Europe's tightest title races

This past weekend saw Bayern Munich seal the deal in terms of the Bundesliga title and in the next week or so Chelsea and Juventus will seal theirs. That got me thinking, what is Europe's tightest title race?

To define tightness, I decided to go with how many teams are in the running and what is the point gap between those teams. This is what I came up with. 

Albanian Superliga:

With four games to play Albania still have four sides vying for the title. Defending champions Skenderbeu Korce lead by three points from KF Tirana. KF Tirana themselves are three points ahead of both Partizani Tirana and Kukesi. Six points separate all four sides and with both Partizani and Kukesi six points off Skenderbeu games are running out. Over the course of the season each of the teams have led the table with Skenderbeu only reaching the summit in the past few weeks. Expect a few more twists in this one. 

This coming weekend sees Partizani and KF Tirana face each other, defeat for Partizani would rule them out of the running realistically. However a victory coupled with dropped points from Skenderbeu, who are home to relegation threatened Teuta Durres would see them very much in the hunt. 

The league ends on May 15th and with four sides going for the title it might be worth keeping on eye on this. 

1. Skenderbeu Korce         (69 points)
2. KF Tirana                      (66 points)
3. Partizani Tirana             (63 points)
4. Kukesi                           (63 points)

Belgian Pro League:

Riddled with play-offs for just about everything, Belgium does have quiet a battle for the title going on. The top 6 are separated by just 8 points with six games to play. However it seems like Kortijk and Standard Liége are a bit too far behind to close the gap with so few games remaining. However in the championship pool, you have head-to-head games in every round so they could be just about in the race. 

For the moment Club Brugge lead the way with Gent two points behind, then come Anderlecht a point further back and Sporting Charleoi three behind rivals Anderlecht. 

This week there is a mid-week round of games starting tomorrow and by next Sunday the title picture could be entirely different. 

1. Club Brugge                 (38 points)
2. Gent                              (36 points)
3. Anderlecht                    (35 points)
4. Sporting Charleoi         (32 points)
5. Standard Liége              (30 points)
6. Kortrijk                         (30 points)

Bosnia-Herzegovina Premier League:

Going by the criteria set out, Bosnia-Herzegovina have the tightest title race in Europe. With six games to play the top four are separated by a single point. The Sarajevo big two of FK and Zeljeznicar are right in the mix backed up by Siroki Brijeg and Zrinjski Mostar. 

Defending champions Zrinjski are 2nd only on goal difference which is the first tie-breaker. A quick look at the table shows not much difference in the goal differences of each of the teams. With it being so tight literally every game matters. Sarajevo rivals FK and Zeljeznicar still have to play one more derby game while fascinatingly Siroki Brijeg and Zrinjski face each other on the final day. Certainly gearing up for a grandstand finish. 

1. FK Sarajevo                (50 points)          +29
2. Zrinjski Mostar           (50 points)          +22
3. Siroki Brijeg                (49 points)         +23
4. Zeljeznicar                   (49 points)         +21

Cypriot A Divison

Cyprus similar to Belgium are operating a champions pool with the Top 6. Ermis in 6th are out of the race but the remaining five are only separated by seven points. This past weekend none of the top five registered victories which keeps things finally poised.

Defending champions APOEL Nicosia lead things by two points from Apollon Limassol. Two points separate the next three sides (Omonia, AEK Larnaca and Anorthosis). 

The big Nicosia derby is next week between APOEL and Omonia so it offers and opportunity for Apollon, Anorthosis and AEK to close the gap on the leaders. 

1. APOEL Nicosia          (55 points)
2. Apollon Limassol        (53 points)
3. Omonia Nicosia           (50 points)
4. AEK Larnaca               (49 points)
5. Anorthosis                    (48 points)

Georgian Umaglesi Liga

Five games remain in Georgia with four points between the top 3. Defending champions Dinamo Tbilisi are in 3rd lagging behind leaders Dila Gori and 2nd placed Dinamo Batumi. Both Dinamo Tbilisi and Dinamo Batumi face each other in a fortnight which will make or break either side's title hopes. 

1. Dila Gori                      (51 points)
2. Dinamo Batumi            (49 points)
3. Dinamo Tbilisi             (48 points)

Luxembourg National Division

Just four remain and three sides still harbor hopes of winning the title. Last year's champions F91 Dudelange are hanging in there four points behind Fola Esch. Differdange 03 are five points Fola Esch and their hopes took a blow last weekend with defeat at bottom side Wiltz. 

1. Fola Esch                     (52 points)
2. F91 Dudelange            (48 points)
3. Differdange 03             (47 points)

Moldovan National Division

Four games remain and three sides remain in the race for glory. Sheriff Tiraspol have dominated this league with 13 titles since 2000. However they are three points behind Dacia while in 3rd place only on goal difference Milsami Orhei are keeping pace. The final day does see Dacia going to Milsami Orhei which could be a deciding game in the title race if both sides can maintain form until then. Sheriff do have games with rivals Tiraspol and former Moldovan giants Zimbru in the coming weeks. 

1. Dacia                            (46 points)
2. Sheriff Tiraspol            (43 points)
3. Milsami Orhei              (43 points)

Turkish Super Lig

One of the more well known leagues in Europe, Turkey is bracing itself for a grandstand finish between the three biggest sides in the country. Three points separate the top 3 currently with Besiktas due to play Karabukspor tonight so that gap might decrease to a single point between the top 3. A potentially massive clash between Galatasaray and Besiktas on May 24th could decide the destination of the title. Fenerbahce are also in the hunt so expect some twists in this race. 

1. Galatasaray                  (61 points)
2. Fenerbahce                  (60 points)
3. Besiktas                       (58 points)* 

*Played a game less. 

Ukrainian Premier League

The recent dominance of Shakhtar Donetsk is very much under threat this season. Dynamo Kyiv have opened a five point gap over Shakhtar. Last weekend's draw between the top two suited Kyiv a lot more but also suited the 3rd challenger, Dnipro. Dnipro moved to within a point of Shakhtar after a narrow victory over bottom club Illichivets. 

Dnipro still have to play Dynamo Kyiv and being six points off victory in that game would make the race that bit more exciting provided they can maintain their good form of late. However they are battling on the Europa league front as well with a semi-final with Napoli to come. 

1. Dynamo Kyiv              (53 points)
2. Shakhtar Donetsk        (48 points)
3. Dnipro                          (47 points)

So there you have it. By the looks of things its Bosnia-Herzegovina that have the tightest title race with the most teams involved. All off the above races will provide twists and turns as the season reaches its climax throughout Europe. 

Where next for Jürgen Klopp?

Last week Jürgen Klopp announced his departure from Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season. A season that has been a disaster for Dortmund. The objective for Dortmund between now and the end of the season is try and secure a Europa League berth for next season. A European place would be a great achievement for a side that were rock-bottom of the table at Christmas. The question over Klopp now is, where next? 

Sabbatical
An option given that there doesn't seem to be much openings in the top jobs at the moment. A Sabbatical might be an option if Klopp has his sights on a certain job. 

Manchester City
Since Klopp announced his departure many have linked him with a move to Manchester City. City is probably the only job that might open up this summer in the Premier league given the recent struggles in the champions league and premier league. Current manager Manuel Pellegrini is under pressure to deliver a champions league spot for next season given that they have fallen out of the title race. 
If Klopp were to take over City, he faces a rebuilding job. City players have been accused of being complacent and a clear-out is on the cards. His style of football is high energy and that wouldn't really suit some of the players there which might lead to a clear-out of some big names. At City, Klopp would have the funds he didn't have at Dortmund to build and keep a team together to challenge for trophies. 

Arsenal
Remains to be seen if the Arsenal job opens up but nevertheless he is being linked. His style of football would suit the team and his appointment would inject renewed optimism around a club that have contented themselves with a top four finish in the league. Would Klopp add the spark to push Arsenal into genuine title contenders? remains to be seen. The Arsenal job is all dependent on if the board see fit in telling Arsene Wenger that Klopp is an opportunity they simply can't turn away. 

Liverpool
With Liverpool currently residing outside the champions league places, his job might come under pressure if the club don't secure champions league football. In which case expect Klopp to be heavily linked. Similar club to Dortmund in that they are backed by a passionate group of fans which Klopp thrived off of at Dortmund. However it does seem unlikely at the moment that the Liverpool job would open up. 

Bayern Munich
Really would be a story if Klopp went to Bayern Munich. Would Klopp fancy staying in Germany? Pep Guardiola has a year left on his contract at Bayern and there doesn't seem to be any movement yet on a new deal. As for the team nothing much really to be done, he has managed Mario Goetze and Robert Lewandowski before so has a link there straight away. However it would be an unlikely destination be it this summer or next. 

Serie A
Klopp has talked about a move to the Premier League but what of Serie A. A couple of interesting challenges and rebuilding similar to what he did at Dortmund might open up. 
AC Milan are struggling badly and it remains in the balance if Pipo Inzaghi is given the chance of a 2nd season at the club. Likewise at Inter, the struggles have seen the club slip out of the European hunt but with Roberto Mancini they might be settled for this summer at least. 
Roma would be an interesting opening. Would the club back Rudi Garcia after the collapse of their title challenge? In any case the Roma job would be similar to Dortmund in the way that Klopp would be up against a bigger and richer side domestically. 

Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti is under pressure to deliver this season. The champions league win last season arguably saved his job and with the club currently in the hunt for the champions league again and the Liga title failure to deliver either title might be the end of Ancelotti. Klopp would be heavily linked if it turned out that Ancelotti was sacked. Although some have said that Zidane currently managing Real Madrid Castilla is the successor in waiting. Klopp would be an interesting choice. Would he take Marco Reus with him to the Bernabéu ? 

All to predictable Champions League

Last night showed just how predictable the champions league has become. Barcelona eased passed Paris Saint Germain without a sweat while Bayern cruised past a Porto side that were threatening a shock but ultimately were up against it from the off.

These days at the start of every season one can pretty much predict that the winners will come from one of the three richest leagues (England, Germany and Spain) anybody outside of that hasn't got any chance. At the start of this season everyone's favorites for the title would've come from four names (Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea). Four names out of the thirty two competing teams. Hardly exciting when three of those are on course for the semi-finals as expected.

The last winners from outside the traditional big 4 leagues were Porto in 2004, and that side was dismantled as quick as they rose to prominence. That 2003-04 season was the last time this competition had an element of excitement and unpredictability. That year the semi-final line-up was Porto, Monaco, Deportivo and Chelsea. Such a line-up wouldn't happen these days. Since then the title has swapped between England, Spain, Italy and Germany.

You break each of those nations down and England this year didn't provide a challenge, Spain only has two sides realistically capable of winning it (yes Atlético went close last season but ultimately didn't win), Germany only has Bayern that are capable of winning it.

Some will hide behind the "No one has retained the trophy" argument but in reality its the same mega-rich fat cats that are winning it year after year. And it looks set to continue. England will be back challenging with their insane new TV deal providing the cash to stockpile the talent, Barcelona and Real Madrid will continue to bleed La Liga of any competition and Bayern will disable any potential challenger from home by signing their best players. All this will just continue the trend of the title swapping between the mega-rich.

Teams that make the group stages like Celtic, Maribor, APOEL Nicosia and even the likes of Ajax, Marseille and Porto are really only there to make up the numbers. The harsh reality is that none of them have a glimmer of winning this competition.

Even the qualifying stage is a battle of who has the biggest budget. This season we saw Irish champions St Patrick's Athletic take on Polish champions Legia Warszawa, the difference between them was 6-1 over two games but also about 20 million in budgets. The New Saints from Wales, by far the best Wales have to offer were outclassed by Slovakia's Slovan Bratislava, again a big gap in budgets.

As for the "Financial Fairplay" (FFP) its a scheme that was designed to maintain the status quo. Spend what you earn which means the likes of Monaco and Porto won't be able to compete with the fat cats. This tournament will continue to lack excitement and unpredictability.

Milan not so glamorous

Sunday night was the slot for the Milanese derby. A fixture that in the past has gone on to decided the title credentials of both AC and Inter. However Sunday night had a different feel to it entirely.

Pre-game both sides were struggling for any sort of form in the league. AC Milan were 9th while Inter were 10th a point behind but a massive 30 points behind champions-elect Juventus which gives an idea of how far both Milan sides have fallen.
It was only as recently as 2010-11 that AC Milan were Scudetto champions with Inter runners-up. Fast forward only four seasons and both Milan clubs look like missing out on European football. AC Milan last season did miss out on European football which was seen as a shock but the struggles have continue this season but now Inter are also struggling for form.

The decline of AC and Inter reflects the decline of Italian football in general in the last few years. Performances in Europe have declined that aside from Inter's stunning 2010 champions league triumph no Italian side has made the semi-finals since AC Milan in 2007. Juventus this week have an opportunity put an end to not only that run but their own current run of no European semi-final since 2003.

The Milan derby on Sunday was a dour contest. A game of disallowed goals but overall, few goal scoring opportunities and a result that neither wanted or needed. A win for either would've given a little bit of hope of getting a Europa League spot but with this result looks like Milan won't be hosting any European fixtures next season.

The current sides have a few decent players but it is a massive far cry from the players that both sides could call upon a decade or so ago. Players such as Rui Costa, Kaká, Andriy Shevchenko, Paolo Maldini, Cafú, Javier Zanetti, Ronaldo, Álvaro Recoba, Hernán Crespo and Iván Córdoba were regular stars in this fixture.
The sight of Rannochia and Abate captaining the sides showed how both sides have lost their way. This of course a fixture that was once captained by Javier Zanetti and Paolo Maldini with the referee being the highly respected Pierluigi Collina.

The 2014-15 Serie A season isn't going to last that long in the memory in terms of excitement. Juventus have had the title won for months as Roma have self destructed and the relegation picture is as clear as its ever been with Parma, Cagliari and Cesena certainly going down. It's also rather sad that the drama at the bottom has come from Parma's appalling financial state as opposed to on the pitch.

However the small positive for Serie A during this 2014-15 season is the slight improvement in Europe. Juventus are on the cusp of securing a champions league semi-final while both Fiorentina and Napoli have good chances of reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League. A couple more seasons of improvement in Europe and that coveted 4th champions league spot might come back but it does remain to be seen if this improvement in Europe can last.  

Promotion to La Liga

Relegation from La Liga promises to be a fascinating battle in the coming weeks and the race for promotion to La Liga is looking quiet tasty as well. The top five have pretty much assured themselves of a play-off place at least with the final play-off spot looking to be contested by as many as five further sides.

1. Real Betis               (65 points)
2. Las Palmas              (59 points)
3. Sporting Gijón         (59 points)
4. Girona                      (59 points)
5. Real Valladolid        (57 points)
6. Real Zaragoza          (49 points)
7. Ponferradina             (49 points)
8. Alavés                       (47 points)
9. Llagostera                 (47 points)
10. Leganés                     (46 points)

Real Betis is the past few weeks have started to pull away from the chasing pack. The chasing pack have all stuttered in the past few weeks which has allowed Betis to climb six points clear. Particularly with Rubén Castro in fine form its hard not to see Betis seal an instant return to La Liga. 

With Betis likely to seal one automatic promotion place the 2nd promotion place is very much there for the taking for someone. Currently Las Palmas occupy the final automatic promotion place after beating fellow promotion hopefuls Girona on Sunday. Just two points separate the four sides. 

Las Palmas

The victims of the most dramatic of promotion play-offs last season, the Gran Canaria side are looking to avoid the play-offs altogether on go up automatically. Their recent form hasn't been invincible with defeats to Albacete and Numancia not boding well for their push. However in their favour is goals, with 54 scored thus far they are the division's top scorers which does bode well for their promotion push. A first La Liga return since 2002 is a must particularly after coming close in recent seasons. 

Sporting Gijón

Sporting have endured a big dip in form recently. Four consecutive draws have allowed their promotion rivals to catch and pass them. They need a first win in a month to restore some confidence but a quick look at they table shows why they have fallen behind Real Betis, draws. The Asturians have drawn 17 games this season which is the highest amount in the division by a distance. They aren't scoring enough goals to convert a good few of those draws into wins, with 43 scored this season they are the lowest scoring side of the promotion hopefuls. Carlos Castro is their top scorer with just 7 goals. They might not have enough firepower to squeeze into the top 2. 

Girona

The Catalans are enjoying a fantastic season. Keeping pace with the promotion race and hoping to emulate Eibar and seal an unexpected promotion to the Primera División. Similar to Sporting, they haven't scored a huge amount but they have dug out some vital wins along the way. Defeat at the weekend to Las Palmas didn't aid their cause but a decent run-in gives them every chance of competing for that final promotion spot. 

Real Valladolid

Aiming for a swift return to the Primera, Valladolid ended a three game losing streak at the weekend to get themselves back on track. A decent run-in gives them a chance and included in that run-in is a clash with Las Palmas which could be a massive game in the hunt for promotion. 

The final play-off spot

With 6th being the final play-off spot and Zaragoza currently 6th only on 49 points the battle for that final spot promises to be as interesting as the promotion race. Leganés in 10th are just three points shy of Zaragoza and its a gap that can be bridged. Between Zaragoza and Leganés are Ponferradina, Alavés and tiny Catalan club Llagostera. Llagostera are an interesting case given that they are newly promoted and are in fine form that has seen them rise from the relegation zone to play-off contention in a matter of two months. With the division so tight more sides could yet join the hunt for 6th the likes of Numancia, Lugo and Alcorcón are all within 7 points of Zaragoza. So it promises to be a very interesting battle throughout the division.  

La Liga relegation battle and verdict

After tonight everyone will have played their 30th league game in La Liga. With 8 games to play its do or die for many sides at the bottom end. Late goals in last night's games have changed the picture as two relegation threatened sides were denied vital victories.
Both Córdoba and Granada were denied victories last night late on in their respective games. Córdoba slipping at Deportivo and Granada pegged back at home by Celta.

The teams:
The teams involved are everyone up to Getafe in 13th who currently have 32 points which is 7 points away from the drop zone currently. Getafe will be dragged into it even more should they lose to Elche tonight, a side also in the battle. That leaves us with eight sides fighting to stay up currently.
Looking at the table Córdoba have the most to be worried about. They could've done with a win last night and are currently 8 points off safety. Granada are next on 24 points, 3 away from safety which is more manageable. Then we have Almería on 25 followed by Deportivo, Elche, Levante and Eibar.
Plenty of twists are expected between now and May 23rd as things get more desperate by the 'jornada'.

Run-in:
A couple of tasty head-to-head matches are coming up between the teams and all have various different run-ins.
Round 31:
Real Madrid v Eibar
Almería v Granada
Getafe v Villarreal
Real Sociedad v Deportivo
Córdoba v Elche
Valencia v Levante

The pick of this round will be Almería v Granada. A massive game for both sides currently in the bottom three. A win for either will help their cause greatly since some of the others face difficult games. Córdoba v Elche is another big game which will have ramifications. Should Córdoba lose then it's difficult to see them staying up, a victory however and it gets really interesting. I can see Eibar, Getafe and Levante losing while draws for Córdoba, Deportivo and vital win for Almería.

Round 32:
Levante v Espanyol
Deportivo v Atlético Madrid
Athletic Club v Getafe
Rayo Vallecano v Almería
Granada v Sevilla
Villarreal v Córdoba
Eibar v Celta de Vigo
Elche v Real Sociedad

Deportivo have the toughest of the lot, hosting champions league chasing Atlético. Almería have another big game at Rayo Vallecano which is a winnable game for them. Granada, Córdoba and Getafe have tricky away games. Can see Deportivo getting beaten along with Getafe, Granada, Córdoba and Eibar, with draws for Elche and Levante and Almería picking up a vital win.

Round 33:
Córdoba v Athletic Club
Atlético Madrid v Elche
Getafe v Levante
Málaga v Deportivo
Almería v Eibar
Valencia v Granada

Almería's favourable run of games continues with a head-to-head against fellow strugglers Eibar. Very difficult game for Granada and Deportivo have a tough game at Málaga. Can't see much joy in this round for Córdoba, Granada and Elche. The head-to-heads being draws.

Round 34:
Barcelona v Getafe
Levante v Córdoba
Eibar v Sevilla
Real Madrid v Almería
Elche v Deportivo
Granada v Espanyol

Elche v Deportivo is the head-to-head for this round. A massive game. I'll go with Granada to produce a shock win in this round and Córdoba to pick up a point too. I'll lean towards a Deportivo away win also.

Round 35:
Real Sociedad v Levante
Córdoba v Barcelona
Deportivo v Villarreal
Getafe v Granada
Valencia v Eibar
Málaga v Elche
Almería v Celta de Vigo

Could be a good round for points. I think Deportivo will build on the win at Elche with another here. Can also see Almería posting a win with draws for Elche and Granada and defeat for Levante and Eibar.

Round 36:
Villarreal v Elche
Athletic Club v Deportivo
Levante v Atlético Madrid
Granada v Córdoba
Rayo Vallecano v Getafe
Eibar v Espanyol
Almería v Málaga

Some difficult games for certain sides. Can see defeats for Elche, Deportivo, Levante and Getafe in this round. Eibar nicking a win, same for Córdoba with Almería drawing with Málaga.

Round 37:
Elche v Athletic Club
Deportivo v Levante
Real Sociedad v Granada
Córdoba v Rayo Vallecano
Getafe v Eibar
Sevilla v Almería

Can see a draw with Depor.. Elche also posting a win. Granada getting a draw same with Getafe v Eibar. Almería loss and Córdoba win.

Round 38:
Levante v Elche
Barcelona v Deportivo
Granada v Atlético Madrid
Eibar v Córdoba
Real Madrid v Getafe
Almería v Valencia

The final day will be tense. Can't see Deportivo getting anything, same with Granada and Getafe. Almería I think might pinch a point, Córdoba to end the season with defeat to Eibar, Levante to beat Elche.

So factoring in the predictions. I can see Córdoba and Granada staying where they are. Joining them in going down is Deportivo on the head-to-head with Levante. Obviously this could be different with all sorts of twists and turns to come.

13 Eibar (39 points)
14 Elche (37 points)
15 Almería (37 points)
16 Getafe (35 points)
17 Levante (35 points)
------------------------------
18 Deportivo (35 points)
19 Granada (29 points)
20 Córdoba (27 points)

Granada what the hell was that?

Survival is the aim of the game for most in La Liga. The drop in income between La Liga and the Segunda is huge, there is no parachute payments like in other leagues and the prize money and TV deals are fractions of what they are in La Liga which isn't saying much.

Granada are a side embroiled in a battle to stay up. Promoted back to the Primera in 2011 they have managed to survive until now. Last season's last day escape from the drop was mission accomplished and at the start of this season they had ambitions to move a bit further up into mid-table. However they have endured a torrid campaign. They are lowest scorers in the division and with 23 points face an uphill task to be in the primera next season. Goalscoring being an obvious weakness no one in the team has more than four goals this season.

Easter Sunday they faced a trip to Madrid to face Real Madrid in a game that offered very little in the way of potential points. The idea was to pack the midfield and keep the score down and not let confidence be broken too much ahead of crucial games with Celta and Almería this week.

What transpired was completely the opposite. Coach Abel Resino started with a 4-2-3-1 which didn't look too bad in the first 25 minutes in fact they had a few chances. However the ease of which Gareth Bale scored the opener was concerning. From there Granada simply gave up, maybe conserving energy for Wednesday's game against Celta. The defending from Granada after that 1st goal went in does back up that claim. It was like they weren't bothered about the final score as long as they didn't risk too much in the way of injuries or needless bookings chasing shadows.

Granada decided to keep regulars on the bench. Regular right-back Alain Nyom started and stayed on the bench, Javi Márquez likewise, keeper Roberto wasn't needed. Playmaker Piti came on in the 2nd half as did regular centre back Jeison Murillo. With the game well beyond over regular midfielder Fran Rico was spared from the fire replaced by a rookie in Israfilov.

 However it doesn't do the league any credit whatsoever when Real are blowing away below-strength cash strapped sides. If Atlético were going for the title again this season would they have appreciated Granada throwing in the towel before even setting foot in the ground gifting Real three points. Let's be honest this 9-1 says more about Granada's mentality and focus than it does Madrid being brilliant. Madrid were always going to get the points. La Liga has unfortunately become a rather predictable league with Barcelona and Real Madrid fighting out for the title among themselves. With the league seemingly sitting on their hands in the quest for a collective TV rights deal to make the league a little more interesting, it seems Barcelona and Real Madrid will continue to have their way.

For Granada, just what kind of damage the 9-1 demolition will do to confidence will be seen in the next few weeks as the season enters the final run-in. They have some crucial clashes with teams that are also fighting the drop. They face Almería directed above them next weekend in what is a massive game for their season. With games against Espanyol, Getafe and Córdoba on the horizon Granada will be judged on these kind of games against sides they can take points off of in their quest to stay up.

La Liga: Who has impressed thus far (aside from the Top 2)

La Liga returns this weekend for the final strech of ten games. The business end of the season you could say with the battles for the title, European and avoiding the drop to increase a few notches as we get closer to the final day. Who has impressed this season so far? Well lets have a look shall we.
 
Valencia
Being honest I can't really think of another side that has impressed as much as Valencia this season. Los Che are in fine form and currently reside in 3rd a point ahead of defending champions Atlético Madrid. What's interesting about Valencia is the difference from last season. Over the summer they gave manager Juan Antonio Pizzi the boot after a very disappointing 8th place finish. It must be said that wasn't all Pizzi's fault as he was appointed mid-season after Miroslav Djukic was sacked.
Players left including Jeremy Mathieu and Juan Bernat and despite a takeover by Peter Lim and the arrival of Rodrigo, De Paul, an injured Negredo and Shkodran Mustafi not many would've predicted Valencia after 28 games would be 3rd and lost just 4 games all season. New boss Nuno has tinkered with various different formations but he been getting results which look set to catapult Los Che back into the champions league.

Villarreal
Position wise they haven't improved that much from last season. They were challenging for a European spot last year and are doing so once again this. However it's the way they are playing which has been particularly impressive. Up until their Europa League exit they were juggling that and the league quiet well and results were impressive especially when a "weakened" Villarreal side earned a point away at Real Madrid. Another notable result was the victory away at Atlético and they gave Barcelona a few scares in a 3-2 defeat. Unfortunately the champions league does look a little out of reach this season but the major positives have been the discovery of a little known Argentine striker who I'll go into a bit more depth later on. The likes of Denis Cheryshev and Moi Gómez have also stood out for the Yellow submarine.

Eibar
They may be without a win since January, they may be on the slide down the table but make no mistake Eibar have left an impression on La Liga. The fact that the plucky underdogs have 28 points is a major achievement when you factor in their rapid rise with largely the same players. The first half of the season was refreshing for the league to see the Eibar as the number one performaing Basque club in the league. In recent weeks with the dip in form both Athletic and Real Sociedad have overtaken them but that opening day victory over La Real is no doubt a highlight. They do have work to do if they are to prolong the dream and certainly hope they can stay up.

Luciano Vietto
Quiet possibly the signing of the season. Villarreal have had a particularly South American influence over the years so it was no surprise to see them doing some shopping in Argentina last summer. However few would've predicted the rapid rise of Vietto. Currently has twelve goals this season, Vietto has scored winners against Rayo, Atlético, Levante and Eibar this season. Without him they would be much worse off. His impact has been helped by a decent team around him. Pace is the order of the day and he will surely by attracting admirers from afar with his performances. Signed for around €5.5 million Villarreal have hit gold with this guy.

Alberto Bueno
2014-15 is turning into a very "Bueno" season for Alberto. The Rayo forward has 15 goals so far, is the highest Spanish scorer in the league and is in the sort of form that will be the difference for Rayo in their quest to stay up. One particular game stands out which is the 4-2 win over Levante in which he scored all four goals for his side to push them further away from trouble. Judging by some of the players Rayo have had in the past who have impressed, it's safe to assume that they will find it tough to hold onto Bueno in the summer if he keeps up this kind of form.

 Jonathas
At the start of the season when looking through the summer signings made by La Liga clubs I for one didn't expect much from Elche's loan signing from Pescara of Serie B. The impact he has made since then has been impressive. Elche's top marksman with nine goal thus far could be the difference between Elche staying up or going down. A strong forward who has a habit of scoring some really nice goals (goal v Villarreal). In fact he was quiet impressive in that game against Villarreal (he also teed up Victor Rodríguez for a cracking goal). He won't be at Elche beyond this summer if he keeps his form and Elche up.

Antoine Griezmann
A terrific player. At €30 million I did fear it might difficult to match that price tag but as far as first seasons go at a new club, Griezmann is doing alright. He has provided a spark into the Atlético Madrid side that was needed when Costa left last summer. While he isn't a direct replacement for Costa his impact since arriving has been impressive. The first few games of the campaign were needed to bed in with new team mates but he is now a fixture in the first XI and 14 goals so far he is Atléti's top scorer. He had a fantastic season last year with La Real but he has taken everything in his stride this campaign and could surpass last season's goal tally of 16 quiet soon.

Málaga
A final mention to Málaga. Sitting pretty in 7th which if Barcelona win the Copa del Rey will be enough for a Europa league place next season. Javi Gracía and Málaga struggled last campaign, Gracía was relegated with Osasuna while Málaga began life after the dizzy height of a champions league quarter-final with a 11th place finish. Málaga have been on a roller-coaster the last few years and with Gracía at the helm they seem to be on an upward trend. At the start of the season I and I'm sure I'm not alone expected Málaga to be fighting the drop. However not once this season have they looked in any bit of trouble such has been the consistency under Gracía. They don't have the money of old but do have some exciting young players coming through like Samu Castillejo, Sergi Darder and top scorer Juanmi backed with a bit of experience in Amrabat, Weligton, Angeleri and Kameni which is certainly helping their cause.