Here’s part two of our LaLiga season preview, looking into the other 10 teams (11th-17th + the promoted sides) and what to expect from them in this new campaign.
Rayo Vallecano
Last season: 11th
Selected ins: Pacha Espino, Aridane Hernández
Selected outs: Andoni Iraola (manager), Alejandro Catena, Fran García
Player to watch: Pacha Espino
With the departure of Iraola and some important players, Rayo face an uncertain future. The last couple of seasons have been a joy for rayistas, but with Francisco now in charge there are concerns on whether he has what it takes to maintain the standards set by Iraola. The Andalusian manager doesn’t boast a great record in Spain’s top flight, with up to three relegations in the five campaigns he’s coached in LaLiga. The positive note is that so far, aside from Sergio Camello’s departure, they’ve held on to their attacking threats: Álvaro García, Isi Palazón and Raúl De Tomás. Regarding their defence, the arrival of Pacha Espino, Aridane and Lejeune help mitigate Catena and Fran García’s exits.
Sevilla
Last season: 12th
Selected ins: Djibril Sow
Selected outs: Bryan Gil, Pape Gueye
Player to watch: Lucas Ocampos
Last season was an emotional rollercoaster for Sevilla, caught up in the relegation battle for most part of the season until José Luis Mendilibar came in to set things straight. Not only did he help the team avoid the bottom positions, he also led them to an unexpected Europa League title that ensured Champions League football for this campaign. Now he’ll look to consolidate his ideas at the club, working closely with Victor Orta, who replaces club legend Monchi, to improve the squad. So far, the signing of Sow and Badé’s continuity, are Sevilla’s best business this summer. But a lot of moves are still expected from now until the 31st August, especially in terms of departures.
Celta de Vigo
Last season: 13th
Selected ins: Rafa Benítez (manager), Jonathan Bamba
Selected outs: Javi Galán, Denis Suárez, Hugo Mallo
Player to watch: Jonathan Bamba
Celta want to dream big(ger) than in the last couple of seasons and now they can do so with an experienced manager in charge, such as Rafa Benítez. After so many years depending solely on Iago Aspas to provide for the team, they’ve finally found a new gem for years to come in Gabri Veiga, if they can succeed in keeping suitors away. The pair, combined with an improving Strand Larsen and the talented Jonathan Bamba, should pose a considerable threat to opposing defences. Now it’s in Rafa’s hands to fit the pieces together and build a competitive squad that can push for European positions and stay away from the relegation zone.
Cádiz
Last season: 14th
Selected ins: Gonzalo Escalante, Darwin Machís
Selected outs: Pacha Espino
Player to watch: Gonzalo Escalante
In their fourth consecutive campaign in LaLiga, Cádiz will have the same objective they had when they got promoted: to avoid relegation. Only this time they’ll want to replicate that 20/21 season in which they finished in a comfortable mid-table position. To do that they’ve signed Escalante on a permanent deal after his excellent output, since joining last January. A smart move given he became a key player in their midfield together with Rubén Alcaraz. They’ve also signed other experienced attacking players such as Darwin Machís, Roger or Sergi Guardiola, but it does feel like something is missing in their squad to actually stand out and not get sucked back into the relegation battle.
Getafe
Last season: 15th
Selected ins: José Ángel Carmona, Juanmi Latasa
Selected outs: Munir El Haddadi
Player to watch: Juanmi Latasa
We all know what José Bordalás is capable of and how successful he was at Getafe in his previous stint. But can he do it again? Last season he somehow got los azulones to cling onto salvation in barely seven matches he was in charge. Yet now he’s had time to plan things out properly during this summer and hopes at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez will be high. We can already expect the squad to improve a lot defensively speaking, but there are question marks regarding their attack with their main goalscorer, Enes Ünal, likely out of action until 2024. Bordalás will try and recover Jaime Mata’s best version, pairing him with the promising loanee, Latasa, or betting on more experimented LaLiga strikers such as ‘Choco’ Lozano and Borja Mayoral.
Valencia
Last season: 16th
Selected ins: Cenk Özkacar, Pepelu
Selected outs: Yunus Musah, Edinson Cavani, Samuel Lino
Player to watch: Javi Guerra
Unfortunately for fans of Los Che, it is difficult to foresee an improvement upon last season. Fresh off the back of the joint-worst season in the club’s history, Valencia have been stripped of their assets once again without sufficient replacements coming the other way, placing insurmountable pressure and responsibility upon the shoulders of the young players that broke into the side at the back end of last season. Despite a positive run of results in pre-season, the players were subjected to whistles and boos in their final fixture against Aston Villa, as Mestalla remains dissatisfied with the club’s current posture.
Almería
Last season: 17th
Selected ins: Luis Suárez, Sergio Arribas, Edgar González
Selected outs: El Bilal Touré, Cristian Olivera
Player to watch: Lázaro
Almería stayed up by the skin of their teeth last season, narrowly surviving the drop by a single point, but a rejuvenated squad will look to push higher up the table this time around. A hefty fee of €28 million was acquired through the sale of Malian forward El Bilal Touré, who has transferred over to Atalanta following his seven league goals last season, allowing Almería to make several smart additions. It won’t be easy by all means, but Los Rojiblancos definitely have the tools to avoid relegation once again.
Granada
Last season: 1st (LaLiga2)
Selected ins: Shon Weissman, Wilson Manafá, Jesús Vallejo
Selected outs: Jorge Molina (retired), Quini
Player to watch: Myrto Uzuni
In a whirlwind of a title race, it was Granada that would eventually bring the trophy home, but that doesn’t automatically mean that they are the most likely of the promoted sides to stay up this season. Only Albecete netted more goals than Granada last season, but Myrto Uzuni was the club’s top scorer by a country mile, contributing an astonishing 23 goals, 18 goals more than the second-highest contributor, Bryan Zaragoza. This reliance on a forward that didn’t particularly impress during his last stint in the top division could prove to be costly, but following Jorge Molina’s retirement, Granada have acquired the signatures of experienced forwards Shon Weissman and Famara Diédhiou, who will look to support the Albanian in the final third this season.
Las Palmas
Last season: 2nd (LaLiga2)
Selected ins: Sandro Ramírez, Daley Sinkgraven, Julián Araujo
Selected outs: Óscar Clemente, Sidnei
Player to watch: Sandro Ramírez
When solely analysing on an individual basis, it must be said that Los Canariones have an extremely weak squad for a first division club, but that shouldn’t be enough for you to immediately assume that they will be relegated come the end of the season. Las Palmas have always played with a recognisable identity, employing systematic coaches that know how to get players working in the way that they want them to. Conceding the fewest goals in segunda last season in a second-place finish, García Pimienta’s Las Palmas look to be one of the most entertaining teams to watch as a neutral this term, boasting the likes of Jonathan Viera, Sandro Ramírez, Marc Cardona and Alberto Moleiro, amongst other exciting players.
Deportivo Alavés
Last season: 4th (LaLiga2 Playoff Winners)
Selected ins: Antonio Blanco, Nikola Maras
Selected outs: Florain Lejeune, Asier Villalibre, Jason
Player to watch: Luis Rioja
Following arguably the most dramatic play-off triumph in Spanish football history, Alavés return to the first division after thwarting Levante with a 129th minute penalty. The side that achieved promotion at the end of last season was stacked with experience, so the Basque club has understandably been working to bring more youth into the team this summer, signing young talents such as Antonio Blanco, Rafa Marín and Giuliano Simeone. There’s no doubt that Alavés will be in and around the drop zone this season, but this group has proved that it has the capacity to dig deep when it matters most, so don’t count Los Blanquiazules out just yet.
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Hasta muy pronto,
The La Liga Lowdown crew
Are you guys still podcasting?