La Liga starts up tomorrow and the top teams will vie to knock off the upset winners, Atletico Madrid. Atletico Madrid almost won the double by winning La Liga and the UEFA Champions League but lost in the Champions League Final to Real Madrid. Atletico built their team around players who would run through a brick wall for the charismatic manager, Diego Simeone. They knew they couldn’t match the money spent to get top players like their rivals, Real Madrid and Barcelona, but they had the drive and determination and pulled off the upset.
As far as this season is concerned, I would say it’s Real Madrid’s to lose. Now I would’ve said the same thing the beginning of last year and look what happened so it’s still unpredictable. But I can’t see Atletico Madrid winning back-to-back titles and Barcelona hasn’t done enough to make a charge at the title. Luis Suarez was their big signing but he’s out until late October and they lost Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas so it’s kind of a push there. And now that they can’t make any transfer signings next year, it’s going to be a while before Barcelona wins any big trophies. And I never thought I would be saying that.
The top three seem pretty much set and that leaves one more Champions League spot for La Liga. Athletic Bilbao comfortably got the spot last year and I predict more of the same. Sevilla may make a run and make it close but Bilbao pulls it out in the end.
