La Liga Lowdown

Matchday 12 came hot off the heels of Matchday 11 and similarly, there were great games, shocks and some fantastic moments. Your host Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) reviews it all with Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow).

The Sunday night partidazo lived up to that billing and the only place to start was at a raucous Reale Arena - Beñat Gutiérrez (@beinatguti) was present to give his derby day verdict. Sam and Ruairidh then discuss Barcelona's home draw with Alavés, which isn't even news, before reliving a very comfortable win for Atlético de Madrid over Real Betis.

In the second half of the show, Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) is on hand to delight in Bordalás-ball and despair at Villarreal. Finally, Sam and Ruairidh wrap up the rest of the news before giving their MVP picks and moments of the matchday. Follow @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter to vote for your MVP!

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Hot on the heels of Matchday 10, LaLiga returned with a pulsating set of matches in midweek for round 11, so settle down in the company of hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Matt Clark (MattClark_08) for this bumper episode.

The headline news is the sacking of Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman after their third league defeat of the season at Rayo Vallecano. That is the biggest story in town, and therefore we start there, in the form an in-depth discussion in the company of Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee). We react to the dismissal, evaluate his tenure and look ahead to where Barça go now, with Sergi Barjuán appointed as interim coach.

Elsewhere, Rayo are surfing the crest of a wave and this latest triumph is put into context by author and fan Robbie Dunne (@robbiejdunne).

Another of the week’s biggest winners were Real Betis, and we were joined by journalist and presenter David Whitworth (@DCW1tw0rth) to praise the prolific and in-form verdiblancos.

Happily, goals continue

to fly in across the league, and with more late drama to take in, the rest of the matches are also covered after the break.

As always, we end with our regular features of MVP and Moments of the Week to conclude another dramatic round in what we think is the best league in the World.

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Matchday 10 of LaLiga was bursting with entertainment, drama and…goals – lots of them! With so much action to get through, dive straight in and join hosts Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Matt Clark (@MattClark_08).

We begin at Camp Nou where El Clásico entered a new era, but the result was an all too familiar one, as Real Madrid took the victory once again. Matt and Sam – who was at the game live – dissect the game at length with aficionados Román De Arquer (@aeroslavee) and Has Karim (@TheHasKarim) and ponder where this leaves Ronald Koeman’s future.

Attention is then turned to the Sunday night stunner at the Wanda where Atleti again found themselves 2-0 down but had a familiar hero to thank as they rescued a point against league leaders Real Sociedad.

Across the rest of LaLiga there is praise for the pair of Seville clubs as well as Athletic and Alavés. This all meant MVP and moments of the weekend were hotly contested this week. Tune in to find out the outcomes of those discussions.

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LaLiga Matchday 9 was another adulterated version with just six matches taking place over the weekend, but that just means the analysis was all the more detailed. Join hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) as they break it down.

Starting with the Sunday night partidazo, Barcelona got a much needed win over Valencia and despite Ansu Fati, there are still reasons for pessimism. Following that, we speak to Thom Harris (@ThomHarris_) about Villarreal's inability to put wins together - with or without Gerard Moreno's brilliance.

In the second half of the pod, admiring glances are cast towards our Basque league leaders (!), our Basque-led surprise of the season and for balance, ask a little more of Julen Lopetegui's Sevilla. Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) is on hand to detail a non-descript start for new managers Javi Pereira and Quique Sánchez Flores and finally, we discuss our MVP picks. Moments of the week also well worth waiting for.

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LaLiga continues to bring the drama and the emotion to your footballing weekend. After a busy few weeks, hosts Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) cast their eyes over the surprise-filled round. 

The problems continue to mount for Barcelona as they suffered another defeat at the Wanda Metropolitano. Sam was there to witness it, while our resident Barça fan Román De Arquer (@Aeroslavee) shares his thoughts on the situation. 

We also hear from Espanyol expert Geoff Gillingham (@GeoffGillingham) on the shock of the round as Los Pericos handed Real Madrid their first league defeat in nine months. 

Sam and Matt then discuss the rest of the action, including the sacking of Levante coach Paco López, as teams at the top slipped up while others showed signs of life. We pick out the other clubs and coaches most in danger of the chop, and end with the regular staples of MVP and moments of the week.

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LaLiga continues to be the best entertainment around on Sundays with another 15 goals in 5 games. Hosts Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) and Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) pick their way through that mayhem but not before unpacking a siesta-worthy effort from the title holders Atleti against bottom-dwelling Alavés.

Attentions are then turned to Camp Nou, which threatened to be a gloomy affair but ended up a festival of celebration. Román de Arquer (Aeroslavee) analyses an increasingly rare happy day out for Barcelona and the comeback of their new number 10, Ansu Fati. Until now it had been Real Madrid lighting up the league but Unai Emery's Villarreal were only too happy to thwart that run - Jamie Kemble (@JamieKemble) gave us his verdict on a fifth draw in six games for the Yellow Submarine.

In the last part of the show Sam and Ruairidh hand out some praise for Basque managers with impressive wins for Real Sociedad, Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano, before deciding on their MVP candidates for the weekend's action. Head over to @LaLigaLowdown on Twitter to find out who reigns victorious.

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More than one LaLiga coach is hanging onto their job by a thread after Matchday 6 in LaLiga in an action-packed midweek round of fixtures. Your hosts Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) cover all the action with insights from locals fans.

Ronald Koeman's Barcelona drew two blanks in the space of four days, against Granada and Cádiz, while Real Madrid produced goals galore and Atlético left it late to find their shooting boots.

Getafe fan Dom Tancock (@dorsetdom) joins us to discuss what Luis Suárez's late brace meant for the Azulones, and Míchel's future. Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) also chats about Valencia's defeat to Sevilla as Julen Lopetegui got the better of José Bordalás.

Sam and Ruairidh also decide on their MVP picks for the matchday, including a potential Ballon d'Or candidate.

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There's nothing worse than heartbreak and Matchday 5 in LaLiga was an affair riddled with it. Your hosts Sam Leveridge (@samleveridge) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) are across the major talking points and several of the grounds.

Real Madrid are nothing if not resilient and they left Valencia short-changed on Sunday night. Dramatic endings lead the discussion as Real Betis surrender in the 97th minute.

The return of El Tigre, Radamel Falcao, came with a roar and Robbie Dunne (@robbiejdunne) speaks on that matter and the ever-interesting climate at Rayo Vallecano. No goals for Atleti against Athletic but Jeremy Beren (@JBBeren) is confident it will not hamper Diego Simeone long-term. Similarly Real Sociedad couldn't burst the net but Phil Ball (@PhilBallTweets) has his glass half full.

Finally, Sam and Ruairidh settle on their candidates for the MVP of the weekend.

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La Liga Lowdown returns after the international break to recap another dramatic weekend in the Spanish top flight. Valencia are flying, Real Madrid are back home and Atleti left it late again. 

Join hosts Matt Clark (MattClark_08) and Ruairidh Barlow (@RuriBarlow) to tuck into the action as the table begins to take shape. 

We hear from expert Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) on Valencia's win at Osasuna and Levante's late woes against Rayo Vallecano. 

Plus, Hasan Karim (@TheHasKarim) enthuses over another Real Madrid goal-fest, Beñat Gutiérrez (@beinatguti) gives us the lowdown on Athletic Club's encouraging start, and Matt and Ruairidh pick their MVPs and moments of the weekend.

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Just like Matchday 2, this weekend finished with a partidazo as Villarreal went to the Wanda and - nearly - came home with all three points. 

Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) joins Ruairidh Barlow (RuriBarlow) to review a weekend of huff, puff and perplexed managers. One of those cradling his head in his hands was Unai Emery, Jamie Kemble (@Jamie Kemble) reflects on a bizarre evening in Madrid.

Keith Farnan (@Keith_678) explains why the team everyone had dead and buried are breathing pretty comfortably and David Whitworth (@DCWh1tw0rth) is present to ruminate on a tough start for Real Betis.

Finally, an eye is cast over the other noteworthy events of the weekend and several candidates for Jornada 3 MVP are posed.

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