Four things we know going into La Liga’s second round of fixtures

Four things we know going into La Liga’s second round of fixtures

    The 2016-17 La Liga campaign announced itself with a bang last weekend, and while it was normal service resumed for champions Barcelona and last year’s runners-up Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid were victims of one of the many surprises of the opening round of fixtures.

      So what can we expect from round two in Spain?

Goals, goals and more goals!

The opening weekend saw La Liga goalkeepers pick the ball from the back of their net on a whopping 40 occasions, with just two teams (Celta de Vigo and Real Sociedad) failing to get off to a goalscoring start. Don’t expect that standard to drop any time soon in a league boasting some of the best attacking talent in world football.

Galacticos will step up again in Benzema and Ronaldo’s absence

Many questioned Real Madrid’s chances of winning in Sociedad on Sunday evening given that Zinedine Zidane’s side were without their two top scorers from last season. But in Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema’s absence, Gareth Bale and co. ensured Los Blancos got off to the perfect start, winning comfortably 3-0. With no expected date of return confirmed for the pair, Zidane will have to make do with his replacements, but they certainly look up for the challenge.

Promoted sides know no fear

Perhaps the standout performance this weekend was that of La Liga newboys Leganes, who won 1-0 in their first ever game in the top flight of Spanish football away at Celta Vigo. Up next for them? Last year’s Champions League finalists Atletico Madrid, who have already dropped points against a newly promoted team this season after failing to keep hold of a lead versus Alaves on Sunday. Elsewhere, Osasuna proved they were no pushovers either with a gutsy performance in Malaga which saw them leave La Rosaleda with a well-earned point.

New signings will continue to impress

Of the 40 goals that were scored at the weekend, 17 were netted by new signings as we saw the likes of Wissam Ben Yedder, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Kevin Gameiro, Marko Livaja and Hiroshi Kiyotake all get on the scoresheet at the first time of asking for their new clubs. And such good starts will only add to the confidence levels of each club’s newboys, so don’t be surprised if they take their form into round two.

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