10 THINGS WE LEARNED from LaLiga: Spanish referees twice got it WRONG
Spanish referees got it WRONG this weekend with harsh red cards, Alvaro is Real Madrid’s future gem and Ukraine’s Viktor Tsygankov was a bargain… 10 THINGS WE LEARNED from LaLiga
- Spanish referees love their red cards, and they were in abundance this weekend
- Atletico’s Angel Correa and Valladolid’s Selim Amallah were victim to harsh calls
- Real Madrid’s 18-year-old future star Alvaro stepped up during the derby clash
There’s a red mist engulfing LaLiga this season and it’s not coming from the players, it’s coming from the referees. There have been FIVE times as many sendings off in Spain as in England and the match officials were at it again at the weekend.
In terms of results Barcelona and Real Madrid, both had hangovers from trips to England in European competition, but Carlo Ancelotti’s side at least managed a point.
It came thanks to an 18-year-old Uruguayan whose form suggests Real Madrid might have found the man who can one day replace Karim Benzema.
Elsewhere Valencia won at last but, so did everyone else down at the bottom so they stay with one foot in the second tier. Here’s the ten things we learned from La Liga.
Spanish referees frequently reach for their red cards, with Atletico’s Angel Correa dismissed
Meanwhile Selim Amallah was the victim of a harsh call in Valladolid’s 3-0 loss at Celta Vigo
Refereeing in Spain getting worse
‘He’s up here and our player is down there’ said Diego Simeone gesticulating to the fourth official as Angel Correa was sent off for an elbow into the chest of Antonio Rudiger who towers over the Atletico forward.
The size difference was hardly the point but the straight red was ridiculously harsh for a tangle of which there are a million up and down the grounds in every league every week. The defender had held the forward and he had poked out an elbow. Rudiger went down dramatically and out came the red.
And then worse again…
That was Saturday, and on Sunday we had another one.
This time it was Selim Amallah, who was sent off for a challenge on Franco Cervi. It was late but a yellow would have been shown in most other leagues. Both times the referees did not check their decisions pitchside.
We did tell you last week…
Real Madrid’s 18-year-old forward Alvaro looked the business last week when he came on to set up two goals against Osasuna.
This week he rose like Fernando Morientes in his prime to head in Luka Modric’s corner and earn his team a point. He became the second youngest player to score in a Madrid derby.
The youngest is Raul – Alvaro’s coach in the Real Madrid B team that he looks like he has already out-grown. Ancelotti says he’ll do pre-season with the first team next season and Uruguay look set to give him his first cap in the next international break.
Teen Alvaro became the second youngest goalscorer in the Madrid derby with his equaliser
Fighting on two fronts is so tough
Real Madrid’s priority is the Champions League and they failed to win after their big win at Anfield. Resting players didn’t work for Barcelona either.
They left out defensive stalwarts Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde and lost to Almeria. And after their Europa League exertions, Sevilla were also beaten. It’s not easy trying to maintain a level in two different competitions.
Xavi’s Barça lumping it up to the big man
The purists went Xavi-bashing on Sunday and had given them plenty of ammunition. Barça peppered Almeria’s goal with crosses and all to no avail. Robert Lewandowski has wanted more centres to get on the end of and late-on substitute centre-back Ronald Araujo joined him at auxiliary centre-forward.
‘We coped well when it was all about crosses,’ said Almeria manager Rubi. When the penalty area is packed Barcelona need to have more in their locker and Xavi’s is now back under pressure – he might still be top but he now faces Real Madrid three times in the next two weeks.
Xavi’s Barcelona targeted the goal without success, and desperately miss Pedri’s wizardry
No Pedri, no party
This is a big part of Xavi’s problem. With Pedri missing last season Barcelona lost seven games and they are missing him once more.
There is no stand-in wizard when Merlin is crocked and he’s out for at least another couple of weeks so this could still derail Barcelona’s seemingly ‘theirs to lose’ title charge.
The smartest Ukrainian signing this season
When Chelsea spent £88.5m on Mykhailo Mudryk and Girona got his international team-mate Viktor Tsygankov for just 5m euros – good business has certainly been done.
He was impressive at the weekend as Girona beat Athletic Bilbao to move on to 30 points – they remain on course to beat their best ever total of 51 points in the 2014-15 season.
The €5m Girona paid for Ukraine’s Viktor Tsygankov looks like a bargain compared to Mudryk
Good news and bad news for Valencia
Ruben Baraja has replaced Voro, who had replaced Gennaro Gattuso, and he got his first home win on Saturday as Valencia beat the faltering Real Sociedad 1-0.
That was the good news. The bad news that the teams around them won and so they stay in the bottom three – an illustration of how hard it is going to be to get out of the trouble they have got themselves in.
Valencia’s Ruben Baraja got a crucial home win, as the sides around them also picked up points
Gabri is best young midfielder in Spain right now
They were a couple of rebounds but they all count and it’s eight goals now from midfield for 20-year-old Celta Vigo player. He almost completed his hat-trick with a shot that came off the base of the post against Valladolid.
He’s going to be Spain’s next big thing and LaLiga is just hoping that he stays in Spain. There will be no shortage of Premier League suitors at 40m euros release clause.
Reguilon’s time has come
Mozambique’s Reinildo Mandava has been so reliable for Diego Simeone and the cruciate ligament tear that rules him out for the rest of the season will be a huge miss for Aletico Madrid.
Sergio Reguilon is the obvious stand-in but bad luck with injuries mean he has only played 85 minutes and is yet to start. The former Real Madrid defender has never been popular with Atleti fans, he can win them over in their hour of need.
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