Spain Manager Travel Guide
The History…
Founded in 1927 the Spanish League is one that is certainly prestigious, in constant competition with its English and Italian counterparts for the acclaim of the world's top league.
Historically dominated by 29 times winners Real Madrid, the league has only had nine different champions since it's formation. Barcelona, who dominated for much of the 1990's now have a total of 18 crowns, having won the title in the past two seasons.
Atletico Madrid have nine titles to their name, closely followed by Athletic Club on eight, who incidentally are the only club along with Real Madrid and Barcelona to have played in the First Division every year since it began. More recently, Valencia have claimed two titles in 2001-02 and 2003-04.
In European competition, Real Madrid won the first five Champions Cup competitions in the 1950's and have since added another four successes to their tally, the latest being in 2002. Surprisingly, Barcelona's 1992 success with a team featuring Romario, Stoitchkov and Koeman, was the only other Cup win from a Spanish club, up until Ronaldinho inspired them to a second crown last year.
The Euro Cup has been won ten times by Spanish sides (Barcelona and Valencia 3, Real Madrid 2, Zaragoza 1 and Sevilla last year)
Spain's national team has won just one major tournament, the 1964 European Championships - they have a catalogue of Quarter Final defeats, both in this and the World Cup, and were runners-up in Euro 84.
Players to Watch…
As one of the leading leagues in the world, if you can build a successful team, there is no limit to the players that'll bend over backwards to catch your eye. So if you start off as a leading club then the world is your oyster. With that in mind then, we'll move onto finding the jewels hidden underneath the surface of the Spanish League, the youngsters destined for glory, and those players with enough quality to hit the heights that have yet to be snapped up.
Certain to Succeed
Jesus Navas, Sevilla
Alberto Zapater, Zaragoza
Riesgo, Real Sociedad
Fernando Torres, At. Madrid*
(* = He'll cost you an arm and a leg, but can be tempted away from Madrid.)
Youngsters Worth Grooming
Oskitz, Real Sociedad
Agirretxe, Real Sociedad
Diego Capel, Sevilla
Antonio Vera, Sevilla
Hidden Diamonds
Carlos Gurpegi, Athletic
David Aganzo, Racing
Josebo Etxeberria, Athletic
Pablo, At. Madrid
The League…
The Spanish First Division runs from August to May with a break of two weeks over Christmas and the New Year. Contested between twenty clubs, playing each other twice (home and away), the schedule consists of 38 match days.
Finishing in the top four positions is rewarded with Champions Cup football, with 5th and 6th gaining qualification to the Euro Cup along with the winners of the Spanish Cup. 7th and 8th place have the option to compete in the Euro Vase.
Put simply, the bottom three go down from Division One, replaced by the top three in Division Two.
The Spanish Cup is a one-legged knockout competition up until the teams who have qualified for Europe join in the 5th round (last 16), it then switches to two legs until the final - again winners will get a spot in the Euro Cup.
And that just about wraps it up!
Founded in 1927 the Spanish League is one that is certainly prestigious, in constant competition with its English and Italian counterparts for the acclaim of the world's top league.
Historically dominated by 29 times winners Real Madrid, the league has only had nine different champions since it's formation. Barcelona, who dominated for much of the 1990's now have a total of 18 crowns, having won the title in the past two seasons.
Atletico Madrid have nine titles to their name, closely followed by Athletic Club on eight, who incidentally are the only club along with Real Madrid and Barcelona to have played in the First Division every year since it began. More recently, Valencia have claimed two titles in 2001-02 and 2003-04.
In European competition, Real Madrid won the first five Champions Cup competitions in the 1950's and have since added another four successes to their tally, the latest being in 2002. Surprisingly, Barcelona's 1992 success with a team featuring Romario, Stoitchkov and Koeman, was the only other Cup win from a Spanish club, up until Ronaldinho inspired them to a second crown last year.
The Euro Cup has been won ten times by Spanish sides (Barcelona and Valencia 3, Real Madrid 2, Zaragoza 1 and Sevilla last year)
Spain's national team has won just one major tournament, the 1964 European Championships - they have a catalogue of Quarter Final defeats, both in this and the World Cup, and were runners-up in Euro 84.
Players to Watch…
As one of the leading leagues in the world, if you can build a successful team, there is no limit to the players that'll bend over backwards to catch your eye. So if you start off as a leading club then the world is your oyster. With that in mind then, we'll move onto finding the jewels hidden underneath the surface of the Spanish League, the youngsters destined for glory, and those players with enough quality to hit the heights that have yet to be snapped up.
Certain to Succeed
Jesus Navas, Sevilla
Alberto Zapater, Zaragoza
Riesgo, Real Sociedad
Fernando Torres, At. Madrid*
(* = He'll cost you an arm and a leg, but can be tempted away from Madrid.)
Youngsters Worth Grooming
Oskitz, Real Sociedad
Agirretxe, Real Sociedad
Diego Capel, Sevilla
Antonio Vera, Sevilla
Hidden Diamonds
Carlos Gurpegi, Athletic
David Aganzo, Racing
Josebo Etxeberria, Athletic
Pablo, At. Madrid
The League…
The Spanish First Division runs from August to May with a break of two weeks over Christmas and the New Year. Contested between twenty clubs, playing each other twice (home and away), the schedule consists of 38 match days.
Finishing in the top four positions is rewarded with Champions Cup football, with 5th and 6th gaining qualification to the Euro Cup along with the winners of the Spanish Cup. 7th and 8th place have the option to compete in the Euro Vase.
Put simply, the bottom three go down from Division One, replaced by the top three in Division Two.
The Spanish Cup is a one-legged knockout competition up until the teams who have qualified for Europe join in the 5th round (last 16), it then switches to two legs until the final - again winners will get a spot in the Euro Cup.
And that just about wraps it up!
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