What to watch out in LALIGA for 2025

c/o LALIGA

2024 has provided some memorable moments in both LALIGA EA SPORTS and LALIGA HYPERMOTION, but as we turn the page to 2025, it promises to be just as exciting and there is so much to look forward to. Some of the reasons we can share already here.

A fierce battle for the LALIGA EA SPORTS title

Heading into the upcoming matchup between Real Madrid and Valencia on Saturday morning, Manila time, Atletico de Madrid is hanging on to a one-point lead over the defending champions, 41 to 40. Both teams have a game in hand to FC Barcelona, who is currently in third place with 38 points, making this a competitive race for the championship.

The Catalans had a strong start to the season, but since their 3-1 victory over their city rivals RCD Espanyol in early November, they have only won once in their last seven league matches, capped off by their 2-1 home defeat to Atleti on a 90+6' goal from Alexander Sørloth.

Athletic Club could return to the Champions League after a 10-year absence

Just two points adrift of FC Barcelona in fourth place and not just that far off from the title chase in Athletic Club. If the standings hold firm until the end of the season, it would mean a return to the UEFA Champions League a decade after their last appearance.

Fresh from claiming the Copa del Rey last season, Los Leones have done well both domestically being the only other team aside from the top three currently with double-digit victories, as well as in the UEFA Europa League, where they are level in points with Italian side Lazio atop the league phase.

The Basques already have a huge incentive to do well continentally, as the Europa League final will be held at their home stadium at San Mames this May.

LALIGA HYPERMOTION is heating up as clubs seek promotion to LALIGA EA SPORTS

The quest to join the Spanish top-flight is very much complicated, too.

UD Almería currently leads the race at LALIGA HYPERMOTION with 39 points, with CD Mirandés and Real Racing Club just one point behind. The top half of the table is separated by just ten points, so anything is still possible in the quest to get promoted.

With so many historic Spanish clubs in contention and hopeful to return to the top flight after years of toiling in the lower divisions, things are about to get even more intense.

In addition, it was a LALIGA HYPERMOTION side who made a major transaction that got Filipino football fans to take notice, when CD Castellon snapped up Nick Markanich from the Charleston Battery in the USL.

Markanich was crowned 2024 Championship Player of the Year, named All-League First Team and won the Golden Boot after setting a new league record with 28 goals scored in the regular season, which was the most goals scored in America across all domestic leagues. The NIU alumnus actually scored thirty goals in all competitions.

Kylian Mbappé, Julián Álvarez and Lamine Yamal seek their first LALIGA EA SPORTS title

Three of the sport's biggest sensations are battling it out for their first LALIGA EA SPORTS title to their trophy cabinets.

Mbappé already has a head start with regards to silverware this season, having claimed two titles since joining the team in the summer, as Real Madrid defeated Atalanta, 2-0 for the UEFA Super Cup, followed by a 3-0 triumph over Pachuca for the Intercontinental Cup. The Frenchman scored in both matches, and currently has thirteen goals in all competitions. Ten of those goals came in league play, which is tied for third alongside Ante Budimir behind a couple of FC Barcelona scoring machines in Robert Lewandowski (16) and Rapinha (11).

Lamine Yamal actually made his debut with FC Barcelona back in the 2022/23 season, the last league title the Catalans secured the trophy. Now armed with much more experience, especially after helping Spain reclaim prominence in the Euros, he has made it a priority to win collective titles for the team after racking up numerous individual achievements, including the Kopa Trophy and the Golden Boy Award.

Alvarez, like Yamal, has scored five goals in league play, helping Atleti reach the top of LALIGA EA SPORTS. Much like in his previous stop, he has a Norwegian scoring merchant alongside him, veteran leadership, and is managed by one of the best in the world. The Argentine is hopeful he can claim a league crown to accompany his World Cup crowning achievement.

New Rising Stars

A study back in November from the CIES Football Observatory highlighted the success of the academies from the different LALIGA clubs, which has translated into the current success of the Spanish national team in claiming both the Euros and the Paris Olympics.

Leading the way in this regard is FC Barcelona and their 46 La Masia graduates strewn all across the Big Five European leagues, twelve of which are still with the team, led by Lamine Yamal. Basque sides Real Sociedad and Athletic Club take pride in their grassroots development, with a combined 29 academy graduates in their respective first teams, led by La Real captain Mikel Oyarzabal and the Williams brothers of Athletic, Inaki and Nico.

As a result, the likes of Marc Bernal, Marc Casadó, Pau Cubarsi, and Gerard Martín from FC Barcelona, Jon Aramburu, Pablo Marín, Jon Pacheco and Jon Ander Olasagasti from Real Sociedad, and Mikel Jauregizar and Adama Boiro from Athletic Bilbao have emerged.

Other notables include Manu Bueno, who scored in Jesus Navas' final home game for Sevilla FC, as well as Hugo Alvarez of RC Celta, who has provided an additional scoring threat for Claudio Giráldez alongside Iago Aspas and Borja Iglesias.

Not to be outdone, Real Madrid also has a young gun rising up the ranks, as Raúl Asencio has stepped in to help address depth issues at the back line that has been hampered by injuries. This is of course complemented by their key signings in the past few seasons, from Rodrygo, Camavinga, Bellingham, to Endrick and Arda Guler, with the latter two not yet reaching the age of twenty.

And more are coming down the pipeline, thanks to the efforts LALIGA are conducting to help grow the game, including holding grassroots competitions like the recently-concluded LALIGA FC FUTURES  for the U-13 age group, won by Sevilla FC.

Real Madrid-Valencia set to kick off LALIGA in 2025

c/o LALIGA

Kicking off 2025 for LALIGA is a matchup involving two teams in with contrasting positions on the table.

Originally scheduled for early November for Matchday 12, the matchup between Real Madrid and Valencia CF was among the fixtures postponed as a result of the DANA storm that had a major effect on the Valencian Community days prior. The match is set to kick off at 4am Manila time on January 4, with the match to be shown LIVE on beIN Sport.

At the time of the postponement, Real Madrid was trailing then-leaders FC Barcelona by nine points thanks to the latter's 3-1 victory over Catalan rivals RCD Espanyol. Things have changed since, with Los Blancos now in second place behind new leaders Atletico de Madrid by a single point. A victory at the Mestalla, coupled with Atleti dropping points this weekend against CA Osasuna would enable the defending champions to back on top.

The Spanish giants have bounced back nicely after their stunning 4-0 defeat against FC Barcelona, winning five of their next seven league matchups, capped off by an impressive 4-2 triumph over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu. During that same stretch, they have scored at least a couple of goals in all but one game.

Carlo Ancelotti gotten much out of his trident combination of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Jude Bellingham, but also serving as key offensive pieces to produce such form are Fede Valverde and Rodrygo.

However, the Mestalla has served as a challenge, with only two wins in their last ten matches, including a 2-2 draw and a 1-0 defeat in the last couple of seasons. It also was the venue where Vinicius had to deal with misbehavior from a few football fans, which led to the first convictions relating to racist insults in Spain.

As for Los Che, the team has struggled, only procuring two wins so far this season, including a winless December in league action that has dragged to the bottom of the table alongside Valladolid .

With the prospects of relegation looming, the squad has made a coaching change, installing Carlos Corberan to replace club legend Ruben Baraja.

He came back home after his stint in England with West Bromwich Albion, where he had been in charge of the Championship side for 26 months, taking the Baggies to the Promotion Playoffs last season and keeping them in the hunt for that opportunity this season.

Carlos shares during his presentation, "Thanks to Valencia CF for believing in me... I would like to send a message of affection, of remembrance to all those victims who suffered the terrible consequences of the DANA tragedy. I am a resident of Cheste, one of the affected towns. From a distance, I experienced it with great sadness, because it was a very painful situation."

The former Marcelo Bielsa assistant adds, "I am here to work and to give my best, so everyone should be convinced that I am going to give my all in this... I am a Valencianista who is going to work with great responsibility, and the dedication that I am going to have to achieve the objective is going to be the maximum that a coach can have."

Valencia CF is hoping that a new manager bounce coupled with their recent home form against Real Madrid would provide them the necessary spark for a potential upset to kickstart the year.