Last season’s La Liga title race was the most exciting in Europe. While the Bundesliga, Serie A, and Premier League were all wrapped up well in advance, the two Madrid clubs battled to the wire with Barcelona and Sevilla, Diego Simeone’s Atletico famously hanging on for the title.
For the coming season the La Liga 2021 betting odds back the Blaugrana to lift the 2022 title, marginally ahead of Real Madrid and, having finished third last season, the reason for the market’s confidence in the Catalans is surely the news that Lionel Messi has agreed to a new deal to keep him at the club.
Messi’s magic for one more year?
At SBOTOP odds of 2.30 to win the 2021/22 league title the Blaugrana are not seen as runaway favourites, but they are at the top of the pile. Winning the Copa America with Argentina was a huge moment for Messi as it helped him shake off the image of a man who could inspire his domestic club but not his nation. He was imperious throughout the Copa campaign and the success has clearly improved his mood following a frustrating season with Barca last term.
The Blaugrana will only be able to field they talisman if they meet Financial Fair Play demands and they are under pressure to balance the books and, as well as Messi agreeing to a pay-cut, the club is looking to offload Antoine Griezmann, who could be on his way back to Atletico.
Head coach Ronald Koeman will have to be canny in the market and Memphis Depay is one of a number of free recruits, alongside Sergio Aguero. The former Manchester United man showed his class in a pre-season friendly against Girona and he will be keen to make some La Liga 2021 highlights in the opening weeks of the season, as will Aguero.
A 27th La Liga title is there for the taking and while Barca has a plentiful supply of world class players, including Ousmane Dembele and the fit-again wonderkid Ansu Fati, Messi will, once again, be the difference.
Yellow Submarine on the rise
Villarreal finished in seventh place last season, only the second time in nine campaigns that the Valencian club had finished outside the top six as they routinely qualified for European competition. Head coach Unai Emery had his team playing attractive football last term, unfortunately in empty stadiums. But the return of fans to the Estadio de la Ceramica can help his players who will respond to seeing a sea of yellow once again.
In terms of summer dealings, struggling striker Carlos Bacca has departed for pastures new at Granada, while Boulaye Dia has arrived in a 12m deal from French club Reims, and he will have to challenge for game time alongside the dynamic goalscoring duo of Gerard Moreno and Paco Alcacer. The Yellow Submarine has quality running through the team with former Valencia favourite Dani Parejo pulling the strings in midfield while, in defence, 24-year-old Spain international Pau Torres is a class act and a commanding presence at 6ft 4in.
Emery’s men have an early test when they face champions Atletico Madrid in August and that might tell us whether they are ready to challenge for a top-four place again.
Levante set for a long season
Los Granotes finished the 2020/21 campaign in a respectable 14th position, seven points above the drop zone and head coach Paco Lopez will be delighted if they can match that finish again in the coming campaign. Since promotion in 2017 Levante have finished 15th twice 12th and 14th, never very far from a relegation tussle, but I fear this season they may sail too close to the wind of danger.
Lopez has an ageing squad to work with and the recruitment of 36-year-old free agent Roberto Soldado will do little to ease the concerns of fans. La Liga returnees Espanyol, Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano all have recent top-flight pedigree and I expect at least two of them to survive on their return to the Primera Division, where I also expect Elche will struggle too. If that’s a fair prediction then there will be one more relegation spot to fill.
The club has also brought in defender Enric Franquesta in a 750k switch from Villarreal. He spent the last campaign season on loan at Girona and, at 24 years of age and never breaking into the Yellow Submarine first team, the left-back needs a break-out season.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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