Below are the ten most important issues that will be resolved throughout the 2024-25 La Liga season.
One of the best competitions on the European continent is starting, La Liga of Spainthis weekend, and with it begins a world of issues that will begin to be resolved:
How many goals will he score? Kylian Mbappé In his first season wearing the shirt of Real MadridCan you win the Barcelona the LaLiga championship with FlickWhich teams will be relegated at the end of the season? We tell you this and more.
Spanish football kicks off its new campaign this Friday with two matches. Athletic Bilbao of Nico Williams receives the Getafewhile the Real Betis faces in Sevilla to the big surprise of the previous season, Girona.
Frenchman Kylian Mbappé joins a Real Madrid side already accustomed to success. Photo by Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty Images
From the moment that whistle blows, fans of the 20 top-flight clubs will have both high hopes and uncertainty about the fate of their respective teams: the championship contenders, those looking to get into the Champions League spots, and those who feel well served by avoiding relegation.
Here are the ten biggest questions that will be answered during the 2024-25 La Liga season:
1:46
Flick excited to make his LaLiga debut
The Barcelona coach spoke about the match against Valencia and the recovery of the injured players.
Can Barcelona avoid a second white championship?
According to the betting portal ESPN Betthe only team not called Real Madrid with good odds to take the title is precisely FC Barcelona. The fact that the bookmakers are so in favour of the Catalans despite the fact that the club has a new coach and that its financial problems have not yet been resolved is entirely due to two factors.
First, the pedigree of Hansi Flickthe German coach who will take over the reins of the club after the mandate of Xavi. Flick showed in the Bayern Munich a dominant football, in which his high-pressure defensive tactics and speed up front generated quite a few goals, including the 8-2 thrashing of Barcelona in the Champions League from 2019-20. That style will adapt very well to the culé DNA.
Secondly, let us consider the growth of Barça’s young figures, led by Lamine YamalThe 17-year-old star was a key part of La Roja’s championship in the Euro 2024. Let’s add the figures of Pedri, Ferran Torres y Dani Olmowho returns to Barcelona after his days in The Farmhouseand there is hope for the Blaugranas for the new campaign.
How many goals will Kylian Mbappé score in his debut season?
Mbappé’s arrival at Madrid was taken for granted during the transfer market. He joins a team that has already won everything in full force. The attack that is made up of Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr., Endrick y Rodrygocould achieve historic milestones in the season.
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According to ESPN Bet, Mbappé is the favourite to take the crown as La Liga’s top scorer. His best mark for PSG was 33 goals in 2018-19, and he has scored between 27 and 29 goals in the last four seasons. Artem Dobvyk It was the Pichichi last year with 24 goals for Girona, a record within reach for Mbappé if he replicates his usual numbers.
Will Lamine Yamal shine after his strong performance at the Euros?
Yamal emerged as the breakout star of the European tournament this summer, and the confidence he gained from shining as one of his country’s most important players will surely serve him well upon his return to Barcelona. The forward, who only turned 17 in July, scored seven goals and registered nine assists in all competitions for the Catalans in his debut season last year.
This season, he is expected to play a more prominent role on the pitch, transitioning from the wing to assist the forwards in the box, but also to create his own opportunities, worthy of those we saw at the Euros. We could be looking at an explosive evolution in his next season.
1:31
“I needed a new challenge”: Julián Álvarez
At his presentation as an Atlético player, the Argentine striker spoke about his departure from Manchester City.
Does Atlético de Madrid have any chance of winning the title?
Over the past two decades, Los Colchoneros have distinguished themselves as the only club to have managed to lift the trophy not named Real Madrid or Barcelona. In 2021, they did so for the last time in dramatic fashion, beating Madrid by two points and coming back from behind. Real Valladolid in the last game of the season to achieve it.
For this season, Diego Simeone has been reinforced with Alexander Sorlothformer Norwegian goalscorer Villarrealy Julian Alvarezthe Argentine crack who arrives from Manchester CityIf he stays on the roster, we will witness the last dance of Antoine Griezmannwho has been sought by MLS to continue his career in the United States. The team of Sorloth, who scored 23 times last year, Alvarez, and Griezmann could emerge as one of the best attacks.
Although Atlético will not be able to spring a surprise as they did in 2021, the rojiblancos are positioned to improve on the fourth place they left last year against a rising Girona.
Will Girona stay in the Champions League spots?
On that side, Girona of City Football Groupsurprised everyone by qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in its history. Led by Míchel on the bench and led by Ukrainian Artem Dobvyk, they led the competition until Matchday 22 before stumbling and finishing third.
Dobvyk left this summer for the Serie A con Romaand his genius in midfield, Alex Garciaal Bayer Leverkusen. The Spanish striker arrived in his place Abel Ruiz and the Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beekamong others. Given the demands of the Champions League, Míchel’s challenge will be to keep his squad fresh in order to be competitive in La Liga. If Girona finishes in the top four of the table, it would surpass the achievements of last year.
Will Sevilla recover after two terrible seasons?
Since 2000, when they suffered relegation to the second division, Sevilla had finished outside the top ten of La Liga until it happened in 2023. The red-and-whites fared worse in 2024, finishing in fourteenth place and avoiding relegation by just eight points.
For this season, they will not have any big signings indicative of a renewed squad, although the arrivals of Saúl Ñíguezon loan from Atletico Madridand the French midfielder Lucien Agouméfrom Inter Milan, are notable and can prove fruitful. The coach Garcia Pepperjust arrived from Las Palmasspecializes in getting good results with a small squad, a formula that would suit Sevilla very well.
2:35
Why didn’t Nico Williams come to Barcelona?
Moisés Llorens explains the details of the failed operation.
Which clubs are shaping up to be the surprise teams of 2024-25?
If we assume that the burden of competing in the Champions League is heavy for Girona, it can be said that at least one new addition will emerge in the Top 4 of La Liga. Athletic Bilbao kept Nico Williams in the face of pressure from Barcelona and also added the midfielder Alvaro Djaloso they maintain practically the same appearance that took them to fifth place last year.
He Royal Societyin the face of the sale of its star defender Robin Le Normand Atlético Madrid, invested in a trio of promising players, the defenders Sergio Gomez y Javi Lopezand the midfielder Luka Sucicand is positioned as a candidate for the Champions League in this cycle.
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Who will end up as Pichichi?
Apart from Mbappé, the Barça player Robert Lewandowski He is the only other player with a high chance of competing for the Pichichi award, according to ESPN Bet. Despite being 35 years old, the Pole has remained the club’s attacking lynchpin, scoring 42 goals in two seasons with the Catalans.
Atletico’s Sorloth also has a good chance if he can establish himself as the focus of Simeone’s high-powered attack alongside Griezmann and Alvarez.
These options are added to Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, if Mbappé gets injured or suffers a loss of form while adapting to his team.
Who will be the first coach to be fired?
As usual, the pressure will be on the newly promoted teams and those who finished close to the cliff. Therefore, keep a close eye on Íñigo Pérez of Rayo Vallecano, Luis Carrion in Las Palmas, Jagoba Arrasate in Mallorca, Borja Jimenez of Leganes, Paulo Pezzolano with Real Valladolid or the coach of Espanyol, Manolo Gonzalez.
On the other hand, any team that suffers a setback after starting with high expectations is not exempt, as we saw with Sevilla in Jose Luis Mendilibar and Quique Setién’s Villarreal last season.
Who will be relegated at the end of the season?
According to ESPN Bet, Las Palmas, Leganés, Getafe and Real Valladolid start with the highest probability of being condemned to second division. The permanence of Rayo Vallecano, Espanyol, health y Alaves are also at risk.
Inclusive Sevilla y Valencia They look interesting as bets, so the Spanish season could have dramatic episodes at the bottom of the table.
