Spanish football : Spanish Primera Division 2012/2013 season preview
Real Madrid hit 100-point markReal Madrid clinched their 32nd league crown and their first in four years with two games left last season. They became the first Spanish club ever to reach 100 points in a top-flight season, while their tally of 121 league goals was also a record. The success means coach Jose Mourinho, who was in second season at the Bernabeu, has now won seven league titles in four different countries having been victorious with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan. Real Madrid have rewarded Mourinho with a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2016.
At the end of the 2010/11 campaign, Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo admitted that it would be difficult to repeat his then record haul of 40 league goals. The Portuguese winger surpassed that mark last term with 46 strikes in 38 appearances. However, Ronaldo fell four short in his personal duel with Lionel Messi, who also broke Gerd Mueller's record for goals in a European club season. The Barcelona and Argentina star netted 73 goals in all competitions. Mueller had held the record since scoring 67 goals for Bayern Munich in 1972/73.
The overall number of titles since 1929, for each club in Spanish Primera Division and their league standings in the last five seasons. Tito Vilanova replaces Guardiola as Barca coachTito Vilanova has been confirmed as Pep Guardiola's successor as Barcelona coach, agreeing a two-year contract. Vilanova worked as number two to Guardiola who gave up the job at the end of last season. Guardiola's four seasons in charge at the Nou Camp brought 14 trophies from the 19 competitions entered, including three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions Leagues, as well as widespread acclaim as perhaps the best side in the history of the game. "With Tito Vilanova on the bench of the first team, the continuity of a model of play that is recognised throughout the world is assured," said Barcelona in a statement. This page is introduction to the 2012/2013 Spanish Primera Division season. Latest news, statistics, results and predictions you can find on our main Euro Football > Spain page. Valencia appoint PellegrinoFormer Valencia defender Mauricio Pellegrino has been appointed Valencia coach on a two-year contract . The 40-year-old Argentinian succeeds Unai Emery, who stepped down from his position as coach at the end of last season after four years in charge. Valencia have secured third place in La Liga last campaign for the third time in succession but Emery was under pressure after they lost to Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals. Pellegrino had previously worked as assistant manager to Rafael Benitez at Liverpool and Inter Milan and it will be his first top-flight coaching role.
The Spanish La Liga standings for season 2011/2012. Anquela named new Granada coachAlcorcon manager Juan Antonio Anquela takes charge of Granada this season after reaching an agreement to join the Andalusian club. The 55-year-old enters his first top-flight post after guiding tiny Alcorcon out of the third tier of Spanish football to the gates of La Liga, where they fell to Valladolid in a promotion playoff. Granada avoided relegation on the final day of last season, but the coach who saved them, Abel Resino, walked away after only five months at the helm. Paco Jemez, new coach of Rayo VallecanoRayo Vallecano, another one of last season's strugglers, named former Spanish international Paco Jemez as their new coach. Jemez replaces Jose Sandoval, who left after an up-and-down last term that ended with the club only avoiding relegation in the final minutes of the final round. Jemez, who has also never coached in the top flight, previously guided Cordoba and Las Palmas in Spain's lower divisions. Barca or Real Madrid?Calling La Liga the top league in the world, Jose Mourinho predicts a more competitive season as Real Madrid defend their title and Barcelona try to regain the crown. Mourinho's team are the bookies favourites to win back to back trophies, with Barcelona hot on their heels. While the Barca-Real rivalry constitutes a league in itself, the real competition for the rest in Spain is the chase for third place
The preseason odds for the outright winner of the 2012/13 Spanish football league. Spanish Cup finals in last five years2008 Valencia - Getafe 3:1 |
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