Madrid (AFP)
All revenge: the champion Barcelona, his runner-up Atletico and Real Madrid Zinedine Zidane have much to be forgiven before the resumption of the Spanish Championship on Friday. To lead the reconquest, they spent without counting, from Antoine Griezmann to Eden Hazard ... while waiting for Neymar.
Transfer transfer, the major Spanish clubs have rebuilt in-depth their workforce through the increase in television rights, source also of an interminable standoff between the Professional League and the Federation about match schedules.
With this windfall of 2.1 billion euros per season until 2022, Spain has already set a new spending record for the summer mercato: 1.2 billion euros invested according to the specialized website Transfermarkt, without to count the astronomical cost of the Brazilian Neymar, coveted in Barcelona as in Madrid.
La Liga had to react because after dominating the Champions League five years in a row (2014-2018), it gave up its European crown to the English Premier League.
Hence an increase in recruitment: EUR 126 million for the Portuguese nugget Joao Felix (Atlético), EUR 120 million for Griezmann (Barça), around EUR 100 million for Hazard (Real), and several major operations expected by end of the transfer window, 2 September.
"With the failure of FC Barcelona, which has not won the Champions League, the failure of Real, who has not won anything, and the failure of Atlético to whom we always ask more, the clubs try to make this kind of effort, "told AFP Placido Rodriguez Guerrero, professor at the University of Oviedo (Asturias) and researcher in sports economics.
- Messi "do not regret anything" -
Never change a winning team ? The adage is not in force at FC Barcelona, which has upset its workforce despite a new title of champion of Spain won in the spring, the eighth in eleven years.
Because the big goal of the season was not the Liga but the Champions League, and the Catalans fell in the semifinal, overturned by the future winner Liverpool (3-0, 0-4).
Cruel for the captain Lionel Messi, who had declared wanting to win the C1. "It's difficult to talk again after what happened last season but I do not regret anything and I reiterate what I said at the time," nevertheless insisted the Argentine early August.
To bounce back, the French Griezmann arrived from Atlético after a long serial, determined to "win everything" with Barça. He, and perhaps Neymar, must allow Messi and Luis Suarez, now in his thirties, to reserve for matches cleaver, especially since the Barcelona captain begins the injured season with a calf.
Given the investment for "Grizi" and for the amazing Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong (EUR 75 million), the pressure is heavy on the shoulders of coach Ernesto Valverde, weakened in May and back to the wall before facing his former club Athletic Bilbao Friday at the opening of the season (21:00 / 19:00 GMT).
In Real too, it's time for the "reconquista": at the twilight of a dark year, the "White House" recalled in March the French coach Zinédine Zidane to regain the glory of his first term (three C1 between 2016 and 2018).
- "Daily bread" -
"Zizou" had requirements on recruitment, he was generally listened to (Hazard, Jovic, Mendy ...) although it seems difficult to attract Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba. There remain several undesirables, such as Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez, who are likely to be dead weight in the squad.
Zidane's priority? Surprisingly, he wants above all to regain La Liga, the trophy of regularity. When he won in 2017, it was the best day of his coaching career.
"As every year, this is our first goal," he warned. "It's our daily bread."
But before going to Vigo on Saturday (17h00 / 15h00 GMT), the pre-season campaign was not very reassuring for the Madrilenians, swept including 7-3 by Atlético during a derby in friendly match July.
Conversely, the "Colchoneros" Diego Simeone seem already ready, despite a renewed team.
They too were upset in C1 in the spring, eliminated early while the final was played in their stadium Metropolitano. And they too dream of Liga, five years after their last coronation. The reconquest begins Sunday at home against Getafe (22:00 / 20:00 GMT).
© 2019 AFP