La Liga Lowdown

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...

As the games stack up, it was a tight and tense La Liga weekend from top to bottom. Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@aeroslavee) as they break down the all the doubts plaguing them this weekend. Part one begins with analysis on perhaps the team that raised the most questions about themselves, Barcelona. They go into a crucial week in the Champions League against Inter...

We have a feature-length pod for you this week as Julen Lopetegui's long and drawn out departure from Sevilla was finally made official. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are on hand to bring you reaction to that and the arrival of Jorge Sampaoli, before the usual comprehensive preview of Matchday 8 in LaLiga. We begin by telling the story of Sevilla's season and how things...

There were goals all over the place in LaLiga this weekend, and they brought about a new leader to the Spanish league as well. Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Thom Harris (@thomharris_) break down the action across the division. Athletic Club thrashed Almería to start us off, but Getafe and Real Valladolid and later Girona and Real Sociedad brought us the real entertainment in some thrilling enc...

Here comes your man sang the Pixies and after 87 minutes of hard graft, there was Álvaro Morata for Luis Enrique. Join Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they react to Spain's victory over Portugal before looking ahead to the LaLiga Matchday headed our way. Part one is exclusively dedicated to pulling apart this Spain side. What exactly were we taught by this internati...

Midway through the international break, Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) convene to discuss Spain's surprise defeat against Switzerland in Zaragoza, introduced by some exasperated commentary from Cope. They dissect the lineup, the problems at both ends of the pitch, the positives, and the possible solutions. Ultimately, their Nations League destiny will be decided on Ma...

As LaLiga takes the back seat for the next seven days, international football makes a frantic return with the World Cup just under two months away. Join hosts Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they dissect another interesting convocatoria, as selected by Luis Enrique, ahead of two tantalising Nations League ties against Switzerland and Portugal. In Part Two, we're deligh...

The international break is upon us, leaving the LaLiga table frozen in time for another 12 days. Real Madrid go into the mini-break perfect, sealing their sixth win from six with a huge three points at the Cívitas Metropolitano, while Barcelona make it 18 goals scored and just one conceded to remain the closest challengers to Ancelotti's Champions. Join Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Paco Polit (@...

With the international break nearly upon us, join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) for a comprehensive preview of Matchday 6 in LaLiga. After some reflection on the pair of Champions League defeats in Deutschland, we dive straight into the Madrid Derby, the partidazo of the round and one of the games of the season so far. How will Real Madrid line up? Will Atleti be abl...

There were 35 goals in the nine La Liga games across this weekend and yet arguably the most dramatic events occurred off the pitch. Join hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they slice and dice an incredibly entertaining Matchday 5 in LaLiga. Part one begins with the Sunday night partidazo as Real Betis laid down their credentials for the top four with a crucial...

After a momentous midweek in Europe, the domestic action continues at breakneck speed. It was a fantastic set of results which saw six Spanish victories out of seven - only Sevilla were unable to get a result, humbled and hammered by Haaland (sorry Julen). Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to discuss what it all means for the next round of LaLiga: Will Real Madrid stay...

Following another scintillating weekend of LaLiga action, the table is beginning to look a little more familiar. Real Madrid edged out Real Betis before Barcelona brushed aside Sevilla. Atleti were unable to keep pace as they slipped to a draw at Real Sociedad, Hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) assess whether the title race consists of just two horses. Beyond that, Vi...

After a frenetic end to the transfer window, we can concentrate on the football once again. That's exactly what Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) do here, with a mouth-watering round of LaLiga action in prospect. Featuring discussion on all ten matches across the weekend, there is a particular focus on the three partidazos on Saturday, which include a clash of the two hithe...

It might be late summer but everything still feels fresh in LaLiga. We bring you our review of all the weekend's action, from a late win for the champions to another defeat for Sevilla. In Part One, hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) discuss the big two and compare their respective wins on a rousing Sunday night, forged in highly contrasting circumstances. Also on t...

The LaLiga action keeps coming thick and fast with Matchday 3 already upon us. Join Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they look ahead to ten more tantalising matches across the weekend. Starting on Friday night, can Girona quickly back up their Monday night win without another positive result when Celta visit Catalunya? Then there is a sizzler in Seville as two of the...

The second round of action is now complete and we reconvened to dissect all the action, from a Super Sunday that lived up to the billing to a Sevilla side that definitely did not. With only four sides on maximum points and only two without a point, there was plenty of intrigue across the matchday. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08), Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) as they...

Join Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to preview the action in matchday two of LaLiga's 2022/23 campaign, including a super Sunday of fixtures. Barcelona travel to Real Sociedad while Atlético Madrid welcome Villarreal. Paco also tells us about how Mestalla has gone up in flames this week ahead of Gennaro Gattuso's trip to face Ernesto Valverde's Athletic Club at San Ma...