La Liga Lowdown

In this episode, we take a look back to 1992, when the Olympic Games came to Barcelona and Spain. The Spanish squad won the football tournament, the only time they've claimed gold at the Olympics.We hear from Matt Clark (@MattClark_08), who picks out the most interesting names from the squad. We hear from Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG), who explains how Spain reached the final and how they did so in Valencia. Euan McTear looks back on the final, along with some wild commentary. And we hear from Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee), who reflects on the legacy of those Olympics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start off this week's matchday recap with host Euan McTear (@emctear) discussing what he saw at the Bernabéu as Real Madrid were held to a 2-2 with Celta Vigo, complete with post-match comments from the back-from-injury Eden Hazard. The other team in the title race is Barcelona and they got the better of Getafe, winning 2-1. Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) is on hand to analyse that one.There's also a look at the relegation battle and Real Mallorca's crucial win with Alex Fitzpatrick (@Mallorcalex100), there's discussion of the Valencia vs Atlético Madrid draw with Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG), there's a chat about Athletic Club's struggles in the league with Dan Parry (@DanParry_) and there's a match report from Gregor Chappelle (@gregorchappelle) as he tells us what he saw as Sevilla drew with Espanyol.That's what we've got in this episode, complete with some audio goodness from Cadena Cope and Movistar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's midweek podcast, we take a look at the Martin Ødegaard story so far.We've got Alex Fitzpatrick (@Mallorcalex100) on his origins in Norway. We've got Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) on his arrival at Castilla, Real Madrid's B team. We've got Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) on his loan spells in the Netherlands. We've got Dan Parry (@DanParry_) on his time so far at Real Sociedad. And we've got Matt Clark (MattClark_08) on his international career.All hosted by Euan McTear (@emctear) and with commentary clips from Sky Sports and Cadena Cope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is the next in our series looking at every club in Spain’s top division. This time the focus is on one of the country's most successful clubs - Atlético Madrid. Euan McTear (@emctear) hosts and looks at a few of Atleti's most glorious moments, before Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) talk us through the club's history.Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) then names three all-time Atleti legends, before Ricardo Menéndez (@rickyam) explains what the matchday experience is like at the Wanda Metropolitano and what it used to be like at the Vicente Calderón. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matchday 20 proved why we love LaLiga: drama, surprises and competitiveness. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review a terrific weekend. A tumultuous week for Real Madrid ended positively. After the Bernabéu crowd made their discontented feelings vociferously known on Saturday lunchtime, Los Blancos laboured to a rather uncomfortable 2-0 win over lowly Levante for Álvaro Arbeloa’s first win in charge. After fielding questions about “Florentino dimisión” chants, the boss angered fans further by staunchly defending his President, claiming those who want Pérez to resign aren’t genuine Madridistas. This victory put pressure on Barcelona, who lined up without Raphinha and lost their winning run. La Real continued their incredible – albeit fortuitous – start under Pellegrino Matarazzo after beating Barça 2-1 through a combination of goalkeeping excellence, luck and tight VAR calls. Just 60 seconds after Marcus Rashford had equalised, Gonçalo Guedes restored their lead. Despite accumulating over 3.5 xG and 25 shots (including five to the woodwork), there was no way past Álex Remiro, who reminded everyone why he is a worthy member of Luis de la Fuente’s triumvirate. The gap at the top is now just a solitary point. ¡¡¡Hay Liga!!!Real Betis beat Villarreal to take a big step towards European football next season, but we ask why there is still some dissatisfaction among the fanbase. On Friday night, Girona continued their incredible resurgence by beating Espanyol in a Catalan derby, courtesy of two Vanat penalties. Los Pericos have had a rough start to the year, but are still well placed.Onto Part Two, we focus on the compactness of the table from 8th down to 18th. Real Sociedad are ten places above Alavés, but only five points clear of their fellow Basques.Mallorca took a huge step forward by winning a thriller against Athletic Club. Jagoba Arrasate will be thanking his giant Kosovan Vedat Muriqi who scored a hat-trick to tame Los Leones. Only Kylian Mbappé has scored more this season, and Muriqi is priceless for the island side. Three goals and three precious points. We reflect on that as well as Athletic’s malaise. With a crucial set of fixtures ahead, is this Ernesto Valverde’s last season in charge? Osasuna won by the same scoreline but in even more dramatic fashion. Trailing twice to Real Oviedo, it seemed like the Asturian side might finally get their win. But alas, Ante Budimir equalised twice and then Víctor Muñoz broke hearts with a 92nd-minute winner. Even when they score twice, they can’t even draw, let alone win.Rayo are another club looking over their shoulder after they were well beaten by Euro-chasing Celta. They won their third in a row to cement 7th spot and put pressure on those above them.Valencia stunned the Coliseum with a late, well-constructed winner with their only shot on target of the game. Getafe are in freefall now, with just one point since the end of November. Alavés made it hard for Atleti, but ultimately came away from the capital with nothing, and they slipped into the drop zone. But, given the tightness of the table, things can change extremely quickly. A relegation battle for the ages is in prospect.You can keep up to date with all our content at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All the Supercopa & LaLiga action delivered straight to your ears by our experts Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee).In part one, they delve into another action-packed ‘el clásico’. Barça conquered the Supercopa de España against an atypical Real Madrid, who sat back really deep, ultimately falling short and being eclipsed by Raphinha’s fantastic performance. Will Xabi Alonso continue? Only time will tell...In part two, they focus on LaLiga and the seven fixtures that took place during the weekend. Girona finally escape the relegation zone, Villarreal keep up their winning momentum with an inspired Moleiro, Oviedo and Levante keep adding points to their tally, Rayo finally win after a dry run, and more...Thank you for listening to our pod, and remember that you can access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year! LaLiga is back and so are we, with our first Matchday review of 2026. The honour is for Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee), who analyse this weekend's exciting fixtures. Who started the year strongest? Who will be wishing it's still Christmas.We start with the Catalan derby between Espanyol and Barça, which for many ended in an unfair result. Espanyol's admirable efforts were parried away by an towering Joan García, who was unfazed by the hostile environment in his return to the RCDE Stadium. Real Madrid's commanding win vs Betis follows, with Gonzalo eclipsing Mbappé's absence, and then we review Atleti's draw against Real Sociedad and Villarreal's victory toppling Elche's fortress.In Part Two, we look at the teams in the relegation battle, with a special focus on Girona climbing out at Valencia's expense, Levante grabbing a very big win at Sevilla and Oviedo deserving to win but ultimately failing to do so. It was a solid showing for the new managers in their respective first outings.All this and more in our first pod of the year! Thank you for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matchday 17 was a weekend which started off with draws and then became a series of one-way results, some in emphatic fashion. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review it all.We start with the on-paper partidazo between Villarreal and Barcelona, which was unfortunately conditioned by a first half red card. The visitors won comfortably in the end to become Christmas number one, keeping Real Madrid four points back. Los Blancos had their own 2-0 victory on Saturday night against Sevilla, but left more doubts once again. The only real bright sparks were the form of Thibaut Courtois and Kylian Mbappé, who equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's club record for goals in a calendar year.Atleti won convincingly on the road to leave Girona in the danger zone, while Betis put four past Getafe to apply some pressure on Espanyol.In Part Two we discuss Elche returning to their best form and our concern for Rayo, who might be taking their eye off the ball domestically. The managerless sides played out a 1-1 draw, but Real Sociedad will really feel that it was two points dropped. Both clubs confirmed the appointments of their new coaches, so we evaluate their potential chances. Guillermo Almada has already begun life at Oviedo, but could not prevent the inevitable stalemate. We end by picking our moments of the year and wishing our listeners and subscribers at lllonline.substack.com a happy festive season. ¡¡Feliz Navidad!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review Matchday 16 in our latest podcast!Part One kicks off with Real Madrid winning... but not convincing. Matt and Román share their views on Xabi Alonso's future, which could be far from the Bernabéu if he fails to succeed in his next two matches. They also highlight Raphinha's doblete to keep Barça up top, as well as Atleti's veterans, Koke, and particularly Antoine Griezmann, who ensured Atleti doesn't lose grip of the top three. In fact, it's Villarreal who hold that 3rd spot, but their fixture was postponed, giving way for an unstoppable Espanyol to round off the first half of the show with the praise they deserve.Part Two focuses on the manager sackings of the weekend, with Sergio Francisco and Luís Carrión having to say goodbye after further poor results from their teams. Is it the right call? Who could take over? Our podcasters help answer those questions as well as analysing Mallorca's convincing performance over Elche, Celta's first home win, and more...Thank you for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LaLiga continues to provide entertainment and unexpected results, especially with Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid dropping points in the title run.Our very own Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) kick off the weekend review, dissecting Madrid’s shocking defeat versus a fantastic Celta de Vigo. It’s been just under two decades since Celta last managed to snatch a win at the Bernabeu... this time raising big questions regarding Xabi Alonso and his players.Atleti also dropped points, extending their awful away form and losing grip of the title run, while Athletic Club finally secured a big win this season. A contrasting result with Barça’s visit to la Cartuja, where eight goals livened up the night despite the disappointment felt by Betis fans.In part one, they also take some time to analyse Villarreal’s contrasting form, with their best version showing in LaLiga, before moving on to part two and reviewing Elche’s first win in over two months, Espanyol’s unstoppable European form, Oviedo’s serious issues and more...We thank you for listening to our pod, and want to remind you that you can access our bonus podcast and written articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To accompany you as you open the first window in the advent calendar, we have a fresh podcast! The temperature may be getting colder, but LaLiga is hotting up, with plenty for Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to unpack from Matchday 14.We begin at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, where Betis confirmed their superiority in the city of Seville. Victory here made it back-to-back gran derbi wins for the first time in 30 years! What a watch to celebrate the renewal of Manuel Pellegrini's contract.We then turn to the title race, which could barely be much closer. Just three points separate the top four. Real Madrid dropped points for the third consecutive match – this time at Montilivi – to cede leadership of the league and hand it back to Barcelona, just a month after beating them to go five points clear. We ask why it's going wrong lately, and where they go from here (Bilbao, because they have yet another away game).Despite being top anew, Barça have problems of their own, not least Hansi Flick's demeanour on the bench or the club's problems with the digital tickets at the new Camp Nou.In Part Two, we headline with the goal-fest of the weekend, as Villarreal maintained their rhythm, domestically that is. A genuine two-faced team, they fought to the end to ward off the La Real comeback and position themselves nicely in third spot.Atleti won their seventh game in succession, but the big test is Tuesday night in Barcelona.Elsewhere, Espanyol keep up their bright start, Celta still can't win at home, Getafe keep doing their thing, and a referee sent off a former referee.Last, but by no means least, Levante are looking for a new coach after they sacked Julián Calero following their 2-0 defeat at home to Athletic. Winless at home, albeit with a tough run of fixtures, Luis García Plaza is the favourite to replace Calero.Two big LaLiga matches and the next round of the Copa del Rey to look forward to this week, as well as plenty of content at lllonline.substack.com. Subscribe now for all the access. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barcelona are back home, but Real's travails on the road continue. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to review Matchday 13 in LaLiga EA Sports!Is a four-horse race on the cards? In Part One, our two LaLiga experts look into the matches, kicking off with Barça's grand return to the Spotify Camp Nou, with Román actually being there to see it all unfold. He explains the new experiences before analysing the win over Athletic and first clean sheet in two months. Then they review Madrid's second league draw in a row against a brave and bold Elche, followed by Villarreal and Atlético de Madrid achieving narrow wins to keep close track of the top two. Just four points separate the top four now!!In Part Two, Matt and Román talk about the the Valencian derby, and the slow yet steady rise of Real Sociedad and Celta de Vigo in the standings with a win apiece. They also review the other two draws of the weekend, with a goalless Oviedo vs Rayo and a controversial Betis vs Girona, ending with Antony being sent off and missing the derby against Sevilla.Once again, thanks for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain are going to the World Cup! It has always seemed like a formality, but Luis de la Fuente’s side officially secured their spot with a draw in their final qualifier against Turkey. Before focusing on Tuesday’s game, Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) kick off the podcast by focusing on Spain’s commanding 4-0 away win over Georgia on Saturday. After winning their first five qualifiers by a combined 19-0 scoreline, Spain would have been hoping to secure qualification with a win in their home game against Turkey. We delve into the 2-2 draw before rounding off part one by focusing on Spain’s striker situation and Dani Olmo’s status in the squad.In part two, we reflect on a positive 2025 for La Roja and look ahead to next year’s tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada, discussing whether Spain have what it takes to add another star to their jersey. Away from international matters, Barcelona are finally set to return to their redeveloped Camp Nou home while Levante and Valencia are preparing to lock horns in a highly anticipated derby fixture.Remember, you can access all of our written and audio content over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The experienced trio of Robert Lewandowski, Antoine Griezmann and Gerard Moreno all proved age is just a number on Matchday 12 of the 2025/26 LaLiga season. Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) start by focusing on Lewandowski’s hat-trick in Barcelona’s exciting 4-2 away win over Celta Vigo. We then focus on Atlético Madrid and Griezmann’s role as an impact sub in a successful home outing against Levante. Elsewhere, Gerard helped Villarreal bounce back from a disappointing Champions League result with a 2-0 triumph over Espanyol. Marcelino’s side are now just five points adrift of the summit after Real Madrid failed in their quest to beat Rayo Vallecano in their final outing before the international break.In part two, we discuss Valencia’s improved showing against Real Betis, Mikel Oyarzabal’s late penalty and Nico Williams’s stunning goal in one of four 1-0 wins that took place over the weekend. We then turn our attention to Sevilla’s return to winning ways, as well as three points for Girona and Mallorca.LaLiga now pauses for the international break, but we will continue to produce content over at lllonline.substack.com, where you can access our bonus podcasts and regular articles on a variety of topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recap matchday 11 with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) in a weekend with plenty of goals and excitement.Part one kicks off with the passionate Basque derby, which had all the ingredients to become a 'partidazo', and saw Real Sociedad take the win right at the very end. They also review Villarreal's cruising win against Rayo Vallecano and both Barça and Madrid's wins in the title race.In part two, you'll find words of praise for Antony, aka Antonio de Triana, who wowed LaLiga fans with two stunning goals and an assist for a comfortable 3-0 win over Mallorca. Getafe also keeps showing their consistency as they climb up to 7th, while Atleti dispatch Sevilla as Griezmann scored his 200th LaLiga goal.As always, thanks for listening, and remember, you can access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Looking for some analysis on 'El Clásico' and all the LaLiga action? Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) have sorted it out for you!In the first part of the pod they look into what happened between Madrid and Barça. It was billed by some as the English Clásico, and Jude Bellingham was the man who decided it. Neither side seemed to be in their best form of late, but during the game there was definitely a superior side, which ultimately pulled off a big win to widen the gap to five points in the standings. The football, the players, the beefs, the controversy... it's all covered.In Part Two, they go through the rest of the Matchday, with some big results: including Girona's 6-goal home draw vs Real Oviedo in a fight to escape relegation, Celta's first win of the season and Bordalás' masterclass to sink Athletic in their misery, unable to break down Getafe's defensive wall. All this and more in our Monday pod!Thanks for listening, and remember you can access our bonus podcast and multiple weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world of Spanish football was stunned on Tuesday night to hear of the news that the Miami match between Villarreal and Barcelona has been cancelled.Relevant, the sponsoring company organising the match, and LaLiga both released statements expressing their disappointment at the need to cancel, citing the “uncertainty generated in Spain”. It seems apparent that the AFE protests from last weekend certainly had a timely effect.In this additional bonus podcast, we bring you all the news, reaction and fallout. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) convenes Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG), Ben Sully (@SullyBen), Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Louis Scattergood (@louiscxtt) to analyse the situation and answer the myriad questions this dramatic day has raised.How embarrassing is this for Javier Tebas? Should he resign? Is the Miami plan now dead in the water?What about Barcelona and Joan Laporta, who was so confident and bullish only hours earlier on Tuesday? Román gives his perspective.As for Villarreal, they are furious about the decision and the way they feel sidelined from the process. The news broke during their Champions League match with Manchester City, leaving CEO Fernando Roig Negueroles to make a hasty exit from the Directors’ box. Louis offers his take on the situation as a whole and the Villarreal angle.For more, read Christian Poulsen's piece below, available to paid subscribers:LaLiga’s Miami dream collapses as Villarreal–Barcelona returns homeRemember, you can subscribe at lllonline.substack.com to get ALL of our content, including comprehensive coverage of El Clásico this weekend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LaLiga was back with a bang after the international break. In the context of AFE-led league-wide protests, there was more controversy and late drama for Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to get stuck into.We begin with those protests from the Players’ Union, who have been angered by the lack of communication from the league about the Miami match. This led to the captains agreeing to stop playing for 10-15 seconds at the start of this weekend’s matches. To exacerbate the problems for themselves, LaLiga appeared to direct their broadcast partners not to show these protests live on television, latterly conjuring up the explanation of a ‘commitment to peace’ strapline across screens. A pretty cynical ploy and it was widely denounced.Onto the football, and Barcelona avoided three games without a win in all competitions, but it took a 93rd-minute winner from an unlikely source, as Ronald Araújo spared their blushes. A visibly angered Hansi Flick was sent off and will be absent from the touchline for the Clásico. Real Madrid also had to work hard for their three points, leaving it relatively late to get the better of Getafe. Kylian Mbappé continued his incredible run of scoring and once again it was Arda Güler who provided the assist. The hosts ended with nine men, as Vini Jr's introduction – off the bench – led to two players seeing red. Román would not be drawn too much on a prediction for next week’s big encounter, but did acknowledge it wasn’t looking great for the Catalans at the moment.Across Madrid, Atleti also recorded a narrow win, just about getting the better of Osasuna, whose away record is a problem that Alessio Lisci must solve quickly. Form on the road is something which Diego Simeone himself also needs to correct. In Part Two, we begin with a partidazo between Villarreal and Betis, as Marcelino overtook his counterpart to become the coach who has led the Yellow Submarine in most matches. They led 2-0 and looked good for all three points, but Antony was the verdiblanco hero once more as his brace (including another late goal) saved the point.Then we turn our attention to the Robin Hood of LaLiga: Sevilla had just beaten the league leaders, but this weekend they lost at home to the side who was propping up the table. Mallorca came from behind with three goals in ten minutes to earn a massive win for Jagoba Arrasate.Elsewhere, it was groundhog day at Balaídos as Celta drew 1-1 for the seventh time in nine matchdays. Carl Starfelt’s red card changed the game, and La Real finally got a break as two of their summer signings combined to equalise late on.Rayo enjoyed a big win on the road to make it three in a row in all competitions, Espanyol ruined Luis Carrión’s Oviedo return, and Elche played out a stalemate with Athletic Club.Subscribe at lllonline.substack.com for all of our content, including written content all week ahead of the Clásico, and the bonus podcast analysing the European midweek action, including Arsenal vs Atleti, Real Madrid vs Juventus and Villarreal vs Manchester City. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain are nearly there. Luis de la Fuente’s side moved to the brink of World Cup qualification with two successful outings against Georgia and Bulgaria. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap all the action from the international window.We start by focusing on Saturday’s 2-0 success against Georgia in Elche, where Yéremy Pino and Mikel Oyarzabal got on the scoresheet. The focus then turns to Tuesday’s 4-0 triumph against Bulgaria in Valladolid. Of course, we have to discuss Mikel Merino’s goalscoring exploits, as well as Spain’s impressive form and De la Fuente’s striker situation.In part two, Barcelona’s injury crisis is on the agenda, including the news that Robert Lewandowski looks set to miss the Clásico later this month. There is also time to reflect upon the controversial managerial change at Real Oviedo and look ahead to the weekend’s round of LaLiga fixtures.Remember, you can join us over at lllonline.substack.com to access all of our written and audio content, including our recent pieces on Endrick’s situation at Real Madrid, Barcelona’s high line and Yéremy Pino’s potential. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What an exciting weekend of LaLiga football worth reviewing with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee)! Matchday 8 had goals, unexpected results, comebacks, controversy... In part one, they look into Barça’s worrying form, after consecutive defeats, first to PSG and now to Sevilla after a shocking 4-1 scoreline. They also look into Villarreal’s disappointing performance against Real Madrid, Atleti’s hard-fought draw vs Celta de Vigo and Betis’ comeback, including a late, late penalty save by Pau López against his former club.In part two, Girona takes the forefront after their first win of the season came against a combative Valencia. Ben and Román also talk about how the Basque teams fared in their respective games, Levante’s crucial victory at Oviedo and Osasuna’s 90th-minute winner against Getafe.Once again, thanks for listening, and remember, you can access our bonus podcast and weekly articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.