Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
USA TODAY
La Liga 2024-25 predictions: What to expect as the new season begins
By Jason Anderson, USA TODAY,
6 hours ago
Aug 3, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior (7) in action during the second half against Barcelona at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports Vincent Carchietta, Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
La Liga is here for 2024-25, with one of the world's most entertaining soccer leagues set to capture global attention from August 2024 to May 2025.
Two of the world's great soccer teams, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, headline La Liga and will once again be the favorites to claim glory in Spain's top flight. Superstars like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Junior, Robert Lewandowski, and teenage phenom Lamine Yamal will be giving it everything to claim supremacy in what is arguably the greatest rivalry in the soccer world.
However, La Liga is more than just its top teams. Atlético Madrid spent big trying to crash the party at the top, while institutions like Sevilla and Valencia will want to build themselves back up after disappointing play last season.
Here's what you need to know for the 2024-25 La Liga season:
Real Madrid, Barcelona rivalry to determine La Liga winner
La Liga is full of underrated storylines, drama and rivalries, but the champion in this 2024-25 season will once again come down to the league's two true giants.
Between them, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have finished first in nine of the last 10 La Liga seasons, and there's little evidence that trend is going to change this year.
However, with los Blancos completing the long-awaited addition of France superstar Kylian Mbappé to a front line that was already incredibly talented, manager Carlo Ancelotti's side is a solid favorite to defend its title from last year. Barça, under new coach Hansi Flick, will be hoping Spain winger Dani Olmo is enough of a boost to get back on top of the table.
The capital city's second team, Atlético Madrid, is certainly not content after 2023-24. Expectations were on a top-three finish at worst, but Atléti slipped to fourth behind surprise package Girona. In the end, Real Madrid finished 19 points ahead of its city rival.
Atlético responded with some aggressive summer transfers. Argentina star Julián Álvarez was brought in in an $83 million deal with Manchester City, while target striker Alexander Sørloth ($35 million) and defender Robin Le Normand ($38 million) are also high-profile additions.
Pressure will be on manager Diego Simeone not only to improve his side's performance, but also to genuinely challenge the top dogs in both La Liga and in the Champions League.
Basque clubs hope to push for Champions League berths
After a few lean years among clubs hailing from the Basque Country, times are changing. Athletic Club brought the Copa del Rey to Bilbao, setting off a raucous celebration on the Nervión river last May, while Real Sociedad has managed five straight top-six finishes.
Both teams will be in the Europa League after finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, and will be hoping to take the next step this season. With Le Normand leaving Real Sociedad for Atlético, the advantage might skew towards Bilbao, where brothers Nico and Iñaki Williams seem poised to lead a potent attack.
Promoted clubs aspire to stay in La Liga
Down at the bottom, promoted sides Leganés, Valladolid, and Espanyol will all be hoping they can secure a longer-term future in the top flight after success in the second tier during the 2023-24 season.
While the race for the title may end up involving few teams, the bottom of the league tends to be more tightly packed, with even big-name clubs like Sevilla and Valencia flirting with the drop zone in recent seasons. Las Palmas, Rayo Vallecano, Mallorca, and Celta Vigo all looked vulnerable last season, and it seems likely that the battle to finish just above the final three places will run down to the wire once again.
With over $20 million in transfer spending bolstering the roster, Valladolid appears to have the best bet to stick around for at least one more season.
La Liga 2024-25 title odds
As of Saturday, Aug. 17, BetMGM offered the following odds for each team's chances at finishing atop the La Liga table this season:
Real Madrid: -400
FC Barcelona: +350
Atlético Madrid: +1000
Athletic Bilbao: +3300
Real Sociedad: +5000
Girona FC: +5000
Villarreal CF: +10000
Real Betis: +10000
Sevilla FC: +15000
Valencia: +15000
Celta Vigo: +25000
CA Osasuna: +50000
Getafe CF: +100000
Rayo Vallecano: +100000
RCD Mallorca: +100000
UD Las Palmas: +100000
Deportivo Alavés: +100000
Espanyol: +100000
Real Valladolid: +100000
CD Leganés: +100000
How to watch La Liga this season
La Liga's 2024-25 season will be broadcast on ESPN+, with all 380 matches streaming in English and Spanish. ABC and the ESPN family of networks will carry select matches for broadcast throughout the season.
To stream the games, fans will want to get a subscription to ESPN+ .
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Comments / 0