Messi begins life without Cristiano
This Friday LaLiga will begin, for the first time in nine years, without the battle between Messi and Cristiano
During the last nine years, LaLiga has been the battleground for the epic duel between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. A war, on the football side, which Barça have won: six league victories to Real Madrid's two. The two greatest players in the world captured everyone's attention, won all the Ballon d'Ors and reached levels of excellence nobody ever thought possible. Spanish football has been, without a doubt, a great benefactor to that war which is now over. This is because the Portuguese star, sunk by the tax office, has found safe retreat in the Serie A with Juventus' millions.
Messi is now without a challenger, he's the only king in LaLiga. That's because Atletico Madrid's star man, Griezmann, isn't anywhere near the Argentine's level. None of the new signings in the league come close to Messi. All this suggests that Barça's strangehold on the competition will continue. And it'll be Atletico, a reinforced and stronger team than their city rivals, Real Madrid, who will offer the main threat to the league crown.
The value of LaLiga ... and the Champions League
La Liga doesn't have the glamour of the Champions League, nor the international reputation. However it's still a difficult league to win. Even if Barcelona, across the last decade, have made it appear easy. You need to be the best team over 38 matches to win the league and show an extraordinary level for ten months. You need to go to tough grounds and grind out results. Barça have done that very well over the last few years, better than anybody else, and they want to do it again. Although, as Messi said in his first speech as captain, the priority this season is the Champions League.
