Can Anyone Beat Barca or Real Madrid? A Look Ahead to La Liga

While all the media outlets have devoted their previews to that most watched "league" in England called the Premier League, it is easy to forget that the other great league in world - some say the best in the world right now - also starts this weekend.

Football might be just the relief Spain needs after a horror summer

Just as well, given the summer that Spain has had, what with record high youth unemployment, restlessness between the regions and Madrid and of course, the horrific high speed train tragedy in Santiago de la Compostela which saw the annual festivities in the city cancelled. Football must be considered a bit of a nice cool gazpacho after the heat the country has taken.

Atletico Madrid and Real Betis - fighting for best of the rest

Take away Barcelona and Real Madrid and you have an open and competitive league - notice the number of clubs that have made the Champions League besides Barcelona and Real Madrid who are pretty much Spain's default clubs.

Indeed, the reputation that Barca and Real Madrid have is so strong that it translates into financial superiority that other Spanish clubs can now only dream of. Barca and Real have the big sponsorship deals, the best players and the best part of the TV money. It is quite miraculous then that Spain still has a league of quite high standard even though the Barca/Real duopoly often resembled that of the Old Firm in Scotland until 2011 when Rangers were liquidated.

Diego Costa will need to get more goals now for Atletico that Radamel Falcao has gone to Monaco

There are several clubs who can emerge as the best behind Barca and Real Madrid - there's Atletico Madrid who at some stage were looking set to finish ahead of Real for the first time in a long time in the league.

Elche could struggle in their first season back in La Liga in 24 years

Indeed, apart from maybe newcomers, Elche and Almeria who will be happy to just stay up, anyone could claim a Champions League spot. There is little between the likes of Valencia - the last champions of Spain not to come from Barcelona or Madrid - and Malaga, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Granada, Sevilla, etc.

Perhaps, the cash-strapped nature of the rest of the league which is testament to the country's parlous economic state, has resulted in such a tight league behind the big two.

Sevilla's heart and Stevan Jovetic - now proudly Manchester's

And it seems that more of Spain's World Cup and European Championship fringe players who aren't at Barca or Real are heading to the riches of the Premier League - Manchester City have pretty much bought the heart of the Sevilla team with the signings of Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo. Sevilla could be in real trouble this season if they can't cover the huge gap left by those two.

The Yellow Submarine is back in La Liga!

But let's look on the bright side - and thankfully one team who has always provided the spark in La Liga is back, i.e. Villarreal who have bounced back after their rather shock and traumatic relegation in 2012. Villarreal could be a surprise this season and gain at least a top ten spot and continue from where they left of - the season they got relegated, they had played in the Champions League group stages.

That top ten spot could very well be only 6 points ahead of the 18th placed team come May next year. Such is the minute difference between a Europa League spot and relegation - that is the beauty of La Liga!

Argentina's finest - Messi and de Maria

I guess we must mention Barcelona and Real Madrid since one of them will be crowned champion. There is plenty of intrigue.

Incumbent and pretender

In the Catalan capital, fans wonder if the two best players in the world can play together, i.e. Argentina's Lionel Messi and Brazil's Neymar. There have been concerns about Neymar's health in the pre-season after he revealed he had trouble with his energy levels but that might very well just be the Real Madrid-biased media trying to fish for a story. With Fabregas staying at the Camp Nou, even with new coach, Martino, Barcelona should be favourites to retain the title.

Kaka and Ronaldo in full flight

Which is a shame for Real Madrid who definitely have one of the better squads in world football yet because there's just one team better than them, have to settle for a lonely second best. Carlo Ancelotti, like every coach at Madrid before him, will have the presidency on his back demanding a league and/or European title with their expensively-crafted squad.

What may help Real Madrid is the fact that Barca have a new coach and have to bed in new players.

Speaking of which, it has been quite an incredible summer seeing the top sides in England, Germany and Spain witness so many managerial changes, i.e. Chelsea, Man United, Man City in England, Bayern Munich in Germany are the other clubs to see a fresh face on the dug-out.

Anyway, bring on the best league in the world that isn't the Premier League!

My tips -
The league table -
1.Barcelona
2.Real Madrid
3.Atletico Madrid
4.Valencia
5.Celta Vigo
6.Athletic Bilbao
7.Malaga
8.Real Betis
9.Villarreal
10.Real Sociedad
11.Espanyol
12.Sevilla
13.Valladolid
14.Getafe
15.Levante
16.Osasuna
17.Rayo Vallecano
18.Granada
19.Almeria
20.Elche

Player to Watch - Neymar. Who else? The best player not to play in Europe's big leagues is no more. Neymar Jr, has finally arrived to play with the big boys of world football and in his first year in Europe, expect his fresh talent to be available for all to see. In a perfect world, Neymar and Messi could be the greatest strike partnership in world football.