La Liga Lowdown

What would Barcelona do without Lionel Messi? Well, lose a lot more for a start. The little Argentine came back to haunt Sevilla once again with an utterly outstanding hat-trick, helping them come from 1-0 and 2-1 to win at the Sanchez Pizjuan in the last 5 minutes. We celebrate Leo and all his stats, but it's still a bit of a worrying picture for out-of-sorts Philippe Coutinho...

Even more worrying is how referee Iglesias Villanueva gave a penalty as Casemiro got only feather-light contact from Cheick Doucouré if anything, perhaps one of the most controversial calls of the season, as Real Madrid beat Levante...VAR once again in the spotlight. If it wasn't used, why? Whose fault is it? Why couldn't they get it right? We are demanding answers...

Atleti also won, as did Getafe, and we're talking up LaLiga's unfashionable side from the southern Madrid suburbs, because they bloody well deserve it, even if you don't really like them.

That meant defeats for Villarreal & Rayo, while Huesca, Celta, Girona & Espanyol all picked up a single point in their survival battle...it's still tight, it's still tense, it could go down to the wire.

All of that in less than half an hour, feel free to give us a nice review and a 5-star rating on this podcast, and don't forget to check out our Twitter feed as well too - @LaLigaLowdown.

Enjoy!

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There are so many talking points surrounding the LaLiga champions and Copa del Rey holders, and in this special bonus podcast edition, Román de Arquer speaks to respected journalist Marco Chiazza. If you're a Barcelona fan, or even if you're not, this is definitely for you. 

Roman & Marco discuss all of the following topics, in a tight but informing half-an-hour chat:

- reaction to Barça's Champions League draw with Lyon

- why the rotations aren't quite working at the moment

- Coutinho, Arthur and Kevin-Prince Boateng - how are they doing?

- contract situations for Valverde, Jordi Alba and Rakitic

- the 2 Clásicos coming up against Real Madrid in Copa del Rey and LaLiga

- what titles will Barcelona win this season?

Thanks so much to Marco for coming on the show and speaking to us - you can follow him at @MarcoChiazza on Twitter, and you can follow us @LaLigaLowdown.

Enjoy!

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Just when you thought you could predict LaLiga, it does something else to confuse you, and this time it's called Real Madrid. Every bit of form pointed towards them not only beating Girona but MAULING THEM...and yet they lost 2-1 at home, and it was basically all their fault. And it's also their fault that Barcelona keep inching further ahead, without doing anything special.

Lionel Messi's tale of 2 penalties was the main storyline from the Camp Nou as Barça just about did enough to beat Real Valladolid, and Atlético weren't much better in their victory at Rayo. For all the big teams, they're struggling to rotate effectively, as the Champions League returns. Sevilla also found that out to their cost as they lost 3-0 at Villarreal - a very poor performance.

So that's 3 vital points for the Yellow Submarine, helped by the fact that Huesca and Rayo lost, and Celta did too, in perhaps the most woeful display of the weekend, smashed 4-1 by Levante.

It's super tight by the way in the bunfight for Europe - 8 points separate 4th and 14th places.

We also look ahead to the Champions League last 16 ties involving Barça and Atleti this week.

Enjoy!

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You can still hear the fans arguing in the bars of Madrid. To say there were a few controversial or questionable decisions in Saturday's derby is putting it mildly, and the poor old buggers in the VAR booth were right at the centre of it all...but the fact is Real Madrid beat Atleti to go 2nd in the table - they were better, and it's now 5 straight LaLiga wins for them, just 6 points off Barcelona.

The champions looked flat away to Athletic Club, and in fact could have lost this game if it wasn't for Marc-André ter Stegen...Sevilla drew too, getting a Desmond at home to Eibar, but only just...they had been 0-2 down with 10 men with less than 3 minutes to go, before Pablo Sarabia inspired the comeback.

Getafe and Alavés both stay to keep on Sevilla's coat-tails, while at the bottom Huesca won a 2nd consecutive game, defeating the woefully out-of-form Girona at Montilivi, but Villarreal continue to struggle and Rayo make up the bottom 3.

Elsewhere Leganés smashed Betis 3-nil at home, while Celta threw a bit of a hissy fit, complaining about the ref who sent off Maxi Gómez at Getafe.

Don't forget to check out our Twitter feed - @LaLigaLowdown - to keep up with all the European football this week, and we'll see you here next Tuesday!

Enjoy!

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In our first special bonus edition of the La Liga Lowdown podcast, Euan McTear speaks to Madrid-based journalist and reporter Antía André about everything that's going on at the 2 big clubs in the Spanish capital.

In a comprehensive chat, they discuss their current form, and also the huge derby at the Wanda Metropolitano this weekend, so find out who Euan and Antía are backing for the game itself...here's a clue: they don't agree!

There's discussion of Alvaro Morata and whether he'll have an impact in the game, as well as Karim Benzema who has hit form, while Euan & Antía also talk about both clubs' genuine hopes in the Champions League as the competition moves into the knockout stages - Madrid face Ajax, Atleti meet Juventus.

Don't forget to check out our Twitter feed, @LaLigaLowdown, for all of the coverage of Matchday 23 in Spain's top division, and our next podcast, also broadcast on SiriusXM FC 157 in North America is out next Tuesday.

Enjoy!

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"Expect the unexpected" is the theme of LaLiga this season - Barcelona were held by Valencia (rescued by Leo Messi again), then Atlético Madrid could have made up ground on the leaders but they lost at Real Betis...Sevilla also went to out-of-form Celta Vigo, and they lost too. So that's 3 of the top 4 failing to win. Real Madrid have hit form though, 3-nil winners over Alavés.

The chasing pack is starting to look a bit more familiar - Valencia & Real Sociedad are prowling just outside the Europa League places, with La Real upsetting the form book and defeating Athletic Club in the Basque derby. It means they're still unbeaten under coach Imanol Alguacil.

But the relegation fight is getting even tastier - Huesca win, Villarreal draw, Celta win, Leganés win - a huge reaction from the strugglers. The scrap to avoid the drop pretty much involves anyone from 11th down, so tight are things in the bottom half of the table - it's a thrilling battle.

We also look ahead to the Copa del Rey semi-final 1st legs, including a Camp Nou Clásico.

Don't forget to check out our Twitter feed (@LaLigaLowdown), and feel free to rate this podcast 5 stars and give us some really nice comments - we'd be ever so grateful.

Enjoy!

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Are Real Madrid back for good? Like REALly back? (Sorry.) Suddenly the boys in white (or actually a weird pinky red this week) are looking like European champions, with big names starring and scoring - especially Karim Benzema as they won at Espanyol. Question is: is he the best number 9 in the world?!

Just up the road, Barcelona beat Girona but it wasn't actually all that easy - still, it's 8 straight league wins, so they stay 5 points clear of Atlético who were totally in control at home to Getafe...and we make a deep analogy about watches.

Sevilla put 5 past leaky Levante who can now boast the worst defence in the division - all Sevilla's goals came in the 2nd half, all from different scorers. And they'll have enjoyed Betis' defeat at a rejuvenated Athletic Club by a goal to nil.

No big team seemed fazed on Derby Day as Valencia put away a poor Villarreal who look now to be really struggling 5 points from safety - whatever new boss Luis García Plaza is doing, it really ain't working, with all of the talent at his disposal. Rayo took advantage by beating Alavés to get out of the bottom 3.

That dropped Celta Vigo into it after they lost at Real Valladolid - we bring you an update after the Celta president decided to go public on a few things. Oh, and congratulations to Huesca - a first clean sheet after 23 games this season.

Enjoy!

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Some things in LaLiga are odd. Like Barcelona signing Kevin-Prince Boateng. (They actually have, on loan.) But other things aren't. We witnessed some incredible goals this weekend in Spain's top flight - Casemiro for Real Madrid, Jorge Molina for Getafe, Charles for Eibar just to name a few. If you want spectacular strikes and top tekkers, then LaLiga is THE place to be.

As for results, Barça made it 7 wins in a row with Dembélé starring to start off with, and Messi being Messi for the last half-hour, 2nd-placed Atlético were comfortable winners at lowly Huesca and Real Madrid finally put a decent 90 minutes together to beat Sevilla...even if it's no guarantee that it'll continue. And props to Getafe too - they stay 6th after smashing Alavés.

The relegation battle is hotting up - Villarreal could only draw at home to Athletic Club, Rayo Vallecano had the points in their hands but let Real Sociedad back in, Celta also led but threw it all away against Valencia, while Eibar jumped up the table after outclassing Espanyol.

Don't forget to check out our Twitter feed (@LaLigaLowdown) to keep across all the Copa del Rey quarter-final first legs this week, and feel free to rate this podcast 5 stars, you legends.

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This weekend we saw yet another milestone in the extraordinary career of Lionel Messi. He's now reached 400 goals in LaLiga after scoring in Barcelona's 3-0 win over Eibar, as the champions take a five-point lead into the second half of the season. The performance of Philippe Coutinho has given Ernesto Valverde food for thought, so Román tells us what the future holds for him.

With Atletico Madrid winning and Sevilla losing, maybe the title race is down to two horses - we're hearing from Euan on Atleti, while Sevilla have at least got some signings through the door including Barca forward Munir - Alex tells us a little bit about their new recruits.

As for the relegation battle, big wins for Leganés, Rayo Vallecano and resurgent Athletic Club, but Villarreal have plumbed new depths - defeat to Getafe leaves them second-bottom. Tough times at Valencia too - Paco was at Mestalla as they drew yet again, against Real Valladolid.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter as well - our handle is @ LaLigaLowdown, and feel free to give us an amazing rating and review, however you listen to this podcast. Have a great week!

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3 words: More Madrid misery. Yes, they might be European champions, but Real Madrid definitely didn't look like it as they slumped to a 6th LaLiga defeat of the season at home to Real Sociedad. We absolutely tear into Los Blancos, and deservedly so because they were truly terrible. The result leaves them 10 points off leaders Barcelona who won away to hard men Getafe, but at least they've signed a 158th young player that they barely need in Brahim Diaz...

Barça were also helped by Sevilla and Atlético Madrid drawing in the glamour game of the weekend - some high-quality football in this one, but not so much from Valencia as they lost at Alavés to put Marcelino under real pressure...the result sends Alavés up to 4th, which is nuts.

In the relegation battle, all of the bottom 3 won, including an historic first LaLiga home victory for Huesca, but Rayo are also showing signs of life and Athletic Club look revitalised under Gaizka Garitano...Villarreal were held to a draw at Eibar, and it's they who are now in the drop zone.

There's also your 3-word verdicts on Matchday 18, thanks for sending those to us!  Don't forget to follow us on Twitter - our handle is @LaLigaLowdown - so come have a chat, and feel free to give this podcast and amazing review and a 5-star rating. We'd be forever in your debt.

Hasta luego!

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