The 2019/20 La Liga season just ended recently with Real Madrid winning it all for the first time in over three years.
Right behind them are their arch rivals in Barcelona who just fell short after some untimely lacklustre performances down the stretch, while the likes of Atletico Madrid and Sevilla have booked themselves a couple of Champions League spots.
Overall, this season was strange yet satisfying, in large part due to the coronavirus which effectively suspended the league in over three months. So this year’s trophy should taste a whole lot sweeter for the big winners over at the Bernabeu.
Now as we enter the offseason, SBOBET takes a super early look at the players who football fans should be looking out for next season – whether because of their play or the storylines that surround them.
Eden Hazard
For a player like Eden Hazard, he certainly hasn’t lived up yet to the 100-M Euro price tag he’s gotten when he joined them last year.
“This year, we collectively won the league title. But I surely had the worst season of my career individually,” said Hazard when asked to reflect on his first season with Real.
The former Chelsea striker was hampered by injuries almost all year. And as a result, he has only mustered one goal and three assists for the whole 2019/20 season.
There aren’t much La Liga 2020 highlights for him to write home about, but a lot of pundits are expecting a bounce back campaign for him in the next go-around.
His determination and professionalism is undeniable, but questions about his durability and ability to fit in continue to loom large.
Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane has a unique conundrum at his hands and only time will tell if Hazard can meet everyone’s expectations next term.
Joao Felix
Like Hazard, Joao Felix had an up-and-down first year with Atletico Madrid since he is still trying to get himself fully integrated to Diego Simeone’s system.
When he was brought into the roster last summer, he had pretty big shoes to fill following Antoine Griezmann’s switch to Barcelona.
While there were some flashes of brilliance in some stretches, it was mixed by some poor play along with untimely injuries.
The Portuguese youngster suffered an ankle injury that would sideline him for months and that effectively ended Atleti’s La Liga 2020 odds for a title.
But the good thing for him is that he’s only 20 years old and he hasn’t hit his prime yet so there is still a lot of room for him to grow, and I expect that he will be a key player to watch in the next campaign.
Lucas Ocampos
Sevilla have had a decent campaign overall in large part because of their superb performance after the coronavirus-enforced hiatus.
Their last year’s signing in Lucas Ocampos burst into the scene with his high work rate and scoring, making him an exciting player to watch for next season.
The 25-year-old winger has the physical tools and the right mindset to impact the club in more ways than one. Ocampos can score, make plays for his teammates, and even defend from time to time.
He is the league’s sixth leading scorer this term with 14 goals and three assists. And with him continuing to learn under Julen Lopetegui’s tutelage, I won’t be surprised if the Argentinian would flourish and even garner significant attention in the transfer market.
Ansu Fati
Barcelona may look like an aging roster on paper, but they are expected to contend for the title once more next season given their overall quality.
At the same time, the Catalan giants have some shiny young pieces to work with, which should set them up for years to come.
One of them is Ansu Fati, who has shown glimpses of potential despite having limited playing time last season. The young winger is a seamless fit alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Antoine Griezmann.
And let’s not forget that he’s still a minor at 17 years old. If he can improve further on his skills and avoid major injuries, this kid will be a franchise cornerstone for the Blaugrana.
Lionel Messi
After missing out on this season’s title, Lionel Messi offered a blunt assessment about his squad, saying that the team wasn’t good enough to contend and changes had to be made.
Since his public comments, many pundits and fans were left to wonder if the Pichichi Trophy winner might be mulling a future in a different uniform.
The Catalan giants had too much drama behind the scenes all throughout the season. From the firing of Ernesto Valverde, to the players being reportedly unhappy with the management and Quique Setien, it eventually caught up to them which led to their failed objective.
However, there’s no denying that the Argentinian superstar has done his part – having compiled 25 goals and 21 assists in the 2019/20 season.
While Messi’s quality shouldn’t be questioned at all, the large dark cloud surrounding the Blaugrana is being monitored by everyone in the world of football.
For now, they have to turn their focus to the Champions League as they’ll face Napoli in the second leg of their Round of 16 tiff.
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