A League in goal crisis

LaLiga has a problem. It is obvious. The data is there and it is somewhat embarrassing compared to other leagues on the continent. Thus, directly: Serie A has scored more goals in three matchdays than the national championship in five. Another one: The Premier celebrated 85 goals in the sum of the second and fourth dates of the tournament, only nine less than those led by Spain after 43 games. Maintaining the current rhythm, something unlikely anyway, the First Division would close with the meager figure of 828 points scored. Meanwhile, international concern grows. Sevilla made the grade in Europa League and Super Cup, but the rest clearly seem a step behind the colossi of the continent.

The data that mark the crisis

At the moment, in Spain 43 games have been played in the first category and a total of five days. There would be seven matches to be resolved, due to postponements due to promotions and European competitions. The data does not invite optimism: 94 goals have been scored, an average of less than 20 per weekend. Specifically, 18.8 today. The average is 2.18 per duel. The goal set is one thousand and, for this, it is necessary to score 2.63. It takes an injection of so many to be in the fight again.

The 828 projection goals are an alarming figure. Last season was the worst of the last five and 942 were signed. In the time of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suárez in top form or Gareth Bale were marked more than a thousand comfortably. In 2016-17, 1,118 were achieved. Now, the goal march and the evolution of our football would leave a record of almost 300 less or, what is the same, close to one goal less per game.

Slightly less than 20% of the matches have ended in a zero draw. Eight of 43 to be exact. The comparisons are hateful. After four days of the Premier and three of Serie A, not a single game has been closed without opening the scoreboard. In 66 matches in the Italian and English tournaments, at least one goal has always been scored. As is logical, there will be dozens of matches throughout the competition that end with zero boxes, but the trend seems clear: records will be broken in Spain.

From records to goals miracle

Of course, It should be noted that the Calcio and Premier data are not natural at this stage of the championship. Similarly, on Matchday 2, England scored 44 goals, the absolute record in a single event in the history of the competition. However, with the exception of the initial duels marked by the anomalous preseason and two postponed games, statistics have always set an average of more than three goals per event. The exact data speaks of 3.78 goals per game in England and 3.5 in Italy. In Spain, remember, the balance is 2.18.

Only in seven matches of the Spanish championship have four goals been achieved. In four of them a Champions team was involved: Real Madrid, Atlético, Sevilla or Barcelona. The average of the two foreign championships that have shown the most potential scorer so far is close to those four goals that are so difficult to achieve on the national scene. The mean out is the miracle here.

Nor is it at all natural in Spain to see two teams score in the same game. It's more, it has only been achieved in 17 of the 43 meetings: 39.5%. In the incessant search for the alarming foreign data that will alleviate the crisis in our football, the expected results are not found this time either. In Italy, 14 of the 28 games have enjoyed at least one goal from both teams. In England, it has happened in 21 of 38.

Causes: why is it less and less marked in Spain and more and more in Europe?

Soccer has undergone a profound transformation in recent years. The 'tiki-taka' has disappeared, at least in the way in which it has been understood throughout the decade. Now, the leading teams have an enviable physical preparation. Even the brain of the team is endowed with a undeniable ability to contribute in the round trip and continue to rule the baton in the final stages of the matches. Centrals are titans of the passing game, but they are also looking for placement and speed. The sides are no longer ends that sag behind. At present, they are asked to fully influence the attack without giving their back.

Also, more than ever it is a football for coaches. Nagelsmann or Gasperini They shine with their teams despite not having the resources of a champion. Guardiola and Klopp have also known how to evolve to the current era. The style of their teams is undeniable, almost as much as that of their physical and tactical preparation. Hansi Flick presents the viewer with the perfect machine that is his Bayern… In Spain, maybe Julen Lopetegui is the closest to establishing the new variables of the game in his own, always on the table the economic potential of Sevilla.

And what about Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético? All of them seem to have somewhat regressed their templates compared to years ago. Especially because they have maintained the block that one day made them shine, but they have not managed to make that core play at the rate that is played in Europe. Real Madrid keep Casemiro, Kroos and Modric as regulars. Technically, the last two are a prodigy. However, they are not an elite box-to-box as the game approaches the final whistle. The Brazilian is one of the best in the world in recovery, although he loses in creation. In addition, Cristiano Ronaldo's goal left, something that for the moment has not been able to replace.

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Something similar happens at Can Barça. Iniesta and Xavi's shadow is long. Busquets, representative of that golden generation, continues to be the capital for Koeman, but, as is the case with the Madridistas, he has no bellows to drown his rival since creation and physical power. In recent years, it has opted for a continuity line with footballers who gave less and less. Finally, Suárez, Arturo Vidal or Rakitic have come out at a bargain price, the club aware that they no longer had a good line-up in the market. Even less with the evolution of football already narrated.

Perhaps Atlético knew how to see part of this evolution, although it also seemed the best prepared for it. Simeone, almost from his arrival, turned his people into warriors, with a great physical engine, although that entailed the renunciation of a voracious attack. In LaLiga, they accuse their lack of regularity in front of goal and they have not competed with the head of the classification for years. In Europe, their strength allowed them to eliminate a champion like Liverpool. However, against Leipzig the ghosts of effectiveness returned and the team backed down despite their alleged favoritism. The elimination was a disappointment.

The problem, of course, is not only a matter of the LaLiga giants. In general, in Spain there is a tendency to play with the result in the following way: the local controls without risking in the early stages that usually end with tables on the electronic. The set pieces are worked a lot to try to convert the strategy plays. In the second half, a step is taken to resolve, once one of the two opponents falters, the match by the minimum. It is another method of obtaining points, just as valid, of course. The Getafe de BordalásWithout going any further, they are one of the most reliable teams thanks to their perseverance in exhausting their opponents and following their idea to the limit.

In addition, the lack of resources at the top sometimes leads the clubs to lock up the games and adjust to the result as the minutes go by. He Elche, which has a great margin for improvement after the incorporations, experienced a match against Real Sociedad or Huesca marked by sheltering under the shelter of their own playing field, aware that they did not have enough troops to dominate with the ball. In front of the Sheriff's men, he ended in clear defeat. Against those of Míchel, they scratched a valuable tie. The examples shown are two that serve as a reference to mark a general trend. Teams are aware that a goal is missing or are simply comfortable in the rear. That causes very worked games from the slates and less showy on the lawn.

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Consequences: end to European rule?

The Champions League that Liverpool conquered in 2018-19 seems distant. It goes without saying, therefore, the five consecutive European Cups that Spanish football achieved between 2013-14 (Madrid's Tenth) and 2017-18 (Thirteenth and third in a row with Zinedine Zidane at the helm). In a matter of two years, national teams have gone from favorites on paper to being one notch below the greats of Europe.

This is how it looked two seasons ago, when Madrid was devastated by Ajax Amsterdam and Barcelona let themselves go up on the lap and fell at Anfield without giving the slightest reply his rival. Last season, Zidane's men fought, but always one step behind the potential of their rival, Manchester City. Atlético was not superior to German Leipzig either and Barça sealed one of the worst defeats in their history against Bayern that took Ernesto Valverde's men to the limit (2-8).

The difficulty of adapting to the championship and the lack of a goal thus leads the Spanish to be less prepared to play high-altitude duels. It remains to be seen what happens this season. In principle, neither Granada, nor Real nor Villarreal are called to repeat the feat of Seville. In the Champions League, the four start with a hypothetical advantage to overcome the group stage. The playoffs will be another story.

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Transfers: a step back

The best signing of the season in Spanish football is Luis Suárez. The forward, practically ruled out by Barcelona, ​​arrives at Atlético de Madrid for millions of euros in variables. Pjanic, another of the big names, came in a kind of exchange for Arthur, the outcome of which is yet to be seen. The ex of Juventus is more shot, although the Brazilian had a promising future ahead.

The championship has lost the goal of Morata or that of Raúl de Tomás. But, above all, it has not incorporated predators from the area. On the last day, Barcelona went for Depay already for Eric Garcia, although he did not sign either of them due to lack of cash. The coronavirus crisis has taken its toll, to the point that lThe vast majority of entities have had to resort to ERTE or wage reductions to maintain viability.

There were also no high-level signings at Real Madrid, beyond the return of loans like Odegaard, Odriozola or Lunin. The club has preferred to stay on the sidelines, trust Hazard and save for when the market gives the opportunity to take the names that aim to dominate the decade: Camavinga, Haaland, Mbappé …

Valencia, once one of the great economic powers of LaLiga, closed a poor market without level signings. On the contrary, the Seville it did shake the hornet's nest, with an important nuance: its greatest success was ensuring the continuity of Ocampos, Fernando, Koundé or Diego Carlos. He Villarreal obtained valuable parts, without the need for a large investment.

Of course, the contrast with other leagues is notorious. United took Telles and Cavani; Bayern signed three players on the last day; Liverpool already did their homework with Diogo Jota; Chelsea have transformed their squad … Another striking fact: Leeds, recently promoted, took the starting striker and one of the stars of Valencia, a team that fought for Europe in Spain. Could Cádiz take Vardy, Raúl Jiménez, Adama Traoré or Lacazette? Difficult. Not to say impossible.

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Reasons for hope

Yes, although the data is not encouraging, the Spanish championship has reason to hope. In particular, the big three, who have players in their squads who aim for differentials. Real Madrid have Rodrygo, Fede Valverde, Vinicius or Odegaard. Barcelona, ​​Riqui Puig, Pedri, De Jong, Trincao or the sensation Ansu Fati. Atlético, which perhaps has more training than those already mentioned: Joao Felix. The Portuguese started the season at a very high level and has already earned his place in the starting XI of Simeone.

In addition, the approval of the five changes for another season allows coaches to enter less usual players and men from the house. Something, surely, positive to discover new talents. Its evolution will only be marked by time. Meanwhile, football struggles to solve a crisis that is undeniable. The goals do not arrive, while in Europe they do nothing but celebrate.