Matchday 15 provided more dramatic twists and turns in the title race, as well as plenty of action throughout the league table.  It all began on Friday night, when Mallorca extended their fantastic start to the season by coming from behind to beat Valencia. A potentially pivotal Saturday in the race? Barcelona were celebrating their 125th birthday, but there was nothing left to enjoy on the pitch, as they lost 2-1 at home to Las Palmas. That's three without a win for Hansi Flick's men, with...

Matchday 14 was full of emotion and goals, topped on both counts at Mestalla. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) unpick all the action from Matchday 14. Paco was at Mestalla for Valencia's first game since the devastating floods, and there was poignancy in large supply. The game was superb, too, with Los Che earning a much-needed win in a six-goal thriller. The headline partidazo of the weekend ended in favour of Athletic Club, as the Basque Derby points stayed with the...

Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) recap Spain's triumphal international break with two more wins to seal the top spot in their Nations League group. As well as analysing the matches and those players that have stood out, they also look into some of Spain's future talents such as Marc Casadó and Samu A., who finally made their official debuts and have promising international careers ahead of them. Remember to subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com) to enjoy our...

Matchday 13 proved to be an unlucky one for Hansi Flick as his Barça side lost for just the second time in LaLiga this season.  Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they reflect on Real Sociedad's surprise but well-deserved victory, preventing the Catalans from having a single shot on target. Elsewhere, Vini scored three goals, Real Madrid won three points, but also lost three players to injury, on a freak Saturday that saw players suffer ACL injuries in all...

Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to review a matchday that should have never happened. First and foremost, our thoughts are with everyone affected by the recent flash floods that have devastated the Valencian community. At the time of recording, the confirmed death toll sadly stands at over 200 while many more are missing. People have also seen homes, properties and land destroyed by the horrific natural disaster. If you want to help those affected, you can donate to...

Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to review 'El Clásico' and all the games that took place during Matchday 11. This weekend, LaLiga delivered some serious twists, with unexpected upsets, including a shocking 0-4 result at the Bernabéu. For any doubters, now we can confirm that Barça and their youngsters are the real deal, with a promising season ahead. In contrast, Carlo Ancelotti has a lot of work ahead of him to get Real Madrid to react and find a better way...

LaLiga returned from the international break with another pulsating round of fixtures. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are here to reflect on it all as the top three all won in different ways, and a couple of surprises were found in unexpected places. Barça continue where they left off before the break: scoring lots of goals and winning matches comfortably. They swatted Sevilla aside with another brace from Robert Lewandowski, but surely the best part was Gavi's...

Spain got the better of Denmark on Saturday night, courtesy of Martín Zubimendi's first international goal. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) are back to review this game and look ahead to the clash with Serbia, in which Spain can qualify for the final stages of this edition of the Nations League. Which players caught the eye in the absence of so many starters from the Euros? Who will replace Lamine Yamal in the Serbia match? All of these questions are answered. There...

Matchday nine produced several talking points ahead of the international window, including an express hat-trick and a stubborn nine-man resistance. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they look back at all the action that took place over the weekend. Robert Lewandowski continued his red-hot form with a rapid hat-trick in Barcelona’s commanding victory over Alavés. Real Madrid also claimed maximum points, but their win over Villarreal was overshadowed by Dani...

Give our latest pod a listen, and join the conversation between Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they look into all the LaLiga encounters from Matchday 8. El Derbi Madrileño left plenty of talking points, with a game packed with tension, controversy, a temporary suspension, and even a late goal from the home side. Neither of the two sides managed to shine, and are only a single point closer to league leaders, Barça.  Osasuna ended Hansi Flick's winning streak...

Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they round up all the action from matchday six of the 2024/25 LaLiga season. Five-star Barcelona continued their perfect start to the league campaign with a sizeable victory over Villarreal. The entertaining affair delivered braces, disallowed goals and a missed penalty as Barça bounced back from the defeat to Monaco. Elsewhere, Real Madrid fought back from a goal down to dispatch Espanyol, while their city rivals Atlético Madrid...

Wins galore, penalties, red cards, maiden goals and a hat-trick - LaLiga matchday 5 had it all. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they look back at all the action that took place over the weekend. Lamine Yamal starred for flawless Barcelona, while Real Madrid made Real Sociedad pay the penalty for numerous missed chances. Conor Gallagher and Julián Alvarez scored their first LaLiga goals as Atleti piled more misery on Valencia. There was also another late winner for...

Spain bounced back from their Serbian stalemate in the best possible fashion on Sunday night. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) unite to discuss the international break at length. Luis de la Fuente's side produced a superb all-round performance to beat Switzerland 4-1 in Geneva, despite playing for over an hour with ten men. Spain raced out of the blocks, with Joselu quickly reminding everyone that he can still provide the answer as Spain's number 9. Lamine Yamal...

Review all the fantastic LaLiga action with Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) in our pod for matchday 4. There's plenty to go through, starting with Mbappé's scoring debut in LaLiga. Two crucial goals ensure three points against Betis and carry 'los blancos' all the way up to second position in the standings. Barça, on the other hand, thrashed Valladolid and are looking stronger than ever despite the (for many) disappointing transfer window. Sevilla are feeling the heat...

LaLiga is back! Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) as they round up all the action from matchday one. We discuss Real Madrid’s underwhelming start to their title defence and Barcelona’s hard-fought victory at Mestalla. Atlético Madrid’s Alexander Sørloth celebrated his return to Estadio de la Cerámica with a goal, while a LaLiga debutant stole the show for Getafe and Rayo Vallecano claimed a surprise win over Real Sociedad. In the second part, we focus on Míchel’s...

Hot on the heels of the Paris Olympics, football returns to Spain as LaLiga is back this week. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) preview the campaign with some exciting new faces and uncertainty at many of the clubs. Hansi Flick is in the Barça hotseat. Can he revitalise the Catalans to challenge Real Madrid for the title?  What about the impact of Kylian Mbappé? A signing that has been coming for years, Los Blancos finally have him, but how will he perform? Atleti...

We officially put an end to the season with our recap pod of the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England. But such a special game deserved a special pod, which is why we brought together Matt Clark (@MattClark_08), Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG), Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) to cover all the angles and opinions. In fact, Paco was at the final in Berlin to give us his insight and share his unforgettable experience. All four review the match, the standout players, and...

Spain march on, all the way to Berlin for the grand final of the Euros, after beating one of the pre-tournament favourites, France. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) celebrate Spain's latest triumph and the sensational form of Lamine Yamal, still just 16 years old. A goal for the ages saw Spain draw level, before Dani Olmo – another unexpected standout of the tournament – scored the winner. We praise Luis de la Fuente and his work in winning all six matches so far,...

Spain triumphed over the hosts to reach the final four of Euro 2024, where they will face France in a heavyweight semi-final. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) reflect on the dramatic 120 minutes of action in Stuttgart, before looking ahead to the French clash. Joselu said in the build-up they wanted to retire Toni Kroos, but it was actually Pedri who was forced to leave the field early, courtesy of a bad challenge from Kroos himself. In an ill-tempered first half, Robin Le...

Spain eventually cruised past Georgia to book their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. They were given a scare, but won their first knockout match in 90 minutes since the Euro 2012 final. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) reflect on this big win and look ahead to a mouthwatering clash with the hosts Germany. There is praise for Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Robin Le Normand and of course consolation for Giorgi Mamardashvili.  Ahead of the clash with...

With the Group Stage now complete, La Liga Lowdown reflects on Spain's perfect start and looks ahead to the knockouts. In the first half of the show, Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) analyse Spain's 1-0 win over Albania. Luis de la Fuente made ten changes to his side, but the back-ups proved they can certainly do a job for the team. Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres linked up beautifully for the only goal of the game. In Part Two, we delve into Spain's next opponents: Georgia....

Spain produced another impressive performance at the Euros to seal qualification for the Knockout Stage. Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) is joined by Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) to reflect on La Roja's 1-0 victory over the Azzurri to seal top spot in what was deemed the 'Group of Death'. While the scoreline was slender, the comprehensiveness of the display was not. Spain were worthy winners, with Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal tormenting the Italian full backs. Can Spain go all the way? Or will...

The Euros are underway and Spain got off to a flying start! Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they reflect on the amazing victory over Croatia in their opening game. Paco wasn't too enthused ahead of the tournament, but now he is "the most Spanish of the Spaniards in the Spanish country".  We salute Álvaro Morata, the least likely leader, Fabián Ruiz proving doubters wrong, Lamine Yamal's remarkable maturity and Dani Carvajal's terrific fortnight. In Part Two...

Did you really think we were done for the season? No chance! La Liga Lowdown is also invested in EURO 2024, and we couldn't wait to preview all the excitement with Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee). In the first half of the pod, we go through Luis de la Fuente's squad selection for Spain, picking out some of its strengths and weaknesses, as well as previewing the first game against a tough and talented nation such as Croatia. Matt even gives us his prediction on how...