2024-01-08 14:24:41
There is a lot of talk about LaLiga has lost level in recent years, to the detriment of a Premier in which young talents continue to appear. But there is no football or great players without coaches at the helm and that is where Spain is creating a school.
Spanish coaches are fighting to be at the top of all the major European leagues. In LaLiga, Michel’s Girona is already more than a revelation and co-leads the competition. In the German Bundesliga, Xabi Alonso maintains an imperial rhythm with Bayer Leverkusen, looking in the rearview mirror at Bayern Munich.
But the best demonstration that Spanish coaches are the elite on the bench is in the Premier, with Unai Emery (Aston Villa) y Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) fighting for first place Klopp’s Liverpool. He is also in that struggle Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), the second most successful coach in history.
It is also notable Andoni Iraola’s first season in England at the helm of Bournemouth. Another representative of the prolific Gipuzkoa school, like Imanol Alguacil, coach of Real Sociedad, the great sensation of the Champions group stage. All this without forgetting Luis Enrique, chosen by the French champion, PSG, to lead his project.
Xabi Alonso, the German commander
The emergence of Bayer Leverkusen It is blameless. Xabi Alonso’s men have entered this weekend as leaders of a Bundesliga until now dominated by Bayern Munich, champion of the last eleven seasons. The German team does not know defeat this season and has become the team with the best start to the season in the Bundesliga.
The one from Tolosa said goodbye to the Real Sociedad reserve team to come across the first big project of his short career, accumulating merits from minute one. In its first season, from second to last in October to sixth in June. Or what is the same, Europa League and semi-finals of the Conference. This year, his team is a goal-scoring machine and one of the candidates to win the Bundesliga.
The Premier and its San Sebastian school
Between Alonso, Arteta and Iraola there is a common denominator: The club that saw them kick a ball for the first time was Antiguoko de San Sebastián. A Basque radar that also left Emery e Imanol Alguacil. The San Sebastian school creates talents and the Premier League is the one that is noticing it the most. And if Alonso has revitalized Leverkusen, Emery has done the same with Aston Villa, which he caught with serious sporting problems and which is now fighting for the leadership.
If there is something that is not missing Emery It is experience: Almería, Valencia, Spartak Moscow, four Europa Leagues (three with Sevilla and one with Villarreal), PSG and now, leader of the ‘villains’. On October 24, 2022, his arrival on the English bench was made official to avoid relegation. 15 months later, Emery is playing the Conference League and his team reaches the first weekend of the second yearfighting with Liverpool, City and Arsenal for the Premier.
These last two, coincidentally or not, are also directed by Spanish technicians. Guardiola has taken City to the top of Europe. At his side, he trained as a technician Mikel Artetawhom Arsenal called up in 2019. Arteta 2024 begins with many challenges ahead, after a setback that has dragged on precisely since defeat against Aston Villa of his compatriot, on December 9. Beyond this, the English team is fourth in the English leaguetied on points with City and with qualification as first in the group to the round of 16 of the Champions League closed. Porto awaits you and the fight to win a Premiership that has resisted them since 2004. The spectacle is served.
From Iraola’s surprise to Pep’s normality
The last to flourish has been Iraola, who at 41 years old landed in the Bornemouth after leave your stamp on Rayo. A forced landing in which he had to take charge of a team that did not know victory and was in relegation positions. Now, the ‘cherries’ have gotten used to winning and They have risen to the middle of the table10 points away from relegation and beating teams of the stature of the Manchester United (0-3), Newcastle (2-0) or direct rivals such as Sheffield United (1-3) and Crystal Palace (0-2).
It is no coincidence about Hispanics in the Premier. Higher up, the already consolidated City of Pep Guardiola He had a dream 2023, with five titles and a game that is difficult to match. In France he leads an almighty PSGcommanded by Luis Enrique, who came to the Parisian bench after his time in ‘La Roja’. Only one defeat in Ligue 1, leaders and qualification for the Champions League. Going for 2024.
The Spanish also dominate in LaLiga
He Girona from Michel It is the revelation of LaLiga. What began as an anecdotal streak, surpassing the greatest in numbers. The team led by Dovbyk He already presented his candidacy after his thrashing (2-4) at Barça in Montjuïc and endorsed it this week beating Atlético (4-3). They have only lost one game against Real Madrid and are fighting to be in the Champions League next season.
In front of the many who think that their success is due to the City Group, the data supports them. And it is that Only three players are linked to the English club (Yan Couto, Yangel Herrera and Savinho), they have their own sports management and, most importantly, a commander named Míchel, who has gone from stating that his objective was “permanence” on matchday 1, to “we want to reach Europe.” Reasons are not lacking.
Imanol Alguacilfor his part, took charge of Real Sociedad in 2018 and has turned the team into a team capable of dealing with any rival head-to-head. Ball control, game mastery and ability to search for spaces, thanks to an effective offensive line led by Kubo and Oyarzabal. And with a midfield made up of Brais Mendez, Martín Zubimendi y Mikel Merinowhich is the envy of the continent’s great teams.
Their last great feat was qualifying as group winners for the Champions League round of 16. The Real earned the right to play the second leg at home, after being ahead of an Inter that last year was a finalist in the top European competition. Luis Enrique awaits you at the Parque de los Príncipes.
And in recent weeks, a classic like Ernesto Valverde has been added, who has put all the pieces back together at Athletic to place the Basque team in the Champions League positions at the end of the first round. ‘Txingurri’ has managed to re-oil a machinery supported by Simón under the sticks and the Williams brothers, Sancet and Guruzeta in the offensive field.
The dominance of the Spanish coaches has been noticeable for several years, but this season has had a definitive emergence with teams that have given a surprise such as Girona, Bayern Leverkusen o Bournemouth. It is not surprising that the rankings published on the best coaches of 2023 have the Spanish on their podium. The most recent, that of the ‘Score 90’ website, in whose top 5 are, from fifth to first: Emery, Míchel, Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Pep Guardiola. There is no greater Super League than that of the Spanish benches.
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