La Liga (Spanish League) Prediction Thread 2023/24

[Upgrade00]

Bale fell out of favour with Real Madrid manager, Zidane, last season and I think he will be open to a move out. However I see a clash of interests in both parties, Newcastle are a team who we expect would have money flowing in and would want to use that to build their squad, this is usually a process that lasts years before it can become successful (we can look at Man City) while Bale, is at a point in his career where he has won pretty much everything and I don't think he would want to start over with a budding team.

Newcastle should focus on young, upcoming talents looking to prove themselves on the pitch, they would share the same hunger the management has.
For some more established talents; like Bale, they may see the Newcastle offer as a new challenge. It's difficult to decide what decisions would be made.

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[AakZaki]

The La Liga competition is slowly restarting activities because the club will begin training in person and continue to prioritize physical distancing.

This was done after they got permission from the Spanish Government to return to do the training. Real Madrid has even officially confirmed that they will start training on Monday (11/5) local time, after the results of tests conducted on players and staff were negative or none were affected by the Covid-19 virus.

La Liga President Javier Tebas also admitted that his side was trying to restart the competition on June 12.

reference: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11827/11986368/coronavirus-la-liga-president-wants-june-12-restart-with-games-every-day

[slaman29]

That is why you do not make it a thing that you ask them to do, you make it a mandatory thing instead and that is how you could stop them from doing something stupid. For example if you want to make sure there is nothing going around that is risky, just play all games on the same stadium somewhere and since there is no fans watching there it will basically be home court to everyone involved.

You put all players and staff on the same hotel (or hotels) and ask them to only go to games and come back to hotel and do nothing else, contact no one else for a little while until league ends. After all you can have like 3 games a week if you max it out, Monday- Thursday- Saturday and you will finish the league quickly. If a player doesn't follow and goes out, he is not welcomed back, he is suspended until league ends.

Yeah but the problem with that is that it doesn't always work culturally. You could do mandatory things here in my country or even in the region nearby and people would follow. Sense of duty and community, whatever you call it.

But try to do it in that part of the world (Spain) and people will call out about freedom and policing. I agree with them somewhat, but when it comes to saving lives I think you're right. But can everyone see it that way?

[Swordsoffreedom]

The La Liga competition is slowly restarting activities because the club will begin training in person and continue to prioritize physical distancing.
This was done after they got permission from the Spanish Government to return to do the training. Real Madrid has even officially confirmed that they will start training on Monday (11/5) local time, after the results of tests conducted on players and staff were negative or none were affected by the Covid-19 virus.
La Liga President Javier Tebas also admitted that his side was trying to restart the competition on June 12.
reference: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11827/11986368/coronavirus-la-liga-president-wants-june-12-restart-with-games-every-day

Yes, I think it is a positive decision "Starting the tournament by following some techniques to prevent the virus." I think it is not possible to prevent this virus with lockdown, awareness is the main thing. If players are routinely tested for "corona" and at the end of the game they left the field by following some proper rules then I don't think there will be any problem. Since no effective vaccine has yet been discovered and no one knows when it will be discovered, in that case, it would be better to follow some rules, precautions and regulations to prevent Covid-19. And there is no risk if you manage the game without bringing spectators to the playground, A minimum distance must be maintained. Players need to ensure good health, Corona tests should be done both before and after the game.

[Juggy777]

The La Liga competition is slowly restarting activities because the club will begin training in person and continue to prioritize physical distancing.
This was done after they got permission from the Spanish Government to return to do the training. Real Madrid has even officially confirmed that they will start training on Monday (11/5) local time, after the results of tests conducted on players and staff were negative or none were affected by the Covid-19 virus.
La Liga President Javier Tebas also admitted that his side was trying to restart the competition on June 12.
reference: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11827/11986368/coronavirus-la-liga-president-wants-june-12-restart-with-games-every-day

Yes, I think it is a positive decision "Starting the tournament by following some techniques to prevent the virus." I think it is not possible to prevent this virus with lockdown, awareness is the main thing. If players are routinely tested for "corona" and at the end of the game they left the field by following some proper rules then I don't think there will be any problem. Since no effective vaccine has yet been discovered and no one knows when it will be discovered, in that case, it would be better to follow some rules, precautions and regulations to prevent Covid-19. And there is no risk if you manage the game without bringing spectators to the playground, A minimum distance must be maintained. Players need to ensure good health, Corona tests should be done both before and after the game.

@swordsoffredom there’s been a new development regarding how the players will be transported to the grounds on the match day, and now the league is planning to use charter flights and charter trains as a mode of transport. Also it’s worth mentioning that official’s from the league have prepared specific instructions for the stewards to avoid physical contact with the players, and for those teams that can’t afford such flights and trains the league is planning to pay for their travel expenses. Lastly in my personal opinion the league is doing all it can to restart their season in June, and now we all should only hope that they can successfully restart, and end their season without any hiccups.

The Spanish League is willing to pay for charter flights on the day of games to get teams to matches when the season restarts in Spain.

LFP president Javier Tebas held video-conference meetings with top flight clubs on Friday and expressed the desire that sides travel to games in as clean and controlled a way as is possible and on matchdays so as to avoid staying in hotels on the eve of fixtures.

This will often mean chartered flights beyond the reach of some of the smaller clubs but LaLiga is open to covering costs to ensure the season restarts on June 12. Protocols for that June restart are still being finalised.

Source:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8326089/LaLiga-bankroll-charter-flights-teams-matches-bid-restart-season-June-12.html

[Naida_BR]

3 players have tested positive for covid19 ahead of the training sessions starting this weekend and next week:

- Remiro (Real Sociedad). Source
- Lodi (Atletico Madrid). Source
- Herrera (Granada). Source

No word from the LFP or the government yet, but just like it happened in Germany, players testing positive shouldn't change the schedule proposed by the govt and the league federation (in germany, the restart of bundesliga, and in Spain, training sessions next week).

I don't think the players that have tested positive ahead of training will have any effects on their plans to resume, with regards to happened Germany I was expecting a further postponement of the resumption date, but It seems the government finally regard the virus to be less threatening. I learnt certain teams in spain have resumed training sessions already as of yesterday, according to goal.com

This "It seems the government finally regard the virus to be less threatening" makes me sick.
It is inevitable not to see new infections of covid-19 to players in La Liga. However, I think that leagues are going to continue normally. If this virus is not a threat why did they stop all the leagues for so many time?

[Daniel91]

Interesting article in Marca, ''Setien still hasn't convinced Barcelona squad''.
It seems that the Barcelona players have not yet accepted the new coach and his training methods.
Messi is unhappy and doesn't believe that Barcelona can win the Champions League this year.
Messi: ''I've been lucky enough to play in the Champions League every season and I know you can't win it playing like we were playing."
The players of Barcelona don't seem to accept the ideas of their new coach and don't trust him.
Source: https://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2020/05/16/5ec02b4746163fae258b4606.html

[hd49728]

Interesting article in Marca, ''Setien still hasn't convinced Barcelona squad''.
It seems that the Barcelona players have not yet accepted the new coach and his training methods.
Messi is unhappy and doesn't believe that Barcelona can win the Champions League this year.
Messi: ''I've been lucky enough to play in the Champions League every season and I know you can't win it playing like we were playing."
The players of Barcelona don't seem to accept the ideas of their new coach and don't trust him.
Source: https://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2020/05/16/5ec02b4746163fae258b4606.html

Barcelona stepped to their downward period since the day Pep left the club. Despite of a few seasons with good forms and won some titles, La Liga, Champions League, their general form is falling. Messi has still played very well and he has still been one of the greatest football players at the moment. But Messi has been older and older and it is far away from the period he can bring all the team to titles. Maybe about 5 seasons from the period.

If Barcelona can not find a good coach and has good transfer next one or two seasons, they will officially fall into a very bad period, like what Real Madrid has before the Special One came.

[Daniel91]

Interesting article in Marca, ''Setien still hasn't convinced Barcelona squad''.
It seems that the Barcelona players have not yet accepted the new coach and his training methods.
Messi is unhappy and doesn't believe that Barcelona can win the Champions League this year.
Messi: ''I've been lucky enough to play in the Champions League every season and I know you can't win it playing like we were playing."
The players of Barcelona don't seem to accept the ideas of their new coach and don't trust him.
Source: https://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2020/05/16/5ec02b4746163fae258b4606.html

Barcelona stepped to their downward period since the day Pep left the club. Despite of a few seasons with good forms and won some titles, La Liga, Champions League, their general form is falling. Messi has still played very well and he has still been one of the greatest football players at the moment. But Messi has been older and older and it is far away from the period he can bring all the team to titles. Maybe about 5 seasons from the period.

If Barcelona can not find a good coach and has good transfer next one or two seasons, they will officially fall into a very bad period, like what Real Madrid has before the Special One came.

A lot of strange things have happened in Barcelona lately.
Management has publicly, through a marketing agency, attacked its own players on social media, several board members were forced to resign and leave, the attempt to bring Neymar completely failed last summer, they fired their favorite coach and brought in an inexperienced one etc.
Too many problems even for such a big club like Barcelona.
No wonder Messi is not happy and complains.

[slaman29]

Messi: ''I've been lucky enough to play in the Champions League every season and I know you can't win it playing like we were playing."
The players of Barcelona don't seem to accept the ideas of their new coach and don't trust him.

Strange but the article I read had a very different spin to it. Remember we are reading translated versions so I would not really trust any of these sources. The one I understood was: Messi didn't think Barca could win champions league if they keep playing it the way they have been playing. So they need to change and change fast (I thought he was referring to even the way of last season).

[LTU_btc]

Messi: ''I've been lucky enough to play in the Champions League every season and I know you can't win it playing like we were playing."
The players of Barcelona don't seem to accept the ideas of their new coach and don't trust him.

Strange but the article I read had a very different spin to it. Remember we are reading translated versions so I would not really trust any of these sources. The one I understood was: Messi didn't think Barca could win champions league if they keep playing it the way they have been playing. So they need to change and change fast (I thought he was referring to even the way of last season).

I wouldn't blindly trust what is written in this article, especially because it comes from Marca - they are biased to write negative things about Barca. For me it doesn't looks that Messi is referring to manager in this words, it's more about how they were playing in general this season.

[Raflesia]

Messi: ''I've been lucky enough to play in the Champions League every season and I know you can't win it playing like we were playing."
The players of Barcelona don't seem to accept the ideas of their new coach and don't trust him.

Strange but the article I read had a very different spin to it. Remember we are reading translated versions so I would not really trust any of these sources. The one I understood was: Messi didn't think Barca could win champions league if they keep playing it the way they have been playing. So they need to change and change fast (I thought he was referring to even the way of last season).

I wouldn't blindly trust what is written in this article, especially because it comes from Marca - they are biased to write negative things about Barca. For me it doesn't looks that Messi is referring to manager in this words, it's more about how they were playing in general this season.

Well, we don't really believe in the statement of the article, maybe it was only those who made it, but I'm sure Messi will remain optimistic this season for the champions league, if not the same opinion with the coach, now it might still survive and convince other players to choose ideas from Lionel Messi.

But we look forward to what if there is a change maybe this match with the coach now if the team is still experiencing defeat as usual maybe the idea from the coach is not good too.

[Daniel91]

Messi: ''I've been lucky enough to play in the Champions League every season and I know you can't win it playing like we were playing."
The players of Barcelona don't seem to accept the ideas of their new coach and don't trust him.

Strange but the article I read had a very different spin to it. Remember we are reading translated versions so I would not really trust any of these sources. The one I understood was: Messi didn't think Barca could win champions league if they keep playing it the way they have been playing. So they need to change and change fast (I thought he was referring to even the way of last season).

Ok,  I don’t understand spanish language and can't read original statement from Messi so maybe you are right.
But,  from some other articles I know that Messi and other players didn't want new coach and it obvious that Messi isn't happy.
I don't think that current coach will stay long in the club.

[LTU_btc]

While we are waiting for restart of La Liga, there some important not related with Covid-19.
Legend of Athletic Bilbao, announced about retirement at 39 years old. He won't finnish this season because of surgeon:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/52743329
It's a bit sad, because of injury and pandemy, he won't get amazing farewell that he deserved. His last game had to be Basque derby on Copa del Rey final. There was good article about it yesterday:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/19/sports/soccer/aritz-aduriz-bilbao.html
Just this season he scored best goal of La Liga season against Barcelona:
https://youtu.be/oGAHTsL-nHQ

[casperBGD]

While we are waiting for restart of La Liga, there some important not related with Covid-19.
Legend of Athletic Bilbao, announced about retirement at 39 years old. He won't finnish this season because of surgeon:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/52743329
It's a bit sad, because of injury and pandemy, he won't get amazing farewell that he deserved. His last game had to be Basque derby on Copa del Rey final. There was good article about it yesterday:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/19/sports/soccer/aritz-aduriz-bilbao.html
Just this season he scored best goal of La Liga season against Barcelona:
https://youtu.be/oGAHTsL-nHQ

it is sad to see that he has to replace his hip at year 39, that is issue with modern sport, when you finish career you can barely walk, especially as a striker, i always remember legendary Viola striker Batistuta and his problems after retirement
https://www.goal.com/en/news/argentina-icon-batistuta-undergoes-ankle-surgery-after/njvoesdp90fb1bu7xi3ufydug

nevertheless, cant wait for La liga to restart

[iTradeChips]

Barcelona: Sponsor to name Nou Camp for coronavirus funds

well, it's a way to make money, the covid story is just a story
the name of a stadium has to be untouchable, like the name of the club, but money is always in front of the supporters hearts

shame on you Barça 

I would not really shame barcelona, i think the pandemic has left them short; just like the rest of the club sides in europe.
After spending hugely on the likes of Coutinho, Dembele and De jong; Barcelona are short on funds.

If selling the naming rights will help the club recover both in finance and on the field of play, then its a fair deal.
EMotions do not pay bills in sports.

What I am thinking is that with the league paying ridiculous amounts to sports players, now they don't have the money to be spent on emergencies like this pandemic. Much like the airline industry which paid large sums of money to their executives, now they are affected. Now the football leagues are out of cash and needs to sell assets to get by. I do hope they can be revived soon and be able to bounce back.

[big_daddy]

The legendary Athletic Bilbao’s striker, Aritz Aduriz, said goodbye to football yesterday
Enjoy the retirement man, we will miss your fantastic goals

[MCobian]

The legendary Athletic Bilbao’s striker, Aritz Aduriz, said goodbye to football yesterday
Enjoy the retirement man, we will miss your fantastic goals

Although Aritz Aduriz is not as popular as Raul Gonzales, David Villa or Fernando Torres. But for La Liga fans for sure admire Aritz Aduriz
as a quite productive striker. Even some of his goals have been the best, now Aritz Aduriz 39 years old. It's only natural to finally decide
on retirement, all La Liga fans must miss his game.

[slaman29]

Sad day for us all Barca if the news about us selling the stadium name is really true. Had no idea that it's come down to this sort of move, such desperation and just 10 years ago we were the model for fan ownership that so many people envied.

Ok,  I don’t understand spanish language and can't read original statement from Messi so maybe you are right.
But,  from some other articles I know that Messi and other players didn't want new coach and it obvious that Messi isn't happy.
I don't think that current coach will stay long in the club.

Everywhere I look it's bad news for my club so forgive me if I try to find the positive spin in what Messi says although obviously as you say he has a lot of unhappiness.

[tranthidung]

The legendary Athletic Bilbao’s striker, Aritz Aduriz, said goodbye to football yesterday
Enjoy the retirement man, we will miss your fantastic goals

Aduriz is one of the last players of the latest generation of football players, before the era of Messi and Ronaldo (Portugal), not Ronaldo de Lima.
He is not the greatest or one of the greatest players in his era but he has one of the longest career. It's amazing.

There are many great players, legends said goodbye to football. In Spain, we have Torres, Aduriz. In England we have Lampard, Gerrad, Beckham, Ferdinand, etc. In Italy, we have F. Totti, Del Piero, Canavaro, Maldini, Inzaghi, Vieri, Pirlo, etc. In addition, there are Ballack, Zidane, Ronaldo de Lima, Rivaldo, etc. They all together built up one of the greatest period in my life time so far with football.

Nowadays, football matches are easier to watch (back in about previous 20 years, it is so difficult to watch European leagues' matches in my nation). But I still have feelings that I would like to come back to that period. Many great players, and players themselves did not play for money, and they had great pride for the club they were grown by or served for. Today, players have much higher salary, and their transfer set up new records easily but they don't actually have pride for the club they are serving for.