LaLiga Santander is back: Messi’s return, Zidane’s obsession and cutbacks

• 

LaLiga Summer marked by lack of big signings

The coronavirus may still be wreaking havoc, but football is back once again in Spain.

And just as the resumption of last season’s LaLiga Santander in June gave us some light at the end of the tunnel, this second restart gives hope that normality is here to stay.

The cuts have been deep though, with clubs forced to make redundancies, reduce salaries and scale back on the huge transfer fees of the past. Indeed this has been a summer marked by the lack of big names arriving in Spain.

For champions Real Madrid, they will largely have the same squad, although Zinedine Zidane will have returning loanee Martin Odegaard to call on, as well as fit-again Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio.

Things don’t look too bright for Barcelona, as although they have managed to hold onto Leo Messi, they are still crying out for a new No.9, with Luis Suarez on his way out of the club.

It remains to be seen if Miralem Pjanic and Philippe Coutinho – replacements for Arthur and Ivan Rakitic respectively – can create more energy in the side.

Much like Spain’s big two, Atletico Madrid will have to make do with similar personnel to last term.

Whether Los Rojiblancos can make a step forward and truly challenge for the title – as some of their players demand – is up to Diego Simeone and his methods.

For the challengers below the elite, the two most exciting projects are those at Sevilla and Villarreal.

Sevilla will have Rakitic and Oscar Rodriguez to call on this campaign, and Villarreal have made some astute signings, such as Dani Parejo from struggling neighbours Valencia. Continue reading