La Liga

LA LIGA’S biggest flops of the season have been revealed with former Arsenal failure Denis Suarez and Barcelona star Antoine Griezmann included.
Spanish outlet Marca compiled their Worst XI from this season’s league campaign.

4

Marca’s LaLiga Worst XI 2019/20

4

Griezmann has been intensely scrutinised during his first season at BarcelonaCredit: Getty Images – Getty

4

Former Arsenal flop Denis Suarez is still struggling
And there were plenty of big-hitters in the squad made up of Spain’s most underwhelming stars.
Runners-up Barcelona have two players in the line-up along with relegated city neighbours Espanyol.
Valencia also contribute two stars, while even champions Real Madrid have one representative.
Former Atleti hero Griezmann has failed to impress since moving to the Nou Camp and he is joined in the side by former Gunners loanee Suarez.

Suarez, now at Celta Vigo, spent an entirely forgetful six months in North London after being brought to the club by former boss Unai Emery in January 2019.
He managed just TWO Premier League appearances before later claiming he was not even 50 per cent fit when he arrived at the Emirates.
The nightmare has continued for Suarez, 26, despite swapping Barca for Celta and he managed just one La Liga goal in 26 appearances.

Griezmann made a £108million move to link up with Lionel Messi and Co but it has not gone to plan.
The French World Cup winner hit just nine goals in 35 appearances and was plagued by rumours of a rift with his Argentine skipper as Barca failed to retain their crown.
Ironically, Griezmann’s replacement at Atleti, Joao Felix, joins him in the side after failing to live up to his big billing in the capital.
Felix arrived as the fifth most expensive player ever in a huge £113million deal but the Portuguese star, 20, managed just six goals and one assist in 27 games.

4

Joao Felix has not hit the heights Atletico Madrid hoped for

Leading the line is Real Madrid’s Luka Jovic, 22, who has scored just two goals in 17 appearances after costing £55m from Frankfurt last summer.
Hampered by fitness and form, Jovic is already linked with a move away and Chelsea are interested.
The team’s goalkeeper is Jasper Cillessen of Valencia, the former Barca man has had a tough campaign between the sticks, conceding 30 goals in 24 games and registering just five clean sheets.

Griezmann admits Messi barely talks to him at Barcelona More

DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA have been controversially relegated to the third tier of Spanish football after their final game of the season against Fuenlabrada was called off.
The Blues and Whites were scheduled to face to the Madrid outfit at home on Monday night, only for several members of the visitors to test positive for coronavirus.

1

Deportivo have been relegated to the Spaish third tier after Lugo and Albacete both won on Monday nightCredit: Getty Images – Getty
According to Marca, 12 members of the Fuenlabrada squad came back with positive results for Covid-19.
The decision was made to postpone the clash by LaLiga – who oversee the top two division in Spain.
But instead of cancelling all the other fixtures in the league, matches still went ahead, with Deportivo’s rivals Lugo and Albacete both recording victories.
This sealed Deportivo’s relegation to Segunda B for the first time in 39 years, as they went into the final round requiring a win to stay up with Lugo and Albacete needing to drop points.

But even though Deportivo would still have been relegated should they have won in their match, their club president has argued that all games should have been scrapped too so everyone competed in fair conditions.
Fernando Vidal said: “The surprise was that the rest of the games went ahead.
“It’s a very serious error by the Federation and by LaLiga.
“It’s a total adulteration of the competition.

“The whole matchday has to be repeated.”
Deportivo then released a club statement where they stated that they are willing to take legal action.
They said: “Deportivo will study and take all the necessary legal actions, before the corresponding instances, in defence of its legitimate interests.”

Santi Cazorla joins Xavi’s Qatari side Al Sadd after leaving Villarreal…dashing hopes of Arsenal return More

SERGIO RAMOS has broken the record for the most goals scored by a defender in LaLiga this century.
The Madrid skipper, who lifted the league title in the capital last week, opened the scoring against Leganes on Sunday.

2

Sergio Ramos broke the record for most goals scored by a defender in LaLiga
It took his tally for the season to 11, making history by surpassing the record set by Mariano Pernia for Getafe 15 years ago.
Ramos – who has undergone a dramatic body transformation throughout his career – has hit an amazing scoring form since the league’s restart.
He has six goals during that time, the same as Barcelona captain Lionel Messi.
The centre-back has been trusted as Madrid’s primary spot-kick taker this season, scoring all seven.

Frenchman Karim Benzema also has a 100 per cent record from his five penalties taken this season.
Ramos led the party after Madrid dethroned Barca as Spanish champions.
And club president Florentino Perez insisted the 34-year-old defender will retire at the Bernabeu.

Perez said: “Sergio Ramos is going to be here his whole life.

“So the fans can be calm.
“He has been impressive as a leader, the team are a close group and much of the reason for that lies with him.”

2

Ramos led the party after Madrid dethroned Barca as Spanish champions

Watch Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema’s disallowed cheeky penalty routine More

BARCELONA boss Quique Setien reportedly held showdown talks with Lionel Messi to clear the air ahead of the club’s Champions League bid.
The Spanish giants have been in poor form since the season restart, throwing away a two-point lead to hand Real Madrid LaLiga.

2

Barcelona boss Quique Setien held clear the air talks with Lionel MessiCredit: Reuters
Messi called Barca’s play of late “weak and erratic” after the meek defeat against Osasuna saw them forfeit their crown.
But the Catalans finished the Spanish season in style with a 5-0 win over Alaves on Sunday.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the dramatic uplift in performance was motivated by a showdown meeting Setien had with Messi.
The Nou Camp chief met with his captain for an hour face-to-face on Saturday where they each presented their point of view.

The report added that Setien and Messi agreed to “leave their reluctance” aside to rescue their Champions League dream.

“We are all excited about the Champions League. It is true that we have spoken and it has served us well, because some things have been cleaned up.
Barcelona boss Quique Setien

Barcelona remain favourites to progress to the quarter-finals when they host Napoli next month having netted a vital away goal in the 1-1 draw back in February.
Yet pressure has been mounting on Setien’s position after the league was settled with a game to spare and rumours swirling around unrest in the dressing room.
Despite the speculation, the 61-year-old stressed he gets along well enough with Messi to work together.

He said: “It is the same as with everyone, more or less.
“There are players who are more open and have more of a relationship, but the relationship is good.”
Messi revealed after the Alaves win that there had been soul-searching talks among the squad since the loss to Osasuna.

And Setien added: “It is true, that we have had a deep reflection on the situation.
“We are all excited about the Champions League. It is true that we have spoken and it has served us well, because some things have been cleaned up.
“It is something that has been backed up with this game and with this result, which will allow us to face the future with more confidence and in a different state of mind.”

Lionel Messi tells Sergio Aguero off live on Twitch as he tells Man City star to ‘stop messing around and go see physio’ More

ARTURO VIDAL hasn’t been on a championship losing football team in almost a decade.
But this season the Chilean’s title-winning streak came to an end in a bittersweet fashion. 

1

Arturo Vidal has won eight league titles in three of Europe’s top divisions. He missed out on his ninth after Barcelona lost their La Liga crown to Real Madrid this termCredit: Getty Images – Getty
On Thursday the tenacious Barcelona midfield star missed out on the chance to claim his ninth championship medal, thanks to Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid. 
And the 33-year-old had been on a title-winning side an impressive eight times in three of Europe’s top football divisions. 
Since 2011 the 100-cap Chile international, who moved to the Nou Camp for £27million in 2018, has enjoyed some stunning league wins at Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona. 
In nine years, Vidal has celebrated glittering trophy success, including four Scudettos in Italy with Juventus, three Bundesligas with Bayern Munich, and last season’s La Liga title at the Nou Camp.

Other title wins include three league championships with Chilean Primera Division side CSD Colo-Colo.
But this term Vidal and his Barcelona team-mates lost their La Liga crown to their arch-rivals, courtesy of Madrid dispatching Villarreal, and Barca suffering a loss to Osasuna. 
Zidane’s men finished top of the table and seven points ahead of Barca, with a game to spare. 
The 2-1 win for the Bernabeu giants was followed by ecstatic post-match celebrations – and brutal analysis from Lionel Messi of Barcelona’s efforts to retain their crown. 

Arturo Vidal’s Trophy Wins

3 Primera Division Championships (Chile)

2006 – Primera Division title (CSD Colo-Colo)
2006 – Primera Division (CSD Colo-Colo)
2007 – Primera Division (CSD Colo-Colo)
3 Bundesliga Titles
2015-16 – Bayern Munich
2016-17 – Bayern Munich
2017-18 – Bayern Munich
2 German Super Cups
2016-17 – Bayern Munich
2017-18 – Bayern Munich
1 German Football Cup
2015-16 – Bayern Munich
4 Serie A Titles
2011-12 – Juventus
2012-13 – Juventus
2013-14 – Juventus
2014-15 – Juventus
1 Coppa Italia Trophy
2014-15 – Juventus
2 Italian Super Cup Trophies
2012-13 – Juventus
2013-14 – Juventus
1 La Liga Title
2018-19 – Barcelona
1 Spanish Super Cup
2018-19 – Barcelona

The furious Nou Camp skipper Lionel Messi was scathing in his assessment of his side’s “weak” spots. 
Following Barca’s 2-1 loss to Osasuna Messi said: “We have been an erratic and weak team.
“Madrid did its part by winning all its matches, which is impressive, but we also helped them to win this league. 
“We have to be critical of how we have played, starting with the players, and the rest of the club.
“We have lost because of our mistakes and not because of Madrid’s successes as many say.”
Barcelona will be looking to bounce back from what has been a disappointing end to their La Liga season. 

The club play Napoli in August in the second leg of the Champions League last 16 round. 
And the Spanish giants will be going to the return game at Nou Camp with an away goal advantage following their 1-1 draw in February. 
However, Qique Setien’s side will be without the services of Vidal who was sent off in just TWO seconds for a reckless tackle on Napoli’s Mario Rui.

Lionel Messi set to quit Barcelona in 2021 when contract ends More