It’s day two of Jake Miller and Robert McCracken’s 2011/12 La Liga season preview; the club by club countdown to the big kick off continues…
Espanyol
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino Ground: Estadi Cornella-El Prat (40,500)
Last Season
La Liga: 8th Copa Del Rey: Round of 16
One word to describe last season: Contrasting
How was last season?
Espanyol’s season was one of two halves. Midway through the year they occupied a Champions League spot but in the latter half of the season the side fell away badly resulting in an eighth place finish. On balance a fair place for the Pericos, not that this was enough to stop the fans criticising. The sale of Dídac Vilà and Victor Ruiz for a combined €10m in the January window did not help the slide down the table.
What’s happened in the summer?
The bulk of Espanyol’s January income has been spent and has allowed Pochettino to add some much needed depth to his squad. Hector Moreno comes in from AZ Alkmaar for €4 and Didac Vila returns on loan from AC Milan to add some strength at the back and prevent the slide of last season. They’ve lost Jose Callejon and Javier Chica in the summer but Pochetinno is an ambitious manager and will be sure to get the best out of what he’s got.
Who’s the key man?
Luis Garcia
Luis Garcia contributed with 6 goals and 6 assists last term making him the top assist maker and second top scorer for the club. He is very much the creative spark for Espanyol. He adds a lot of top-level experience to the side and still adds some much needed creativity to the side.
What to expect this year
A hard season. Espanyol slid to 8th in the final 9 games of the season and before that they consistently occupied a European position. The fans voiced their concern over the finish to the season and will no doubt be looking for a repeat of the form which saw them pushing for continental competition. Espanyol are a comfortable mid-table team as last season’s final position showed but the fans demand more. Pochettino is ambitious but will struggle to match the fans demands with the squad he has at his disposal. Simply, Espanyol are still lacking the quality of those who finished above them.
Getafe
Manager: Luis Garcia Ground: Coliseum Alfonso Perez (17,700)
Last Season
La Liga: 16th Copa Del Rey: Round of 16 Europa League: Group Stage
One word to describe last season: Downhill
How was last season?
It was, excuse the cliché, a season of two halves for the club from the outskirts of the capital. Things started well with Getafe challenging towards the European places towards the turn of the year, but elimination from the club’s 2nd ever campaign in the Europa League seemed to knock them and Getafe’s form deserted them. Only four league wins in 2011 meant that Getafe were in danger of going down, but they managed to secure enough points to retain their La Liga status. In the midst of all of this Getafe were taken over by the Royal Emirates Group, a consortium chaired by Sheikh Butti Bin Suhail Al Maktoum of the Dubai Royal family. The group added the catchy Team Dubai to the end of the club’s name and promised a top 6 finish for the coming season.
What’s happened in the summer?
Not as much as you might expect for the latest club taken over by oil rich owners. Whilst La Liga rivals Malaga are throwing the cash around, Getafe have remained relatively subdued. New manager Luis Garcia, who has arrived from Levante to replace Michel, has had the task of replacing the few players who impressed for them last year. Dani Parejo, Derek Boateng, Juan Albin and club captain Manu have all left for around €20m and as yet Garcia hasn’t been given the funds to reinvest. He’s spent money on only one player, exciting Real Madrid youngster Pablo Sarabia and has had to shop in the bargain bin in an attempt to strengthen his wafer thin squad. Diego Castro is a good signing, leaving Sporting Gijon where he has excelled in the last two years, Michel joins from Birmingham and Alberto Lopo and Juan Rodriguez come from relegated Deportivo.
Who’s the key man?
Diego Castro
Signed on a free from Sporting Gijon, Castro will hopefully bring goals to a shot-shy Getafe outfit. He’s scored 19 goals in the last two seasons from midfield and has probably been Gijon’s standout performer in their impressive stay in La Liga. Probably not the marquee signing that some were expecting from Getafe this summer, but a good signing he is nevertheless.
What to expect this year
A difficult season. The spine has been ripped from Getafe’s side and Luis Garcia simply hasn’t been given the opportunity to strength sufficiently. They will have to be looking to get in some players of real quality (as well as getting numbers in to boost the squad) for Getafe to trouble the top half, let alone the top 6 finish touted by the new owners. A relegation battle could be on the cards.
Granada
Manager: Fabri González Ground: Los Cármenes (16,212)
Last Season
Segunda Division: 5th Copa Del Rey: Third Round
One word to describe last season: Fortuitous
How was last season?
Granada won promoted through the Segunda Division play-off’s in somewhat fortuitous fashion, drawing all four of their play-off games over two legs. Their rise to promotion came largely thanks to the support of Udinese. Quique Pina, Granada’s president and chief executive used his connections with the Serie A club to bring in 12 members of the Granada first-team squad on loan from Udinese. None the less, Granada had an impressive season to clinch their second consecutive promotion.
What’s happened in the summer?
Granada have added significantly to their squad using very little resources and have brought in 10 new faces to add to their 6 loanees, making for essentially a brand new squad. With the majority being free transfers but they have not added any real top league quality to their side and without this they look likely to struggle.
Who’s the key man?
Alex Geijo
The Swiss born Spanish striker is on loan from Udinese and was the top scorer for Granada last term. He brings with him some La Liga experience and a decent scoring record in the lower divisions. With the three teams from La Liga in 2010/11 scoring less than a goal a game, it is vital Granada hit the net regularly and Geijo is their star striker.
What to expect this year
Relegation. Granada just have not got the squad to compete in La Liga and cannot compete with the financial might of their competitors. Their return to top division football for the first time in 36 years is likely to be short lived. Gonzalez has a hard task ensuring his raft of new players gel in time for the new season and an even harder one in getting the best out of a team made up of sub-par Serie A players and bosman signings.
Levante
Manager: Juan Ignacio Martinez Ground: Ciutat de València (25,354)
Last Season
La Liga: 14th Copa Del Rey: Round of 16
One word to describe last season: Survival
How was last season?
It was all that could be expected from Valencia’s second club. Levante went into the 2010/11 season hoping to stay in La Liga and they managed it. The penniless Granotes were deep in the relegation scrap for the majority of the season but managed to finish in 14th as 4 points separated relegated Deportivo from 9th placed Osasuna. Levante finished the season strongly and had on loan Manchester City hitman Felipe Caicedo’s 13 league goals to thank for that.
What’s happened in the summer?
Securing Caicedo was Levante’s biggest challenge of the summer, and they managed to sign him for a cutprice €1m as part of the loan agreement. Unfortunately for Levante, he won’t be featuring for them this year as Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow paid €7m (rising to €10m) for the Ecuadorian just a few days later, in one of the oddest transfer stories of the summer. Whilst a smart bit of business, new coach Martinez would have much preferred to have Caicedo available as the money will not be invested in new players. He’s had to look for free transfers and loans to bolster his small squad.
Who’s the key man?
Carlos Aranda
With Caicedo gone, Levante have turned to the Osasuna forward Carlos Aranda to fire in the goals. Signed on a free transfer he is far from prolific but Levante will be hoping that he can regain and improve on some of his previous form. Aranda will be hoping he can stay fit and rely on the help of winger Valdo to get the vital goals that Levante need to stay in La Liga.
What to expect this year
It’s going to be tough for Levante. It’s difficult to see where goals are going to come from and whilst their defence isn’t the worst, Deportivo proved last year that a solid backline won’t be enough to keep you up. Caicedo scored over 30% of Levante’s league goals last season and that will be a tally difficult to repeat with the players at Levante’s disposal. They have a few players of some class though and have secured Arsenal youngster Wellington for the campaign who is something of unknown quantity so they can’t be written off completely, but I think it will be relegation for Levante in May.
