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Last year, we got to enjoy one of the most closely-contested title races in La Liga history. Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and even Sevilla took turns sitting at the summit. But it was Diego Simeone’s resilient Atletico Madrid side that had the last laugh.
This season, all three teams are shuffling their packs. We have had some interesting arrivals and unfortunate departures, making the 2021-22 La Liga season all the more enticing.
Now, without further ado, let us check out the top five predictions for the upcoming La Liga campaign, which is set to commence on the 14th of August.
#5 Veteran forwards to vie for La Liga Golden Boot
The Pichichi or La Liga’s Golden Boot is one of the most prestigious awards the competition has on offer. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are the three recent winners of the award, but it is the Argentine who has thoroughly dominated the charts. Last season, the Barcelona number 10 hit the back of the net a whopping 30 times to get the La Liga Golden Boot ahead of Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema (23). We expect to see the two right up there in the upcoming season as well.
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Alongside the Clasico rivals, Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero and Iago Aspas could join in on the action. All three have a proven track record in front of goal and are capable of deciding the fate of a tie single-handedly.
Aguero, who has only joined from Manchester City this summer, might start a little slower than his counterparts. But Messi’s generosity should keep him afloat right until the end.
#4 Jan Oblak the favorite for the Ricardo Zamora Trophy
Throughout their history, Atletico Madrid have had the privilege of fielding some of the most underrated shot-stoppers in the world. Jan Oblak, who has won the prestigious Ricardo Zamora Trophy a whopping five times already, might not seem underrated. But he is still not as highly lauded as some of the other keepers in La Liga history.
The Slovenian goalkeeper maintained the lowest goal-to-game ratio between 2015-16 and 2019-20, bagging four Zamora awards in the process. Real Madrid's new signee and former Atletico Madrid keeper, Thibaut Courtois, broke Oblak’s streak in 2019-20. But the Rojiblancos 'keeper regained top spot with a ratio of 0.66 in 2020-21.
This year, Oblak seems to be the firm favorite to retain the Zamora Trophy. He has a commanding presence in the box, can organize his defense well, and looks to be in top shape, physically. A win - sixth in total for him - would make him the most crowned goalkeeper in La Liga, edging Barcelona legend Antoni Ramallets.
#3 Sevilla could put on a stronger show
Last season, under Julen Lopetegui, Sevilla managed to play a scintillating brand of football in La Liga. They were aggressive with the ball, poised without it, and always seemed to carry a threat that very few teams could diffuse. In one stretch, they even managed to keep pressure on the league leaders, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona.
The Andalusians went toe to toe with all the big boys in La Liga, stealing points from each one of them. Eventually, their lack of squad depth came into play and their unexpected title challenge fizzled out in the final matchdays of La Liga. They could not dismantle La Liga's top-three, of course, but finishing fourth and securing Champions League football was still a commendable feat.
This year, Lopetegui will look to conserve his resources and save some fuel for the final stretch. They have also added the attacking threat of Erik Lamela from Tottenham Hotspur and could play him in key matches to tip the scales in their favor.
#2 Real Madrid might suffer a second-half slump
34-time La Liga winners Real Madrid huffed and puffed to a second-place finish in the Spanish top flight last season. They squandered numerous chances to retain their title and ended up finishing two points behind their crosstown rivals Atletico.
Los Blancos will kick off the upcoming season without their preferred centre-back pairing of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, with both choosing to leave La Liga in favor of greener pastures.
Zinedine Zidane has also been replaced by Carlo Ancelotti - the man who helped Real Madrid land their 10th Champions League title in 2014. And while the change may do them some favors in terms of attacking intent, Real Madrid might be a little short of breath at the business end of the season.
During his first spell, Carlo Ancelotti showed his aversion towards rotation, which saw Real Madrid crash and burn in the second half of the 2014-15 campaign. This time around, the Italian cannot even think about making the same mistakes, as even the slightest hiccup could derail the club’s La Liga ambitions.
#1 Atletico Madrid could edge Barcelona out in La Liga race
Even without Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, Real Madrid are a formidable side. However, if we are to compare the squads of the top-three title contenders for the season, Los Blancos are certain to come out looking the worst. So, on paper at least, the battle could boil down to Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid, of course, are brimming with confidence after last season’s hard-fought La Liga win. They have their finances in order and have continued to bolster their team. Atletico have added one of Copa America’s brightest stars, Rodrigo de Paul, to their roster this summer.
Barcelona, too, have added Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia to their squad. But they could be forced to offload some of their prized assets to put their finances in shape.
Interestingly, Antoine Griezmann is being linked with a move back to Atletico Madrid, which would tip the scale heavily in Los Rojiblancos’ favor. Looking at the way it is shaping up, we cannot rule out seeing a successful La Liga title defense from the defending champions.
