"Yes, el clasico is back, this time with a hefty dose of existential angst. We may only be nine games into the season, but La Liga's table already has a familiar look to it, with Real Madrid and Barcelona who have taken turns to lift the title over the last four seasons already forging a gap above chasers Villarreal and Atletico."
"La Liga's dominant forces are also colliding with the league in turmoil after Barca's planned jaunt to Miami fell apart in real time, while nominal hosts' Villarreal were playing a Bigger Cup game. The plug was pulled after La Liga players collectively protested against the decision last weekend after their union was left out of negotiations. Surveying the wreckage of his own hubris, league chief Javier Tebas decided to point the finger at Real Madrid."
As October ends, major domestic fixtures continue with Hearts facing Celtic at midday GMT and La Liga staging El Clásico at the Bernabeu. Barcelona sit second after an unexpected 4-1 loss at Sevilla despite an explosive attack that scored 16 goals across four wins over rivals last season. Real Madrid lead after eight wins and a rebuilding season under Xabi Alonso, their only other blemish a 5-2 derby defeat to Atletico. The league is mired in controversy after Barcelona's planned Miami trip collapsed following player protests and the exclusion of the players' union from negotiations. Javier Tebas publicly blamed Real Madrid, while Thibaut Courtois condemned Tebas for manipulation and censorship.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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