Barcelona's Luis Suarez predicts tight La Liga title race
Thursday 15 October 2015 15:26, UK
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez believes a cluster of teams will challenge for the title in a wide open La Liga season.
Villareal currently top the table on 16 points, with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Celta Vigo all one point behind and Atletico Madrid three points back in fifth.
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have been the only teams to challenge for the title in recent years, but Suarez believes the likes of Villareal and Celta could stay the course this season.
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Speaking ahead of Barcelona's home match against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, he said: "The league is more competitive than other years and I think it will be exciting and very even all the way. Our rivals along with us have dropped points.
"It is going to be a championship where no one knows what the results are going to be. The fact that we have five teams in the Champions League, I think, for the first time shows the situation.
"We know how strong the other sides are and we need to keep believing in ourselves. We are aware that we have made mistakes, which are for a reason, but it is the same team that won three titles."
Real have drawn their past two league matches and face Levante at home on Saturday, with coach Rafa Benitez rejecting criticism for adopting a defensive tactical approach, which intensified after a draw against local rivals Atletico in their last outing before the international break.
"Defensive and ordered are not the same thing," he said. "Madrid has an attacking mentality, but if you are ordered, then you concede fewer goals. We are not conceding many and we are scoring a lot, but still we need to be more efficient."
