It is the third week of June and many of the world’s top players – apart from those at the World Club Championship in America – are enjoying a well deserved break.
Yet it won’t be too long before SBOTOP football fans turn their attention to what makes many of them tick most of all: club combat.
For many of you, Spain is the best place to watch football and La Liga rarely disappoints.
In terms of La Liga 2025 highlights, you will all have your own to choose from and I nailed my colours to the mast quite early on by suggesting I expect Real Madrid to bounce back next term.
There are fewer situations in football more intimidating than Real but I can name one of them – a wounded Real Madrid.
Runners-up in La Liga, beaten finalists in the Copa del Rey and knocked out of the Champions League as holders at the quarter-final stage, they went from top dogs in Spain, Europe and the world to being the nearly boys in 2024-25.
However, they have suffered an early blow after it was confirmed that midfield star Jude Bellingham will undergo surgery on his shoulder, following the Club World Cup, to resolve a long-standing issue.
The news emerged after their 3-1 tournament win over Pachuca, in which he scored the opening goal.
It will certainly be a setback for Xabi Alonso’s early months in charge in the capital, especially if reports that Bellingham will be out until at least October are accurate.
Our La Liga 2025 betting odds still have them as slight title favourites over reigning champions Barcelona but it’s mighty close.
The Catalans will certainly be strengthened if they manage to acquire Spain winger Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao to team up with another hero of last summer’s Euro 2024 Spanish success, teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
And they should also have home comforts for most of the next campaign.
It’s easily forgotten that Barca won the La Liga title convincingly last time while not playing a single home game (as such) as Hansi Flick’s side played the entirety of the last campaign at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic.
A return to their iconic Nou Camp home at some point next season should be a big boost.
In terms of players who stood out last term, away from the dominant duo, Barcelona have been linked to one of my choices.
It speaks volumes when your sporting director and manager publicly declare that a significant portion of surviving in La Liga is down to you, and that is exactly what happened to Joan Garcia of Espanyol.
The most saves in La Liga, the best saves in La Liga and the most important saves in La Liga, the custodian looks bound for big things and is rumoured to being offered a six year deal by Barca.
And what of Omar Alderete of Getafe. Alongside Dakonam Djene, he was the leader of the joint-fourth best defence in the division – all this in a team that finished just two points above the drop.
Football requires XI players to attack and defend, but no side in La Liga relied as heavily on the latter, and Alderete was the standout in their backline.
One defender who should definitely stay at his club is Dani Vivian, one of the reasons Bilbao have returned to the Champions League for the first time in a decade.
He’s aggressive, quick, strong, good in the air, a leader, smart in his reading of the game and a most underrated player.
Two players their respective clubs may struggle to keep hold of are Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis) and Alex Baena (Villarreal).
Cardoso looked at home against the big three last season and provided a platform for Betis’ attacking quartets to do what they do best.
Midfielders like Cardoso are increasingly the most expensive players in the game so the fact they have qualified for the Europa League next season may well help retain his services.
Likewise, Villarreal are in the Champions League which may be enough to retain Baena who notched an impressive 18 assists.
They could also be boosted by the arrival of defender Rafa Marin who looks set to leave Italian champions Napoli on loan with an option to buy for €15 million.
Elsewhere, Alaves have confirmed the signing of battling midfielder Pablo Ibanez on a free from Osasuna and Bilbao have brought in former Real Sociedad and RCD Mallorca playmaker Robert Navarro. There’s still just under two months until the next La Liga season begins but the wheels are, slowly, starting to turn.
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