La Liga (Spanish League) Prediction Thread 2023/24

[hahay]

Barcelona's strength this season has decreased again and several other teams have experienced an increase in strength. Because everyone can certainly judge when a weak team is able to break through Barcelona's goal in the Copa Del Rey, so when Barcelona returns to La Liga and the Champions League. I think Barcelona will experience things that are more difficult than what happened in the Copa Del Rey if Barcelona's performance does not improve this month.

This season for Barcelona is not so good, but this season they are in the playoffs of the Champions League, not everything is good in La Liga either, seven points is a big gap, but theoretically they still have a chance. And I think that Xavi will focus on these two tournaments, and the players from the bench will play the cup.
Araujo refused to renew his contract with Barcelona, Bayern are very actively interested in him, and despite the fact that his contract is valid until 2026, Barcelona has already offered him to extend it, but Araujo is in no hurry to do this.
It is worth saying that Barcelona still have financial problems, they have a debt of €207 million, mostly due to their players, so it is not surprising that they want to find more stable teams financially.

With the many problems experienced by Barcelona then yes, of course, it will make Barcelona have great pressure so that it has a bad impact on team performance. After all, on the European stage also the fact that Barcelona has always failed in the last two seasons although indeed, this season Barcelona entered the round of 16 in the Champions League. But ya, I personally still doubt the quality of Barcelona at this moment, because it is very possible for Barcelona to fail again on the European stage.

Therefore, I believe this season there is no trophy for Barcelona, because Barcelona seems to have lost the chance to get it. It is not meant to underestimate Barcelona, but the reality is so, with the many problems experienced by Barcelona this season.

[pusaka]

Xavi seems like he cant find the last turn in the team, is like they still have the same failures as always and they are not a consistent team, not matter which team is in front, for example yesterday, you cant allow a weak team like Barbastro score two goals against you.

I understand your dissatisfaction with Xavi's Barca management. They keep making the same mistakes. And letting Barbastro score twice? For a club like Barcelona, that's unacceptable. I think about how they're doing in La Liga—barely in the top four. Seven points behind the leader is a hard climb

The most frustrating part is watching Girona challenge Real Madrid while Barca suffers. Xavi needs to mix up the tactics or squad structure. Their La Liga title is at risk if they don't move fast. Don't even mention their Champions League possibilities

This team still needs a breath of fresh air to make them better, the problem is that they are not easy to get that breath of fresh air, because they have to consider the long term if they are going to do something. In this case I'm talking about their finances of course, like it or not what makes them weak is not having an even squad in some positions and that makes the opposing team able to exploit their weaknesses in those positions.
The 2 goals scored against them were disappointing, although they could have won this match because they scored 3 goals. But this is a serious note for Xavi and his team and must be able to evaluate what happened in this match.

[Esport_pointman]

Yes. And the most surprising thing is Girona that is joining for the race of the title. It is crazy that a small team like Girona can be in the top of La Liga standings. They even could defeated Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. I don't know what's happening with the teams in La Liga, but it is very different from the last season.

They are actually my favorites to win it all at this point lol, and I'd be so happy to see that happen

[makishart]

Yes. And the most surprising thing is Girona that is joining for the race of the title. It is crazy that a small team like Girona can be in the top of La Liga standings. They even could defeated Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. I don't know what's happening with the teams in La Liga, but it is very different from the last season.

They are actually my favorites to win it all at this point lol, and I'd be so happy to see that happen

Oh, yeah? I have been reading some news said that other clubs potentially to recruit michel sanchez from girona. The club will face yet another disaster if this unfortunate event occurs, and it is important to note that Michel was the one who contributed significantly to its success. Girona can become strong contender to win the competition as long as it can keep the current line up. The potential departure of Michel from the club makes me imagine a scenario where Girona experiences a continuous decline towards the bottom.

There were many clubs are monitoring some players owned by girona. Acmilan, Mu, Real madrid even dortmund were also still monitoring the situation in the club. The situation for Girona seems bleak because it is evident that the absence of key players will result in losses for them before the season concludes.  Let's see how the development in the player transfer related to the girona. It has been brought to my attention that, at the moment, the club is declining all offers. However, it is important to keep in mind that this decision is subject to change depending on the club's financial condition.

[arimamib]

~

This team still needs a breath of fresh air to make them better, the problem is that they are not easy to get that breath of fresh air, because they have to consider the long term if they are going to do something. In this case I'm talking about their finances of course, like it or not what makes them weak is not having an even squad in some positions and that makes the opposing team able to exploit their weaknesses in those positions.
The 2 goals scored against them were disappointing, although they could have won this match because they scored 3 goals. But this is a serious note for Xavi and his team and must be able to evaluate what happened in this match.

It's clear that Barcelona is facing challenges, particularly in terms of squad depth in certain positions. The ability of opposing teams to exploit weaknesses in those positions underscores the importance of having a well-rounded and balanced squad. It's unlucky for Xavi to manage Barcelona in this time with this situation that makes him not able to fulfill his full capability as tactician.

Long-term considerations are crucial in making decisions that will benefit the team sustainably for the future to not fall in the same mistake. Having unreliable defense makes team vulnerable at competing for the highest acheivement. It's a delicate balance between addressing immediate concerns and planning for the team's future. Xavi's ability to navigate these challenges and make strategic decisions, both in terms of player recruitment and tactical adjustments, will be crucial in propelling the team to greater success.

[Chilwell]

Yes. And the most surprising thing is Girona that is joining for the race of the title. It is crazy that a small team like Girona can be in the top of La Liga standings. They even could defeated Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. I don't know what's happening with the teams in La Liga, but it is very different from the last season.

They are actually my favorites to win it all at this point lol, and I'd be so happy to see that happen

I think Girona should be call small club last season but this season they are regarded as strong team in Laliga this season, but they really take that advantage of that small club to defeat big club because they underestimated them that why they gain the victory, they have the same record with real Madrid but goals different, the two things are the only teams in Laliga this season to lose a match, the have a lot of chances to take the lead because they are not distracted with any league because they are only playing Laliga compare to Real Madrid that are occupied with different composition.

[temple]

Yes. And the most surprising thing is Girona that is joining for the race of the title. It is crazy that a small team like Girona can be in the top of La Liga standings. They even could defeated Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. I don't know what's happening with the teams in La Liga, but it is very different from the last season.

They are actually my favorites to win it all at this point lol, and I'd be so happy to see that happen

I think Girona should be call small club last season but this season they are regarded as strong team in Laliga this season, but they really take that advantage of that small club to defeat big club because they underestimated them that why they gain the victory, they have the same record with real Madrid but goals different, the two things are the only teams in Laliga this season to lose a match, the have a lot of chances to take the lead because they are not distracted with any league because they are only playing Laliga compare to Real Madrid that are occupied with different composition.

Small club or big club, that designation doesn't really depend on the current season and how they are temporarily playing.

Real Madrid is a big club, a huge club and I have a hard time saying that Girona now counts as a big club because after 19 games they are in the second position in La Liga. I think it takes more than that. It takes a lot of things to be considered a big club, but first and foremost titles.

However, it is great that it is not the typical clubs playing for the title at least for the moment. This could change quickly though when Girona has their first losing streak (if they will have one at all, I don't know). Perhaps they keep going like that.

[Tony116]

Yes. And the most surprising thing is Girona that is joining for the race of the title. It is crazy that a small team like Girona can be in the top of La Liga standings. They even could defeated Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. I don't know what's happening with the teams in La Liga, but it is very different from the last season.

They are actually my favorites to win it all at this point lol, and I'd be so happy to see that happen

I think Girona should be call small club last season but this season they are regarded as strong team in Laliga this season, but they really take that advantage of that small club to defeat big club because they underestimated them that why they gain the victory, they have the same record with real Madrid but goals different, the two things are the only teams in Laliga this season to lose a match, the have a lot of chances to take the lead because they are not distracted with any league because they are only playing Laliga compare to Real Madrid that are occupied with different composition.

Small club or big club, that designation doesn't really depend on the current season and how they are temporarily playing.

Real Madrid is a big club, a huge club and I have a hard time saying that Girona now counts as a big club because after 19 games they are in the second position in La Liga. I think it takes more than that. It takes a lot of things to be considered a big club, but first and foremost titles.
However, it is great that it is not the typical clubs playing for the title at least for the moment. This could change quickly though when Girona has their first losing streak (if they will have one at all, I don't know). Perhaps they keep going like that.

The way Girona played, I am actually surprised that Barcelona is still right under them. Well, that probably doesn't make sense because the other teams didn't play well, teams like Atletico Madrid should have done a lot better compared to what they have done in the past few matches. Barcelona is in the 3rd position but Barca is still 7 points behind and that is something to worry for Barca. By the way, Girona have the same amount of points as Real Madrid. So there is still a chance for them to actually be at the top of the table ahead of Real Madrid. That's how good they are at this season. For a team that got promoted last season, this is a great improvement.

[TelolettOm]

To sign with Joao Felix, Barcelona must see benefit from the player and they must finalize deals with the player about salary and with Atletico Madrid about transfer fee. Generally Barcelona does not have good financial health status and they even already overspent in the two latest seasons. This difficulty in finance will be big barrier for this transfer.

You're right. Barcelona looks in the bad financial stability, they should buy any new players. If they want to sign new players, they must be ready to sell some players. Barcelona needs to get fresh money by selling players during this January transfer window. But I doubt if Xavi wants to sell his players, they prefer to keep the existing players.

What's up with the news of Kylian Mbappe finally accepting having agreements with Real Madrid already? I see it hasn't been posted by  Fabrizio Romano so I'm yet to make my finally conclusion.
If he finally moves in then, the hands of Real Madrid attacking football and players, future is on good terms.

It is an old news that Mbappe got a personal agreement with Real Madrid management. But I don't know whether it is valid news or just a rumor.
Well, Fabrizio Romano only posted the news when it is clear already. If he still didn't post it, it means there is no clear new yet. Anyway, I really hope Mbappe will come to Real Madrid soon.

[W Jr.]

Valencia lost the first half with a goal in the 4th minute.Valencia made good use of their opponent being down to 10 men and started to put the pressure on them in the second half.Valencia won the match with a goal in extra time in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw in normal time. To be honest, I didn't expect them to have so much difficulty because Valencia's squad quality is much higher than their opponent.The opponent is at the bottom of the 2nd division and I didn't think they would attach much importance to the cup match.We can say that they gave Valencia a hard time when they should aim to stay in the league.

In cup matches, at such early stages, the coach most often gives key players of the main squad a rest and weaker opponents try to take advantage of this. But you are right, considering that Valencia had an advantage throughout the second half, they should have decided the outcome of this match in their favor without extra time.

The match for Barcelona was also not easy, although they did not have to win back, but to prevent this, Xavi used Gundogan and Lewandowski at the end of the match, so cup matches are not always as easy as it seems at first glance.

You are right about the resting side, but the home team should also do that.When we look at the home team's situation in the league, we have to say that they are in a troubled situation and in the relegation pot.They should not focus too much on the cup match.Valencia should have finished the match before extra time. Especially after their opponent was reduced to 10 men, both teams could have made good use of this and not taken extra time.Although cup matches are usually matches where teams use their substitutes, they can also have the chance to try some of their tactics in these matches.It's all about how they use it and it's up to the teams to make it harder or easier.

Cartagena is the last team in the Spanish second league. Valencia should have destroyed them. After Cartagena received a red card, I thought Valencia could score 4-5 goals. But I was wrong and Cartagena put up an epic resistance. It was obvious that they were specially focused on the cup match. If Valencia had not scored in extra time, they would have been eliminated in penalties.

[snipie]

Cartagena is the last team in the Spanish second league. Valencia should have destroyed them. After Cartagena received a red card, I thought Valencia could score 4-5 goals. But I was wrong and Cartagena put up an epic resistance. It was obvious that they were specially focused on the cup match. If Valencia had not scored in extra time, they would have been eliminated in penalties.

Valencia improved a bit in La Liga this season comparing to the previous one but it remains a mid-table team after all, which means they are fluctuating and if we added the fact that Cup matches are more random than league matches then the result wouldn't be surprising. Even Bayern Munich got kicked by random teams in DFB-Pokal and you can see how bad the result of Barcelona was against Barbastro, even Villarreal got kicked by a team called Uninistas..

Since Copa del Rey matches ended, there will be Supercopa of Spain with both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in a match and Barcelona - Osasuna In the other one that will be played wednesday and Thursday.

[BIT-BENDER]

The fact that a lower division side can score Barcelona not just one goal but multiple goals says alot about the team, Barcelona are very gullible right now and even in their last champions league match a lower side won them.
I don't know if the board of directors at Barcelona are experimenting or don't have any clue on what to do because that would explain why Xavi is still Barcelona's head coach.

[shogun47]

Girona played this well. They didn't put too much energy into that game and yet they made sure that they are not running into deadlocks during the game and then risk that they get in trouble by the end of the game. They have played this with high efficiency and scored the goals at the right time. Scoring in the first half took away some pressure from them and then scoring in minute 67 put the nail in the coffin for Elche and it was clear that there is no coming back for them.

But Girona allowed Elche too many shots I think. Not too many of those shots were dangerous, but still a lucky shot can always hit and then the game takes on a new dynamic. They should improve their ball control game a bit.

I love the goal scored by Daley Blind in that game, the runs for the goal really made me smile good whenever I get to think about that one.
It's indeed a good way to start up the new year, they're now having back to back wins from the La Liga Competition down the the Copa del Rey Competition.
Elche did not do completely poor during that game try to fight for what they want.

Girona will be at home once again against Almeria, this is another game they're definitely going to win. Give Xavi Hernandez the break he deserves, he will do well. A lot of issues facing that club.

The Daley Blind goal was incredible, but I wonder how many people understand that the goal scored by Nunez was extremely difficult to score. The leg work and the coordination and then that finish? My god I think if someone understands soccer well enough, it is out of the question that this goal was top notch. The timing of the goal, the position where he hit the ball and then how it went down behind the goalkeeper and hit the triangle of the goal. That was just impressive and can't be praised enough. In my opinion, if a player is under such pressure and has so many players around him, coming up with that move is world class.

[ShowOff]

Real Betis' defeat in the previous week was quite surprising because they actually lost against Celta Vigo. Even though they were able to hold Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Girona to a draw in several previous matches and this means they have not won again in the last 5 matches. The result of 1 loss and 4 draws meant that they failed to secure a perfect 15 points and could only produce 4 points from the match.

Even so, Real Betis still remains in 7th position, but because they lost so many points, the other teams below them are getting closer to them. Like Getafe, Valencia and Las Palmas are starting to threaten them from behind and I think this will be a bad note if they can't maintain their current position or try to win again in the next match in order to shorten the distance from Real Sociedad.

Many people were surprised by Real Betis' performance last week, as they lost to Celta Vigo after previously holding tougher opponents to a draw. Celta Vigo is currently in 17th place and hovering around the relegation zone. Real Betis played well and dominated the game, but they were unable to score more goals that would have given them the victory. Celta Vigo's victory gave them three points and moved them out of the relegation zone, which I hope is not a temporary exit.

Real Betis needs to tighten up and face the game with more challenge strength because the league and position they are in now are very tight and they could fall below their closest rivals who are only a point behind them at any time. After Real Betis held Real Madrid, Girona, and other top teams to draws, I assumed they would have no trouble beating lower-ranked teams in the league, but my assumptions were incorrect, and the game of uncertainty continues in this league.

Of course, this is a bit strange about Real Betis because they have dropped a lot of points in their last 5 matches in La Liga. Not only in La Liga, Real Betis was also not in their best form in the Copa Del Rey, recently losing to Alaves. They dominated attacks in several of those matches, but Real Betis had to give up with a draw or defeat to their opponents.

The situation is worrying for Real Betis this season, but they are a solid team and are expected to return to their best. However, in my opinion Real Betis still has many opportunities to develop and fight to finish in the European zone next season considering that La Liga is still very long. I don't know exactly what their problem is, but there are several players who are currently injured and maybe that is one of the causes behind all this besides bad finishing.

[Marvell1]

 This season for Barcelona is not so good, but this season they are in the playoffs of the Champions League, not everything is good in La Liga either, seven points is a big gap, but theoretically they still have a chance. And I think that Xavi will focus on these two tournaments, and the players from the bench will play the cup.
Araujo refused to renew his contract with Barcelona, Bayern are very actively interested in him, and despite the fact that his contract is valid until 2026, Barcelona has already offered him to extend it, but Araujo is in no hurry to do this.
It is worth saying that Barcelona still have financial problems, they have a debt of €207 million, mostly due to their players, so it is not surprising that they want to find more stable teams financially.

With the many problems experienced by Barcelona then yes, of course, it will make Barcelona have great pressure so that it has a bad impact on team performance. After all, on the European stage also the fact that Barcelona has always failed in the last two seasons although indeed, this season Barcelona entered the round of 16 in the Champions League. But ya, I personally still doubt the quality of Barcelona at this moment, because it is very possible for Barcelona to fail again on the European stage.

Therefore, I believe this season there is no trophy for Barcelona, because Barcelona seems to have lost the chance to get it. It is not meant to underestimate Barcelona, but the reality is so, with the many problems experienced by Barcelona this season.

To be honest I don't think Barcelona's performance last season was that good either, it is just that the other teams in the leagues who used to be a threat for them were performing bad. Let's look at Real Madrid, Benezema had left Real Madrid and Real Madrid were looking somewhat clueless most of the matches. Atletico Madrid and Sevilla had a rough season both struggling. But I must give them the credit. I know they were doing better than this season but I don't think performance has drastically downgraded.

Another reason is that the injuries. Every team is hit with it and the worst thing for Barcelona is that their key players are injured. They lack creativity right now and Pedri and Gavi who were the creative midfielders, are injured at the moment.  Lewandowski is not performing like he is supposed to and due to financial problems, they could not even get new signings. I don't think we should blaming Xavi for these performances.

[bitvalak]

Real Madrid are big guns in Europe and they’re also great and top when it comes to their league. It’s quite surprising how they’ve managed to still remain top and unbeaten without having a striker. It shows how good Ancelloti is in managing this boys, he really helped in bringing out their best this currently and currently they're performing beyond expectations,  Madrid would go far in all competitions this season.

 That’s a quality of a good team headed by a quality coach and that makes them a threat both in Europe and in the Spanish League. Don Carlo knows how best to rotate this team and get the best from all the players. For their Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday, I’ll be giving Real Madrid the upper hands against City Rivals, Athletico Madrid. Because ReAl is better in almost everything and Althletico isn’t really much of a match to them.

I looked at the line-up against and I was really surprised by the players Ancelotti chose for that match. This means that they don't field several goal-scoring players but they are able to win the match. Arandina is not a top club but I think Don Carlo is quite smart in setting strategy and rotating players. But still without a pure striker but being able to dominate the league really makes me appreciate what Ancelotti is doing. Although I have doubts about the Champions League because we know that the level of matches there is much more competitive.

Against Arandina yesterday it shouldn't be a problem for Don Carlo, that's why he rotated his second line of players & several Castilla players.
However, this match will be different, because what they are facing are city rivals Atletico Madrid. We know that the tension in the second match is always high. Don Carlo must be smart in rotating players because if not, they will lose several more key players.
Moreover, the current CB position is very worrying because there are only Nacho and Rudiger who really have experience, the rest are filled by the Castilla academy. But in this match of course I will favor Real Madrid to win, no matter what the score is.

[jaberwock]

Girona four matches later in La Liga

• Almeria
• Sevilla
• Celta Vigo
• Real Sociedad

I don't think Girona will fail get three points with four teams above and potential keep pressure Madrid on first standings position, behind top teams such as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid success defeat and I sure four mediocre teams above seems not much problem for Girona keep get three points on every match. Likely the same with Real Madrid will not face difficult opponent team on four matches later except against Atletico Madrid, crucial between Girona and Madrid will face on early February and both team has chance who will lead top standings position.

Getting points from "easier" opponents is not as easy as people think it is. Look at all the champions of the previous years, you will see that they probably get a loss or a tie from some simple team, that doesn't mean that they didn't become champions, they still did, because others had that too, and it's all about consistency, if you win most games, you will be fine, but that also doesn't mean that you beat everyone, there are always some games that shocks the whole world.

This is why, Girona may end up winning ALL these games, but that doesn't mean that they are going to end up with something that would be easy, they may end up dropping some points here as well, so they should definitely be careful about it for sure.

[BALIK]

The fact that a lower division side can score Barcelona not just one goal but multiple goals says alot about the team, Barcelona are very gullible right now and even in their last champions league match a lower side won them.
I don't know if the board of directors at Barcelona are experimenting or don't have any clue on what to do because that would explain why Xavi is still Barcelona's head coach.

I have to say the performance from Barcelona is definitely not up to the standard. They are not being able to keep a clean sheet against very weak opponents. And that causes a lot of concern. Right now Barcelona is nowhere near the points of the team that is ahead of them. And the team ahead of them is Girona. Barcelona has not been able to keep a clean sheet against Barbastro, Las Palmas, Club America (it was friendly by the way), Almeria, and Valencia. And those which were La Liga matches, none of them were top six teams.

The teams that I have mentioned, people might actually have not heard some of their names, lol. And by the way, Barcelona lost 4- 2 against Girona.  I don't think they are actually going to defend the title successfully. La Liga title is going to some other team this time.

[imamusma]

To be honest I don't think Barcelona's performance last season was that good either, it is just that the other teams in the leagues who used to be a threat for them were performing bad. Let's look at Real Madrid, Benezema had left Real Madrid and Real Madrid were looking somewhat clueless most of the matches. Atletico Madrid and Sevilla had a rough season both struggling. But I must give them the credit. I know they were doing better than this season but I don't think performance has drastically downgraded.

Another reason is that the injuries. Every team is hit with it and the worst thing for Barcelona is that their key players are injured. They lack creativity right now and Pedri and Gavi who were the creative midfielders, are injured at the moment.  Lewandowski is not performing like he is supposed to and due to financial problems, they could not even get new signings. I don't think we should blaming Xavi for these performances.

Even though Barcelona is not very good, we still have to respect them as defending champions, the opportunity to defend the title is still quite open even though the situation as you describe is very clear to understand. It cannot be denied that the financial crisis has hampered Barcelona development this season. Atletico Madrid experienced a slight shock, Sevilla had an even worse fate with the threat of a dregadation zone, in this case Xavi and his squad were lucky. But Barcelona position in the current standings is not completely safe, Xavi must be fully alert to the threats that Bilbao and Atletico could pose in the future.

Xavi has tried his best to manage his squad so that they can unleash their full potential, thereby erasing greater doubts regarding their chances of reclaiming the La Liga title at the end of the season. Vitor Roque is the solution to Lewandowski declining performance, the return of injured players will increase Barcelona chances in the second half of the season, also for Real Madrid and Girona there is no guarantee that they will continue to be consistent.

[skarais]

~~~

To be honest I don't think Barcelona's performance last season was that good either, it is just that the other teams in the leagues who used to be a threat for them were performing bad. Let's look at Real Madrid, Benezema had left Real Madrid and Real Madrid were looking somewhat clueless most of the matches. Atletico Madrid and Sevilla had a rough season both struggling. But I must give them the credit. I know they were doing better than this season but I don't think performance has drastically downgraded.

Another reason is that the injuries. Every team is hit with it and the worst thing for Barcelona is that their key players are injured. They lack creativity right now and Pedri and Gavi who were the creative midfielders, are injured at the moment.  Lewandowski is not performing like he is supposed to and due to financial problems, they could not even get new signings. I don't think we should blaming Xavi for these performances.

Of course, Barcelona's performance this season is different compared to last season, but they are a team that can still compete for the title until the end of the season. Moreover, being 7 points behind Real Madrid doesn't mean Barcelona has failed this season, but in my opinion they still have a chance to improve it rather than giving up on all their imperfections.

Xavi does not fully deserve the blame for his team's current performance. The injury problems faced by his team have seen the team's performance decline, while several reserve players have not been able to maintain their form enough. It can still be said to be good because Barcelona is in the top 4, but it might be considered very bad if they were out of that zone.