La Liga to Kick Off This Weekend

The Real Madrid always works fast. Sometimes they succeed but often they do not. This past summer Real performed a courageous act when it signed as manager José Mourinho, who has been nicknamed “The Special One” by British media. Mourinho has his own unique charm which brings people to watch soccer. At every team for which he’s worked, he’s taught his unique playing technique, which is known for being cruel both in defence and offence. Beyond that, he does not like being disturbed when he works, he has no problem expressing an opinion on any subject, and he’s an authority both on and off the field. Truly “The Special One.”

Mourinho has done his homework over the summer, and when he started on the team he signed a number of very effective players, such as Germans Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira, who played well together in the German soccer team at the recent World Cup. He is also strengthening the team’s defence by hiring former Chelsea player Ricardo Carvalho and powerful defence Maicon, who last season played under Mourinho for Internazionale.

Pep Guardiola, the coach of Barcelona (Real Madrid’s long-time rival), understood towards the end of the 2009-2010 season that he needs to strengthen the team’s offence. Therefore, as soon as summer began, David Villa moved from Valencia to Barcelona for a sum of approximately €50 million. The team’s fans were certain that this would mean the end of striker Zlatan Ibrahimović playing for the team, yet so far, nothing such as this has happened. Some believe that Ibrahimović will remain in Barcelona for one more season and that the pressure of defence will not be only on him.

Argentinean Leo Messi has had a rough summer. Argentina was disqualified from the World Cup after being embarrassed by Germany. Messi barely contributed to the games and looked like a shadow of his former self. In contrast, the majority of Barcelona’s players took part in the winning of the World Cup, so they have not rested, but are definitely starting the season with a good mood. Guardiola will try to get some additional players before the end of the summer and strengthen the already talented line-up, in order to handle the opponents with all his force.

The upcoming season should be interesting for two reasons: First of all, José Mourinho has arrived in Madrid, and the second is Messi and Guardiola’s version of Barcelona. The Spanish League itself is not a threat to the two large teams from Barcelona and Madrid. Mourinho came to Madrid to bring back to the championship and win the Champions’ League, while Guardiola will try to prove to the world that his first season, when he won every possible title, was not a one-time thing.