{"id":96628,"date":"2023-11-27T19:25:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T19:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stopsmokingway.com\/?p=96628"},"modified":"2023-11-27T19:25:01","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T19:25:01","slug":"10-things-we-learned-in-laliga-this-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stopsmokingway.com\/soccer\/10-things-we-learned-in-laliga-this-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"10 THINGS WE LEARNED IN LALIGA this weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Terry Venables is gone but not forgotten in Spain, Xavi is under serious pressure at Barcelona ahead of a huge week&#8230; and Jude Bellingham scores again! 10 THINGS WE LEARNED IN LALIGA<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Pressure continues to grow on Barcelona manager Xavi after weekend draw<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Spanish sports newspapers paid tribute to the late Terry Venables on Monday<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Big Ange on connecting with his players and why he doesn&#8217;t do small talk &#8211; It&#8217;s All Kicking Off hosts Chris Sutton and Ian Ladyman spoke exclusively to Spurs boss<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Barcelona\u00a0avoided defeat but not talk of a crisis that might end up costing Xavi\u00a0his job.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Real Madrid were depleted but not defeated with Bellingham in the goals again. And Mason Greenwood scored his way into La Liga\u2019s team of the weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Girona can go back to the top of La Liga on Monday evening if they beat Athletic Bilbao here are 10 things we learned from the weekend&#8217;s action ahead of their game.<\/p>\n<p><span>Venables gone but not forgotten in La Liga<\/span><\/p>\n<p>There are two sports paper in Barcelona, Diario Sport and El Mundo Deportivo. It\u2019s not often they both produce the same headline but on Monday the words \u2018Adios Mister\u2019 were written large across their front pages.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Thank You Terry\u2019 was the headline inside El Mundo Deportivo. In recent times English football has grown used to European coaches innovating in the\u00a0Premier League. That\u2019s exactly what Venables did in the mid-eighties in Spain.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He had Barcelona pressing high up the pitch and using set-pieces to score goals not just to prolong possession. He replaced a World Cup winner in Cesar Luis Menotti and did what neither he, nor any coach in the previous decade had done, winning the league with Barcelona.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/18\/78288635-12795325-image-a-5_1701108008698.jpg\" height=\"369\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Venables is fondly remember at Barcelona having ended their league title drought in 1985<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/11\/78274903-12795325-image-a-47_1701083088472.jpg\" height=\"778\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>\u2018Thank You Terry\u2019 was the headline inside El Mundo Deportivo following Venables&#8217; passing<\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p><span>Just a point for Xavi leaves Barcelona coach under pressure<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Another poor performance from Barcelona on Saturday in their 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano has left Xavi under pressure ahead of a huge week. The team has not won a single game by more than a solitary goal since mid-September when they thrashed Royal Antwerp.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Next up they face Porto in the\u00a0Champions League and Atletico Madrid\u00a0in the league. On Saturday they could only draw with Rayo and on Sunday president Joan Laporta went to watch the B-team coached by Rafa Marquez.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He doesn\u2019t normally watch the B-team. Marquez would be the replacement if the unthinkable happened and Xavi was not to see out his second season.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/11\/78274927-12795325-image-a-48_1701083115677.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>A poor display from Barcelona in a 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano leaves Xavi under pressure<\/p>\n<p><span>Ramos sees red for the first time&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s just at Sevilla mind! Ramos\u2019 straight red on Sunday against Real Sociedad\u00a0was his first for his hometown club but his 30th in total.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When Jesus Navas walked as well another, stranger, record was set.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It was the first time two players over the age 37 had been sent off in the same game.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/17\/78288009-12795325-image-a-2_1701107763853.jpg\" height=\"442\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Sergio Ramos saw red for Sevilla for the first time to take the defender&#8217;s career total to 30<\/p>\n<p><span>Bellingham in a hurry to beat last season\u2019s record<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Jude Bellingham has 14 goals for Real Madrid in 15 games.\u00a0That\u2019s as many as he scored in 42 games last season for Borussia Dortmund.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Commentators in Spain keep suggesting he can\u2019t keep up the present rate of scoring, he seems to have other ideas.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/17\/78288177-12795325-image-a-3_1701107840089.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Jude Bellingham has 14 goals for Real Madrid in 15 games this season as he maintains his form<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/11\/78274969-12795325-image-a-50_1701083148460.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The England midfielder scored Real Madrid&#8217;s third goal in their weekend win against Cadiz<\/p>\n<p><span>Greenwood\u2019s \u2018golazo\u2019 puts Getafe in the mix for Europe<\/span><\/p>\n<p>There were two English players in most people\u2019s teams of the weekend and the second one also scored one of the best goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Mason Greenwood\u2019s screamer helped Getafe beat Almeria and moved them up to eighth in the table.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They are starting to talk about Europe and the club\u2019s centre-forward Borja Mayoral is being talked about as a candidate for a Spain call-up.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Greenwood is transforming the humble Madrid-based club\u2019s season.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/11\/78275013-12795325-image-a-52_1701083773457.jpg\" height=\"420\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Mason Greenwood\u2019s screamer helped Getafe beat Almeria and moved them up to eighth in the table<\/p>\n<p><span>Umar, Oh what a goal!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Greenwood\u2019s wasn\u2019t quite goal of the weekend because Umar Sadiq hit an even more stunning strike on Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s had a tough time since winning a move to Real Sociedad, missing most of last season with a torn cruciate ligament but he is showing why the club picked him to replace Newcastle-bound Alexander Isak.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>His goal against Sevilla is well worth looking up.<\/p>\n<p><span>Carlo keeps the faith in Kepa even if fans disagree<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u2018If he\u2019s fit then he will play against Granada next weekend\u2019 said Carlo Ancelotti of Chelsea loanee keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Italian coach has made his mind up about his goalkeeping options despite the fact that most Real Madrid supporters are now wondering if Andriy Lunin should not be allowed to stay in goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He has been faultless since replacing Kepa three games back. Lunin\u2019s contract runs out at the end of the season and it\u2019s time for him to be number one somewhere, regardless of how many more games he plays this season.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/11\/78275029-12795325-image-a-53_1701083799075.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Carlo Ancelotti has kept faith in goalkeeper\u00a0Kepa Arrizabalaga despite his questionable form<\/p>\n<p><span>Modric: old, gold, and upset with the referee<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u2018I have not disrespected you, so why are you speaking to me like that,\u2019 said Luka Modric to referee Guiermo Cuadra Fernandez at the restart of Madrid\u2019s win over Cadiz. It was a special game for the Croatian.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Only Ferenc Puskas played for Real Madrid with more miles on the clock after Luka started Sunday\u2019s game aged 38 years and 78 days. The \u2018Galloping Major\u2019 Puskas played aged 38 years and 233 days. Modric was superb again and hit the post in the second half.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He did come off as a precaution in the second half after feeling his hamstring tighten and is unlikely to play against Napoli.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/11\/78275037-12795325-image-a-51_1701083217953.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Only Ferenc Puskas played for Real Madrid with more miles on the clock after Luka Modric started Sunday\u2019s game aged 38 years and 78 days<\/p>\n<p><span>Respect for Rafa, but still no second win of the season<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Valencia will never forget what Rafa Benitez did for them between 2001 and 2004. They welcomed him back on Saturday like a returning hero.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The two leagues and Uefa Cup that he won during his time in charge are beyond their wildest dreams these days.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He has more pressing concerns right now \u2013 Celta Vigo are still in the bottom three with only one win after the weekend\u2019s draw.<\/p>\n<p><span>Simeone in good shape to end bad run against Barcelona<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Diego Simeone has never beaten Barcelona in the league.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Next week he will take his team to the Olympic Stadium and thanks to his side\u2019s 1-0 win over Las Palmas they will do so knowing a win will put them above Barcelona in the table and with a game in hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They are many people\u2019s tip for the title \u2013 if he finally beats Bar\u00e7a that will be another sign that this could be Atletico\u2019s year.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/11\/27\/17\/78288481-12795325-image-a-4_1701107909935.jpg\" height=\"422\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Diego Simeone will hope to earn a first league win over Barcelona for title chasing\u00a0Atletico<\/p>\n<h3>IT&#8217;S ALL KICKING OFF!\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p><span>It&#8217;s All Kicking Off\u00a0is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/08\/02\/636x90_facebook_ad_sport.png\" width=\"636\" height=\"90\"><br \/>\nSource: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/sport\/football\/article-12795325\/Terry-Venables-Spain-Xavi-Barcelona-LALIGA.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Terry Venables is gone but not forgotten in Spain, Xavi is under serious pressure at Barcelona ahead of a huge<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - 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