FIXTURES YAYYY!!!!!!
By: Corey | July 16th, 2008
Its Coming, So You Better Get Ready
Finally, we have ourselves the fixture list for next season! I am so pumped, the drought of football in my life will soon come to a close and I can watch the Merengues play once again. For a nice calander like setup of all the league matches, visit the LFP website or go here.
Here is what we have on tap this season. I will list the primera vuelta of the season (Jornada 1-19), the segunda vuelta of the season (Jornada 20-38) is the reverse of these matches.
Home Away
Deportivo vs. Real 08/31
Real vs. Numancia 09/14
Racing vs. Real 09/21
Real vs. Sporting 09/24
Betis vs. Real 09/28
Real vs. Espanyol 10/05
Atletico vs. Real 10/19
Real vs. Atheltic 10/26
Almeria vs. Real 11/02
Real vs. Malaga 11/09
Valladolid vs. Real 11/16
Real vs. Recreativo 11/23
Getafe vs. Real 11/30
Real vs. Sevilla 12/07
Barcelona vs. Real 12/14
Real vs. Valencia 12/21
Real vs. Vilarreal 01/04
Mallorca vs. Real 01/11
Real vs. Osasuna 01/18
So when I looked at the schedule, my excitement soon disapated. Its not the best schedule, and to be honest, besides favoring our Champions League schedule, this league schedule could hurt our title chances. Everything from September to November is fairly straight forward, of course the first league match is at Deportivo, where we have not won in so many years. So that gives Barca an early advantage. What they (the LFP) have done is given Real the teams that Barca played the previous weekend. So for instance, Barca opens up with Numancia, and the following weekend Real plays them, likewise when Barca plays Racing, Barca will have faced them the previous week. This only breaks down when the two teams meet each either obviously, but even then, the week before El Classico, Barca plays Valencia, and after El Classico Real will play Valencia.
This in itself may be seen as an advantage, because after a possible thrashing by Barca, the legs, and minds, will then have to deal with Real. Then again if a team pulls one over on Barca, we may deal with a hot shot outfit the next week. So its really neither here nor there.
Like I said, all games from September to November are fairly simple. Of cours all La Liga games are highly competitive, but none of these games except El Derbi (Atletico followed by Athletic) really stick out. Even then, the Madrid Derbi is at the Calderon, but the Atheltic Derbi is in the Bernabeu. This provides us with a good stage to do well in our Champions League group, which is really the main goal this year. But I like winning the league, so there must be a balance. The flip side of this period is from January to March, so atleast the first knockout round of the Champions League should go smoothly.
In November, we have to go to Almeria, which was tricky last year, and we have the second Madrid Derbi with Getafe, at the Colisseum. This is sometimes a more heated affair then the Derbi with Atletico, so we must be on our toes for it. Novemeber looks reasonable as well, but nothing prepares us for yet another make or break December.
The first match of December is at home to Sevilla. It should be winnable, but it wont be easy. Then, El Classico, which is again at the Nou Camp in December. That is followed by a home fixture against Valencia to close out the calendar year. December, has three HUGE games, and you could count the Geta Derbi as it is on the 30th of Novemeber, after Turkey Day has past. Just like last year, maximum concentration will be needed if we are to win the league in the month of December. The killer is, just imagine this schedule for the end of April and the month of May.
In January we come back from the winter break with a match at home to Vilarreal. Seems like it should be interesting, a good indicator of our form for the second half of the year. Two easy games against Mallorca and Osasuna close of the first half, but when we look at the fixture list, we will have to travel to Vilarreal on the 3rd to last match of the season, then to Osasuna for the final match of the season! Thats asking alot, lets hope the title is rapped up in time!
I have my doubt about the schedule, but the realitivly easy start and the corresponding fixtures through the winter months, couple with the fact that those fixture coincide with the Champions League, means we may be alright this year. What are your thoughts?
EDIT: Here is a more complete fixture list with the CL group games thrown in and the second half the season written out from Gonzalo and his excellent blog. Check it out sometime, its never wrong to spread the love people!
August 2008 Home Score Away Att. Competition
Sun. 17th Valencia Real Madrid Spanish Supercup - 1st leg
Sun. 24th Real Madrid Valencia Spanish Supercup - 2nd leg
Sun. 31st Deportivo La Coruña Real Madrid Primera División - week 1
September 2008
Sun. 14th Real Madrid Numancia Primera División - week 2
Tue. 16th Champions League matchday 1
Sun. 21st Racing de Santander Real Madrid Primera División - week 3
Wed. 24th Real Madrid Sporting Gijón Primera División - week 4
Sun. 28th Real Betis Real Madrid Primera División - week 5
Tue. 30th Champions League matchday 2
October 2008
Sun 5th Real Madrid Espanyol Primera División - week 6
Sun. 19th Atlético de Madrid Real Madrid Primera División - week 7
Tue. 21st Champions League matchday 3
Sun 26th Real Madrid Athletic Bilbao Primera División - week 8
November 2008
Sun. 2nd Almería Real Madrid Primera División - week 9
Tue. 4th Champions League matchday 4
Sun 9th Real Madrid Málaga Primera División - week 10
Sun. 16th Valladolid Real Madrid Primera División - week 11
Sun 23rd Real Madrid Recreativo de Huelva Primera División - week 12
Tue. 25th Champions League matchday 5
Sun. 30th Getafe Real Madrid Primera División - week 13
December 2008
Tue. 9th Champions League matchday 6
Sun 7th Real Madrid Sevilla Primera División - week 14
Sun. 14th Barcelona Real Madrid Primera División - week 15
Sun 21st Real Madrid Valencia Primera División - week 16
January 2009
Sun 4th Real Madrid Villareal Primera División - week 17
Sun. 11th Real Mallorca Real Madrid Primera División - week 18
Sun 18th Real Madrid Osasuna Primera División - week 19
Sun. 25th Real Madrid Deportivo La Coruña Primera División - week 20
February 2009
Sun. 1st Numancia Real Madrid Primera División - week 21
Sun. 8th Real Madrid Racing de Santander Primera División - week 22
Sun. 15th Sporting de Gijón Real Madrid Primera División - week 23
Sun. 22nd Real Madrid Real Betis Primera División - week 24
March 2009
Sun. 1st Espanyol Real Madrid Primera División - week 25
Sun. 8th Real Madrid Atlético de Madrid Primera División - week 26
Sun. 15th Athletic Bilbao Real Madrid Primera División - week 27
Sun. 22nd Real Madrid Almería Primera División - week 28
April 2009
Sun. 5th Málaga Real Madrid Primera División - week 29
Sun. 12th Real Madrid Valladolid Primera División - week 30
Sun. 19th Recreativo de Huelva Real Madrid Primera División - week 31
Wed. 22nd Real Madrid Getafe Primera División - week 32
Sun. 26th Sevilla Real Madrid Primera División - week 33
May 2009
Sun. 3rd Real Madrid Barcelona Primera División - week 34
Sun. 10th Valencia Real Madrid Primera División - week 35
Sun. 17th Villareal Real Madrid Primera División - week 36
Sun. 24th Real Madrid Real Mallorca Primera División - week 37
Sun. 31st Osasuna Real Madrid Primera División - week 38
June 2009
Category: Team News
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Comments
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As you say, December looks tough, and it gets repeated all over again for the first three fixtures in May - it’s a tough run-in to the Championship, especially if we’re still in the CL at that point, but, hey, if it were easy, anyone could win it right?
I’ve put the leaague fixture list on at http://rminfo.blogspot.com/2008/07/fixtures-and-results-2008-2009.html and put placeholders in for the CL group games (though they haven’t been drawn yet, obviously, as the qualifiers take place during July and August). We probably won’t know about the Copa del Rey fixtures for a while yet, so it’s early days to figure out how bad the congestino is going to get.
Posted from
Germany
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Dont think the league will be so easy for us this year like it was last year. Anyone can win it. I was looking at Almeria and they look to have signed promising young players like our own David moreno and Miguel nieto. I will be keeping an eye on them to see how they do but also Getafe where one of my favorites is. I really hope Granero has a stunning season and we bring him back to where he belongs. Also on paper Atletico and Villarreal look strong. My gut says Barcelona will struggle to adapt to there new coach and many squad changes, but we should not count them out. Lets hope by this time next year we will be champions again. Hala Madrid
Posted from
Germany -
Vilarreal looks stronger then last year, which says alot, while Barca may have an adjustment period, but they will be in the running. I agree Almeria has made some incredible signings, poaching Moreno from out Cantera and signing Nieto from Castilla, who is a very good player. But the signing of Pablo Piatti is incredible, thats huge for them, he is a world class player already. I am sure he will be followed closely by all La Liga teams this year.
Posted from
United States -
Thanks for that Gonz, mind if I post that in here as an edit?
Posted from
United States -
Corey, feel free - but keep the link (do my traffic some good!)
Posted from
Germany -
Of course Gonz.
Posted from
United States -
I haven’t looked at Barcelona’s schedule yet - but do we seriousy play the team they play the week after they do, each week (there must be a better way to phrase that, but I couldn’t come up with it). I hate to be the first to say it, but that doesn’t seem fair. Teams play all out against these two squads, and are likely to be exhausted after playiing Barcelona - then to have to face Madrid the next week? hmmmm…
Anyways, it seems like the LFP wanted to do something about what was criticized as a boring finish last year, pitting all the toughest teams against eachother at the end of the season. They must be envisioning a dogfight for the title - which certainly would be exciting!
Posted from
United States -
Its true John, and it is strange. But as Cesar said, dont look to much into it, as Americans we are use to analyzing schedule to much, because its what we see ESPN do for the NFL for example. Its kind of a simple way of keeping things fairly even for the big two, as to say there schedules are practically identical, so neither has an easier/harder fixture list.
Posted from
United States -
Yeah I saw the footage of the owners watching volunteers selecting balls, so it’s not fixed. This year I really want La Decima! Vamanos!
Posted from
United States
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