La Liga Lowdown

Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) for a midweek dip into the deep pool of Spanish football. On the agenda today is Copa del Rey, LaLiga and the new Kings League. We review the shocks and surprises from the first day of Last 32 matches in the Copa, starting in north Africa, where Elche's nightmare season got even more horrible, if that was even possible. Their agony...

10 games, 21 goals, and a 16-card special from Mateu Lahoz. LaLiga is officially back. Spanish football returned with a bang this weekend, as Jornada 15 squeezed itself into the calendar before 2022 was out. Join your hosts Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they pick apart the big results from the top and the bottom of a tasty looking table heading into the new year....

LaLiga is back and after six weeks off, we are being plunged back into the middle of a season. Join hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) as they try to ease you in slowly to the first Jornada back. The league leaders/failed European side Barcelona begin with a tricky proposition early on, without their leading scorer. Yet Real Madrid's proposition has all the ingredie...

The celebrations have barely settled down in Buenos Aires, but ten of those players on that open-top bus will be back on Spanish shores soon enough, as LaLiga makes an almost immediate return after the 2022 World Cup. Following perhaps the most dramatic international tournament of all time, join Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they discuss how Qatar 2022 might impact t...

La Liga Lowdown are back to discuss the World Cup final because... how could we not? Jarring though it may be, Spanish football is back just two days after the World Cup ends, so Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@aeroslavee) cast an eye over some relationship troubles in LaLiga. Some are calling it the greatest World Cup final ever and whether you agree or not, it everything the...

As the dust settles on Spain's World Cup campaign, we take a look at the consequences of elimination to Morocco as Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) analyse the fall-out. First up, a discussion about Luis Enrique, what went wrong, and what led to his dismissal as Spain coach. What's next for Lucho? There's enough to talk about to fill out a whole stream... After a short...

It's over. Spain are out of the World Cup. Their exit comes at the Round of 16 stage once again, falling on penalties, just like they did four years ago in Russia. This campaign promised so much more, from the togetherness of the group to the charismatic leadership of Luis Enrique. But it wasn't to be. The inquest has already begun in terms of his future and the direction of the national team, who...

We're into the business end of the World Cup and there will be no more room for error as Spain face Morocco in a fiery derby of sorts on Tuesday. Join hosts Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) as they preview the La Roja's Round of 16 tie. Part one is dedicated to Spain's faults and flaws. Where did things go wrong against Japan and what changes should Luis Enrique make to...

Spain made it through  por los pelos  up against a Japanese side who stunned them with a 2-1 defeat in La Roja’s final group stage match of the World Cup. To analyse the action, Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) is joined by Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) in his usual animated form. They discuss what went wrong for Luis Enrique’s team and what that means for the rest of the tournament as Spain l...

It's crunch time in Qatar as the final round of Group Stage matches dawns. Spain are in a strong position and are in full control of their own destiny, but Japan stand in their way. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they look ahead to the match and discuss everything from Luis Enrique's Twitch streams to Gavi's potential future royal prospects. In Part One the fo...

We're back again to review Spain's second game of the 2022 World Cup. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) reflect on a pulsating game between two former World champions that turned definitively into a tale of two substitute forwards. In Part One, we discuss the game from a Spain perspective, analysing what went well and what could have gone better, before Román gives his v...

Join us for our preview podcast ahead of the biggest game yet at the 2022 World Cup as Spain take on Germany on Sunday night in Qatar. Host Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) is joined by Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) in the first half to discuss how Spain could line-up and what we expect from the tactics board that Luis Enrique hasn't shown on his Twitch streams. In part two, we're joined by German fo...

Following the most sensational start to a World Cup in living memory, Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) revel in the joyful aftermath of Spain's SEVEN-nil win over Costa Rica. In part one, hear what our experts have to say about the performances of Pedri, Dani Olmo, and Gavi, who became the third-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history, at just 18 years and 110 days. With...

On this podcast, Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) preview Spain's 2022 World Cup debut up against Costa Rica, featuring expert insight from Ellie Manville of The Rica Football Podcast. They discuss Luis Enrique's selection headaches and what La Roja can expect in their opening game. There's also discussion of some of the major talking points in Qatar, including more...

With just one more sleep to go until the 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar, host Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) is joined by experts from all over the globe, as Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG), Adam Khan (@XxAdamKhanxX) and Dan Orlowitz (@aishiterutokyo) discuss a tantalising Group E. In Part One, Thom and Paco discuss all things Spain, from Ansu Fati to José Luís Gayà, with a heavy dose of optimism as Lui...

Don't ever let anyone tell you LaLiga isn't fun. Join hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) as they break down four days of action which swung like a pendulum. Part One begins at the top - with Barcelona. Not many saw it coming, but are they now favourites for the league? Real Madrid suffered their first defeat of the season and look less than imposing these days. Atlé...

Two major events dominated Matchday 13, despite several storylines emerging elsewhere and demanding our attention. Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they break it all down. Part one begins in Andalusia and it might be November, but temperatures and tempers ran hot in the Seville derby on Sunday night. Atlético Madrid bumbled their way to a draw with ten-...

Gerard Piqué has announced that he is retiring from football, leaving Fútbol Club Barcelona after 14 years and 30 trophies. To mark this momentous occasion, we had to jump behind the microphones to record a special bonus pod. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) is joined by Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) to reflect on the timing of the decision, whether it is the right one,...

After the European group stages concluded this week, another round of LaLiga is upon us once more. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) for a full discussion of the fixtures this weekend. There was a bit of soul-searching to do for some Spanish sides, namely Atlético Madrid. Knocked out of Europe entirely, the first time that has happened before Christmas in the Diego Sim...

As the clock struck ninety at Mestalla on Saturday night, it was looking as if the gap at the top would be five points by the end of Matchday 12. Nonetheless, last-minute goals, controversial penalties and downward pressure on a football means that only one point separates Real Madrid and Barcelona at the summit of Spanish football, after another enthralling round of LaLiga Santander. With another...

Disaster, catastrophe and cruelty - Spain did not enjoy a good week in the Champions League. Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they pick through the wreckage and then look ahead to a crucial weekend in LaLiga. Part one focuses on the European woes and La Ley del Deporte - the increasingly famous Spanish Sports Law. Atlético Madrid could scarcely have imagin...

With games coming thick and fast, join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) for a review of Matchday 11 in LaLiga. It was a tale of contrasting fortunes if your name is Valverde: Fede scored again as Real Madrid kept up their unbeaten run, while Ernesto suffered a 4-0 defeat on his return to Barcelona. The form of the big two is discussed, including the question of whether...

You know that Mitchell and Webb sketch about the football? The constant, dizzying, twenty-four hour, year-long endless football? It all fell a bit too real this week. No sooner did LaLiga finish for Jornada 9, did it start again for Jornada 10, as Sevilla and Valencia played out an enthralling draw to kick off the midweek action. We also saw an incredible game in the rain at Valladolid, a goal-of-...

We can't quite remember the last time that we were so excited for a Clásico. We've been counting down the sleeps ever since that first lever was pulled... But Sunday was finally the day, and it was Real Madrid ran out 3-1 winners over Xavi's Barcelona in a thoroughly entertaining game, to swing the title race back towards the capital club's favour. Join your hosts Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and (@...

It's the (joint) biggest weekend of the year in Spanish football and there's only one place to get your preview. Join hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) as they go into detail on the first El Clásico of the season. Part 1 is exclusively dedicated to all your Clásico needs as we talk through how each side is arriving at the Santiago Bernabéu - Blaugrana are aptly loo...