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.

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.

Well, well, well... what a weekend! LaLiga has taken quite a turn with Atlético de Madrid not only defeating their eternal rivals Real Madrid, but actually scoring five goals against them when few actually even gave them a chance of winning. How good were they? Did Xabi Alonso get his lineup wrong? Can Atleti challenge for the title? Did El Cholo really cry?Now Los Blancos have dropped to second, just behind an FC Barcelona who struggled quite a bit to defeat Real Sociedad at Montjuïc. Given the circumstances, Hansi Flick had to rely on Lamine Yamal, who'd just recovered from his injury, to complete the comeback and climb to the top.Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) tell us all about these two matches in Part One, but then go on to expand on the other games in Part Two.Elche keep surprising us all with their consistent form and now sleep in a Champions League spot, Athletic continue in their negative spiral, Sevilla are leaving the dark days behind them and progressing well with Matías Almeyda, Mallorca finally remember what it's like to win, and many more stories...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.

We've got your Monday LaLiga fix sorted! Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) join forces to review and expand on the matches and main talking points of the weekend.But this time, with a twist! Instead of kicking off with LaLiga's duopoly, in Part One we start by looking into the teams that are struggling the most and potentially heading into a crisis: Atleti, Girona, Real Sociedad... What's going on? Can they turn things around or is it going to be as hard as it seems for them?In Part Two, we focus on Barça and Real Madrid, who seem to be cruising through, as well as other surprising teams such as Elche and Sevilla. They also make some time for a quick chat on the Ballon d'Or, which no one seems to be talking about these days... We wonder why...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.

It’s happened again. Valencia were left with an awful sense of Déjà vu as they slumped to a heavy defeat to Barcelona for the third time in 2025. Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) reflect upon Barcelona’s dominant display at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, as well as the rest of the action from matchday 4.Real Madrid contended with a controversial Dean Huijsen red card to claim a fourth consecutive victory, ensuring they finish the weekend as the only team with a 100% record in LaLiga.Wins have not been as easy to come by for Atlético Madrid, but they finally ended their wait for a victory with a confidence-boosting display against Villarreal. Like Marcelino’s side, Athletic Club suffered their first loss of the season, spoiling their perfect start to the campaign.In part two, we focus on Real Betis and Sevilla’s tricky games against newly-promoted opposition, as well as another successful outing for expectation-defying Getafe. Elsewhere, Borja Iglesias prolonged Girona’s wait for a win, while Osasuna took all the spoils against Rayo Vallecano.Thanks for listening, and remember, you can access our bonus podcast and multiple articles over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Clark (MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are here to go over a phenomenal result and performance from Spain which left the press jubilant and firmly placing the national team as favourites for the World Cup next year.Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, we analyse a truly resounding victory for Luis de la Fuente’s men, who tore the Turkish side apart. Mikel Merino enhanced his reputation further, scoring his first career hat-trick. Mercurial Pedri is becoming the most complete midfielder of his generation — a “generational talent” according to Paco. Martín Zubimendi is making it hard for Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to find his way back in the team, as absurd as that statement sounds. And Mikel Oyarzabal is making the false forward position his own with increasing consistency and confidence.We discuss the absence of a pure number nine in Spanish football (find out who Paco thinks is the closest), and evaluate who are untouchable in the lineup. Plus, the injury to Nico Williams could be a huge blow ahead of a crucial month for Athletic. Ernesto Valverde won’t be happy, especially as he has also lost Yeray Álvarez until April after his doping ban was confirmed.We close with a brief round-up of the other international fixtures, with a former LaLiga player breaking his national team’s scoring record among the headlines.You won’t miss a thing when you subscribe and upgrade, including the bonus midweek podcast where we will look ahead to Matchday 4 in LaLiga. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just as the season in getting exciting, those pesky folks at FIFA insist we have to have an international break...No matter, Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) are here to discuss the thrills and spills from the third weekend in the Spanish top flight.We went from five clubs on 100% records to just two, as Barcelona, Villarreal and Getafe all dropped points, leaving Real Madrid and Athletic Club as leaders going into September. Real Oviedo also got their first top-flight win in almost a quarter of a century, producing an incredible atmosphere in Asturias.Hansi Flick's side travelled to Vallecas knowing a win would take them top, but despite the help of a penalty (awarded with VAR out of action), they suffered in the second half and ultimately succumbed to Rayo pressure. If it wasn't for Joan García, they would surely have lost. Villarreal also let a lead slip, but Celta deserved their last-minute equaliser. Let's not forget Athletic either, who produced a typically-efficient 2-1 over Betis at La Cartuja to join Real Madrid at the top of the standings.Poor old Atleti still can't buy a win, dropping two more points at Mendizorroza. Are they in crisis yet? On the flip side, Elche and Espanyol have enjoyed impressive starts to the season, and Román is backing them to continue that trend.We end with a little transfer talk ahead of the deadline day, plus briefly reflect on the Champions League draw.You can keep up to date with all of our content by subscribing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is only the second weekend, but this LaLiga campaign is shaping up to be a phenomenal one. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to dissect and analyse the second round of fixtures.Barça appeared to be heading for an early slip in defence of their title, trailing newly-promoted Levante at half-time. But Hansi Flick worked his magic again and produced another super-remontada, with the winner coming late to break Granota hearts. However, Flick and Román have a clear message: Don’t sell Casadó.Villarreal barely needed 25 minutes to ensure they took another three points, as they demolished Girona 5-0 on Sunday. Tayjon Buchanan was the star of the show with the first hat-trick of the season, and a celebration to match. Currently top, how long can Marcelino’s side stay there; where will this season of promise take them? As for the visitors, where do they go from here? Míchel was crestfallen and spoke pointedly and publicly after the game.What about Atleti? The sensations are not good after they stumbled once again. Despite taking the lead, they could only draw with newly-promoted — albeit extremely encouraging — Elche. With just one point from six, are they already out of serious contention for the title?After the break we look at Real Madrid and their 3-0 win over Oviedo. It wasn’t quite as simple as the score-line suggested, but it was a deserved victory, spearheaded by the player Román says is the best in the league. We talk about interesting personnel decisions from Xabi Alonso, too. It could be a race for the ages.There was also an entertaining draw between Real Sociedad and Espanyol, a first win for Betis in their new temporary home, and Alessio Lisci’s first victory coming courtesy of their Croatian swan.Ahead of Monday’s matches, we try and predict who Getafe might lineup against Sevilla, especially if they sell Christantus Uche before kick off…You can subscribe for more content throughout every week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New season, same Bordalás. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) & Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap all the action from the opening weekend of the 2025/26 LaLiga season, including a Bordalás masterclass at Balaídos. Before we laud the Getafe boss, we start by focusing on Barcelona’s eventful away clash against Mallorca, which produced three goals, two red cards and a victory for the defending champions. Hansi Flick’s charges are already three points better off than Atlético Madrid, who were left stunned by a late Espanyol turnaround. Real Oviedo’s LaLiga return kicked off with a tough away day against Villarreal, which was made all the more difficult by a penalty miss and an early red card. After discussing Getafe’s successful outing, we focus on Valencia’s score draw against a Real Sociedad side under new management. Elsewhere, newly-promoted Levante conceded late on in a narrow defeat to Alavés, while Paulo Gazzaniga had a night to forget in Girona’s loss to Rayo Vallecano. Remember, you can access all of our written content, plus our weekly bonus pod, over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A season review requires a four-midable team! Matt Clark (@MattClark_08), Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee), Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) all get together to dissect the good and the bad from the 2024/25 LaLiga campaign.We kick off this special pod on a positive note by picking our best players from the season. SPOILER ALERT - There may be one or two from Barcelona.Best coach is up next, and of course, that means a mention for Hansi Flick. But away from the Barcelona boss, we discuss a number of coaches who impressed with their work during the course of the season.Once the positives were out of the way, it was time to share our disappointments with the group. Everything was on the table for this one, including players, coaches, clubs, and even an unreliable laptop.Away from the season review, we also touch upon some key news stories and Spain’s upcoming UEFA Nations League semi-final tie against France.Remember, you can access all of our audio and written content over at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2024/25 LaLiga season is officially over. It started with Athletic Club’s 1-1 draw with Getafe on August 15, and it ended on May 25 with Barcelona’s 3-0 victory over Los Leones. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap the final LaLiga matchday of the season.We kick off with Celta Vigo’s narrow 2-1 away win over Getafe, as club legend Iago Aspas netted a late winner to seal Europa League football for Claudio Giráldez's side. Meanwhile, there was a pitch invasion over in Vallecas after Rayo Vallecano booked their place in the Conference League. A goalless draw was enough to clinch eighth spot as Osasuna failed to take three points off Alavés.The focus then turns to Espanyol’s successful survival bid. A 2-0 victory over Las Palmas secured their safety and condemned Leganés to the second tier despite their win over basement side Real Valladolid.We then start part two with Kylian Mbappé’s goals and Real Madrid’s farewells. Carlo Ancelotti and Luka Modrić were among those to say their goodbyes in an emotional day at the Santiago Bernabéu. As for champions Barcelona, they wrapped up their treble-winning campaign with a dominant win over Athletic.Elsewhere, Alexander Sørloth continued his red-hot form with a hat-trick, Villarreal piled the misery on Sevilla, and Real Betis warmed up for the Conference League final with a draw against Valencia.Remember, you can head over to lllonline.substack.com to access all of our written and audio content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The penultimate Matchday in LaLiga proved to to be dramatic and decisive in a ten-game multi-match thriller!Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) recap it all and decipher what it all means for the table and the ramifications.Villarreal went to the newly-crowned champions and got the win they needed to secure a coveted return to the Champions League. Barça didn't mind losing this one, as they were in full fiesta mode to receive the title trophy and say farewell to Montjuïc.Betis waved goodbye to their chances with a heavy defeat at Atlético, but their final is the Conference League next week. Julián Álvarez shone once again as compatriot Ángel Correa got a heavenly send-off of his own.Kylian Mbappé kept on scoring as Real Madrid beat nine-man Sevilla. All eyes are firmly on the Xabi Alonso reign now, as the signing of Dean Huijsen was also confirmed this weekend.In the European race, Rayo came from behind to win a massive six-pointer at Balaídos. Celta will be kicking themselves because it was all in their hands to qualify here, but they let their first chance slip. Osasuna beat Espanyol to stay in the hunt too: two teams will make Europe, one will miss out next week.At the bottom, Alavés and Getafe secured their respective statuses with narrow wins, but Espanyol must sweat another week after suffering a fifth consecutive defeat. From what looked like safety has become a shoot-out.Leganés maintained their survival hopes with a win at recently doomed Las Palmas. Both Lega and Espanyol face home games against Segunda-bound sides, so the drama is sure to be cranked up next weekend.Lastly, we salute Imanol Alguacil as he waved goodbye to his public with a win, sadly roo rare for Real Sociedad this season. Fittingly, Mikel Oyarzabal was on the scoresheet from the spot, while a youngster scored the winner. Imanol's tenure and legacy in a neat nutshell.With more to play for, keep up to speed by subscribing at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four Clásicos. Four Barcelona victories. Barça took a decisive step towards clinching the title with another super-remontada in this epic season. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and a jubilant Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) review everything from Montjuïc and around the country as we hurtle towards the finishing post.Real Madrid came flying out of the blocks but Hansi Flick's side were not to be beaten, roaring back to lead 4-2 at half time. Kylian Mbappé completed his hat-trick, but just like in the World Cup final, he was on the losing side. Just two points required, Barça could win it at the RCDE like two years ago.We analyse Barça's impressive performances, and ponder where Real Madrid go from here. Xabi Alonso is the short answer.In Part Two we review everything else from the weekend, including Alexander Sørloth's scoring blitz, a huge win for Leganés, worrying times for Sevilla in a relegation battle that continues to heat up, and dropped points for Betis in the race for the Champions League.For all of this and more, join us by subscribing at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Narrow wins in the title race and an epic battle in the quest to secure Champions League qualification. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) & Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they round up all the latest LaLiga action, including hard-fought victories for Barcelona and Real Madrid.A much-changed Barcelona side were forced to come from behind to maintain their unbeaten league record with a win over Real Valladolid. The Blaugrana will take a four-point lead into El Clásico after Real Madrid survived a late Celta Vigo fightback to claim a 3-2 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu.Meanwhile, the battle to secure Champions League qualification is heating up with just four points covering Athletic Club, Villarreal and Real Betis. Ayoze Pérez netted a brace to fire Villarreal to a 4-2 victory over Osasuna, while Athletic dropped two points in an underwhelming Basque derby. We kick off part two by discussing Antony’s stunning strike to snatch all three points for Betis against Espanyol. Elsewhere, Valencia continued their fine run of form with a win over Las Palmas, as Sevilla and Leganés played out a draw that extends their respective winless runs. There is also time to quickly reflect upon Atleti’s frustrating outing against Alavés and another 1-0 defeat for Getafe.Head over to lllonline.substack.com to access all of our content, including an array of written content and our weekly bonus podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Only two games to reflect on this weekend but one was an enthralling Copa del Rey final five-goal thriller!Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) discuss Barça's triumph and Real Madrid's reaction to yet another Clásico loss.Who were the standouts? Who should have stepped up? How does this affect Carlo Ancelotti's future? All of these questions are discussed and debated.In Part Two, we have a quick review of Villarreal's win over Espanyol to move back into 5th, plus look ahead to the European semi-finals, with Spanish sides alive in all three competitions.We end with a simple but big question: can Barça do the quadruple...?Subscribe for all the content at lllonline.substack.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matchday 32 was all about the importance of late winners for the two title protagonists in LaLiga. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap all the latest action from the Spanish top flight.A Borja Iglesias hat-trick proved to be in vain, as Barcelona staged a dramatic fightback to overturn a 3-1 deficit in Saturday’s LaLiga clash with Celta Vigo. Raphinha netted a brace, including a 98th-minute penalty, to seal a 4-3 victory to boost Barça’s title aspirations. Real Madrid moved back to within three points of the leaders after Fede Valverde produced one of his trademark stunners to snatch all three points against Athletic Club. We also discuss a surprise victory for relegation-threatened Las Palmas in their home encounter against Atlético Madrid, ending any lingering hopes of a title bid for Diego Simeone’s side. Meanwhile, there was plenty of controversy in Villarreal’s draw against Real Sociedad, as the Yellow Submarine saw three potential winners disallowed. In part two, we focus on Ante Budimir’s match-winning brace, a hard-fought point for Valencia and Sevilla’s first game since García Pimienta’s dismissal. There was also another successful outing for in-form Espanyol and a forgettable encounter at Son Moix.Join us over at lllonline.substack.com, where you can access all of our written content and our weekly bonus podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another weekend is ticked off in LaLiga and, as a rarity, nothing changed at the top.Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) review Matchday 31 which saw Barça maintain their four point lead over Real Madrid with a narrow win over Leganés. Real Madrid also had a tight game, made more difficult by Kylian Mbappé's awful challenge leading to his expulsion: will he miss the Copa del Rey final?In the race for Europe, Villarreal pulled off a seismic win at the Benito Villamarín to put themselves in charge of 5th spot, with Athletic also getting the job done to stay 4th.At the bottom, there were huge wins for Valencia, Espanyol and surprisingly Las Palmas, adding extra spice to the relegation battle.Sevilla bit the bullet and sacked García Pimienta just months after extending his contract, looking set to replace him with good old Joaquín Caparrós. How not to run a football club exhibit A...Join us and subscribe at lllonline.substack.com for all our content, including the second legs of the European quarter-finals this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.