In what is truly becoming a closed race, there are only two sides that look seriously capable of mounting a title challenge in 2017/18. Barcelona and Real Madrid are, of course, those two sides and it’s disappointing to see so clearly that no others really stand a chance.
The only team that has managed to break through that pairing and force it’s way to the top in recent years has been Atletico Madrid and they are currently banned from signing any new players to improve their squad.
I’ll put my hand on my heart now and say I don’t know which side will finish top of La Liga next season. There’s a fag papers width between the two with the world’s two best player featuring for either side and a very able supporting cast backing each of them up.
It would be easy to get into a conversation about “the world’s best player” but no team is able to rely on one player for an entire season, so the rest of the other players need to be looked at as well. In that regard Real Madrid probably have the edge right now but there is a long way to go in the summer and plenty of transfer business to be done.
Barcelona had their own transfer ban not that long ago and when that was over they had a big influx of players, some have worked out, others haven’t. Real Madrid have always looked to the stars instead of buying team players but Zidane hs managed to work players like Casemiro into the squad and his tireless work in midfield does cover for the lack of work from certain others.
Barcelona have had a very different ethos and that’s survived despite having a few managers over the last few seasons. The team works for each other and is the model for a lot of other sides, even those that don’t have the money to buy in players like Suarez or Neymar.
And then, of course, there are those two players. Lionel Messi didn’t have his best season in 2016/17 but he’s still a fantastic player and scored 54 goals last season, along with contributing 19 assists. He’s had his problems with the tax authorities (more on that later) but that seems to be behind him and with a new manager, he could have a very enjoyable season ahead of him.
Cristiano Ronaldo is going through his own tax issues. Issues that have apparently upset him so much he now wants to leave for pastures new. This is the key issue to the 17/18 season for me. His departure could massively affect the odds for Real Madrid in our green listed bookmakers in case he packs his bags and leaves town.
Real Madrid with Ronaldo just works and it’s hard to look too far beyond them for La Liga champions in the forthcoming season. Without him, well, that’s another story. Without him they don’t look as threatening and their aura of “almost invincibility” slips. Would Real Madrid have won the Champions League without Cristiano Ronaldo last season? I don’t think so.
So the seasons betting rest on one player’s happiness and transfer. If Real can persuade Ronaldo to stay then I think the title stays at the Bernabeu. But if he goes, then that opens the door wide open for a Barcelona title challenge.
Calculators
