Spanish La Liga: Football returns tonight as Sevilla face Betis in the Seville derby
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| From Left: Quique Setien and Zinedine Zidane. Setien is the Manager of Spanish La Liga toppers Barcelona and Zidane is the Manager of second-placed Real Madrid. Barcelona tops Real Madrid with only two points. Photo of Setien: Alex Caparros/Getty Images. Photo of Zidane: Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images |
Video 👇 La Liga is set to return to action on June 11 with 110 games left to play. Here's a refresher to bring you up to speed with the state of play in Spain's top flight...
The Title Race
While the suspension of La Liga due to the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented, the title race is a familiar tale.
Two points divide Clasico powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid, with the Catalans in pole position. Sevilla are nine points adrift of Real in third spot.
The Teams:
Barcelona
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| Striker Luis Suarez of Barcelona in action during a training session with teammates. Photo: FC Barcelona/Handout via Getty Images |
Centre-back Clement Lenglet has become a regular in the first team since his £31.7m from Sevilla two years ago.
Sergio Busquets is still running the show in central midfield, typically flanked by defence-minded Frenkie de Jong and Arthur - both being only 23 years old.
The forward line remains familiar, with Luis Suarez leading and Lionel Messi occupying the right flank, while France international Antoine Griezmann has become a mainstay down the left.
Ousmane Dembele is among a raft of expensive youngsters signed in recent times but has suffered with hamstring injuries this term.
Real Madrid
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| From Left: Real Madrid players - Mariano, Mendy, Gareth Bale, Areola and James Rodriguez during a La Liga Santander match. Photo: David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images |
Real have raided two of Chelsea's key players over the past two years in goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard - but the latter has managed only 10 league appearances since his big-money move last summer due to injuries.
Rampaging left-back Marcelo, now 32 years old, has also struggled with fitness this season, resulting in 24-year-old Ferland Mendy racking up 16 league appearances since his £41m summer move from Lyon. Meanwhile, centre-back Eder Militao is emerging as a promising talent to cover Raphael Varane and veteran captain Sergio Ramos.
Gareth Bale has started only 11 league games after yet another campaign blighted with injuries.
The Race For Europe:
Hazard and Suarez are "back from injury" 💪🏆 👇
✨ @marcoasensio10— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) June 11, 2020
✨ @illarra4
✨ @gomez_maxi9
✨ @hazardeden10
✨ @LuisSuarez9
✨ @chimy337
They are back from injury! 💪
They are #BackToWin! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/vOIzApOv7E
The race for Champions League qualification remains wide open, with just five points dividing Sevilla in third and seventh-placed Valencia.
Perhaps the biggest story within that chasing group is Getafe, who currently sit in fifth - level with fourth-placed Real Sociedad and one point clear of Atletico.
Relegation Battle
Video: Top flight Football returns in Spain 🇪🇸 - "Back stadiums" 🏟 👇
In terms of relegation, Espanyol and Leganes have spent the majority of this season in the drop zone but are still, at most, only six points shy of safety.🏟️ Back to stadiums.— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) June 11, 2020
👊 Back to tackles.
🛡️ Back to saves.
👟 Back to passes.
🎁 Back to assists.
🥅 Back to goals.
😍 Back to emotions.
⚽️ Back to football.
👫 Back together.#BackToWin #LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/D816SZ9rOg
Indeed, former Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino resigned from his post at Leganes in November with the club rock bottom in the table.
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