La Liga 2008/9 Preview: Part Two

In the first part of this preview, we took a look to Real Madrid and Barcelona, the  top title contenders. In this chapter, we will analyze the chasing pack. Villarreal, Athletico Madrid, and Sevilla are the main contenders, but can they break Barcelona and Madrid's dominance?

1. Villarreal

They had an amazing performance last year, and are considered the main pretenders for the upcoming season. They are a settled side. They have good players in all the lines—notably Capdevilla, Marcos Senna, and Nihat.

They have also added talented players around the field, signing former FC Barcelona defender Edmilson, former Mallorca midfielder Ariel Ibagaza, and former Valladolid striker Joiseba Llorente in the summer—three players with a bunch of experience in La Liga.

They are a big team, but, are they able to repeat their tremendous 2007/08 season?

Absolutely yes.

They have a deep roster, and they can face all the competitions. They will be contenders in La Liga, the Spanish Cup, and the Champions League.

Do not underrate them. Arguably, they have the best roster in the entire League. They have no obvious weaknesses and can reap the rewards of ten years hard work.

2. Atletico Madrid

The other team from the capital are prepared for the challenge. Atletico finished fourth last season, clinching a Champions League spot. They are a talented group of players coached by an under-pressure manager.

Javier Aguirre is entering in his third season as Atletico de Madrid’s coach. He has achieved the team’s objectives in the past two seasons but now, the aim is a title.

They had the most prolific offensive tandem in 2007/08—Agüero and Forlan combined for 35 goals. Agüero had a breakout season, and I expect him to be even better this time around. They have also signed former Recreativo Huelva player Sinama Pongolle, in order to give depth to the bench.

Simao, Maxi Rodriguez, and Luis Garcia complete their offensive weapons, but the problems last year were in defense.

The front office has tried to fix them with two international signings. Tomas Ufjalusi, the Czech team captain, and Johnny Heitinga should provide them with a huge improvement in the centre of the defense. Assuncao will also help the collective defense from the midfield.

If they have a solid defense, they will be a tremendous team. But, if they continue in the same vein as 2007/08, they will again be a fragile team.

Regardless, expect greatness from Agüero.

3. Sevilla

After back-to-back UEFA Cup titles, Seville had a disgusting season in 2007/08. They struggled in their first Champions League appearance, and they weren’t able to qualify for the European top competition again.

However, we have to count on them as contenders this year, as they had many problems last time. Antonio Puerta devastatingly passed away after suffering a collapse during the first game of La Liga took time to overcome.

The team also had off-field problems. Dani Alves was more concern about his transfer than in playing football. Former coach Juande Ramos also left the team during the season.

Because of these problems, they struggled to find their way. They were so inconsistent, and they couldn't cope with the pressure.

In my opinion, they have a reliable team. Luis Fabiano and Kanoute are a great couple of strikers, and they have good talent around them. Aruna Kone and Diego Capel could have a breakout season. Chevanton is also in position to take a step forward.

In the midfield, they have lost Seydou Keita to Barcelona and Christian Poulsen to Juventus, but nevertheless they are still full of talent and muscle. They have added former Deportivo la Coruna player, Pedro Duscher. The veteran is a proven player in La Liga, and he will be an instant replacement for Keita.

I expect them to be in the hunt again, even if they are under the radar. Ultimately, however, only the grind of the season will show whether there are prepared enough to once again reach the highs of 2007.