(Cricket News) For yet another year, LALIGA HYPERMOTION has proven to be the most evenly matched competition in Europe and one of the most exciting leagues in the world. We have reached the halfway stage and there are just nine points separating the league leaders CD Leganés and the teams in the middle of the table such as Burgos CF (11th) and Elche CF (12th).
Similarly, Real Racing Club occupy the final playoff spot and are just 10 points ahead of FC Andorra, the team just outside the relegation zone. The standings are so tight and there are still 21 exciting rounds to go, as any of the 22 clubs could end up dreaming of promotion or could suffer a bad run of form and sink towards the bottom.
A surprise contender in the fight for promotion
If one thing defines LALIGA HYPERMOTION then it’s emotion, and this emotion is reflected in the teams’ runs of form. While extending a winning streak can push a team towards the top, a frustrating run can see a club quickly tumble down the table towards the relegation battle.
Real Zaragoza are the ultimate example of this, as the Aragonese outfit started the season with five consecutive victories to make a strong case for promotion. However, the team then went through 12 cursed rounds in which they secured just one win along with four draws and seven defeats, causing them to drop many places.
On the other hand, Real Oviedo have enjoyed a positive turnaround. After failing to achieve any victory in the first seven rounds, they then went nine matches without losing to rejoin the race for the promotion playoffs.
The most consistent team during the first half of the season was CD Leganés, who are leaders but who just had five draws and one defeat across the past six matchdays. Still, the team from the south of Madrid remain top of the pile.
That’s good news for them given that, with the current competition format, with automatic promotion and playoffs, each of the winter champions have been promoted to LALIGA EA SPORTS at the end of the season. Moreover, all except UD Las Palmas in 2014/15 were promoted directly.
Currently sitting in second place is a surprise contender for promotion, in the form of Racing de Ferrol. They have found the kind of consistency that others are lacking, so Cristóbal Parralo’s team continue to dream.
Having just been newly promoted, they are now trying to earn a second promotion in a row to reach LALIGA EA SPORTS with the help of players like Iker Losada or Héber. However, they are saying goodbye to one of the most outstanding players of the first half of the season, as star assist man Carlos Vicente is leaving for Deportivo Alavés.
The relegation battle is a mystery
There is also a struggle to find consistency at the bottom. FC Cartagena, SD Amorebieta, AD Alcorcón and SD Huesca currently occupy the four relegation places at this halfway stage, but all four can achieve survival if they can string together a good run of results.
Historic clubs such as Albacete Balompié and Real Zaragoza, who started the season in better form, can’t afford to slip up, or else they could be pulled into trouble.
Players to watch in the second half of the season
Recently relegated clubs always boast quality, usually because they keep many of the players who were in the top flight the previous season. This is the case of RCD Espanyol, as they have Javi Puado, the division’s joint-top scorer with 10 goals, and Martin Braithwaite, the joint-third-top scorer with nine goals.
Peque of Real Racing Club and Álex Forés of Villarreal B have also scored 10 and nine goals respectively, showing that young players can also put the ball in the net.
Yet, the list of players to keep an eye on in the second half of the season extends beyond the forwards. Real Sporting goalkeeper Rubén Yáñez, CD Leganés centre-back Sergio González and SD Eibar midfielder Ager Aketxe are just some of the star players in this division that is loaded with talent and that still has plenty of surprises in store.
