La Liga Preview Part II: Avoiding The Drop
By Stephen Kuzner, WFD La Liga Blogger
Hopefully, the world's greatest sports league will start its season in the next two weeks with La Liga's Round #1. A players strike over an emergency pay fund for players could disrupt things. To preview the league, I'll be presenting the teams in six groups of where there they'll finish starting with relegation, fighting relegation, mid-table, challenging for Europe, Europa League, and Champions League. At the end, you'll be able to get the whole La Liga guide in PDF format 20+ pages of La Liga soccer-intelligence that will be updated at the end of the transfer window in August as well as the winter window. We continue with who will narrowly miss the drop. Some changes have been made, Racing being moved up to #17 (previewed last week), in their place I have moved down Levante, since Felipe Caicedo has moved on. Here is who just misses drop.
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Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D.
Founded: 1909 | 6 Years Top Flight | 38th All-Time Table
Nicknames: Granotes
Ground: Estadi Ciutat de València (25,534)
Last Year: 14th (45 Pts)
Manager: Juan Ignacio Martínez
Formation & Style: 4-4-2 / 4-3-3
BEST 11
Gustavo Munúa (GK) | 25 Caps for Uruguay. Age 33. Nacional Montevideo Product.
Asier del Horno (LB) | 10 Caps for Spain (2006). Age 30. Athletic Bilbao Product.
Sergio Ballesteros (CD-L) | Captain. Spain U23 (1997). Age 35. Levante Product.
Victoriano Rivas (CD-R) | "Nano". Spanish. Age 31. Left-footed central defender.
Javi Venta (RB) | Spanish. Age 35. 182 appearances for Villarreal. Oviedo Product.
Juan Gómez (LM) | ""Junanlu". 3 goals last year. Age 31. Don Benito Product.
Miguel Pallardó (CM-L) | Spain U21 (2007). Age 24. Valencia product.
Xavi Torres (CM-R-D) | Age 24. Spent time at Barca with 2 apps. Villarreal product.
Valmiro Lopes (RM) | "Valdo". Spanish-Verdean. 149 apps for Osasuna & Espanyol.
Rubén Suárez (FW) | Spain U21 (1999). Age 32. Sporting Gijón product.
Wellington Silva (FW) | Brazil U17 (2009). Age 18. Fluminense product.
Notable Returnees: Vicente Iborra (MF), David Cerrajería (Cerra) (DF), Juanfran Francisco García (DF), Rafa Jordà (FW), Keylor Navas (GK).
Players In: Farinós (Hércules), José Barkero (Numancia), Keylor Navas (Albacete), Pedro López (Valladolid), Xavi Torres (Málaga), Aranda (Osasuna), Asier del Horno (Valencia), Gustavo Cabral (Estudiantes Tecoss).
Players Out: Felipe Caicedo (Lokomotiv Moscow), Xisco Nadal, Munúa, Cerra (Córdoba), Reina (Cartagena), J. Montero (Villarreal), Wellington (Arsenal), Xisco Muñoz (Dinamo Tbilisi), Christian Stuani (Reggina), Miguel Pérez, Gorka Larrea, Miquel Robusté (Xerez).
SUMMARY
Levante is the reason why writing a preview and predictions for La Liga before the transfer window is shut can be futile. Letting, 22 year-old budding-star Ecuadorian striker, Felipe Caicedo escape to Lokomotiv Moscow tempts me to downgrade Levante to relegation or fighting relegation. The club's experience with La Liga has been that of a yo-yo club with 6 seasons in the Spanish top flight with a trivia note of Johan Cruyff doing a brief 10 match stink at Levante in the 1980's. He must have liked Levante's similar colors to Barcelona. There are a lot of players in this squad the wrong side of 30 years including the entire back five of Gustavo Munúa, Asier del Horno, Sergio Ballesteros, Victoriano Rivas, and Javi Venta. If these guys drop-off like they eventually soon will Levante could let in a lot of goals. Also over 30 are Juan Gómez "Junanlu", Valmiro Lopes "Valdo", and Rubén Suárez. Hope comes from central midfielders Miguel Pallardó and Xavi Torres and 18 year old Brazilian Wellington Silva. If Wellington is the next Caicedo, Levante stays up.
Prediction: 18th (Relegation) *Was previously 14th. Racing was moved to 17th.
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Real Zaragoza, S.A.D.
Founded: 1932 | 56 Years Top Flight | 9th All-Time Table
Nicknames: Blanquillos (little-whites), Maños (magnus / great)
Ground: La Romareda (34,596)
Last Year: 13th (45 Pts)
Manager: Javier Aguirre
Formation & Style: 4-3-2-1 / 4-2-3-1
BEST 11
Leo Franco (GK) | "Leo". 4 Caps for Argentina. 153 appearances for Atletico.
Ivan Obradoviæ (LB) | Serbian international. "Gari" (tan). 23 years old.
Matteo Contini (CD-L) | Veteran Italian center back. Former AC Milan youth product.
Paulo da Silva (CD-R) | 95 caps for Paraguay. 2008 Best player in México Primera.
Efraín Juárez (RB) | Celtic Loan. 34 caps for Mexico. 2 years in Barça youth system.
Kevin Lacruz (LM) | Young Spanish U19 midfielder. "Kevin". Zaragoza youth product.
Leo Ponzio (CM) | 7 caps for Argentina. Former Newell's Old Boys youth product.
Ángel Lafita (RM) | Spanish winger and attacking midfielder. Zaragoza product.
Braulio Nóbrega (AM-L) | Canary Islander. "Braulio". Former Spain U20.
Edu Oriol (AM-R) | Catalan winger. Spent last two years with Barça B.
Ikechukwu Uche (FW) | 27 caps for Nigeria. Spent most of career in Spain.
Notable Returnees: Javier Paredes (DF), Juan Carlos (MF), Toni Doblas (GK), Ádám Pintér (MF) , Maurizio Lanzaro (DF), Abraham Minero (DF).
Players In: Raúl Goni (Real Madrid B), David Mateos (Real Madrid), Abraham (Barça B), Edu Oriol (Barça B), Juan Carlos (Real Madrid B), Efraín Juárez (Celtic), Roberto Jiménez (S.L. Benfica)
Players Out: Ander Herrera (Athletic), Gabi Fernández (Atlético), Edmilson (Ceará), Florent Sinama (AS Saint-Etienne), Jorge López, Maurizio Lanzaro, Marco Pérez (Independiente), Carlos Diogo, Jiri Jarosik, Nicolás Bertolo (Palermo), Saïd Boutahar, Guirane N'Daw (Saint Etienne).
SUMMARY
For a team that ranks 9th in Spain's all-time league table, Zaragoza barely avoided relegation the past two years. Both seasons included the recipe of sacking the manager responsible for a slow start. My guess is the odds are 50/50 on Javier Aguirre seeing a full season. A lot of valuable players have departed including Ander Herrera, Gabi, Diogo, Jiri Jarosik, and Nicolás Bertolo. Aguirre has moved the team in direct of more youth and fewer languages. In come the youth Spanish-speaking Raúl Goni, David Mateos, Abraham Mineiro, Edu Oriol, Juan Carlos, Efraín Juárez. These changes are likely economical. Zaragoza went into voluntary bankruptcy to halve its debt. The club symbolizes La Liga's economic disparity. The one thing that will keep them up is Racing, Levante, Granada, and Rayo being in worse shape. The 1st team has some servicable players in Ivan Obradoviæ (LB), Paulo da Silva (CB), Efraín Juárez (RB), Kevin (MF), Ponzio (MF), Lafita (MF), Braulio (MF), and Ikechukwu Uche (FW). This year looks like a rebuilding season without relegation.
Prediction: 16th (Fighting Relegation)
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Real Betis Balompié S.A.D.
Founded: 1907 | 46 Years Top Flight | 1 Titles | 10th All-Time Table
Nicknames: Béticos del Universo, Verdiblancos (Green & Whites)
Ground: Benito Villamarín (52,745)
Last Year: Promoted
Manager: Pepe Mel
Formation & Style: 4-4-2
BEST 11
Iñaki Goitia (GK) | 29 year old Spanish goal keeper. Amorebieta youth product.
Fernando Vega (LB) | Former Spain U21. Sevilla youth product. Runs all day.
Arturo Garcia (CD-L) | "Arzu". Captain. Can play defensive midfield too.
Mario Álvarez (CD-R) | "Mario". Canary Islander. Former Spain U21.
Javi Chica (RB) | Spanish fullback. Former Spain U20. 117 appearances for Espanyol.
Ignacio Pérez (MF) | "Nacho". Spanish left-sided midfielder. Málaga youth product.
Salvador Sevilla (MF) "Salva". Spanish central midfielder Betis youth product.
Juande López (MF) | "Juande". Former Spanish U21. Defensive midfielder.
Juanma Gómez (MF) | Spanish right-sided midfielder. Don Benito youth product.
Jefferson Montero (FW) | 21 year old Ecuadorian left winger on loan from Villarreal.
Rubén Castro (FW) | "Rubén". Spain U21 (2003). Age 32. Artesano product.
Notable Returnees: Nélson Augusto (DF), Iriney Santos (MF), Jerónimo Figueroa "Momo" (MF), José Dorado (DF), Beñat Etxebarria (MF), Iriney Santos (MF), Jorge Molina (FW), Ezequiel Calvente (LW).
Players In: Javier Chica (Espanyol), Antonio Amaya (Wigan), Mario Álvarez (Getafe), Fabricio Ramírez (Valladolid), Javier Matilla (Villarreal), Jefferson Montero (Villarreal).
Players Out: David Belenguer, David Odonkor (Dornberg), Israel David (Xerez).
SUMMARY
If you new to La Liga, but know the EPL, when you look at Real Betis, you see Newcastle: a large club (the Benito Villamarín packs in 52,745), a storied history (46 years in the top flight and a title), and a recent relegation and promotion (2009 & 2011). Like many in La Liga, financial turmoil had damaged the club to the toon of €80million in debt, but they are moving in the right direction. Former Rayo Vallecano boss and ex-Betis player Pepe Mel brought in to manage the club and was able to right the ship by dropping older overpaid stars and replacing them with sound Segunda players. Betis won the Segunda by four points and along the way put up a performance against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey that rated as one of Barca's most difficult encounters last year. The "can't miss" fixture of La Liga Round 1 will be the home derby against Sevilla with Betis symbolizing the working class struggle to Sevilla's privileged. Well, this characterization might not be accurate anymore. The signings of Javier Matilla and Jefferson Montero from Villarreal and Javi Chica from Expanyol should add some spark to a team that includes Fernando, Arzu, Nacho, Salva, and Juande. It won't be easy, but Betis should stay up.
Prediction: 15th (Fighting Relegation)
Stephen Kuzner is a Baltimore-based Blogger for WorldFootballDaily.com who specializes in La Liga. You can reach him on Facebook at facebook.com/BarcaBlogger or Twitter at @twitter.com/BarcaBlogger.
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