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La Liga’s smaller clubs proving you don’t need riches to reap rewards

It’s been a topsy-turvy opening first round of fixtures in La Liga as the competitive edge to the league, missing for too long, has returned with a vengeance. Those expecting a radical overhaul within 12 months are unrealistic but there’s nothing wrong with wishing and hoping it comes to fruition. If you step back and look at the table the detractors will say there’s no surprise to see the usual suspects in the top three spots but if you dig a little deeper, scratch below the surface, there’s a lot of positivity to be taken from the rise of the underdogs.

The news last week about Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid being hit with transfer bans, the same fate which befell Barcelona, has given even greater hope to the chasing pack. They can’t compete on a financial level, but now have a free run at players desperate to play in La Liga. Cynics will say, and I dare argue are correct, that both Madrid sides knew of the impending sanction and invested wisely in forming young, deep squads in anticipation last summer. Real Madrid have shown they’re willing to take things as far as possible, see the Cheryshev case, and that means a delay in the transfer ban is likely so any major outgoings – and incomings – could theoretically take place in the summer. Atletico will no doubt follow suit.

Normally you’d be inclined to believe a ban would benefit teams such as Valencia, Villarreal, Athletic Club and Sevilla seeing as they’re the biggest clubs that are usually left in the shadow of their richer rivals. However two of those four clubs – Valencia and Villarreal – are also under investigation and, if found guilty, would naturally face the same sanctions as Atletico and Real. Athletic Club don’t tend to make big signings due to their recruitment process and instead prefer to foster players from the academy to the first team. So, that would leave just Sevilla free of sanctions behind the financially burdened Barcelona in the transfer stakes.

Yet to analyse the teams doing remarkably well this season, there’s proof that big-money signings aren’t necessary to close the gap to those below the main three. Celta Vigo, Eibar, Deportivo de la Coruña, Getafe and even Malaga have proven with the right scouting and recruitment process, you can build a team capable of causing an upset. Even with the lure of extra money coming their way with La Liga’s new TV deal, most won’t change their current transfer process. They won’t go out and buy players for €10-15m, but instead strengthen their existing network and focus on improved contracts for the top performers.

According to transfermarkt Celta Vigo spent under £5m on transfers this summer with the average age of the player coming in being just under 25 years of age. Iago Aspas arrived from Sevilla, Daniel Wass from Evian while John Guidetti was a free transfer. They sold £10m worth of players, noticeably £7m of that came from Santi Mina’s move to Valencia, with an average age of those leaving being 27 and a half. Out with the old, in with the new. It’s paid dividends as the squad now has a much younger feel to it and is performing better in the league – they currently sit in the lofty heights of fifth.

European football next term would be a nice cash windfall for Celta, especially as clubs continue to monitor the progress of their current stars. The likes of Nolito and Fabian Orellana, both currently 29-years-old, could feasibly be sold in this window or the next. It’s about selling at the right moment and replacing them with younger talents who, with time and effort, will be ready to take over their spots in the team.

The greatest story of the season for a lot of neutrals is that of Eibar. Two years ago they defied the odds and earned promotion to La Liga. Unfortunately, due to ridiculous laws which still exist in Spain, the club was forced to sell shares in order to generate sufficient money so they’d be financially stable enough for La Liga to accept them. Fans from the all over the world chipped in to allow the Basque club their deserved place at Spain’s top table.

Amongst the rightful praise and adulation Eibar has received from fans and media alike, you still feel sorry for Elche whose forced relegation last summer allowed Eibar to escape the drop after a disastrous second half to the season. Nonetheless, what they’ve achieved in the current campaign is nothing short of miraculous. The club lost its manager and the majority of its entire squad, but Jose Luis Mendilibar has rebuilt it and the club look much stronger now.

Eibar spent a measly £350,000 [including add-ons] in the summer and all that was on just one player, Takashi Inui. The rest of their signings were made of up free transfers and loans with an average age of just over 24. Sergi Enrich and Keko the standout signings, both free transfers, go to show that it’s not always about splashing the cash but giving players the opportunity, making them feel important, and having that trust repaid out on the pitch. Eibar are currently sixth in the table, just one point behind Celta Vigo.

In turn they didn’t sell one player. All those that left doing so at the end of their contract or loan deal, with an average age of 27 and a half. Eibar’s hands are essentially tied behind their back because of the Financial Fair Play rules in place, but they allow players the stage to perform in Spain, a dream for many, with their eye already on who can be bought to replace them. Plus bigger sides will look favourably on Eibar when wanting to loan a player out, knowing they’ll be given a chance at the Basque club.

Deportivo de La Coruña are another side which prove you don’t need deep pockets to shoot up the league. Victor Sanchez, arguably the manager of the season so far, invested just over £1m on Lucas Perez this summer but the rest of his new-look squad were loan signings and free transfers. The benefit of a scouting network and a clear idea as to what is needed to improve the squad is there for all to see. Deportivo lacked leadership and the average age of arrivals was just under 26-years-old.

Much like Eibar they recouped nothing from their outgoing players as all left at the end of their current deals or returned to their parent clubs. Yet most of those that left on a free were close to or beyond 30, with decent wages to boot. While they would loathe losing the likes of Lucas or Pedro Mosquera next summer, there’s a feeling amongst fans that they could be adequately replaced.

This trend extends to Getafe as well. They sold Sergio Escudero to Sevilla for a little over £2m and let a host of ageing players leave but replaced them with smart loan deals and free transfers. Once again, the players brought in were considerably younger [average age 23] than those that left [average age 28].

Fran Escriba is one of the most highly-rated coaches in Spain and after overseeing a poor start to the season has finally seen his players adapt to his methods and they’re currently just seven points behind Eibar in the race for a Europa League place.

Malaga’s upturn has also been remarkable considering the club told several of its star players in the summer. Sergi Dardar, Samuel, Samu Castillejo and Juanmi all left and despite pocketing a respectable £30m from those deals Javi Garcia was only given £4m to spend on replacing them.

Nordin Amrabat came in for £2.4m – although he’s subsequently been sold to Watford this month – as did Adnane Tighadouini and Charles from NAC Breda and Celta Vigo respectively. The other new recruits are loan deals and free transfers. Out of all the clubs mentioned Malaga are the only one to bring in older players [average age 26] than the ones who left [average age 25], but not by much.

The instability of losing those big players in the summer left the club struggling at the beginning of the season and they found themselves a permanent fixture in the bottom four of the league. A recent surge in form has seen them pick up four wins from their last eight matches with just one loss. A European spot is probably beyond their reach but safety looks a more realistic possibility. And who knows, they could even push on next season if they can avoid losing more stars.

Celta Vigo, Eibar, Deportivo, Getafe and Malaga have spent just £10m combined yet find themselves in and around sides such as Sevilla and Valencia, who have spent £25m and £99m respectively.

The rise of the underdogs is something La Liga needed to happen - even if it ruffles some of the bigger sides’ feathers.