La Liga Lowdown

The new year began and the first half of the season ended with fireworks as Matchday 19 bore witness to one of the shocks of the season. Hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) delve through a gruelling jornada as Covid hit hard across LaLiga. On hand to join in the celebrations however was Dom Tancock (@dorsetDom1905). He revelled as Getafe took out league leaders Real...

As the festive season gets underway, join us for all the fun and frolics of Matchday 18 in LaLiga where home wins were plentiful and goals almost guaranteed. Hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) unwrap all the early Christmas presents. In part one, Chris Lail (@ChrisLail) from the Monchi’s Men (@MonchisMen) pod joins us to evaluate Sevilla’s massive win against Atleti...

Matchday 17 in LaLiga featured an electric Sunday line-up and it didn't disappoint - unless you're from the Colchonero persuasion. Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) as they wade through another chapter in Spain's best drama. In the first half of the show, there's a deep dive on the Madrid derby with Scott Martin (@CoachScottCopy) - in which we conclude that...

Another LaLiga Matchday draws to a close and this one came with consequences. Join hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) as they untangle all of the stories and delve into some unwanted numbers. The first half of the show features a first defeat for Barcelona manager Xavi - but not before giving Real Betis credit for beating them. Then Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) bre...

As the winter chill begins to take hold, the action and drama in LaLiga continues to keep us all warm. Join Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) as they recap Matchday 15 in all its glory. Real Madrid left it late but beat title rivals Sevilla in the Sunday night partidazo to move four points clear at the top. We ask: can anyone catch them? We then turn our attention to the...

Never a quiet weekend in LaLiga and Matchday 14 was no different. As we welcomed a new manager into the fray, another one departs us and hosts Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) were on hand to break it all down. Beginning with the debut, the pod went straight to Camp Nou to get the thoughts of Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) on Xavi Hernández's Barcelona. Above them are...

LaLiga once again lived up to its new-found reputation of late goals, with the Matchday 13 drama unfolding in cinematic fashion. Hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) are back again to make sense of the breathless action. After a quick recap of the results, Ian Morris (@CeltaUSA) joins to share his joy after another Balaídos classic between Celta Vigo and Barcelona. Ma...

Matchday 12 came hot off the heels of Matchday 11 and similarly, there were great games, shocks and some fantastic moments. Your host Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) reviews it all with Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow). The Sunday night partidazo lived up to that billing and the only place to start was at a raucous Reale Arena - Beñat Gutiérrez (@beinatguti) was present to give his derby day verdict. S...

Hot on the heels of Matchday 10, LaLiga returned with a pulsating set of matches in midweek for round 11, so settle down in the company of hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Matt Clark (MattClark_08) for this bumper episode. The headline news is the sacking of Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman after their third league defeat of the season at Rayo Vallecano. That is the biggest story in town,...

Matchday 10 of LaLiga was bursting with entertainment, drama and…goals – lots of them! With so much action to get through, dive straight in and join hosts Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Matt Clark (@MattClark_08). We begin at Camp Nou where El Clásico entered a new era, but the result was an all too familiar one, as Real Madrid took the victory once again. Matt and Sam – who was at the game liv...

LaLiga Matchday 9 was another adulterated version with just six matches taking place over the weekend, but that just means the analysis was all the more detailed. Join hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) as they break it down. Starting with the Sunday night partidazo, Barcelona got a much needed win over Valencia and despite Ansu Fati, there are still reasons for pes...

LaLiga continues to bring the drama and the emotion to your footballing weekend. After a busy few weeks, hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) cast their eyes over the surprise-filled round.  The problems continue to mount for Barcelona as they suffered another defeat at the Wanda Metropolitano. Sam was there to witness it, while our resident Barça fan Román De Ar...

LaLiga continues to be the best entertainment around on Sundays with another 15 goals in 5 games. Hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) pick their way through that mayhem but not before unpacking a siesta-worthy effort from the title holders Atleti against bottom-dwelling Alavés. Attentions are then turned to Camp Nou, which threatened to be a gloomy affair but ende...

More than one LaLiga coach is hanging onto their job by a thread after Matchday 6 in LaLiga in an action-packed midweek round of fixtures. Your hosts Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) cover all the action with insights from locals fans. Ronald Koeman's Barcelona drew two blanks in the space of four days, against Granada and Cádiz, while Real Madrid produced goals galo...

There's nothing worse than heartbreak and Matchday 5 in LaLiga was an affair riddled with it. Your hosts Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) are across the major talking points and several of the grounds. Real Madrid are nothing if not resilient and they left Valencia short-changed on Sunday night. Dramatic endings lead the discussion as Real Betis surrender in the 97th...

La Liga Lowdown returns after the international break to recap another dramatic weekend in the Spanish top flight. Valencia are flying, Real Madrid are back home and Atleti left it late again.  Join hosts Matt Clark (MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) to tuck into the action as the table begins to take shape.  We hear from expert Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) on Valencia's win...

Just like Matchday 2, this weekend finished with a partidazo as Villarreal went to the Wanda and - nearly - came home with all three points.  Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) joins Ruairidh Barlow (RuriBarlow) to review a weekend of huff, puff and perplexed managers. One of those cradling his head in his hands was Unai Emery, Jamie Kemble (@Jamie Kemble) reflects on a bizarre evening in Madrid. Kei...

La Liga Lowdown returns to review Matchday 2 of the 2021/22 season, as Levante and Real Madrid served up a Sunday night classic! Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) is joined by Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) to analyse the results and the standout performances, including Atleti's win over Elche in front of fans at the Wanda Metropolitano. We hear from Hasan Karim (@TheHasKarim) who dissects Real Madrid’s r...

Join La Liga Lowdown for our first matchday recap of the season, the first LaLiga matchday without Lionel Messi in almost 17 years. Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) is joined by Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) to discuss all the action and the best performances. Special guests Domagoj Kostanjšak (@DKostanjsak), Paco Polit (@PacoPolitENG) and Ian Morris (@CeltaUSA) also join us to take a look at how Bar...

Following on from our preview of the top half of LaLiga, La Liga Lowdown returns with a preview of the other end of the table, analysing who will face a battle for safety and who could hope to push on from mid-table mediocrity. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) discuss and debate who will get dragged into the relegation fight. We hear from fans of two newly promoted side...

La Liga Lowdown is back for 2021/22! In our first pod for the season, Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) discuss a very different LaLiga after a turbulent summer. In this first part of our pre-season preview, we take a look at the top of the table. We hear from fans of Spanish football’s top three, as Sam talks to Atlético Madrid fan Jeremy Beren (@JBBeren), and Ruairidh...

It’s our final matchday recap podcast of the 2020/21 LaLiga season and we start by congratulating the champions Atlético Madrid. Ruairidh Barlow (@RuairidhBarlow) brings us the energetic commentary clips of the goals in Los Rojiblancos’ decisive victory in Valladolid, while we hear from Atleti fans Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Jeremy Beren (@JBBeren) as they explain what this title means. We...

This is the latest episode in our series looking at the history of every club in Spain’s top division. This time the focus is on Real Betis, one of the very best-supported clubs in Spain. Euan McTear (@emctear) hosts and recaps some of the club’s highlight moments, before Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) walk us through the club's history. Then, Andrew Miller (@AndrewMi...

The penultimate round of the 2020/21 LaLiga season was one for the ages, as Atlético Madrid came from behind to defeat Osasuna and stay top of the standings. Host Euan McTear (@emctear) checks in on Atleti fan Jeremy Beren (@JBBeren), to see how he coped with all that drama, while Hasan Karim (@TheHasKarim) also offers the Real Madrid fan perspective after they won in Bilbao to keep the pressure o...

In the latest episode of our La Liga Lowdown club podcasts series, we tell the story of Levante and how they established themselves as a regular top-flight club. Euan McTear (@emctear) starts the podcast by looking back over some of the Granotas’ all-time highlights. Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) then provide the detail on the club's history. Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBa...