La Liga Hypermotion season preview
22 sides will fight it out in one Europe's most competitive second tiers.
La Liga Hypermotion is often one of the most competitive leagues in European football. Last season was a prime example none of the three relegated sides went back up and none of the four promoted sides went down.
Historic sides such as Real Zaragoza, Racing Santander, Depor and Malaga mix with sides such as FC Andorra, Ceuta and Real Sociedad B. Reputation and history mean little in this unpredictable league so enjoy the team by team preview and the what will turn out to be wildly terrible predictions for each teams final position.
In such a tough league these predictions are inevitably way wide of the mark usually, Mirandes I tipped for relegation and they almost went up automatically such is the crazy world of Segunda.
Albacete
Key Player: Riki Rodriguez
Signing to watch out for: Victor Valverde
Final position last season: 10th
The side from Castile-La Mancha look to have invested the €5 million plus they recieved for teenage prodigy Christian Kofane well. Champions League winning centre back Jesus Vallejo has arrived from Real Madrid looking to restore his reputation while they’ve also brought in a mixture of youth and experience to back up a solid squad.
If Vallejo can improve a leaky defence then they might go on to improve on last seasons 10th place finish
Prediction: 13th
Almeria
Key Player: Patrick Soko
Signing to watch out for: Daijiro Chirino
Final position last season: 6th
Almeria despite having by far and away the biggest budget in Segunda failed to gain promotion after falling at the semi final stages of the play-offs. Almeria have stuck with Head Coach Rubi but have moved towards signing Segunda proven players to bulk up a squad impacted by some big departures.
Luis Suarez the divisions top scorer has left for Sporting in Portugal, Marc Pubill has gone to Atleti and centre back Kaiky has gone to the UAE bringinging in a combined €50 million in a sign of the quality Almeria had in their squad.
They have mixed those Segunda signings with Andre Horta who arrives on loan from Braga having been at Olympiacos on loan last season.
The biggest area for Rubi to fix is defensively, in the last two seasons Almeria have conceded 130 goals and if that doesn’t change they will miss out again on promotion.
Prediction: 3rd
Burgos
Key Player: Curro Sanchez
Signing to watch out for: Ivan Chapela or Mario Balotelli if he signs
Final position last season:12th
Burgos league finishes since they returned to Segunda read 11th, 11th, 9th and 12th and the club is the model of consistency and going under the radar.
That 9th to 12th area feels right again for Burgos who could be dark horses under solid Head Coach Luis Miguel Ramis. The signing of Ivan Chapela from relegated Eldense could be a masterstroke if he can regain the form and fitness that saw him hit double figures from the wing in 23/24.
Under Ramis Burgos won’t play out too many high scoring thrillers but they will be awkward to beat and organised and nobody enjoys visiting El Plantio. The potential signing of Mario Balotelli could go either way
Prediction: 12th
Cadiz
Key Player: Javi Ontiveros
Signing to watch out for: Suso
Final position last season:13th
Last season Cadiz kept the bulk of the side that had been relegated from La Liga and it was a chastening experience particularly in the first half of the season for the aging squad.
Once Gaizka Garitano came in to save the day, legs were injected into the team and they would have made the play-offs had the Basque Head Coach been in charge all season.
Former Liverpool, AC Milan and Sevilla winger Suso has signed and returned to the club he began his youth career with and at 31 is still young enough to make a big difference.
Prediction: 5th
Castellon
Key Player: Alex Calatrava
Signing to watch out for: Marc-Oliver Doue
Final position last season: 17th
Many fancied Castellon as dark horses last season but defensively the team were too open and paid the price finishing 17th and conceding a whopping 63 goals.
Scoring wasn’t an issue and their transfer activity shows the club acknowledges where it was weak given they’ve focused on defensive and central midfield reinforcements in a busy summer of transfer activity.
Castellon is an ambitious project and keeping Alex Calatrava is a real statement of intent from the Valencian club. With a new training facility under construction the club is preparing itself for an eventual return to the top flight.
Prediction: 9th
Ceuta
Key Player: Andy
Signing to watch out for: Anuar
Final position last season: 1st Primera RFEF Group 2
A club from North Africa will play football in the Spanish second tier next season yes you read that right.
The exclave club is quite the story and many will be watching their story with interest. In terms of on the pitch the club has signed some Segunda experience to mix with the talented squad they had in the third tier last season.
The signing of Anuar who played 26 games in La Liga last season and rejected a contract with Real Valladolid to return to his hometown club is a statement of intent but even with his addition everything is going to be geared towards survival this season.
As you can imagine given sides have to get a ferry to get to Ceuta home form was huge in their promotion success and it will again be key to their hopes.
Prediction: 19th
Cultural Leonesa
Key Player: Manu Justo/Luis Chacon
Signing to watch out for: Juan Larios
Final position last season: 1st Primera RFEF Group 1
The club from León will enjoy just a second season in Segunda in the last fifty years but they will hope this isn’t just a one season wonder. The club has been transformed steadily by the Aspire Academy with debts wiped out and a focus on putting the club into the heart of the city and province once more.
They say never fall in love with a loan player but Luis Chacon made a huge impact both on and off the pitch at Cultural last season, his will he won’t he return from Depor has been rumbling on all summer and given Depors depth in wide positions the attacker would seemingly be on the market.
This season is all about survival and enjoyment after some hard years and no side will enjoy the trip to the Estadio Reino de León.
Prediction: 17th
Cordoba
Key Player: Sergi Guardiola
Signing to watch out for: Dalisson
Final position last season: 14th
Some clubs just do things the right way and Cordoba certainly fall into that category. The Andalucian side are looking to build on a hugely positive first season back in Segunda last season.
While the club has lost their target man Antonio Casas, their summer recruitment looks astute with a mixture of hungry players from the third tier and established Segunda players and in the case of Sergi Guardiola a La Liga player.
Long term the club wants to one day return to La Liga but are in no great rush, Ivan Ania is one of the most promising managers in the division and the club will be hoping they don’t suffer second season syndrome.
Prediction: 11th
Deportivo
Key Player: Yeremay
Signing to watch out for: Luismi Cruz
Final position last season: 15th
Depor are in their second season in Segunda and have strengthened across the board. Talented Head Coach Antonio Hidalgo has come in and he worked wonders on next to no budget at Huesca, now with backing behind hi what can he do at Depor?
The renewal of Yeremay despite interest from Chelsea and Napoli took many by surprise but shows the pull this club has. The recruitment team have been busy and Luismi Cruz and Miguel Loureiro look shrewd signings, this is a team built to attack and with a coach who is great at setting his teams up to be difficult to beat just whisper it but Super Depor might just be back.
Prediction: 2nd
Eibar
Key Player: Jon Bautista
Signing to watch out for: Jon Magunazelaia
Final position last season: 15th
It’s been another summer of change for Eibar, the Basque outfit who shocked the world with their shock promotion now head into their fifth season out of La Liga.
With no access to parachute payments it’s now a return to the old days for Eibar with talented left back Christian Gutierrez sold to Las Palmas.
After flirting with the relegation battle Beñat San José came in as Head Coach and lost just two of his fifteen games.
Whether the Basque coach can carry that momentum into the season is to be determined.
Prediction: 16th
FC Andorra
Key Player: Alvaro Martin
Signing to watch out for: Marc Domenech
Final position last season 5th Primera RFEF Group 1
Owned by Gerard Pique, Andorra return to Segunda having achieved promotion through the play-offs.
Almost immediately after securing promotion Andorra announced they were dispensing with Head Coach Beto Company and brought in former Athletic Club player Ibai Gomez.
Gomez had done a fantastic job taking founding La Liga side Arenas to the third tier, he is known to play good football and Pique has had a clear style since taking ownership of the club. Gomez has brought three players from his former side with him but it’s a big leap from the fourth tier to the second.
Prediction: 21st
Granada
Key Player: Lucas Boye
Signing to watch out for: Jorge Paschal
Final position last season: 7th
The Andalucian side have had a big summer in the window, 10 departures and 7 arrivals at the time of writing. Pacheta the Head Coach is an experienced Head Coach with a great record at Segunda and almost took them into the play-offs last season after a disappointing season.
How the rest of the window plays out will be crucial for the clubs hopes for the season ahead.
Prediction: 7th
Huesca
Key Player: Jorge Pulido
Signing to watch out for: Samuel Ntamack
Final position last season: 8th
One of the stories of the season having spent most of the season in the play-offs despite no budget.
With the club struggling to meet the 1:1 FFP rules in Spain it appears the club will be selling their ground to the council to help clear the debts.
With the loss of Head Coach Antonio Hidalgo the club look to have made a savvy appointment with the hiring of Sergi Guillo from third tier Mérida but the loss of star Patrick Soko to Almeria will be a big loss and the squad looks limited.
Prediction: 20th
Las Palmas
Key Player: Sandro Ramirez
Signing to watch out for: Cristian Gutierrez
Final position last season: 19th La Liga
The Canarian side have been getting the band back together re-signing Jonathan Viera and Jese from Malaysia.
Despite a number of departures including the Scottish duo Oli McBurnie and Scott McKenna the squad still looks strong and with plenty of Segunda experience and know how.
Luis Garcia comes back to Spanish football having coached Qatar and there are still question marks around his qualities as a coach.
Prediction: 6th
Leganes
Key Player: Miguel de la Fuente
Signing to watch out for: Benjamin Pauwels
Final position last season: 18th (La Liga)
Another side who’s biggest question mark heading into the season is the Head Coach. Will we get the Paco Lopez who turned Levante into one of the most entertaining sides and Granada back to La Liga or the Paco Lopez who took Cadiz into the bottom four of Segunda having just been relegated from the top flight?
Lega received €20 million for talented winger Yan Diomande in another sign their model is working. They’ve got a strong squad and made some smart looking signings.
While Juan Cruz will inevitably leave if they invest the fees for him and Diomande into a central midfeilder and right winger they will be a serious Segunda title contender.
Prediction: 1st
Malaga
Key Player: Alfonso Herrera
Signing to watch out for: Adrian Niño
Final position last season: 16th
For the first time in seven years, Malaga paid money for a signing with the recruitment of Adrian Niño from Atleti B.
Malaga scored just 42 goals last season and while Pellicer is conservative by nature that is worryingly low.
The summer was spent with the shadow of the World Cup and will they won’t they host, the answer is they won’t.
Having lost both Antonio Cordero and Kevin the club has lost a little spark down the wings and someone who can do something unpredictable although the signing of Joaquin Munoz brings a more consistent end product.
Prediction: 14th
Mirandes
Key Player: Sergio Postigo
Signing to watch out for: Iker Varela
Final position last season: 4th
Last seasons story of the season, while some sides might struggle to deal with mass upheaval and change Mirandes do this every season. At the time of writing they have 11 players, two players less than my end of season preview last season.
Their new Head Coach Fran Justo will see this as nothing out of the ordinary, at Algeciras the players and staff went months without being paid so putting together a bare bones squad won’t worry him.
To do what they did last season isn’t realistic but also the expectation isn’t there, for Mirandes it’s always about reaching the objective of 50 points, anything else is a bonus.
Prediction: 15th
Racing Santander
Key Player: Inigo Vicente
Signing to watch out for: Yeray Cabanzon (returning from a loan at Ponferradina)
Final position last season: 5th
At times last season it looked like Racing would run away with the Segunda title, instead a second half of the season slide saw them finish 5th and exit at the play-off semi finals to Mirandes.
The pressure is on Jose Alberto Lopez the coach this season to deliver and correct the mistakes. Racing play attacking front football but they also leave themselves wide open and were repeatedly punished.
Of their last 23 games of the season, Racing won just 9. While the fanbase hasn’t turned away from the coach murmurs of discontent are there and if the Cantabrian side don’t get off to a strong start things will boil over quickly.
Racing have a strong starting 11 but squad depth is an issue and at the time of writing have made just one signing a back up keeper.
Prediction: 4th
Real Sociedad B
Key Player: Mikel Rodriguez
Signing to watch out for: Zac Shuaib
Final position last season: 3rd Primera RFEF Group 1
Whatever you think of B teams it’s striking that the last two B teams in the league have not come from the big two but Villarreal and Real Sociedad two sides who punch above their weight.
Real Sociedad B last came up with Xabi Alonso in charge and the coach for most of last season Sergio Francisco has left to manage the first team.
For those with English or Arsenal connections Real Sociedad have signed Zac Shuaib an Englishman with Basque roots and he might hover between the B and C team.
Prediction: 22nd
Real Valladolid
Key Player: Guilherme Fernandes
Signing to watch out for: Julien Ponceau
Final position last season: 20th La Liga
Real Valladolid return to Segunda after a disastrous season in La Liga and a lot of question marks surrounding the club and squad.
A defence that conceded 90 goals last season looks weaker and with just 10 days to go to the start of the season a friendly has been cancelled as the pitch at the Jose Zorilla is unplayable.
Victor Orta made his name as a Sporting Director at the club and after bruising spells with Leeds and Sevilla is now back at Pucela.
Like many relegated sides it will take till the end of the window to know where Real Valladolid really are as a squad.
Prediction:8th
Real Zaragoza
Key Player: Mario Soberón
Signing to watch out for: Sebas Moyano
Final position last season: 18th
After last seasons flirt with relegation Gabi will be keen to ensure the side from Aragon don’t spend next season battling in the wrong half of the table.
With La Romareda being rebuilt the club will move to a temporary stadium for the next two seasons and it will be a big change for everyone connected to the club.
With the season closing in the squad still looks bare and lacking depth and it’s hard to see the club challenging the top half of the table.
Incredibly Real Zaragoza have now spent 13 consecutive seasons in the second tier.
Prediction: 18th
Sporting Gijon
Key Player: Juan Otero
Signing to watch out for: Cesar Gelabert
Final position last season: 11th
The side with the second most consecutive seasons in Segunda is another giant in Sporting Gijon. Sporting have spent almost €4 million but when Head Coach Asier Garitano was asked if they’re aiming for promotion his answer was revealing
"Right now, we’re not candidates for anything... Hopefully by the end of the season we’ll have a chance, but as of today, there are other teams that can say it more lightly."
After a disappointing campaign last season it is hard to see where the Asturian side are going and what their hopes for the season are. They have the basis of a good squad but look light in a number of positions.
Prediction: 10th
Let me know in the comments what your predictions are and next week we will release the La Liga preview