Ready for part three of our 2011/12 La Liga season preview? Of course you are. Jake Miller and Robert McCracken’s club by club countdown to the big kick off continues…
Malaga CF
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini Ground: La Rosaleda, (28.963)
Last Season
La Liga: 11th Copa Del Rey: Round of 16
One word to describe last season: Accurate
How was last season?
Just about right, for Malaga, who finished in mid-table after flirting with relegation spots early in the campaign. The Andalucían side spent much of the season rooted to the bottom and relegation was almost certainly on the cards. Some astute January signings from Manuel Pellegrini, who was brought in during early November to replace Jesualdo Ferreira, saved Malaga from the perils of relegation. Pellegrini snapped up Julio Baptista, Martin Demichelis and Enzo Maresca helping the club string 5 consecutive wins together and eventually claim 11th place.
What’s happened in the summer?
Spending. €58m of spending to be precise. Thanks to the backing of Sheikh Al Thani, Malaga are the newest billionaire football club on the scene and Pellegrini has started the rebuilding progress this summer. Having released 11 players who almost guided the side to relegation, he has added some real quality to this Malaga side by signing the likes of Santi Cazorlan, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Joris Mathjisen and Nacho Monreal.
Malaga have also made some influential moves off the pitch in the summer, bringing in Fernando Hierro as their General Manager. Ex Real Madrid and Spain star, Hierro is an ex director of the Royal Federation of Spanish Football and brings with him a wealth of experience. He is charged with helping advance the current ‘project’ at La Rosaleda.
Who’s the key man?
Santi Cazorla
Cazorla is no stranger to any fans of La Liga and is Malaga’s biggest money signing of the close season. Cazorla is an experienced and top-drawer La Liga player, with 36 caps for Spain and a Euro 2008 winner’s medal under his belt, his pedigree is clear. For Villareal he was consistently one of the first names on the team sheet for four consecutive seasons, his ability to dictate the play from wide positions and change the rhythm of the game is invaluable in the Spanish game, yet Malaga managed to put a price on him – €21m. Cazorla has been at the front of Villareal’s impressive campaigns in recent seasons, with the side only once finishing outside the top five since 2008. He will add talent and creativity by the bucket load to this Malaga squad and he could quite realistically be the La Liga signing on the season.
What to expect this year
A lot of improvement. Malaga have added some real top drawer talent to their side and occupying the relegation spots this season will not be acceptable. A comfortable mid-table position will not be on the cards either, the expectation is that Malaga should push for a European place this term. Pellegrini has conducted a massive overhaul of playing staff and is now charged with helping the team find a rhythm over the first few weeks of the season to get this side firing on all cylinders.
Real Mallorca
Manager: Michael Laudrup Ground: Son Moix (23,142)
Last Season
La Liga: 17th Copa Del Rey: Round of 16
One word to describe last season: Resilient
How was last season?
Slowly getting worse. Mallorca are still in financial turmoil, and still in La Liga. Denied a Europa League spot because of UEFA’s financial regulations, Michael Laudrup’s team get worse on quality year by year due to the boards necessity to sell anybody even resembling a good footballer. They were reasonably safe all season, bobbling around mid-table, but were plunged into the relegation scrap that engulfed most of La Liga on the last day. In the end, Mallorca survived by a far slimmer margin than it should have been, pipping Deportivo by just one point.
What’s happened in the summer?
Not much. Cameroonian striker Pierre Webo has ended his time at the club after his best season for them and he’s been joined out of the door by centre half Ruben Gonzalez and young Argentine forward Oscar Trejo. Alejandro Alfaro joins the islanders from Sevilla for €1mil but Mallorca’s best bit of business is keeping Dutch midfield man Jonathan De Guzman. As Mallorca’s most saleable asset, De Guzman has been linked with a host of European clubs and while it’s not set in stone that he will be a Mallorca player next season it is crucial for any ambitions that Laudrup has.
Who’s the key man?
Jonathan De Guzman
Signed last summer on a free transfer, the Canadian born midfielder has been a revelation on the island. Linked with a host of the top club sides in Europe whilst with Feyenoord, it was quite the coup by Laudrup to recruit him in the first place, and keeping him for 2011/12 could be even better business. He will be looking to get a few more goals as well this season to improve on the 5 strikes he got last year.
What to expect this year
Much of the same. Laudrup’s team are getting used to these battles and although the turnover in the squad is pretty high, Mallorca have enough quality and fight in them to be comfortable in surviving for a 15th year in Spain’s top flight.
Osasuna
Manager: Jose Luis Mendilibar Ground: Reyno de Navarra (19,553)
Last Season
La Liga: 9th Copa Del Rey: Round of 32
One word to describe last season: Unexpected
How was last season?
This was Osasuna’s highest La Liga finish since 2006. Don’t let that 9th placed finish fool you. Osasuna clinched their safety in the penultimate week of the season with a battling win over Sevilla. They spent much of the season in the lower reaches of the league and with so few points separating so many teams, somewhat fortuitously, Osasuna jumped from 16th to 9th on the last day of the season. They were still a mere 4 points clear of relegation after a hard fought season and their last minute escape act was somewhat unexpected and unlikely.
What’s happened in the summer?
Osasuna have lost their star men. Nacho Monreal has transferred to oil rich Malaga leaving the Osasuna back-line looking weaker than it already did. They’ve also lost Javier Camunas, to Villareal, who helped save the club with a wonderful assist against Sevilla, despite bleeding from a head injury after being struck by an opponent. Long serving centre half Josetxo has also moved on to pastures new. As such in an attempt to strengthen the relegation threatened side, a raft of bosman signings have been brought in although it remains to be seen whether these players have the ability to compete in La Liga, especially if it is as close a shave down the bottom end this season as it was last.
Who’s the key man?
Miguel Flaño
The centre half has spent his entire career with his hometown club. Often charged with the captain’s armband, Flaño is exactly the kind of battling player the club needs if they are to maintain their top flight status for another year. Flaño’s experience at this level and his international experience over 4 different age groups, his ability and experience will be invaluable in holding this side together and helping grind out results.
What to expect this year
A long season ahead. Osasuna have spent longer in the top flight than many have expected and you cannot help but think that years spent toying with relegation is bound to catch up with them. With little finances and a small pool of players to work with Jose Luis Mendilibar faces a mighty uphill challenge if he is to guide this squad to another season in Spain’s top flight.
Racing Santander
Manager: Hector Cuper Ground: El Sardinero (22,400)
Last Season
La Liga: 12th Copa Del Rey: Round of 32
One word to describe last season: Dramatic
How was last season?
A bit odd. Santander started the season pretty badly and were languishing towards the bottom for the whole of 2010 but seemed to be massively encouraged by the takeover by Indian businessman Ashan Ali Syed, or Mr Ali, that came at the change of the year. Ali came with a mouth full of promises, fresh on the back of his failed bid for Blackburn Rovers. Although his promises didn’t really come into fruition, Santander seemed to buck up their ideas anyway, spurred by the loan signing of Tottenham’s ex-Barcelona and Ipswich maestro Giovani dos Santos. Racing managed to finish quite safely in mid-table, but they aren’t out of the woods yet.
What’s happened in the summer?
Half way through March, rumours about Mr Ali became fact. The man was wanted in Australia and Asia for being a fraudster and he apparently had nowhere near the wealth he claimed to have. Santander had fallen for his latest scam massively, and the players salaries were not being paid. The club is now in perilous situation without any money to spend and Hector Cuper’s squad definitely needs investment. Dos Santos and Markus Rosenborg have ended their loan spells and Cuper hasn’t been able to bring in anybody else of sufficient class to improve the first team.
Who’s the key man?
Kennedy Bakircioglü
The Swedish winger was one of Santander’s better performers last season. Signed from Ajax, where he never really held down a first team spot, Kennedy managed to secure a more advanced role for Racing and Cuper will be hoping for more goals from the ex-Sweden International.
What to expect this year
A relegation battle. Santander have run out of money and, unfortunately for them, they’ve also ran out of quality. Racing will be reliant on players who haven’t excelled at this level before (such as veteran club captain Pedro Munitis, the striker has only 12 goals in 5 years) to keep them afloat. With the doubt of player’s wages being paid still hanging over Racing, I think it could be a season that ends in misery.
