La Liga Lowdown

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Celta & Rayo hear Europe calling as Espanyol survive: LaLiga Matchday 38 recap May 26, 2025

Show notes

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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Villarreal seal Champions League as Lega fight to the end: LaLiga Matchday 37 recap May 18, 2025

Show notes

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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A super-remontada worth a title: LaLiga Matchday 35 recap May 11, 2025

Show notes

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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Nervy wins in title battle as UCL race heats up: LaLiga Matchday 34 recap May 05, 2025

Show notes

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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Barcelona are Copa champions again: Copa del Rey Final recap Apr 27, 2025

Show notes

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 Clásico loss.

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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Raphinazo & Las Palmas find their fighting spirit: LaLiga matchday 32 recap Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

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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Mbappé sees red as Sevilla sack another coach: LaLiga Matchday 31 recap Apr 13, 2025

Show notes

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...

Join us and subscribe at lllonline.substack.com for all our content, including the second legs of the European quarter-finals this week.

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The parachute isn't opening: LaLiga Matchday 30 recap Apr 06, 2025

Show notes

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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Seville is verdiblanco & Atleti say goodbye to the title: LaLiga Matchday 29 recap Mar 30, 2025

Show notes

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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Penalty ecstasy after partidazo in Mestalla: Nations League quarter-final second leg recap Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

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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