lead, but Fede Valverde and Vini Jr turned things around to keep the title race alive. 

Elsewhere, Barcelona were made to work extremely hard to maintain their 100% home record against Rayo, with Joan García again showing why Luis de le Fuente could no longer ignore his stellar form.

Villarreal cemented their place in the top four with a comfortable win over Real Sociedad, while Athletic returned to winning ways in their first match since Ernesto Valverde announced he will leave at the end of the season. Betis are five without a win in LaLiga, and the coveted potential fifth Champions League spot is very much up for grabs.

In Part Two we delve into the relegation scrap, which is returning to be a dogfight as the weeks go by. Alavés could have folded and capitulated when Celta went 3-0 up on Sunday afternoon, but instead they fought back and produced a magnificent comeback, something not seen in LaLiga since 2005. Four goals and three priceless points.

Earlier in the weekend, there were two enormous six-pointers at the bottom. Firstly, Elche ended their accursed winless run with a come-from-behind win over Mallorca, helped by Vedat Muriqi missing the target from the penalty spot in stoppage time. Then, Levante put four past a spirited Oviedo to give themselves more than half a chance of survival. 

The real losers of the weekend were Sevilla, who were defeated at home again, and look set to sack Matiás Almeyda this week. It can hardly be a surprise for a side who have only won twice since mid-December, but the revolving door to the gaffer’s office is not the biggest problem in the intense heat of Seville.

We are back in midweek with the international break bonus podcast. Like, follow, and subscribe at lllonline.substack.com for all our content as the season heads into the business end.

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The run-in starts here! Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to recap Matchday 28 in LaLiga.

On election day in Barcelona, Joan Laporta was in triumphant mood after being emphatically re-elected as Barcelona president. There were celebrations on the pitch too after a 5-2 victory over Sevilla re-established their four-point lead over Real Madrid. We hear from Román what it was like around Camp Nou on polling day and the impressive performance from Barça, particularly hat-trick hero Raphinha.

Real Madrid enjoyed a comfortable night too, beating sorry Elche 4-1 ahead of their trip to Manchester. Fede Valverde stepped up again, but it was the youthful flavour to Los Blancos and Arda Güler’s incredible 68-metre golazowhich stole the headlines.

Atleti dealt with Getafe in between their sparring with Spurs with a stunning strike of their own, while Real Sociedad are dreaming big after dispatching Osasuna 3-1 on Sunday night. The bloated middle all struggled to break clear of the pack, allowing Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side to steal a march. Betis-Celta ended all square, while Athletic Club could not honour Iñaki Williams’ landmark with a result.

Plus, there were some significant movements at the bottom of the table, as Elche’s defeat allowed Mallorca to take full advantage and come from behind to beat Espanyol (who like Elche remain winless in 2026). Martín Demichelis registered his first win with a clear style, but Quique Sánchez Flores will have to wait after another gut-wrenching late goal against his Alavés side.

Like, follow, and subscribe at lllonline.substack.com for all our LaLiga and Champions League content as the season heads into the business end.

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New week, new recap pod reviewing LaLiga's most recent matches, with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee).

In part one, the title race comes to life with Real Madrid's late winner against Celta de Vigo, while Barça relies on Lamine Yamal to win the game against an Athletic Club side that possibly deserved more. We also get a preview of the Copa del Rey final, with Atlético de Madrid defeating Real Sociedad, and a look into Elche's critical situation after yet another winless match, this time losing to Villarreal.

Part two kicks off with the exciting Valencia vs Alavés, with Quique Sánchez Flores falling short in his debut after a late Che comeback. Ben & Román also praise José Bordalás' supernatural abilities to get the most out of his players and talk about Mallorca's throwaway at El Sadar, as well as all the other fixtures of the weekend.

Thank you for listening to our pod, and remember that you can subscribe to access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to review Matchday 26 of LaLiga.

Part One focuses on Barça's 4-1 victory against Villarreal, with special praise for Lamine Yamal and his first hat-trick as a professional footballer. Three fantastic goals that ensure Barça remain up top and put some fear into Atlético de Madrid before the second leg of the Copa del Rey tie. An Atleti who in fact struggled to defeat Real Oviedo away, leaving it to the very end, thanks to a Julián Álvarez goal that ended his goalless streak in LaLiga. The Basque teams also get a shout, with Athletic drawing vs Rayo and Real Sociedad still riding the Pellegrino Matarazzo effect.

Part Two starts with one of the matches of the weekend: the Andalusian derby between Betis and Sevilla. A game of two halves, where Betis went ahead by two goals in the first half, but ultimately threw away their advantage, allowing Sevilla to grab a point. Our duo also talk about Celta's comeback at Girona, Valencia's solid win against Osasuna, Levante still believing and Elche's late draw against Espanyol.

We hope you enjoy the pod and thank you for listening! Remember you can also access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Real Madrid’s stay as league leaders lasted just six short days after Matchday 25 threw in another twist in the title race. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review the action from the weekend.

Osasuna have been in strong form and they continued that at El Sadar on Saturday evening, taking the lead with another Ante Budimir goal. Vini Jr ended a tumultuous week with an equalising goal, but the Madrid surge for a winner never came to pass, and it was the hosts who provided the late drama, Raúl García de Haro striking late to euphoric scenes in Pamplona. We discuss what this means for the race, and the decision to start Dani Carvajal after his lengthy absence.

Barça took full advantage of the gift by dispatching a sunken Levante 3-0, with a return for Pedri and another goal for Marc Bernal and Fermín López. 

To round off Part One, we review Atleti’s latest unpredictable showing and recap another Valencian regional derby, which was won by Villarreal.

In Part Two, we analyse the partidazoat Anoeta between Real Sociedad and Real Oviedo, plus wins for Athletic and Celta, the latter courtesy of Iago Aspas. Better than a fine wine.

The only away winners of the weekend were Sevilla, but having to play against ten for most of the game, it was “like watching Getafe play Getafe”. You can never have enoughFútbol Champán…

Subscribe with us at lllonline.substack.com for more content all through the week across the season.

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The pressure is now on Barcelona after Real Madrid climbed to the top of the table with a thumping 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Valentine’s weekend, bringing an end to Pellegrino Matarazzo’s unbeaten start in Spain. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) as they reflect upon that contest and the other key talking points from Matchday 24. 

Martín Presa’s relationship with Rayo fans is beyond repair, as demonstrated by the sparse attendance at Butarque for Sunday’s clash with Atlético Madrid. Rayo’s date at Leganés's home ground at least proved to be successful as Iñigo Pérez’s side cruised to a 3-0 victory. 

We then give José Bordalás his flowers following Getafe’s impressive victory over Villarreal, before we start part two with Valencia’s crucial derby win - a result that helped Carlos Corberán avoid a divorce from his role as head coach.

Elsewhere, there were plenty of cards on display at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, Oviedo’s relationship with LaLiga looks set to be brief, and Mallorca are left flirting with the wrong side of the dotted line.

We wrap up with a couple of draws, including Borja Iglesias’s late equaliser that sent an arrow through Espanyol’s hopes of all three points.

If you love listening and reading our content, make sure to join us over at lllonline.substack.com. Any support is greatly appreciated.

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Another LaLiga matchday means another LaLigaLowdown pod, this time with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) recapping this weekend’s round of games.

Part one covers Real Madrid’s win at Mestalla, with Arbeloa’s men not fully convincing but still putting pressure on the league leaders... Barça, who managed to win against Mallorca. Once again, the Blaugrana had a shaky start and left it all for the second half. While Betis managed to shock Atlético de Madrid at the Metropolitano, getting their revenge a few days after the 0-5 thrashing in Copa.

Part two takes us to Anoeta, where Real Sociedad’s fine form and Elche’s decline continue. Athletic ended their dry spell against Levante after an early sending off tipped the balance in favour of the home team. The same goes for Getafe, with Bordalás breathing a bit easier after a long-awaited victory. The pod also covers Osasuna’s win, Sevilla’s late draw and the controversial postponement of Rayo Vallecano vs Real Oviedo.

We thank you for listening to our pod, and remind you that you can access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Kick off your Monday in the best way: with our Matchday 22 LaLiga review hosted by Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and with the expertise of Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee).

In Part One we review the Basque derby, which did not disappoint, with both teams giving their all on the pitch and putting on a fantastic display. Equally, or even more entertaining, was Elche vs Barça, with the visiting team breaking a new LaLiga xG record with 6.30. We also touch upon Real Madrid's, late, late, late penalty win and Atleti's dull performance vs Levante.

In Part Two we give Real Oviedo's win the credit it deserves, look into Espanyol's worrying form, analyse Villarreal's poor run, and review all the other matches of the weekend, including some intriguing post-match comments from José Bordalás...

We hope you enjoy the pod and thank you for listening! Remember you can also access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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LaLiga MD21 did not disappoint with plenty of goals: wonder goals, late goals, controversial goals... Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) got together to tell you all about it!

Part one will take you to the Valencian community to review Levante's late, late winner that keeps their hopes alive, Valencia's (also late) winner to stay afloat above the relegation zone and Villarreal's defeat to a Real Madrid that seems to be improving under Arbeloa.

Barça's slightly unconvincing win against Oviedo ends part one, before heading into part two to analyse Real Sociedad's epic win under the rain over an in-form Celta de Vigo, Osasuna's first away victory at Rayo's crumbling stadium, Atlético's very comfortable win against Mallorca, and much more!

We thank you for listening to our pod, and remind you that you can access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Matchday 20 proved why we love LaLiga: drama, surprises and competitiveness. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review a terrific weekend. 

A tumultuous week for Real Madrid ended positively. After the Bernabéu crowd made their discontented feelings vociferously known on Saturday lunchtime, Los Blancoslaboured to a rather uncomfortable 2-0 win over lowly Levante for Álvaro Arbeloa’s first win in charge. After fielding questions about “Florentino dimisión” chants, the boss angered fans further by staunchly defending his President, claiming those who want Pérez to resign aren’t genuine Madridistas. 

This victory put pressure on Barcelona, who lined up without Raphinha and lost their winning run. La Real continued their incredible – albeit fortuitous – start under Pellegrino Matarazzo after beating Barça 2-1 through a combination of goalkeeping excellence, luck and tight VAR calls. Just 60 seconds after Marcus Rashford had equalised, Gonçalo Guedes restored their lead. Despite accumulating over 3.5 xG and 25 shots (including five to the woodwork), there was no way past Álex Remiro, who reminded everyone why he is a worthy member of Luis de la Fuente’s triumvirate. The gap at the top is now just a solitary point. ¡¡¡Hay Liga!!!

Real Betis beat Villarreal to take a big step towards European football next season, but we ask why there is still some dissatisfaction among the fanbase. On Friday night, Girona continued their incredible resurgence by beating Espanyol in a Catalan derby, courtesy of two Vanat penalties. Los Pericoshave had a rough start to the year, but are still well placed.

Onto Part Two, we focus on the compactness of the table from 8th down to 18th. Real Sociedad are ten places above Alavés, but only five points clear of their fellow Basques.

Mallorca took a huge step forward by winning a thriller against Athletic Club. Jagoba Arrasate will be thanking his giant Kosovan Vedat Muriqi who scored a hat-trick to tame Los Leones.Only Kylian Mbappé has scored more this season, and Muriqi is priceless for the island side. Three goals and three precious points. We reflect on that as well as Athletic’s malaise. With a crucial set of fixtures ahead, is this Ernesto Valverde’s last season in charge?

Osasuna won by the same scoreline but in even more dramatic fashion. Trailing twice to Real Oviedo, it seemed like the Asturian side might finally get their win. But alas, Ante Budimir equalised twice and then Víctor Muñoz broke hearts with a 92nd-minute winner. Even when they score twice, they can’t even draw, let alone win.

Rayo are another club looking over their shoulder after they were well beaten by Euro-chasing Celta. They won their third in a row to cement 7th spot and put pressure on those above them.

Valencia stunned the Coliseum with a late, well-constructed winner with their only shot on target of the game. Getafe are in freefall now, with just one point since the end of November. Alavés made it hard for Atleti, but ultimately came away from the capital with nothing, and they slipped into the drop zone. But, given the tightness of the table, things can change extremely quickly. A relegation battle for the ages is in prospect.

You can keep up to date with all our content at lllonline.substack.com.

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All the Supercopa & LaLiga action delivered straight to your ears by our experts Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee).

In part one, they delve into another action-packed ‘el clásico’. Barça conquered the Supercopa de España against an atypical Real Madrid, who sat back really deep, ultimately falling short and being eclipsed by Raphinha’s fantastic performance. Will Xabi Alonso continue? Only time will tell...

In part two, they focus on LaLiga and the seven fixtures that took place during the weekend. Girona finally escape the relegation zone, Villarreal keep up their winning momentum with an inspired Moleiro, Oviedo and Levante keep adding points to their tally, Rayo finally win after a dry run, and more...

Thank you for listening to our pod, and remember that you can access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Happy New Year! LaLiga is back and so are we, with our first Matchday review of 2026. The honour is for Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee), who analyse this weekend's exciting fixtures. Who started the year strongest? Who will be wishing it's still Christmas.

We start with the Catalan derby between Espanyol and Barça, which for many ended in an unfair result. Espanyol's admirable efforts were parried away by an towering Joan García, who was unfazed by the hostile environment in his return to the RCDE Stadium. Real Madrid's commanding win vs Betis follows, with Gonzalo eclipsing Mbappé's absence, and then we review Atleti's draw against Real Sociedad and Villarreal's victory toppling Elche's fortress.

In Part Two, we look at the teams in the relegation battle, with a special focus on Girona climbing out at Valencia's expense, Levante grabbing a very big win at Sevilla and Oviedo deserving to win but ultimately failing to do so. It was a solid showing for the new managers in their respective first outings.

All this and more in our first pod of the year! Thank you for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Matchday 17 was a weekend which started off with draws and then became a series of one-way results, some in emphatic fashion. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review it all.

We start with the on-paper partidazo between Villarreal and Barcelona, which was unfortunately conditioned by a first half red card. The visitors won comfortably in the end to become Christmas number one, keeping Real Madrid four points back. Los Blancos had their own 2-0 victory on Saturday night against Sevilla, but left more doubts once again. The only real bright sparks were the form of Thibaut Courtois and Kylian Mbappé, who equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's club record for goals in a calendar year.

Atleti won convincingly on the road to leave Girona in the danger zone, while Betis put four past Getafe to apply some pressure on Espanyol.

In Part Two we discuss Elche returning to their best form and our concern for Rayo, who might be taking their eye off the ball domestically. The managerless sides played out a 1-1 draw, but Real Sociedad will really feel that it was two points dropped. Both clubs confirmed the appointments of their new coaches, so we evaluate their potential chances. Guillermo Almada has already begun life at Oviedo, but could not prevent the inevitable stalemate. 

We end by picking our moments of the year and wishing our listeners and subscribers at lllonline.substack.com a happy festive season. ¡¡Feliz Navidad!!

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Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review Matchday 16 in our latest podcast!

Part One kicks off with Real Madrid winning... but not convincing. Matt and Román share their views on Xabi Alonso's future, which could be far from the Bernabéuif he fails to succeed in his next two matches. 

They also highlight Raphinha's dobleteto keep Barça up top, as well as Atleti's veterans, Koke, and particularly Antoine Griezmann, who ensured Atleti doesn't lose grip of the top three. In fact, it's Villarreal who hold that 3rd spot, but their fixture was postponed, giving way for an unstoppable Espanyol to round off the first half of the show with the praise they deserve.

Part Two focuses on the manager sackings of the weekend, with Sergio Francisco and Luís Carrión having to say goodbye after further poor results from their teams. Is it the right call? Who could take over? Our podcasters help answer those questions as well as analysing Mallorca's convincing performance over Elche, Celta's first home win, and more...

Thank you for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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LaLiga continues to provide entertainment and unexpected results, especially with Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid dropping points in the title run.

Our very own Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) kick off the weekend review, dissecting Madrid’s shocking defeat versus a fantastic Celta de Vigo. It’s been just under two decades since Celta last managed to snatch a win at the Bernabeu... this time raising big questions regarding Xabi Alonso and his players.

Atleti also dropped points, extending their awful away form and losing grip of the title run, while Athletic Club finally secured a big win this season. A contrasting result with Barça’s visit to la Cartuja, where eight goals livened up the night despite the disappointment felt by Betis fans.

In part one, they also take some time to analyse Villarreal’s contrasting form, with their best version showing in LaLiga, before moving on to part two and reviewing Elche’s first win in over two months, Espanyol’s unstoppable European form, Oviedo’s serious issues and more...

We thank you for listening to our pod, and want to remind you that you can access our bonus podcast and written articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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To accompany you as you open the first window in the advent calendar, we have a fresh podcast! 

The temperature may be getting colder, but LaLiga is hotting up, with plenty for Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to unpack from Matchday 14.

We begin at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, where Betis confirmed their superiority in the city of Seville. Victory here made it back-to-back gran derbi wins for the first time in 30 years! What a watch to celebrate the renewal of Manuel Pellegrini's contract.

We then turn to the title race, which could barely be much closer. Just three points separate the top four. Real Madrid dropped points for the thirdconsecutive match – this time at Montilivi – to cede leadership of the league and hand it back to Barcelona, just a month after beating them to go five points clear. We ask why it's going wrong lately, and where they go from here (Bilbao, because they have yet another away game).

Despite being top anew, Barça have problems of their own, not least Hansi Flick's demeanour on the bench or the club's problems with the digital tickets at the new Camp Nou.

In Part Two, we headline with the goal-fest of the weekend, as Villarreal maintained their rhythm, domestically that is. A genuine two-faced team, they fought to the end to ward off the La Real comeback and position themselves nicely in third spot.

Atleti won their seventh game in succession, but the big test is Tuesday night in Barcelona.

Elsewhere, Espanyol keep up their bright start, Celta still can't win at home, Getafe keep doing their thing, and a referee sent off a former referee.

Last, but by no means least, Levante are looking for a new coach after they sacked Julián Calero following their 2-0 defeat at home to Athletic. Winless at home, albeit with a tough run of fixtures, Luis García Plaza is the favourite to replace Calero.

Two big LaLiga matches and the next round of the Copa del Rey to look forward to this week, as well as plenty of content at lllonline.substack.com. Subscribe now for all the access.

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Barcelona are back home, but Real's travails on the road continue. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to review Matchday 13 in LaLiga EA Sports!

Is a four-horse race on the cards? In Part One, our two LaLiga experts look into the matches, kicking off with Barça's grand return to the Spotify Camp Nou, with Román actually being there to see it all unfold. He explains the new experiences before analysing the win over Athletic and first clean sheet in two months. Then they review Madrid's second league draw in a row against a brave and bold Elche, followed by Villarreal and Atlético de Madrid achieving narrow wins to keep close track of the top two. Just four points separate the top four now!!

In Part Two, Matt and Román talk about the the Valencian derby, and the slow yet steady rise of Real Sociedad and Celta de Vigo in the standings with a win apiece. They also review the other two draws of the weekend, with a goalless Oviedo vs Rayo and a controversial Betis vs Girona, ending with Antony being sent off and missing the derby against Sevilla.

Once again, thanks for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Spain are going to the World Cup! It has always seemed like a formality, but Luis de la Fuente’s side officially secured their spot with a draw in their final qualifier against Turkey. 

Before focusing on Tuesday’s game, Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) kick off the podcast by focusing on Spain’s commanding 4-0 away win over Georgia on Saturday. 

After winning their first five qualifiers by a combined 19-0 scoreline, Spain would have been hoping to secure qualification with a win in their home game against Turkey. We delve into the 2-2 draw before rounding off part one by focusing on Spain’s striker situation and Dani Olmo’s status in the squad.

In part two, we reflect on a positive 2025 for La Roja and look ahead to next year’s tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada, discussing whether Spain have what it takes to add another star to their jersey. 

Away from international matters, Barcelona are finally set to return to their redeveloped Camp Nou home while Levante and Valencia are preparing to lock horns in a highly anticipated derby fixture.

Remember, you can access all of our written and audio content over at lllonline.substack.com.

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The experienced trio of Robert Lewandowski, Antoine Griezmann and Gerard Moreno all proved age is just a number on Matchday 12 of the 2025/26 LaLiga season. 

Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) start by focusing on Lewandowski’s hat-trick in Barcelona’s exciting 4-2 away win over Celta Vigo. We then focus on Atlético Madrid and Griezmann’s role as an impact sub in a successful home outing against Levante. 

Elsewhere, Gerard helped Villarreal bounce back from a disappointing Champions League result with a 2-0 triumph over Espanyol. Marcelino’s side are now just five points adrift of the summit after Real Madrid failed in their quest to beat Rayo Vallecano in their final outing before the international break.

In part two, we discuss Valencia’s improved showing against Real Betis, Mikel Oyarzabal’s late penalty and Nico Williams’s stunning goal in one of four 1-0 wins that took place over the weekend. We then turn our attention to Sevilla’s return to winning ways, as well as three points for Girona and Mallorca.

LaLiga now pauses for the international break, but we will continue to produce content over at lllonline.substack.com, where you can access our bonus podcasts and regular articles on a variety of topics.

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Recap matchday 11 with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) in a weekend with plenty of goals and excitement.

Part one kicks off with the passionate Basque derby, which had all the ingredients to become a 'partidazo', and saw Real Sociedad take the win right at the very end. They also review Villarreal's cruising win against Rayo Vallecano and both Barça and Madrid's wins in the title race.

In part two, you'll find words of praise for Antony, aka Antonio de Triana, who wowed LaLiga fans with two stunning goals and an assist for a comfortable 3-0 win over Mallorca. Getafe also keeps showing their consistency as they climb up to 7th, while Atleti dispatch Sevilla as Griezmann scored his 200th LaLiga goal.

As always, thanks for listening, and remember, you can access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Looking for some analysis on 'El Clásico' and all the LaLiga action? Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) have sorted it out for you!

In the first part of the pod they look into what happened between Madrid and Barça. It was billed by some as the English Clásico, and Jude Bellingham was the man who decided it. Neither side seemed to be in their best form of late, but during the game there was definitely a superior side, which ultimately pulled off a big win to widen the gap to five points in the standings. The football, the players, the beefs, the controversy... it's all covered.

In Part Two, they go through the rest of the Matchday, with some big results: including Girona's 6-goal home draw vs Real Oviedo in a fight to escape relegation, Celta's first win of the season and Bordalás' masterclass to sink Athletic in their misery, unable to break down Getafe's defensive wall. All this and more in our Monday pod!

Thanks for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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The world of Spanish football was stunned on Tuesday night to hear of the news that the Miami match between Villarreal and Barcelona has been cancelled.

Relevant, the sponsoring company organising the match, and LaLiga both released statements expressing their disappointment at the need to cancel, citing the “uncertainty generated in Spain”. It seems apparent that the AFE protests from last weekend certainly had a timely effect.

In this additional bonus podcast, we bring you all the news, reaction and fallout. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) convenes Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG), Ben Sully (@SullyBen), Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Louis Scattergood (@louiscxtt) to analyse the situation and answer the myriad questions this dramatic day has raised.

How embarrassing is this for Javier Tebas? Should he resign? Is the Miami plan now dead in the water?

What about Barcelona and Joan Laporta, who was so confident and bullish only hours earlier on Tuesday? Román gives his perspective.

As for Villarreal, they are furious about the decision and the way they feel sidelined from the process. The news broke during their Champions League match with Manchester City, leaving CEO Fernando Roig Negueroles to make a hasty exit from the Directors’ box. Louis offers his take on the situation as a whole and the Villarreal angle.

For more, read Christian Poulsen's piece below, available to paid subscribers:

LaLiga’s Miami dream collapses as Villarreal–Barcelona returns home

Remember, you can subscribe at lllonline.substack.com to get ALLof our content, including comprehensive coverage of El Clásico this weekend!

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LaLiga was back with a bang after the international break. In the context of AFE-led league-wide protests, there was more controversy and late drama for Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to get stuck into.

We begin with those protests from the Players’ Union, who have been angered by the lack of communication from the league about the Miami match. This led to the captains agreeing to stop playing for 10-15 seconds at the start of this weekend’s matches. To exacerbate the problems for themselves, LaLiga appeared to direct their broadcast partners not to show these protests live on television, latterly conjuring up the explanation of a ‘commitment to peace’ strapline across screens. A pretty cynical ploy and it was widely denounced.

Onto the football, and Barcelona avoided three games without a win in all competitions, but it took a 93rd-minute winner from an unlikely source, as Ronald Araújo spared their blushes. A visibly angered Hansi Flick was sent off and will be absent from the touchline for the Clásico. 

Real Madrid also had to work hard for their three points, leaving it relatively late to get the better of Getafe. Kylian Mbappé continued his incredible run of scoring and once again it was Arda Güler who provided the assist. The hosts ended with nine men, as Vini Jr's introduction – off the bench – led to two players seeing red. 

Román would not be drawn too much on a prediction for next week’s big encounter, but did acknowledge it wasn’t looking great for the Catalans at the moment.

Across Madrid, Atleti also recorded a narrow win, just about getting the better of Osasuna, whose away record is a problem that Alessio Lisci must solve quickly. Form on the road is something which Diego Simeone himself also needs to correct. 

In Part Two, we begin with a partidazobetween Villarreal and Betis, as Marcelino overtook his counterpart to become the coach who has led the Yellow Submarine in most matches. They led 2-0 and looked good for all three points, but Antony was the verdiblancohero once more as his brace (including another late goal) saved the point.

Then we turn our attention to the Robin Hoodof LaLiga: Sevilla had just beaten the league leaders, but this weekend they lost at home to the side who was propping up the table. Mallorca came from behind with three goals in ten minutes to earn a massive win for Jagoba Arrasate.

Elsewhere, it was groundhog day at Balaídosas Celta drew 1-1 for the seventh time in nine matchdays. Carl Starfelt’s red card changed the game, and La Real finally got a break as two of their summer signings combined to equalise late on.

Rayo enjoyed a big win on the road to make it three in a row in all competitions, Espanyol ruined Luis Carrión’s Oviedo return, and Elche played out a stalemate with Athletic Club.

Subscribe at lllonline.substack.com for all of our content, including written content all week ahead of the Clásico, and the bonus podcast analysing the European midweek action, including Arsenal vs Atleti, Real Madrid vs Juventus and Villarreal vs Manchester City.

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Spain are nearly there. Luis de la Fuente’s side moved to the brink of World Cup qualification with two successful outings against Georgia and Bulgaria. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap all the action from the international window.

We start by focusing on Saturday’s 2-0 success against Georgia in Elche, where Yéremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal got on the scoresheet. The focus then turns to Tuesday’s 4-0 triumph against Bulgaria in Valladolid. Of course, we have to discuss Mikel Merino’s goalscoring exploits, as well as Spain’s impressive form and De la Fuente’s striker situation.

In part two, Barcelona’s injury crisis is on the agenda, including the news that Robert Lewandowski looks set to miss the Clásico later this month. There is also time to reflect upon thecontroversial managerial change at Real Oviedo and look ahead to the weekend’s round of LaLiga fixtures.

Remember, you can join us over at lllonline.substack.com to access all of our written and audio content, including our recent pieces on Endrick’s situation at Real Madrid, Barcelona’s high line and Yéremy Pino’s potential.

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What an exciting weekend of LaLiga football worth reviewing with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee)! Matchday 8 had goals, unexpected results, comebacks, controversy... 

In part one, they look into Barça’s worrying form, after consecutive defeats, first to PSG and now to Sevilla after a shocking 4-1 scoreline. They also look into Villarreal’s disappointing performance against Real Madrid, Atleti’s hard-fought draw vs Celta de Vigo and Betis’ comeback, including a late, late penalty save by Pau López against his former club.

In part two, Girona takes the forefront after their first win of the season came against a combative Valencia. Ben and Román also talk about how the Basque teams fared in their respective games, Levante’s crucial victory at Oviedo and Osasuna’s 90th-minute winner against Getafe.

Once again, thanks for listening, and remember, you can access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Well, well, well... what a weekend! LaLiga has taken quite a turn with Atlético de Madrid not only defeating their eternal rivals Real Madrid, but actually scoring five goals against them when few actually even gave them a chance of winning. How good were they? Did Xabi Alonso get his lineup wrong? Can Atleti challenge for the title? Did El Choloreally cry?

Now Los Blancos have dropped to second, just behind an FC Barcelona who struggled quite a bit to defeat Real Sociedad at Montjuïc. Given the circumstances, Hansi Flick had to rely on Lamine Yamal, who'd just recovered from his injury, to complete the comeback and climb to the top.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) tell us all about these two matches in Part One, but then go on to expand on the other games in Part Two.

Elche keep surprising us all with their consistent form and now sleep in a Champions League spot, Athletic continue in their negative spiral, Sevilla are leaving the dark days behind them and progressing well with Matías Almeyda, Mallorca finally remember what it's like to win, and many more stories...

Again, thanks for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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We've got your Monday LaLiga fix sorted! Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) join forces to review and expand on the matches and main talking points of the weekend.

But this time, with a twist! Instead of kicking off with LaLiga's duopoly, in Part One we start by looking into the teams that are struggling the most and potentially heading into a crisis: Atleti, Girona, Real Sociedad... What's going on? Can they turn things around or is it going to be as hard as it seems for them?

In Part Two, we focus on Barça and Real Madrid, who seem to be cruising through, as well as other surprising teams such as Elche and Sevilla. They also make some time for a quick chat on the Ballon d'Or, which no one seems to be talking about these days... We wonder why...

Once again, thanks for listening, and remember, you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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It’s happened again. Valencia were left with an awful sense of Déjà vu as they slumped to a heavy defeat to Barcelona for the third time in 2025. Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) reflect upon Barcelona’s dominant display at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, as well as the rest of the action from matchday 4.

Real Madrid contended with a controversial Dean Huijsen red card to claim a fourth consecutive victory, ensuring they finish the weekend as the only team with a 100% record in LaLiga.

Wins have not been as easy to come by for Atlético Madrid, but they finally ended their wait for a victory with a confidence-boosting display against Villarreal. Like Marcelino’s side, Athletic Club suffered their first loss of the season, spoiling their perfect start to the campaign.

In part two, we focus on Real Betis and Sevilla’s tricky games against newly-promoted opposition, as well as another successful outing for expectation-defying Getafe. Elsewhere, Borja Iglesias prolonged Girona’s wait for a win, while Osasuna took all the spoils against Rayo Vallecano.

Thanks for listening, and remember, you can access our bonus podcast and multiple articles over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Matt Clark (MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are here to go over a phenomenal result and performance from Spain which left the press jubilant and firmly placing the national team as favourites for the World Cup next year.

Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, we analyse a truly resounding victory for Luis de la Fuente’s men, who tore the Turkish side apart. Mikel Merino enhanced his reputation further, scoring his first career hat-trick. Mercurial Pedri is becoming the most complete midfielder of his generation — a “generational talent” according to Paco. Martín Zubimendi is making it hard for Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to find his way back in the team, as absurd as that statement sounds. And Mikel Oyarzabal is making the false forward position his own with increasing consistency and confidence.

We discuss the absence of a pure number nine in Spanish football (find out who Paco thinks is the closest), and evaluate who are untouchable in the lineup. Plus, the injury to Nico Williams could be a huge blow ahead of a crucial month for Athletic. Ernesto Valverde won’t be happy, especially as he has also lost Yeray Álvarez until April after his doping ban was confirmed.

We close with a brief round-up of the other international fixtures, with a former LaLiga player breaking his national team’s scoring record among the headlines.

You won’t miss a thing when you subscribe and upgrade, including the bonus midweek podcast where we will look ahead to Matchday 4 in LaLiga.

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Just as the season in getting exciting, those pesky folks at FIFA insist we have to have an international break...No matter, Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) are here to discuss the thrills and spills from the third weekend in the Spanish top flight.

We went from five clubs on 100% records to just two, as Barcelona, Villarreal and Getafe all dropped points, leaving Real Madrid and Athletic Club as leaders going into September. Real Oviedo also got their first top-flight win in almost a quarter of a century, producing an incredible atmosphere in Asturias.

Hansi Flick's side travelled to Vallecas knowing a win would take them top, but despite the help of a penalty (awarded with VAR out of action), they suffered in the second half and ultimately succumbed to Rayo pressure. If it wasn't for Joan García, they would surely have lost.

Villarreal also let a lead slip, but Celta deserved their last-minute equaliser. Let's not forget Athletic either, who produced a typically-efficient 2-1 over Betis at La Cartuja to join Real Madrid at the top of the standings.

Poor old Atleti still can't buy a win, dropping two more points at Mendizorroza. Are they in crisis yet?

On the flip side, Elche and Espanyol have enjoyed impressive starts to the season, and Román is backing them to continue that trend.

We end with a little transfer talk ahead of the deadline day, plus briefly reflect on the Champions League draw.

You can keep up to date with all of our content by subscribing.

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It is only the second weekend, but this LaLiga campaign is shaping up to be a phenomenal one. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to dissect and analyse the second round of fixtures.

Barça appeared to be heading for an early slip in defence of their title, trailing newly-promoted Levante at half-time. But Hansi Flick worked his magic again and produced another super-remontada, with the winner coming late to break Granota hearts. However, Flick and Román have a clear message: Don’t sell Casadó.

Villarreal barely needed 25 minutes to ensure they took another three points, as they demolished Girona 5-0 on Sunday. Tayjon Buchanan was the star of the show with the first hat-trick of the season, and a celebration to match. Currently top, how long can Marcelino’s side stay there; where will this season of promise take them? As for the visitors, where do they go from here? Míchel was crestfallen and spoke pointedly and publicly after the game.

What about Atleti? The sensations are not good after they stumbled once again. Despite taking the lead, they could only draw with newly-promoted — albeit extremely encouraging — Elche. With just one point from six, are they already out of serious contention for the title?

After the break we look at Real Madrid and their 3-0 win over Oviedo. It wasn’t quite as simple as the score-line suggested, but it was a deserved victory, spearheaded by the player Román says is the best in the league. We talk about interesting personnel decisions from Xabi Alonso, too. It could be a race for the ages.

There was also an entertaining draw between Real Sociedad and Espanyol, a first win for Betis in their new temporary home, and Alessio Lisci’s first victory coming courtesy of their Croatian swan.

Ahead of Monday’s matches, we try and predict who Getafe might lineup against Sevilla, especially if they sell Christantus Uche before kick off…

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New season, same Bordalás. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) & Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap all the action from the opening weekend of the 2025/26 LaLiga season, including a Bordalás masterclass at Balaídos. 

Before we laud the Getafe boss, we start by focusing on Barcelona’s eventful away clash against Mallorca, which produced three goals, two red cards and a victory for the defending champions. Hansi Flick’s charges are already three points better off than Atlético Madrid, who were left stunned by a late Espanyol turnaround. 

Real Oviedo’s LaLiga return kicked off with a tough away day against Villarreal, which was made all the more difficult by a penalty miss and an early red card. 

After discussing Getafe’s successful outing, we focus on Valencia’s score draw against a Real Sociedad side under new management. Elsewhere, newly-promoted Levante conceded late on in a narrow defeat to Alavés, while Paulo Gazzaniga had a night to forget in Girona’s loss to Rayo Vallecano. 

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A season review requires a four-midable team! Matt Clark (@MattClark_08), Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee), Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) all get together to dissect the good and the bad from the 2024/25 LaLiga campaign.

We kick off this special pod on a positive note by picking our best players from the season. SPOILER ALERT - There may be one or two from Barcelona.

Best coach is up next, and of course, that means a mention for Hansi Flick. But away from the Barcelona boss, we discuss a number of coaches who impressed with their work during the course of the season.

Once the positives were out of the way, it was time to share our disappointments with the group. Everything was on the table for this one, including players, coaches, clubs, and even an unreliable laptop.

Away from the season review, we also touch upon some key news stories and Spain’s upcoming UEFA Nations League semi-final tie against France.

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The 2024/25 LaLiga season is officially over. It started with Athletic Club’s 1-1 draw with Getafe on August 15, and it ended on May 25 with Barcelona’s 3-0 victory over Los Leones. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap the final LaLiga matchday of the season.

We kick off with Celta Vigo’s narrow 2-1 away win over Getafe, as club legend Iago Aspas netted a late winner to seal Europa League football for Claudio Giráldez's side. Meanwhile, there was a pitch invasion over in Vallecas after Rayo Vallecano booked their place in the Conference League. A goalless draw was enough to clinch eighth spot as Osasuna failed to take three points off Alavés.

The focus then turns to Espanyol’s successful survival bid. A 2-0 victory over Las Palmas secured their safety and condemned Leganés to the second tier despite their win over basement side Real Valladolid.

We then start part two with Kylian Mbappé’s goals and Real Madrid’s farewells. Carlo Ancelotti and Luka Modrić were among those to say their goodbyes in an emotional day at the Santiago Bernabéu. As for champions Barcelona, they wrapped up their treble-winning campaign with a dominant win over Athletic.

Elsewhere, Alexander Sørloth continued his red-hot form with a hat-trick, Villarreal piled the misery on Sevilla, and Real Betis warmed up for the Conference League final with a draw against Valencia.

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The penultimate Matchday in LaLiga proved to to be dramatic and decisive in a ten-game multi-match thriller!

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) recap it all and decipher what it all means for the table and the ramifications.

Villarreal went to the newly-crowned champions and got the win they needed to secure a coveted return to the Champions League. Barça didn't mind losing this one, as they were in full fiesta mode to receive the title trophy and say farewell to Montjuïc.

Betis waved goodbye to their chances with a heavy defeat at Atlético, but their final is the Conference League next week. Julián Álvarez shone once again as compatriot Ángel Correa got a heavenly send-off of his own.

Kylian Mbappé kept on scoring as Real Madrid beat nine-man Sevilla. All eyes are firmly on the Xabi Alonso reign now, as the signing of Dean Huijsen was also confirmed this weekend.

In the European race, Rayo came from behind to win a massive six-pointer at Balaídos. Celta will be kicking themselves because it was all in their hands to qualify here, but they let their first chance slip. Osasuna beat Espanyol to stay in the hunt too: two teams will make Europe, one will miss out next week.

At the bottom, Alavés and Getafe secured their respective statuses with narrow wins, but Espanyol must sweat another week after suffering a fifth consecutive defeat. From what looked like safety has become a shoot-out.

Leganés maintained their survival hopes with a win at recently doomed Las Palmas. Both Lega and Espanyol face home games against Segunda-bound sides, so the drama is sure to be cranked up next weekend.

Lastly, we salute Imanol Alguacil as he waved goodbye to his public with a win, sadly roo rare for Real Sociedad this season. Fittingly, Mikel Oyarzabal was on the scoresheet from the spot, while a youngster scored the winner. Imanol's tenure and legacy in a neat nutshell.

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Four Clásicos. Four Barcelona victories.

Barça took a decisive step towards clinching the title with another super-remontada in this epic season. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and a jubilant Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review everything from Montjuïc and around the country as we hurtle towards the finishing post.

Real Madrid came flying out of the blocks but Hansi Flick's side were not to be beaten, roaring back to lead 4-2 at half time. Kylian Mbappé completed his hat-trick, but just like in the World Cup final, he was on the losing side. Just two points required, Barça could win it at the RCDE like two years ago.

We analyse Barça's impressive performances, and ponder where Real Madrid go from here. Xabi Alonso is the short answer.

In Part Two we review everything else from the weekend, including Alexander Sørloth's scoring blitz, a huge win for Leganés, worrying times for Sevilla in a relegation battle that continues to heat up, and dropped points for Betis in the race for the Champions League.

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Narrow wins in the title race and an epic battle in the quest to secure Champions League qualification. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) & Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they round up all the latest LaLiga action, including hard-fought victories for Barcelona and Real Madrid.

A much-changed Barcelona side were forced to come from behind to maintain their unbeaten league record with a win over Real Valladolid. The Blaugrana will take a four-point lead into El Clásico after Real Madrid survived a late Celta Vigo fightback to claim a 3-2 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Meanwhile, the battle to secure Champions League qualification is heating up with just four points covering Athletic Club, Villarreal and Real Betis. Ayoze Pérez netted a brace to fire Villarreal to a 4-2 victory over Osasuna, while Athletic dropped two points in an underwhelming Basque derby. 

We kick off part two by discussing Antony’s stunning strike to snatch all three points for Betis against Espanyol. Elsewhere, Valencia continued their fine run of form with a win over Las Palmas, as Sevilla and Leganés played out a draw that extends their respective winless runs. There is also time to quickly reflect upon Atleti’s frustrating outing against Alavés and another 1-0 defeat for Getafe.

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Only two games to reflect on this weekend but one was an enthralling Copa del Rey final five-goal thriller!

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) discuss Barça's triumph and Real Madrid's reaction to yet another Clásicoloss.

Who were the standouts? Who should have stepped up? How does this affect Carlo Ancelotti's future? All of these questions are discussed and debated.

In Part Two, we have a quick review of Villarreal's win over Espanyol to move back into 5th, plus look ahead to the European semi-finals, with Spanish sides alive in all three competitions.

We end with a simple but big question: can Barça do the quadruple...?

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Matchday 32 was all about the importance of late winners for the two title protagonists in LaLiga. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap all the latest action from the Spanish top flight.

A Borja Iglesias hat-trick proved to be in vain, as Barcelona staged a dramatic fightback to overturn a 3-1 deficit in Saturday’s LaLiga clash with Celta Vigo. Raphinha netted a brace, including a 98th-minute penalty, to seal a 4-3 victory to boost Barça’s title aspirations. Real Madrid moved back to within three points of the leaders after Fede Valverde produced one of his trademark stunners to snatch all three points against Athletic Club.

We also discuss a surprise victory for relegation-threatened Las Palmas in their home encounter against Atlético Madrid, ending any lingering hopes of a title bid for Diego Simeone’s side. Meanwhile, there was plenty of controversy in Villarreal’s draw against Real Sociedad, as the Yellow Submarine saw three potential winners disallowed. 

In part two, we focus on Ante Budimir’s match-winning brace, a hard-fought point for Valencia and Sevilla’s first game since García Pimienta’s dismissal. There was also another successful outing for in-form Espanyol and a forgettable encounter at Son Moix.

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Another weekend is ticked off in LaLiga and, as a rarity, nothing changed at the top.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) review Matchday 31 which saw Barça maintain their four point lead over Real Madrid with a narrow win over Leganés. Real Madrid also had a tight game, made more difficult by Kylian Mbappé's awful challenge leading to his expulsion: will he miss the Copa del Rey final?

In the race for Europe, Villarreal pulled off a seismic win at the Benito Villamarín to put themselves in charge of 5th spot, with Athletic also getting the job done to stay 4th.

At the bottom, there were huge wins for Valencia, Espanyol and surprisingly Las Palmas, adding extra spice to the relegation battle.

Sevilla bit the bullet and sacked García Pimienta just months after extending his contract, looking set to replace him with good old Joaquín Caparrós. How not to run a football club exhibit A...

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The race to the end of the season is hotting up, and each match feels that little bit more charged.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) & Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) review the weekend which was characterised by the rarity of not one single home team winning.

At the top, Real Madrid were stunned by Valencia for a famous Los Che win, but Barça could only partially take advantage, being held by Betis. Atleti left it late but got back to winning ways, courtesy of a Pablo Barrios stunner at the death.

It was a colossal weekend at the bottom too, maybe even a turning point? There were huge wins for Espanyol and Alavés to go along with Valencia. It leaves Real Valladolid in tatters and looking even more disparate, while Las Palmas are going to have to pull a rabbit out of the hat themselves, as their winless streak in 2025 goes on.

Subscribe for all our content at lllonline.substack.com ahead of a big week with four LaLiga sides in European quarter-final action.

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LaLiga returned after the international break and wasn't short of big storylines.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) review another tremendous Matchday, which saw Betis win a league derbi for the first time in almost seven years, Real Madrid edge a five-goal thriller against Leganés, and Atleti saying goodbye to any realistic title hopes in Cornellà.

Elsewhere, Valencia moved a step closer to safety, Villarreal got back to winning ways after a long wait, but the poor run of form goes on for Vicente Moreno and Chacho Coudet.

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Spain are back in the third Nations League Final Four, where they'll face France for a spot in the final. But to get there, they had to overcome a tough Dutch team that took them all the way to a penalty shootout. 

Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review all the action and key talking points of this entertaining tie, as well as taking a closer look at their upcoming opponents and their World Cup qualifying group for 2026.

They also discuss the controversy in the Barça - Madrid women's match and reflect on the RFEF's decision to make Barça and Osasuna face off next Thursday, giving players little time to recover from the international break.

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How much heartbreak can one team take? Just a matter of days after their cruel Champions League exit, Atlético Madrid gave up a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 to Barcelona at the Metropolitano, dealing a major blow to their LaLiga title hopes.

Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they dissect the six-goal thriller in the Matchday 28 recap and ask whether Atleti can still win the title this season.

Kylian Mbappé’s brace against Villarreal kept Real Madrid’s title bid on track, as we discuss Carlo Ancelotti’s threat to boycott games over scheduling concerns. Elsewhere in the top six, there was a stunning comeback win for Real Betis and a late winner for Athletic Club.

In part two, there were a couple of 2-2 draws to discuss, featuring a first LaLiga goal for a Real Sociedad youngster and a dramatic fightback from Las Palmas. There was penalty controversy in Mallorca’s home clash against Espanyol - a game that provided a rollercoaster of emotions for Vedat Muriqi. We then reflect upon Getafe's away day success, as well as Celta’s narrow win over doomed Real Valladolid.

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Our Matchday 27 Recap begins on a sombre note this week, following the tragic passing of Barça's club Doctor, Carles Miñarro. Their game with Osasuna was postponed.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) review the remaining eight games, with the title focus turning to Madrid.

Atleti suffered a late remontadaat Getafe, while Real Madrid were uninspiring, but did get all three points ahead of the massive second leg showdown at the Metropolitano.

Athletic Club had another Europa hangover, while Villarreal "choked" against Alavés, who managed to win despite having inferiority on the pitch.

In Part Two, we applaud in-form Betis and Sevilla's García Pimienta, lament Las Palmas and salute Valencia finally climbing out of the danger zone.

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Matchday 26 served up plenty of dramatic twists and turns up and down the table.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are here to review the pulsating weekend.

Real Madrid lost in the Benito Villamarín as former player Isco haunted them in their title quest. Atleti had to suffer but managed to overcome Athletic, and Barça made things look much easier by thrashing Real Sociedad at home. Their reward was being able to be líderes en solitario, one point clear of Atleti and three ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's side.

The was a six-goal thrilling game at El Sadar, a humongous late goal in the South Madrid Derby in another weekend with draws as a feature.

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Perfection for LaLiga’s top five! Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they round up all the action from Matchday 25.

Barcelona required some magic from half-time substitute Dani Olmo to set them on their way to all three points against struggling Las Palmas. Real Madrid’s magician, Luka Modrić, then proved that age is just a number, conjuring up a stunning strike to help Los Blancos dispatch Girona. 

As for Atleti, they spent a brief period at the top of the table after sweeping past Valencia on Saturday. However, Atlético Madrid’s three-goal return looked pretty average compared to Athletic Club's seven-goal tally in a thumping victory over doomed Real Valladolid.

Elsewhere, we discuss Villarreal's successful trip to Vallecas, ensuring all of the top five emerged victorious from Matchday 25. Meanwhile, there was a mixed day for Antony at the Coliseum and a routine win for Real Sociedad in the race to secure European football. We are again left questioning Alavés' decision to sack Luis García Plaza following a costly defeat against a relegation rival. And of course, we cannot finish the pod without talking about a winner from Celta’s talisman Iago Aspas.

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You could be forgiven for thinking that nobody wants to win the LaLiga title this season.

Barça started so strongly and then gifted points away like Valentine's Day promotions. Then Real Madrid hit the summit before hitting the buffers amid cries of injustice and refereeing conspiracies. Even Atleti couldn't get the job done at home.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are here to discuss everything from the weekend, a Matchday which saw 28 goals, six red cards and five draws.

Wins were at a premium, especially for those in the top half of the table.

Real Madrid were held in Pamplona, Jude Bellingham's frustration finally getting punished, but what exactly did he say?

Atleti were down to ten even earlier, but managed to grab a point late on against Celta.

Getafe turned Girona over on their own patch, Valencia snatched a point in their community derby, while Athletic had to also settle for a point at the RCDE.

Betis smashed a sorry Real Sociedad, whose domestic issues continue to plague them.

At the bottom, there was a pulsating draw between Lega and Alavés, while Real Valladolid are now well and truly adrift after being hammered at home by Sevilla.

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Could this be a title race for the ages? Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they look back at the action from Matchday 23, including all the drama at the top of the league table.

Real Madrid had to settle for a draw in Saturday’s derby clash with Atlético Madrid, opening the door for Barcelona in third position. We discuss the controversial moments from the Madrid derby, including THAT first-half penalty decision. Barcelona took full advantage of the draw, sweeping aside Sevilla to move to within two points of leaders Real Madrid. Is Diego Simeone right? Are Hansi Flick’s charges the favourites to clinch the title? Meanwhile, we recap Oihan Sancet’s memorable outing against Girona and a five-goal thriller at Balaídos.

We kick off part two by reflecting upon Villarreal’s 2-1 victory over Las Palmas and the show of support for Kirian Rodríguez. Elsewhere, Valencia boosted their survival hopes with a win over Leganés, Real Sociedad saw off Espanyol and Rayo continued their European push against basement side Real Valladolid. There was also joy for Getafe, as they collected three points and another clean sheet.

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A fabulous weekend in LaLiga is recapped by Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG).

The league leaders were stunned in Cornellà as Espanyol took advantage of their reprieves to snatch a late winner. Carlo Ancelotti said it was 'inexplicable' that Carlos Romero was still on the field to be able to score the only goal, but Espanyol (and Real's title rivals) were not concerned with that.

Atleti celebrated Diego Simeone's 500th LaLiga match with a classic win to put themselves just one point behind their neighbours ahead of next week's tantalising derby. Barça suffered but were just about able to beat Alavés to stay in touch.

As well as Espanyol, there was a huge win for Valencia at Mestalla, beating Celta to heat up the relegation battle and drag Celta into it. Anyone from 13th down must be looking worried.

Rayo have their goalkeeper to thank for securing the win at local Leganés, who missed two chances to equalise from the spot. Rayo are flying high in 6th and were the only visiting side to win in MD22.

Villarreal kept their quest for a top four finish alive with a thumping win over hapless Real Valladolid, who have conceded 47 goals, ten more than the next worst defence in the league.

Osasuna showed Real Sociedad what a clinical goalscorer looks like with a deserved 2-1 win on the back of Ante Budimir's brace. Only Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappé have scored more than the Croatian front man. Paco thinks time is soon up for Imanol, and colourfully compares managerial longevity to food going off in your fridge.

The two most experienced coaches in LaLiga faced off at the Benito Villamarín as Manuel Pellegrini's Betis twice took the lead against Ernesto Valverde's Athletic, but Los Leones roared back twice to maintain their unbeaten run. Antony looked bright on debut for Los Verdiblancos, but his Manchester United counterpart Marcus Rashford won't be gracing LaLiga, opting instead for Unai Emery's Aston Villa.

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Matchday 21 saw a lot of equality in many of the results, but with a dollop of some heavy victories.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are here to review it all, commencing at Montjuïc, where Valencia suffered a chastening, historic defeat by seven goals to one.

We discuss whether they have hit rock bottom, or whether this is the clearest sign yet that they won't be able to escape from relegation and their worst possible fears? The only bright spot was the return of Mouctar Diakhaby from injury.

Barça were relieved to get three points in the league, but it only keeps them third, as Real Madrid continued to motor on at the top of the table. Kylian Mbappé's first hat-trick in the famous white was the headline in Valladolid, extending their lead to four points at the summit.

Atleti dropped more points in their home game with Villarreal, but in truth, it could have been worse. Athletic Club failed to capitalise following a stalemate at San Mamés, as Leganés achieved another impressive defensive performance and result.

In Part Two, we pay tribute to José Bordalás (yes, again), as his Getafe side shocked everyone by winning 3-0 away against La Real, rounding off a torrid week for Imanol Alguacil. Are his days at the helm numbered? 17% of Getafe's LaLiga goals this season came in the final 20 minutes of this game.

If that was not enough, we talk Sevilla struggling, Jagoba Arrasate raging, and why Míchel wasn't happy with Rayo's President.

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A weekend for the relegation candidates. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) & Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap up an eventful round of LaLiga action.

Leganés proved to be LaLiga’s giant killers once again, claiming a surprise win over Atlético Madrid to go with December’s stunning victory over Barcelona. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick discovered how tricky a trip to the Coliseum can be, as Getafe held Barça to a draw in Saturday’s encounter.

Real Madrid ultimately took full advantage of Atleti and Barça’s slip-ups, with Kylian Mbappé starring in a dominant performance against Las Palmas. There was also a win for Athletic Club, who moved level on points with Barcelona thanks to a successful trip to Balaídos.

In part two, we discuss Kike García’s perfect hat-trick at the Benito Villamarín as well as a crucial victory for Espanyol in their relegation six-pointer with Real Valladolid. Carlos Corberán celebrated his first league win as Valencia boss, while Dodi Lukebakio proved to be the hero for Sevilla. We then conclude our recap with a quick review of Rayo Vallecano’s hard-fought point against Osasuna.

Thanks for listening and remember you can access all of our audio and written content at lllonline.substack.com.

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We have another stacked podcast to bring you at the start of another week 🙌 

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) analyse the Supercopa final and review the weekend in LaLiga which saw the competition reach the halfway stage.

In Part One, we look back on a thrilling final in Jeddah, one which saw seven goals, a red card, a comeback, and another title for Barça, their 100th in history. A jubilant Román hopes this can be the springboard to challenge on all fronts in 2025 and expects Real Madrid to recover from their second heavy Clásico defeat of the season. Work for Carlo Ancelotti to do.

Back in Spain, Diego Simeone is loving life at the top of the table, as his side won a record-setting 14th match in a row to regain top spot and crown themselves winter champions. Can they sustain this form all the way to the end of the campaign?

Elsewhere, Valencia were denied victory by a late leveller in Seville, pain which was compounded by wins for relegation rivals Getafe and Real Valladolid this weekend. Girona got a late winner of their own, Rayo's coach had to wear a bib on thr touchline, and the points were shared at the RCDE.

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La Liga Lowdown is celebrating King's Night with another podcast. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to review the dramatic and eventful LaLiga match at Mestalla on Friday night before looking back on the weekend's Copa del Rey round, which included a few shocks.

We begin at Mestalla for Carlos Corberán's debut, and things started well for Valencia, with Hugo Duro's goal giving them a deserved lead.

Then there was the flash point moment when Vini Jr was sent off for raising his hands to goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.

Luka Modrić came on for the ten men and grabbed a vital equaliser before Jude Bellingham (who else) took centre stage to snatch all three points for Carlo Ancelotti's side. Los Blancos move top of the table ahead of their congested week of fixtures.

In Part Two, we review the Copa and salute Pontevedra, Almería, Elche and Ourense, who all knocked out LaLiga sides and will eagerly await the draw in anticipation.

We end by looking forward to the Supercopa de España in Riyadh, although Paco probably won't be watching too closely.

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It was billed as the headline act and it certainly delivered. A monumental match at Montjuïc is our top story on this weekend's recap, featuring Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG).

Did Atleti execute the perfect gameplan? Or were Barça unfortunate not to win given the chances they created? Either way, Diego Simeone is on top of the tree this Christmas, with LaLiga fans excited at the prospect of a three-horse race!

Real Madrid also piled on the pressure, as they swept Sevilla aside in Jesús Navas' final game as a player. The emotional scenes overshadowed what ended up being a routine win for Carlo Ancelotti, but they looked somewhat closer to their best version.

Athletic continued their fine form with a comeback win in Pamplona, leaving some to whisper that they might even be in the title conversation.

Villarreal were involved in a 7-goal-thriller at Butarque, while Mallorca are quietly keeping pace with Marcelino's men.

Diego Martínez continues to amaze with his saviour operation at Las Palmas, and there was an 80s pop theme in Vigo.

At the bottom, Valencia just can't buy a win. Neither can Espanyol. They will be hoping the turn of the year brings a reversal in their fortunes.

We want to wish all of our subscribers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. ¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Ano Nuevo!

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Drama in the title race! Just one point separates the top three following a dramatic weekend in LaLiga. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they discuss all the action from matchday 17.

Real Madrid had to settle for a point after they trailed by two and then led by one in Saturday’s thrilling clash against Rayo Vallecano. As it proved, Los Blancos gained a point on leaders Barcelona, who suffered a shock defeat in their home game against relegation-threatened Leganés.

Meanwhile, Atleti were made to work for three points by a dogged Getafe side, collecting a narrow win to move above Real Madrid and level on points with Barcelona. There was also plenty of drama in Sunday’s clash at the Estadio de la Cerámica as 10-man Betis squeezed past Villarreal.

Elsewhere, Jesús Navas said an emotional farewell to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, while Valencia’s woes continued against Valladolid. There was also a precious point for Coudet’s Alavés, a hard-fought win for 10-man Mallorca and a couple of goalless draws.

Remember, you can subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com) to access all of our content, including our bonus podcast which will be out later this week.

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Join (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap an exciting weekend of LaLiga action, including big results in the race for the league title.

Assane Diao’s deft touch denied Barcelona maximum points in Saturday’s gripping contest, allowing Real Madrid to close the gap to two points with a Jude Bellingham-inspired victory over Girona.

This isn’t a two-horse race, though, as Atlético Madrid showcased their title credentials in Sunday’s comeback win against Sevilla. Away from the title race, Athletic Club made full use of the San Mamés factor to clinch a crucial win in the battle for Champions League qualification.

In part two, we discuss Kike García’s goalscoring return to El Sadar. We also reflect on Valencia’s disappointing result against Rayo, Sandro’s match-winning display against Valladolid and another win for rejuvenated Real Sociedad. Meanwhile, the evergreen Iago Aspas got on the scoresheet as Celta moved into the top half with a victory over Mallorca.

Thanks for listening, and remember you can access all our content, including a weekly bonus podcast by subscribing at lllonline.substack.com.

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Matchday 15 provided more dramatic twists and turns in the title race, as well as plenty of action throughout the league table. 

It all began on Friday night, when Mallorca extended their fantastic start to the season by coming from behind to beat Valencia.

A potentially pivotal Saturday in the race? Barcelona were celebrating their 125th birthday, but there was nothing left to enjoy on the pitch, as they lost 2-1 at home to Las Palmas. That's three without a win for Hansi Flick's men, with just one point from a possible nine, allowing the chasing Madrid pack back in the fight. 

Atleti took full advantage with a crushing 5-0 win in Valladolid, a result which saw them strike 11 goals on the road in the space of four days, and one which spelt the end of the road for Paulo Pezzolano, who was finally relieved of his duties at the Pucela helm. 

Real Madrid also put Anfield behind them with a comfortable enough 2-0 win over Getafe, with Jude Bellingham promoted to penalty taker. 

It was also a great weekend for Espanyol, and Athletic, the latter capping a superb week with a come-from-behind win at Rayo. Wth Villarreal involved in yet another 2-2 draw with late action, Los Leones took advantage to move up to 4th.

Catch up on everything Spanish football by subscribing to our Substack at lllonline.substack.com.

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Matchday 14 was full of emotion and goals, topped on both counts at Mestalla.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) unpick all the action from Matchday 14.

Paco was at Mestalla for Valencia's first game since the devastating floods, and there was poignancy in large supply. The game was superb, too, with Los Che earning a much-needed win in a six-goal thriller.

The headline partidazo of the weekend ended in favour of Athletic Club, as the Basque Derby points stayed with the hosts yet again.

Barça stumbled in a chaotic last ten minutes at Balaídos, dropping two important points in the title race. Real Madrid took full advantage on Sunday to cut the gap to just four points – and Los Blancos have that game in hand.

In Part Two, we salute Diego Simeone on reaching 700 games at the helm of Atleti, who celebrated in pure style with a healthy dollop of suffering.

Elsewhere, there was a bizarre end to a five-goal show in Gran Canaria, five goals at Montilivi to leave Manolo González on the precipice, and four shared at El Sadar.

Last but by no means least, there were also crucial home wins for Getafe and Sevilla. Paco might just be a fan of Allan Nyom's performance on Friday night.

Subscribe to our Substack for plenty more Spanish football content as we head into another European midweek!

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Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) recap Spain's triumphal international break with two more wins to seal the top spot in their Nations League group.

As well as analysing the matches and those players that have stood out, they also look into some of Spain's future talents such as Marc Casadó and Samu A., who finally made their official debuts and have promising international careers ahead of them.

Remember to subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com) to enjoy our daily output and to keep updated on all things related to LaLiga and the Spanish national team.

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Matchday 13 proved to be an unlucky one for Hansi Flick as his Barça side lost for just the second time in LaLiga this season. 

Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they reflect on Real Sociedad's surprise but well-deserved victory, preventing the Catalans from having a single shot on target.

Elsewhere, Vini scored three goals, Real Madrid won three points, but also lost three players to injury, on a freak Saturday that saw players suffer ACL injuries in all three matches.

Villarreal are looking good for a top four challenge, as their rivals Betis and Athletic both stumbled but rallied to get late draws.

Atleti got another suffering single-goal victory in Mallorca, while Leganés put more pressure on Sevilla. 

Diego Martínez is enjoying life in the Canaries, successfully turning around Las Palmas with three wins in four.

There is concern for Getafe, Alavés and Real Valladolid ahead of the final international break of 2024.

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Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to review a matchday that should have never happened.

First and foremost, our thoughts are with everyone affected by the recent flash floods that have devastated the Valencian community. At the time of recording, the confirmed death toll sadly stands at over 200 while many more are missing. People have also seen homes, properties and land destroyed by the horrific natural disaster.

If you want to help those affected, you can donate to the Red Cross via: https://cercadeti.cruzroja.es/ayudaafectadosinundacionesdana

Paco begins the podcast by describing the extent of the devastation. We also discuss the response of the authorities and the recent visit of the King, Queen and Prime Minister to the region. Our focus then turns to LaLiga and the decision to push ahead with the majority of the scheduled fixtures on matchday 12.

In part two, we review the action that took place over the weekend. Barcelona claimed derby bragging rights to extend their lead at the top of the table. The Simeone family enjoyed a successful outing against Las Palmas, while Girona and Leganés put on a seven-goal thriller at Montilivi. Betis fought hard for a point at San Mamés, as Real Sociedad took maximum points from their trip to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. Meanwhile, Osasuna and Alavés both collected narrow wins in their respective fixtures.

Remember, you can access all of our content by subscribing at https://lllonline.substack.com/.

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Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to review 'El Clásico' and all the games that took place during Matchday 11.

This weekend, LaLiga delivered some serious twists, with unexpected upsets, including a shocking 0-4 result at the Bernabéu. For any doubters, now we can confirm that Barça and their youngsters are the real deal, with a promising season ahead. In contrast, Carlo Ancelotti has a lot of work ahead of him to get Real Madrid to react and find a better way to integrate Kylian Mbappé.

Down in the relegation zone, Las Palmas managed their second win in a row since Diego Martínez landed in the island, while Valencia held on to keep a point at Getafe and Real Valladolid suffered a late defeat at the hands of Ayoze Pérez and Villarreal. Leganés were the biggest winners of the weekend, handing a surprise 3-0 defeat to Celta and clambering out of the drop zone.

All of this and other hard fought battles in our recap pod!

Remember you can subscribe to our Substack for plenty more daily LaLiga content: https://lllonline.substack.com/

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LaLiga returned from the international break with another pulsating round of fixtures.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are here to reflect on it all as the top three all won in different ways, and a couple of surprises were found in unexpected places.

Barça continue where they left off before the break: scoring lots of goals and winning matches comfortably. They swatted Sevilla aside with another brace from Robert Lewandowski, but surely the best part was Gavi's return after almost a year out injured. With Bayern and El Clásico next up for Hansi Flick, this was the perfect start to a testing week.

Real Madrid also won, but struggled to take all three points from Balaídos. In the end, experience and individual quality came through, but Carlo Ancelotti may be concerned with the lack of rhythm in their playing style.

Atleti also resemble something which has lots of shiny parts but no clear instructions on how to piece them together. Leganés gave them a scare in the partially-closed Metropolitano, but Alexander Sørloth's brace turned the game around.

Athletic found home comforts easier to come by as they dispatched Espanyol, but Villarreal were made to pay the penalty against Getafe. Marcelino was raging post-game, and Paco sympathises, but only so far...

There were also significant away wins for the Reals Valladolid, Betis and Sociedad, all of which leaves the middle of the table looking intriguing and tightly compacted. Perhaps the under-rated story of the season, however, is Mallorca, who are just one point off a Champions League spot as we approach November. Bravo Jagoba Arrasate.

Subscribe to get all the reaction to the matches this week, which includes a battle at the bottom in LaLiga (Paco's beloved Valencia), plus a full round of European action. Join the fun at lllonline.substack.com.

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Spain got the better of Denmark on Saturday night, courtesy of Martín Zubimendi's first international goal.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are back to review this game and look ahead to the clash with Serbia, in which Spain can qualify for the final stages of this edition of the Nations League. Which players caught the eye in the absence of so many starters from the Euros? Who will replace Lamine Yamal in the Serbia match? All of these questions are answered.

There is also a quick round-up of Segunda's action, which as always featured plenty of goals and drama.

Subscribe and upgrade to access all our content at lllonline.substack.com.

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Matchday nine produced several talking points ahead of the international window, including an express hat-trick and a stubborn nine-man resistance. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they look back at all the action that took place over the weekend.

Robert Lewandowski continued his red-hot form with a rapid hat-trick in Barcelona’s commanding victory over Alavés. Real Madrid also claimed maximum points, but their win over Villarreal was overshadowed by Dani Carvajal’s serious knee injury. As for Atleti, they lost ground to the top two after Luka Sučić produced a sensational strike to rescue a point for Real Sociedad. At the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, García Pimienta claimed the spoils in his first experience of El Gran Derbi.

In the second part, we focus on the penalty chaos at Montilivi and Espanyol’s successful home outing. We then discuss Las Palmas’ failure to break the resistance of nine-man Celta in what might have been Luis Carrión’s final game in charge. Elsewhere, De Frutos starred for Rayo, Getafe played out another draw and Valencia fans expressed their frustration after Friday’s forgettable clash with Leganés.

Remember, you can subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com) to keep up with all our content over the international break.

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Give our latest pod a listen, and join the conversation between Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they look into all the LaLiga encounters from Matchday 8.

El Derbi Madrileño left plenty of talking points, with a game packed with tension, controversy, a temporary suspension, and even a late goal from the home side. Neither of the two sides managed to shine, and are only a single point closer to league leaders, Barça. 

Osasuna ended Hansi Flick's winning streak with a brave and outstanding performance, proving to be a very tough cookie when playing at home.

They also review Getafe's first win, Real Sociedad's slow, yet steady improvement and pose the following question: is Gio Lo Celso be the best signing of the season? So far, he might be... scoring week in, week out for Betis and helping the team grab some essential points. All this and much more in our recap pod!

Remember you can subscribe to our Substack for plenty more daily LaLiga content: https://lllonline.substack.com/.

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Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they round up all the action from matchday six of the 2024/25 LaLiga season. Five-star Barcelona continued their perfect start to the league campaign with a sizeable victory over Villarreal. The entertaining affair delivered braces, disallowed goals and a missed penalty as Barça bounced back from the defeat to Monaco.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid fought back from a goal down to dispatch Espanyol, while their city rivals Atlético Madrid dropped a couple of points against a determined Rayo Vallecano side. Meanwhile, Athletic Club warmed up for a trip to the Italian capital with a home victory over Aspas & company.

Valencia ended their long wait for a win, while Alaves piled the pressure on Sevilla boss García Pimienta. There was also a derby draw, another Las Palmas defeat and a frustrating outing for Real Sociedad.

Remember, you can subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com) to access all our content, including this week’s bonus podcast which will cover the midweek action in LaLiga.

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Wins galore, penalties, red cards, maiden goals and a hat-trick - LaLiga matchday 5 had it all. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they look back at all the action that took place over the weekend.

Lamine Yamal starred for flawless Barcelona, while Real Madrid made Real Sociedad pay the penalty for numerous missed chances. Conor Gallagher and Julián Alvarez scored their first LaLiga goals as Atleti piled more misery on Valencia. There was also another late winner for unbeaten Villarreal, who look set to challenge for the top four.

Elsewhere, there was a hat-trick of assists for Athletic Club’s Iñaki Williams and a perfect hat-trick for Espanyol’s Javi Puado. Celta enjoyed another successful home outing, while García Pimienta celebrated a win and Vitor Roque ended his long wait for a LaLiga goal.

Remember, you can subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com) where we will review all the Champions League action in our bonus podcast later this week.

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Spain bounced back from their Serbian stalemate in the best possible fashion on Sunday night. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) unite to discuss the international break at length.

Luis de la Fuente's side produced a superb all-round performance to beat Switzerland 4-1 in Geneva, despite playing for over an hour with ten men.

Spain raced out of the blocks, with Joselu quickly reminding everyone that he can still provide the answer as Spain's number 9. Lamine Yamal produced yet another goal contribution, leading Paco to make a bold prediction for his season's total output, while comparing him to a certain former Barça player...

Fabián continued his fine form with Spain's second inside the first quarter of an hour. Robin Le Normand's dismissal (harsh, but we are biased) changed the picture, and the hosts pulled one back before the break.

Spain suffered in the second half, finishing with their lowest possession ever recorded. But they were clinical when they did have the ball: Ferran Torres showed his shark-like killer instincts in the pouring rain as he produced an assist and a goal to seal the victory.

We also discuss the Segunda weekend, including Paco's trip to Elda on Sunday night. You won't want to miss out on that!

This pod is free, but by subscribing, you can gain access to so much more content throughout the week. Head to lllonline.substack.com to find out more.

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Review all the fantastic LaLiga action with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) in our pod for matchday 4.

There's plenty to go through, starting with Mbappé's scoring debut in LaLiga. Two crucial goals ensure three points against Betis and carry 'los blancos' all the way up to second position in the standings. Barça, on the other hand, thrashed Valladolid and are looking stronger than ever despite the (for many) disappointing transfer window.

Sevilla are feeling the heat as another home defeat brings back not too distant memories of suffering, after losing to an improving Girona. Meanwhile, the Valencian derby ended 1-1, with Villarreal clinging on to a draw after losing a player in the second half.

Find all this and so much more in our pod and remember, you can access all our content throughout the 2024-25 campaign by upgrading at lllonline.substack.com.

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No Olmo, no problem. Barcelona make it two wins in two despite being without the services of their star signing. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they discuss Barcelona’s successful outing as well as the other nine matches from matchday two.

While Barça maintained their 100% record, city rivals Real Madrid and Atleti celebrated 3-0 victories in their respective home matches. However, there was to be no win in García Pimienta’s first home match as ex-Betis forward Ayoze Pérez proved to be Villarreal's hero against Sevilla.

In part two, we discuss super Celta, Kubo’s statement and Arrasate’s unsuccessful return to El Sadar. There was also a win for Leganés and a typical Bordalás performance.

Remember, you can access all our articles and bonus podcasts by upgrading your subscription at http://lllonline.substack.com.

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LaLiga is back! Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they round up all the action from matchday one.

We discuss Real Madrid’s underwhelming start to their title defence and Barcelona’s hard-fought victory at Mestalla. Atlético Madrid’s Alexander Sørloth celebrated his return to Estadio de la Cerámica with a goal, while a LaLiga debutant stole the show for Getafe and Rayo Vallecano claimed a surprise win over Real Sociedad.

In the second part, we focus on Míchel’s new-look Girona side and García Pimienta’s Sevilla bow against his former employers. There was also plenty of time to laud the evergreen Iago Aspas and focus on the three newly promoted clubs.

Remember, you can access all our content throughout the 2024-25 campaign by upgrading at lllonline.substack.com.

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Hot on the heels of the Paris Olympics, football returns to Spain as LaLiga is back this week.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) preview the campaign with some exciting new faces and uncertainty at many of the clubs.

Hansi Flick is in the Barça hotseat. Can he revitalise the Catalans to challenge Real Madrid for the title? 

What about the impact of Kylian Mbappé? A signing that has been coming for years, Los Blancos finally have him, but how will he perform?

Atleti have had a busy summer of departures and potential arrivals? Can they challenge again?

How will Girona fare with key players gone and Champions League football to content with?

Athletic, La Real, Betis, Villarreal, Sevilla – can any of those push on into the top four?

We also discuss the rest of the clubs, including the three promoted sides. 

It feels hard to predict where things will end up, but we are excited to get back underway!

Join us on Substack for even more exclusive content for just €5 per month – lllonline.substack.com

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We officially put an end to the season with our recap pod of the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England.

But such a special game deserved a special pod, which is why we brought together Matt Clark (@MattClark_08), Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG), Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) to cover all the angles and opinions.

In fact, Paco was at the final in Berlin to give us his insight and share his unforgettable experience. All four review the match, the standout players, and provide the keys to Spain's success during the whole tournament. They also relive Spain's post-match celebrations and talk about England and whether it'll ever be coming home...

For more Spanish football, subscribe with us at lllonline.substack.com and get ready for what's coming in the 2024/25 season!

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Spain march on, all the way to Berlin for the grand final of the Euros, after beating one of the pre-tournament favourites, France.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) celebrate Spain's latest triumph and the sensational form of Lamine Yamal, still just 16 years old. A goal for the ages saw Spain draw level, before Dani Olmo – another unexpected standout of the tournament – scored the winner.

We praise Luis de la Fuente and his work in winning all six matches so far, before looking ahead to Sunday's final against England.

They came from behind in their semi against the Netherlands, as they have had to do in each of their knockout matches. Can they upset the form book and win the entire tournament, or will Spain's class shine through in Berlin?

Catch up on all the Euros pods so far, and subscribe with us at lllonline.substack.com

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Spain triumphed over the hosts to reach the final four of Euro 2024, where they will face France in a heavyweight semi-final.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) reflect on the dramatic 120 minutes of action in Stuttgart, before looking ahead to the French clash.

Joselu said in the build-up they wanted to retire Toni Kroos, but it was actually Pedri who was forced to leave the field early, courtesy of a bad challenge from Kroos himself. In an ill-tempered first half, Robin Le Normand saw himself suspended for the semis against the country of his birth.

Dani Olmo broke the deadlock early in the second half, thanks to yet another assist from the prodigious Lamine Yamal. Luis de la Fuente took both wingers off, a gamble that almost backfired when Florian Wirtz equalised late in the game.

Extra time ticked by and it looked like penalties awaited, but up stepped Olmo to cross for fellow sub Mikel Merino to head home, reminiscent of Carles Puyol's momentous testazo in Durban in 2010.

Despite the dramatic chaos of the moment, Merino had the presence of mind to replicate a celebration performed by his father in the same stadium 33 years ago. A precious moment for him and all Spanish fans. We include the fabulous commentary from Antonio Muelas Aberasturi from Radio Nacional de España.

In Part Two we look ahead to the semis, talking Kylian Mbappé and the other strong LaLiga links in the French team, and Didier Deschamps' blasé attitude to his critics.

We applaud the powerful political statements made by many of the French players, in contrast to Unai Simon's recent dead-batting of similar questions.

Can't wait for the semis? Check out our other content at lllonline.substack.com

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Spain eventually cruised past Georgia to book their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. They were given a scare, but won their first knockout match in 90 minutes since the Euro 2012 final.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) reflect on this big win and look ahead to a mouthwatering clash with the hosts Germany.

There is praise for Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Robin Le Normand and of course consolation for Giorgi Mamardashvili. 

Ahead of the clash with Germany, Paco is nervous after Joselu's comments in the press conference, but believes Spain can end the 'curse of the hosts'.

Keep across all of our coverage at lllonline.substack.com.

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With the Group Stage now complete, La Liga Lowdown reflects on Spain's perfect start and looks ahead to the knockouts.

In the first half of the show, Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) analyse Spain's 1-0 win over Albania. Luis de la Fuente made ten changes to his side, but the back-ups proved they can certainly do a job for the team. Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres linked up beautifully for the only goal of the game.

In Part Two, we delve into Spain's next opponents: Georgia. Despite being tournament debutants, Willy Sagnol's side have been positive and got their rewards by beating Portugal to qualify. Well known to Spanish fans, these sides met in the qualifying campaign just last year, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Giorgi Mamardashvili need no introductions.

We then assess the wider draw for the Last 16, and try to plot a route for Spain to go all the way. On the tougher side of the bracket, is there anyone who Spain should be fearing?

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Spain produced another impressive performance at the Euros to seal qualification for the Knockout Stage.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) is joined by Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to reflect on La Roja's 1-0 victory over the Azzurri to seal top spot in what was deemed the 'Group of Death'.

While the scoreline was slender, the comprehensiveness of the display was not. Spain were worthy winners, with Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal tormenting the Italian full backs.

Can Spain go all the way? Or will their lack of a clinical edge come back to haunt them later in the tournament?

After the break we evaluate the other runners and riders in the competition, as England stuttered, Portugal flattered to deceive, and Germany continued to impress.

Join us at lllonline.substack.com.

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The Euros are underway and Spain got off to a flying start! Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they reflect on the amazing victory over Croatia in their opening game.

Paco wasn't too enthused ahead of the tournament, but now he is "the most Spanish of the Spaniards in the Spanish country". 

We salute Álvaro Morata, the least likely leader, Fabián Ruiz proving doubters wrong, Lamine Yamal's remarkable maturity and Dani Carvajal's terrific fortnight.

In Part Two we assess the early stages of the completion as a whole, with Germany impressing but Italy less so.

Join us for coverage of every Spain game over at lllonline.substack.com.

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Did you really think we were done for the season? No chance! La Liga Lowdown is also invested in EURO 2024, and we couldn't wait to preview all the excitement with Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee).

In the first half of the pod, we go through Luis de la Fuente's squad selection for Spain, picking out some of its strengths and weaknesses, as well as previewing the first game against a tough and talented nation such as Croatia. Matt even gives us his prediction on how England will fare!

In the second part, we delve into each group and pick some of the favourites to lift the desired trophy, as well as trying to decipher the potential dark horses and disappointments.

So, give our pod a listen and start warming up for what's coming! Also, remember that you can subscribe to our Substack and support our work: lllonline.substack.com.

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Real Madrid are champions of Europe again, for the 15th time. 

For the final pod of the season, Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review the game and assess the magnitude of this team's achievement.

With more than double the number of titles as the next best club – Milan – Los Blancos continue to raise their own ceiling. 

This one is even more momentous, being the sixth in 11 years, matching the feat of the originals in the 1950s.

One of those stars was Paco Gento, and he was joined at the summit by four current Madridistas as the only players with six European Cups.

We talk about the stories and the subplots, from Jude to Joselu, Courtois to Carletto.

Later in the show we discuss some of the new coaches appointed by LaLiga clubs, as well as check in on how Segunda wrapped up.

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