Spanish Football’s La Liga has completed seven rounds and Barcelona is on top of the table with 14 points and a plus-10 goal differential, ahead of Real Madrid with the same amount of points but a plus-6 goal differential. Following in order are Sevilla (13 points), Atletico Madrid and Real Betis (12), Alaves and Espanyol (11) and Celta Vigo (10) as the only teams in double digits.
Ironically, every time a top La Liga team slips up and loses points the followers do the same. Real Valladolid, who next host Huesca are having an impressive beginning to their most recent ascension to the top tier. Girona are steady again, in the middle of the table, and Alaves will have a chance to prove their mettle against visiting Real Madrid this weekend.
So far, the story of the La Liga competition has been the steady play of all but the pre-season favorites as Barcelona, Atletico, and Real Madrid, in particular, have not been in top form at home while splitting results abroad. Last season’s middle of the table teams seem to be thriving in comparison to the favorites, setting up a challenging year ahead for those with double duty in either the Champions League or the Europa League. For now, though, it seems a stale beginning to the domestic competitin.
At the top of the La Liga scorers’ table, we still have the impressive Sevilla newcomer Andre Silva with seven goals, followed by consistently dangerous Girona striker Cristhian Stuani at six goals, the fixture, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, is at five with four assists, and rounding out the top four is Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas with five goals.
The diminutive Argentine seems keenly aware that with Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure he has an open La Liga field ahead, so expect him to try to pad his scoring records and take on a more central role in Barcelona’s Champions League campaign in hopes of meeting up with Juventus or Real Madrid in the latter stages.
Upcoming top third of the La Liga table clashes this weekend include Atletico Madrid hosting Real Betis and Sevilla hosting Celta Vigo, while Barcelona visit Valencia.
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