10 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM LALIGA: Valverde is proving Toni Kroos right

Clubs could STRIKE next week in a row over a new law, Griezmann is back to his best now Atletico return made permanent, and Barcelona need outcast Frenkie de Jong more than he needs them… 10 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM LALIGA

• Barcelona sealed a 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the Nou Camp on Sunday
• Real Madrid remain top of the LaLiga league table after a 3-1 win against Sevilla
• Striker Antoine Griezmann scored a brace to guide Atletico Madrid to a 2-1 win
• Mallorca’s Lee Kang-in scored a late winner against his former club Valencia

With three games left to play in La Liga before the break for the World Cup, 39 of the top 42 clubs are considering the possibility of refusing to play next weekend.

All the more reason to savour this week’s football then, when Antoine Griezmann, and Ousmane Dembele delivered virtuoso performances; Fede Valverde made it six goals this season; and Lee Kang-in scored against his former club.

There was also a ridiculous sending off and a win for Ronaldo’s Valladolid, and signs that Xavi has learned from last weekend’s Clasico defeat.

Federico Valverde (pictured) scored his sixth goal of the season as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 3-1

Strike action is a real possibility

The existing draft of Spain’s new sports law has infuriated the vast majority of clubs and they will strike if it’s not revised. ‘It will ruin football,’ says Villarreal director Fernando Roig Junior. 

‘One club is dominating and the politicians are only listening to that club’, he said in reference to Real Madrid. 

There are 39 clubs in opposition to the new law which they feel leaves the current TV money sharing arrangements in danger, and threatens the recent cash injection from investment fund CVC. 

They also want protection against any possible European Super League written in to the law. 

If the issues cannot be resolved by talks this week there will be chaos with the 39 clubs from the top two divisions refusing to play, and Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao potentially given 3-0 wins by default if they do turn up to games.

The existing draft of Spain’s new sports law has infuriated the vast majority of clubs in LaLiga

Big Ron’s team are greater than the sum of their parts

Ronaldo Nazario is in the news as the film about his 1998 and 2002 World Cups comes out. 

‘The Phenomenon’ is now in charge at Valladolid and doesn’t have too many phenomena in a modest side, which on paper is probably one of the weakest in La Liga. 

But they work hard for each other, are very well organised by coach Pacheta, and are currently comfortable in mid-table. At the weekend they brought to an end Real Sociedad’s eight-match winning run.

Real Valladolid, now owned by Ronaldo, ended Real Sociedad’s eight-match winning run 

Lee Kang-in could still go far

In 2019 Lee Kang-in won the Golden Ball at the Under-20 World Cup in Poland – Erling Haaland won the Golden Boot in the same tournament. 

The South Korean international has slowed up since then but he was 18 when he won that trophy and he is still only 21. 

That’s the trouble with teenage prodigies – they get written off if they’re not on top of the world by their early twenties. 

His late winner against his former club Valencia on Saturday was brilliant, and his message to them after the game, that he was grateful they had given him his chance in Europe, was classy too.

Kang-In Lee (pictured) scored a fantastic late winner for Mallorca against Real Sociedad

Kroos was right about Valverde

Real Madrid’s German midfielder said Fede Valverde was in his top three in the world at the moment and when he let fly late on against Sevilla to score his sixth goal of the season in La Liga you could see why. 

It was another superb strike and it means he is Real Madrid’s top scorer and the top scoring midfielder in Spain.

Vini is a team man

The anti-Vinicius campaign that has reared its head of late has tried to paint the picture of a selfish glory hunter who cares more about dancing a samba when he scores than his teammates. 

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos said Federico Valverde was in his top three in the world

None of that was in evidence on Saturday night when, clean through and with the goal at his mercy he teed-up substitute Lucas Vazquez instead to score Madrid’s second on the night. 

He also provided a brilliant assist for Luka Modric to score the first.

Rules can make a fool of the referee sometimes

Villarreal’s Alex Baena scored against Almeria and pulled his shirt over his head to reveal a tribute to the club’s much-loved former vice-president José Manuel Llaneza, who died recently. 

Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea had to show him a yellow and he had already been booked so he was off. Baena hadn’t even taken his shirt off but for lifting it over his head he got the second caution. 

Referees hate the rule and want it replaced with a fine. For as long as it stands every now and then a harmless and well-intentioned gesture will result in an over-the-top punishment.

Villarreal’s Alex Baena scored against Almeria and pulled his shirt over his head to reveal a tribute to the club’s much-loved former vice-president Jose Manuel Llaneza and was sent off

Griezmann is back

A world champion with France four years ago, there has never been any doubting his ability but it’s been a hard road back to his best form since returning to Atletico Madrid. 

He was brilliant again on Sunday, scoring twice against Betis, and they weren’t just ordinary goals – one was through the keeper’s legs and the other straight from a corner.

Antoine Griezmann is back to his best as he scored twice to help Atletico beat Real Betis

Barcelona need Frenkie de Jong…

Maybe even more than he needs them. They are not blessed with midfield quality beyond their brilliant teenagers Pedri and Gavi. 

De Jong was outstanding instead of Sergi Busquets in midweek, and alongside him on Sunday night he ran midfield again as Barcelona scored three against Athletic in just 22 minutes.

Xavi has learned his lessons

Barcelona fans will regret that the lessons were not learned sooner but that stinging defeat to Real Madrid seems to have brought about some key changes. 

Playing two high and open wingers left Barca’s midfield cruelly exposed against Madrid and in the two games since Xavi has bolstered the middle of the pitch with at least one of his wingers sacrificed. 

It’s good news for the team but less so for Raphinha, who has been left out of the last two games.

Xavi (pictured) has learnt his lesson and sacrificed a winger to bolster the middle of the pitch

Dembele defies logic

Dembele was also left out against Villarreal but he was back to destroy Athletic Bilbao with another extraordinary performance. 

‘You can’t mis-control that!’ shouted Xavi pitch side as Dembele allowed one easy pass to get away from him. It came just after his opening goal. 

He is capable of the best and the worst (and often in the same five minutes). But his best is mesmerising and Athletic couldn’t deal with him. 

Athletic Bilbao couldn’t deal with Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele (pictured) pure ability

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