La Liga 2021-22 Preview: Has an Atletico Madrid dynasty begun?

2851

Atletico Madrid are on the verge of a La Liga dynasty. Los Rojiblancos won the league last season and with Real Madrid and Barcelona in financial disarray, Diego Simeone’s team could win a second straight La Liga title.

On Sunday, Lionel Messi gave his farewell to Barcelona speech. Cynics believe Messi and Barcelona are making a power play against La Liga, while others expect him to join Paris Saint-Germain – the only team to have a chance of signing the high-priced player.

Barcelona are still struggling financially after more than a decade of monetary mismanagement. They may not be able to register Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero in time before the end of the transfer window.

Meanwhile, in Madrid, Los Blancos are selling high-paid players to make room for Kylian Mbappe – who could sign if Messi does agree a deal with PSG. So much could happen in La Liga by the time August ends. Some good, some bad.

The time is now for Sevilla. Julen Lopetegui’s team has the best chance in the club’s history to win La Liga thanks to the disarray of Real Madrid and Barcelona. Sevilla’s squad has been built to lift the trophy, so, can they?

Which team will win La Liga 2021-22?

You can never count out Real Madrid and Barcelona from winning the La Liga 2021-22 title. Yet, while both teams have lost key players (Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Messi), Atletico Madrid have not sold a significant member of the squad.

Luis Suarez scored 16 goals in 28 matches last term and it was his signing that pushed the club to the title. The club still have Joao Felix, who could finally break out this term.

Los Rojiblancos signed Udinese’s Rodrigo De Paul for €35 million in the offseason. He was the latest “must-have” player and Atletico landed him. Even if Atletico Madrid do not sign anyone else in the summer, they are the team to defeat and should be favourite to win the La Liga title.

Shockingly, Atletico are not favourite to win the title according to bookies – Real Madrid and Barcelona are. Sevilla are bookies’ fourth favourite to win La Liga. As previously stated, Sevilla have been pieced together this summer with the idea that La Liga is up for grabs.

Sevilla finished fourth and will play in the Champions League this season. The club’s biggest signing has been veteran Erik Lamela, who was a part of the Bryan Gil transfer to Tottenham.

The reasoning for the transfer was to bring in another veteran player to push for the trophy. If Monchi can resist selling Jules Kounde and any other top players, Sevilla can certainly fight for the title.

Who will win La Liga 2021-22 Pichichi Trophy?

Lionel Messi scored 30 goals in La Liga last season. With Messi gone and the futures of Depay and Aguero up in the air, who will win the La Liga 2021-22 Pichichi Trophy?

It is difficult to look past La Liga’s two best strikers, Luis Suarez and Karim Benzema. Suarez scored 21 goals for Atletico Madrid last term and Benzema tallied 23 at Real Madrid.

Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno tallied 23 goals last season. With the Yellow Submarine playing in the Champions League thanks to last season’s Europa League win, Moreno could fall off the pace in front of goal.

Two players to watch are Barcelona’s Antoine Griezmann, who is now the main man at the club. Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri could be the man to spark Los Rojiblancos to the title – if Sevilla are to finally win the trophy. Griezmann scored 13 goals while En-Nesyri had 18 in 2021-22.

La Liga could be at its most wide-open point in the last 20 years in 2021-22. Will Atletico Madrid begin their dynasty or will status quo be restored with Real Madrid or Barcelona lifting the trophy?