10 things to look forward to in the 2015/16 La Liga season

Barcelona colours decorated the La Liga trophy in 2015Excitement and drama are never far from the eye in La Liga, and the 2015/16 campaign certainly promises to be no different.Although too much of a good thing is, apparently, bad for you, the general consensus is that the domestic scene in Spain is something nobody can get enough of.Once more, the crown is set to be contested by the superpowers of Barcelona and Real Madrid but there is room for more than a few surprises along the way. With the pre-season friendlies now done and dusted, attentions are turning to the domestic stage once again as the league looks set to compete with the Premier League and Bundesliga as the most exciting thrill-ride of all of Europe’s top competitions.The teams are almost set, the narratives have yet to unfold and the anticipation is fermenting with each passing day.So, without further delay let’s count down the top 10 things to get you pumped and riled up for the new La Liga season.

#1 Battle for the title and Golden Boot

When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, what do you get?

Philosophers, put your hands down. The answer, of course, is a mouth-watering clash between two of modern football’s greatest players; Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

For the past few seasons, it has been these two geniuses who have totally dominated the goal-scoring charts, and it’s expected to be the same battle played out on our screens once more this campaign.

It’s Barca’s Messi who currently holds the record for the most league goals scored in a single league season when he pocketed a whopping 50 strikes during the 2011/12 instalment. However, a quick peek at the astonishing 48 that Ronaldo recently managed to take home for himself, along with the prestigious Pichichi trophy underlines that the margins remain as fine as ever between these two legends of the game.

No player aside from this prolific pair has ever scored over 40 in a season, so it’s clear we’re all witnessing history in the making.

Without a doubt, their goals will play an immense role in deciding where the trophy winds up, and you’d be hard pushed to find anyone brave enough to predict who’ll come out on top.

Hold on to your seats, folks, this one’s setting up to be an absolute goal-fest.

#2 Can Artiz Aduriz repeat his amazing 2014/15 season?

In a league dominated by some of the best talents in the European game, it’s understandable that peaks and troughs can litter a player’s game from time to time.

After all, not everyone can be as supernaturally consistent as Messi and Ronaldo, right?

So, it’s all the more impressive when a 34-year-old sneaks under the radar to become one of the most astounding talents in the league, and arguably the most impressive Spaniard, too. In fact, he netted more goals than any other Spanish player in the division – just to clarify, that also means he scored more than Luis Suarez, Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez and even Gareth Bale.

Following on from his extraordinary exploits against Luis Enrique’s La Blaugrana in the Super Cup, it’s clear he’s hungry to make an impression once more this season.

Scoring four of their five goals as they thrashed the best team in Europe over the two legs (including a terrific hat-trick in the opener), he exhibited great composure, a clinical touch and an inimitable fearlessness to ask so many questions of the opposition defence, making them look as vulnerable and exposed as they’ve ever done this year.

The only question remaining now is: Can he build on this and use his excellent current form as a springboard to reach even loftier heights?

#3 The eventual debuts of Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal

Despite their transfer ban, Catalan giants Barcelona have been relatively active on the transfer market, much to the annoyance of their direct rivals.

Bringing both Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal on board, they have strengthened their ranks considerably – something that could prove crucial to their overall season, especially if they want to avoid any further stagnation or sedentary slumps along the way.

Joining from Sevilla, Vidal will see his transfer as a genuine homecoming as he is a Catalan, born and bred and that should ensure he plays with pride and passion along the way. With Dani Alves staying on for another two seasons, the battle to make the right-back position their own will be an intriguing one, and its biggest value will be drawn from the fact it should breed healthy competition between the pair.

As for the 28-year-old Turan, he will be eager to prove his worth all over again and is expected to not rest on his laurels. Indeed, if Luis Suarez’s delayed appearance for Barcelona last season showed us anything it’s that players who have to wait their chance to shine at Camp Nou, rarely need coaxing to grab it when it comes along.

Sure, drafting in reinforcements does not always guarantee a pep in one’s step, but it can sometimes provide teams with the shot in the arm they need. Last season, Leo Messi’s heroics from January onwards provided more than enough of a boost to help his side complete a wondrous treble.

So, in spite of their lengthy wait, this time around it could well be the combined force of this dynamic duo that sees the club over the finish line with silverware in tow yet again.

#4 Who will be the stand-out custodian?

It can be difficult to outshine the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Bale, that much is clear.

But Claudio Bravo did his very best last season when he took home the coveted Zamora Trophy ahead of Diego Alves, Sergio Asenjo and even Iker Casillas.

Proving himself to be the best shot-stopper in the league, he dedicated himself to the role of the club’s first-choice custodian in the league, while his team-mate Marc-Andre ter Stegen took his place between the posts for the Champions League and cup matches. Emerging with the best goals against average for the season, he played a vital role as Enrique’s charges let slip just 21 strikes. which turned out to be the best defensive record since Deportivo La Coruna’s impressive 1993/94 campaign which saw them ship a mere 18.

For sure, defence is the biggest weakness of this Barcelona side, and no-one will know that better than Bravo. Can he do enough to paper over the cracks this season?

It’s going to be difficult. More testing than this will be his endeavour to outshine his fellow goalkeeping counterparts. As mentioned, Alves and Asenjo are likely to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season as well due to their incredible talents between the posts.

However, with Iker Casillas now gone to Porto, Real Madrid will have to look to either Keylor Navas or Kiko Casilla as their sworn shot-stopper. It could be an opportunity that sees one of them blossom, or they will crumple under the pressure of it all.

As for Atletico, both Miguel Angel Moya and Jan Oblak will be buoyed by the optimism that’s currently engulfing the Vicente Calderon. With the former having kept 12 clean sheets last season, as well as shining during the pre-season, he’s set himself up nicely to challenge for the no.1 spot. That said, Oblak has proven himself to be an agile, responsive performer with great reflexes and a fantastic work ethic.

Whoever catches our eye the most, they’ll certainly have to work hard to do so.

#5 Will Rafael Benitez survive the season?

Meddlesome manager. Tinkering tactician. Contentious coach.

Real Madrid’s Rafael Benitez is not always viewed in the most positive of lights, and there are more than enough fans of the beautiful game with good reason to dislike his approach.

During times of his reign at Anfield, he made changes far too often, altered the starting team far too frequently and rearranged aspects of their play that should have stayed in place. It’s a well-documented tale of a love/hate relationship that eventually saw the resentment win out after six years in charge. Having won the Champions League with them in 2005, he was out the door by mutual consent in 2010.

He faced similar criticism during his more recent spell with Napoli, too, as he failed to win the Europa League and missed out on a Champions League spot during his final season. So, it’s fair to say he’s not without his critics.

That said, he has a whole host of honours to his name that do more than just hint at his ability to create magic from the dugout. Aside from his folkloric triumph in 2005 with a Liverpool side that lacked panache and fizz, he has won titles with Chelsea, Napoli and, of course, Valencia. In short, the precedents are there that he can make things happen for teams that willingly buy into his vision.

However, imposing a philosophy onto Real Madrid has never been an easy task to accomplish for anyone, and it promises to be just as arduous for “Big Ben”.

#6 Karim Benzema\'s resurrection as a goal-scorer

Real Madrid possess one of the best squads in Spain (and in Europe for that matter), so they’re expected to push on a variety of fronts.

With one of the most star-studded teams around, it’s sometimes easy to forget, however, that they are lacking somewhat in one big department; the no.9 role.

With Javier Hernandez now returned to Manchester United and the confines of Old Trafford, it’s Karim Benzema who is Los Blancos’ most recognised, fully-fledged, traditional forward.

Ronaldo will obviously be looked to as their main source of goals, but if Benitez wants his team to successfully wrestle control of the title back from their bitter rivals, then the 27-year-old France international will have to chip in with goals more regularly than he did in the season just gone by.

Indeed, in keeping with his position, his ambitions have been lofty as well. Benitez informed El Pais that he is looking for as many as 25 goals from him.

Overall, he scored just 15 times in La Liga, one goal behind Suarez who missed the first eight games. Clearly, then, there is massive room for improvement.

Can he better himself considerably to help turn the tide in his side’s favour?

#7 How far can Real Sociedad progress under David Moyes?

Flirting with relegation before his arrival in November 2014, David Moyes certainly didn’t enter lightly into his contract with Real Sociedad. From the get-go it was going to be a tough assignment.

For six months beforehand, the man affectionately dubbed “El Moyseh” found himself without a job having had his contract terminated at Manchester United. Without hope and no doubt more than a little flustered from his failed stint attempting to appease the Stretford End faithful, he was cast onto the scrapheap, deemed unworthy to lead the Red Devils any further.

The manner in which he was left searching for another job came as little shock to many, although it still seems harsh in the cold light of day, even now. Still, he seems to have re-built much of his reputation and ought to feel proud of what he has helped Txuriurdin achieve under his watch to date.

His first 10 league games in charge saw Sociedad suffer just three defeats, and as they began to grow in confidence soon started to achieve some remarkable feats. Highlights of his inaugural campaign included a masterminded 1-0 victory over Barcelona at home as well as the transformation of the Anoeta Stadium into something of a fortress as they lost just twice in 13 matches.

The early signs have been promising. For now, at least, the manager who was once cast aside as a figure of fun in England looks set to put his comedy of errors behind him.

Perhaps this season, he’ll have the last laugh and guide his new club into Europe. Stranger things have happened.

#8 Atletico should push hard for the title

By the end of their 2014/15 journey Diego Simeone’s men were 16 points adrift of the champions having been ruled out of the title race weeks before the last ball was kicked. In short, they weren’t exactly jostling for position at the winners’ enclosure, having finished a whisker ahead of fifth-placed Sevilla.

In saying that, Los Colchoneros have arguably done the best bit of business during the off-season, and already look like challenging for the title much more aggressively this time.

Dominating the transfer market, they’ve bought and sold wisely, selecting some of the finest players around, while trimming any excess squad weight.

Acquiring the services of Jackson Martinez, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Luciano Vietto in particular, the club have emitted a strong signal of intent to the rest of the league that they intend to attack with vigour, energy and vibrancy in an effort to upset the status quo once again.

As well as their big-spending, largely funded by the sale of Mario Mandzukic and (as discussed) Turan, they have also recouped the fruit of their wisdom with a few top names coming back from spells on loan. Perhaps most notably, they have brought back Javier Manquillo and a dazzlingly gifted midfielder in Oliver Torres to bolster their squad yet further. Also, they’ve welcomed Filipe Luis back from Chelsea for around €16 million.

One major obstacle to all these chops and changes is that it will take time for the team to gain fluidity and comfort together, and although it’s a big gamble to alter things so drastically, Simeone obviously felt it was necessary – and he’s not one of the top coaching minds in the game for no reason.

#9 Will Barcelona\'s complacency prove problematic?

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that league titles are not won over-night, and they are most certainly not contested in the pre-season.

For Barcelona fans, this will provide little solace for their immediate concerns. Nevertheless, it is still a grain of truth that could grow into the nourishment they need for the coming weeks and months ahead.

Saddled with those transfer restrictions, they will have to dig deep into the reservoir of their resources, meaning that the likes of Sandro and Munir could very well find themselves experiencing a lot more minutes than they have done to date with the senior side. Indeed, with Pedro’s impending departure, the prodigious pairing have yet more reason to feel excited about the coming months, at least on a personal level.

Signs of complacency mean that Luis Enrique could well alter things drastically, and if the problem rears its unsightly head on a consistent basis, he’ll have to come up with a quick fix on more than one occasion. In essence, it will be of the utmost importance for this team to remember that the conquests of their treble are now consigned to the history books and cannot be pointed to as proof of their credentials anymore.

They need to prove themselves all over again, whether they like it or not.

#10 The battle for Europe will offer intrigue

Another intriguing facet to the season will be the battle to qualify for Europe.

With Barca, Real and Atletico all expected to nab the first three automatic spots for the Champions League group stage yet again, neutrals will be sure to find plenty of talking points elsewhere. Last time around, Valencia, Sevilla, Villarreal and Athetic Bilbao all took the last few European spaces, and these clubs should all be in the mix again.

Don’t be surprised if we see a few surprise packages emerge as challengers throughout, though, as Sociedad, Malaga and Celta Vigo might just show enough consistency and determination to keep themselves in contention for a number of months.

With the Europa League offering a route directly into the continent’s elite club competition (something Los Rojiblancos took full advantage of), we can expect quite a ferocious battle to rage in this department.

Who will emerge the happiest?