La Liga lowdown

Guillem Balague, Graham Hunter, Terry Gibson and Gerry Armstrong preview the new La Liga season.

Revista experts tip up the new Spanish season

La Liga returns this weekend - and Sky Sports will guide you through the campaign, every step of the way. We will be bringing you live matches from Spain's top flight every weekend - and you can catch Revista de La Liga every Tuesday evening for the latest highlights, news and analysis. Ahead of the big kick-off, skysports.com gathered together four of Revista's expert analysts - Guillem Balague, Graham Hunter, Terry Gibson and Gerry Armstrong - to preview the new season. Who will win the title? Who will go down? Who will bag the most goals? And just what impact will the arrival of Jose Mourinho have at Real Madrid? Let our experts point you in the right direction...

Champions

GUILLEM
It will be another closely-fought season between Spain's big two, with Real Madrid edging it this time around and the margin of difference might be settled by the head-to-head clashes versus Barcelona. If Javier Mascherano does move to the Camp Nou, it will represent a terrific signing and will certainly make Barcelona more solid, but there is the sense that all is not as well as perhaps it should be behind the scenes. Even if Mascherano signs, Barcelona still have a small squad and they will need a degree of luck with injuries and form if they are to continue riding the crest of the wave they have been on for the past couple of seasons. GRAHAM
Even though it is a two-horse race, it's hard to claim total certainty about the favourite - but the tip has to be Barça. No disrespect to José Mourinho but it is difficult to imagine that Real Madrid's signings of Angel Di Maria, Sami Khedira, Ricardo Carvalho, Pedro Leon and Mesut Özil have done enough to close the quality gap on the champions. Canales is super-gifted but Madrid still lack a top class left-back. Barça probably lack cover at centre-back and have several players who didn't have a proper pre-season which can often gnaw away at mental and physical stamina in late winter, early spring. But Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta are going to have fun playing with David Villa. Three in a row for FCB. TERRY
As long as the Spanish players at the heart of the Barcelona team have still got their motivation after the World Cup, I think they can be better than a Real Madrid side which will again take a while to gel. I saw them beat Sevilla 4-0 in the Super Cup and they certainly looked really up for it in that game. They haven't made many changes to their squad this summer but new signing David Villa will strengthen their starting XI, while Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique can both cover the loss of Yaya Toure. GERRY
Again it is going to be a two-horse race between Real Madrid and Barcelona, who are about 15-20 times better than anybody else in the league. They're even stronger than last year but there's not a lot to choose between them. I think the pressure is on Barcelona and with Jose Mourinho at Real it is going to be even tighter. A lot depends on who is rested properly after the World Cup; I certainly think that'll play a part. However, I expect Real to bounce back this year after Barcelona won two titles in a row. Real will win something this year - I don't know if it will be the league, though. I really can't pick between one or the other!

Champions League places

GUILLEM
Valencia remain a decent outfit, but no team can lose its best players (Villa and David Silva) without it having a negative impact. Sevilla should also challenge for a Champions League place, but a great deal of uncertainty surrounds the club at this exact moment. Atletico Madrid are, perhaps, the best placed to finish third; they have made some excellent signings this summer. However, this is Atletico Madrid we are talking about and the only predictable thing about them is their unpredictability! If they were any other team, I might be tempted to suggest they could even push the top two, but as their poor results in pre-season have shown, you just never know. GRAHAM
If FCB and Real Madrid finish first and second then there will be a brutal battle for third and fourth. For a club in such debt, Valencia look like they have massive depth of squad and a decent degree of quality in most positions. Unless they are stripped of assets before the end of the transfer market then Valencia will get a good flow of goals from Juan Manuel Mata, Pablo Hernandez, Roberto Soldado, Aritz Aduriz and Joaquin. Top four for Los Ché. Maybe Villarreal will provide a nice surprise after a couple of yo-yo seasons. Carlos Marchena brings experience and leadership, Marcos Senna has had a deserved summer off and should be firing on all guns and you wish little Santi Cazorla a season without injuries. TERRY
Sevilla took fourth spot last year but, in my eyes, shade Valencia this season, who have suffered big losses in the shape of Villa and Silva. Sevilla qualified with virtually the final kick of last season but I expect them to push Real and Barca this term, while Villarreal and Atletico Madrid will battle it out for the final Champions League place. GERRY
Atletico Madrid have managed to hold onto Kun Aguero and Diego Forlan, so they've got goals in their locker and I would say they are the third strongest side in the division. Valencia have signed Soldado from Mallorca this summer but he can not replace David Villa - there's only one David Villa. Meanwhile, Sevilla have not really signed anyone but look set to lose Sebastien Squillaci to Arsenal which will weaken them slightly. Villarreal are the other side pushing for a top-four spot. They are a very good footballing side and have got some real quality players.

Relegation

GRAHAM
Only Espanyol scored fewer goals than Deportivo last season and they finished the season with six out of a possible 39 points. They haven't solved their scoring problem over the summer so I expect Deportivo to go down. Levante have a project to be proud of; they have a low budget and are youth based, but they're probably not quite experienced enough to cope. Hercules have suffered such a fuss over their promotion, and whether it was fairly gained, that every single team who plays them will be out to prove that they have given 100%. Too tough a test for them, I'm afraid. TERRY
Of the promoted teams Hercules will be the most likely to struggle. They have tried to make some signings but I think they will find it tough. I expect Levante to compete - they've impressed me with some of the players they have brought in, such as the experienced Javi Venta - while Real Sociedad are a club that should never have been relegated. Malaga struggled last season but they have had significant investment over the summer so should be stronger, however it will be interesting to see if sides such as Almeria and Sporting Gijon have improved or stood still - they could be in trouble. GERRY
You have to look at the teams that have come up as contenders for relegation. Hercules have just come up but it looks like they are spending some money in an attempt to stay in La Liga. Real Sociedad have done well in the past and should be OK but Levante have done really well just to get in there. Mallorca, my old club, have sold a lot of their big names and I think their coach, Michael Laudrup, has got the hardest job in football at the moment. To keep Mallorca up would be a fantastic feat.

Pichichi

GUILLEM
No surprises in going for David Villa. Need we say any more? He could do it at Valencia, sometimes on his own, imagine what he could achieve with the service he'll be getting at Barcelona. Even though Messi will play in the number 9 position most of the season and Villa will have to move to the left of the attack, it doesn't matter. He has done it with Spain and ended up top of the goalscoring charts in both the European Championship and the World Cup wins. It still sounds weird to say we have won those last two competitions... weird but wonderful. GRAHAM
If he stays fit then there is no reason why magical Messi cannot mesmerise all of us, and La Liga's defenders, again. Even though Barça have signed Villa, Messi will play many games as a centre forward. Last season he created so many of the goals himself but, now, he potentially has the brilliant Villa to go and fetch possession from the opposition for him like Samuel Eto'o used to do and also, potentially, Andres Iniesta fully fit and full of inventive passes. Say no more. TERRY
It is so easy to go for Lionel Messi! I didn't go for him last year, thinking 'he can't do it again' but I'm reluctant to go against him this year. He scored a hat-trick in the Super Cup playing in a central role, even with Villa in the team. Barcelona will score the most goals this season and he will be their top scorer so I will go with Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo will play in a wider position this year, like he used to for Manchester United, so I think that might curtail his goal scoring a little bit. GERRY
You look at the big two sides and you know they are going to score more than anybody else. However, with David Villa and Lionel Messi in the same team I don't know if that's a good thing for their Pichichi chances because they will split the goals between them. But I would never back against Villa; he is going to get more chances and he is a potent finisher, so I will go with him.

Ones to watch

GUILLEM
The obvious answer is Sergio Canales. He made a name for himself last season and now he is in the spotlight at Real Madrid, every goal and exquisite pass is guaranteed maximum exposure across Europe. If we are looking for names who barely got a mention last term, then there are a couple of players I really like who are breaking into the first team at FC Barcelona: Oriol Romeu and Jonathan dos Santos. GRAHAM
Iker Muniain is tough, talented and growing in experience. He'll be Athletic's jack in the box. Diego Alves, Almeria's keeper, is wildly under-appreciated and shows brilliant reflexes. Ivan De La Peña is an exceptional Espanyol player whose final seasons hopefully won't be ruined by injury. Luis Felipe was a buccaneering wing back of immense power and style until a crippling injury in January. If fit, his displays will give Atlético's fans back the price of their season ticket. Antoine Griezman is still young, still small but fresh from a good (winning) summer with France as they lifted the European U19 Championship. Can he hack it at the top level yet? We'll find out with Real Sociedad. Jozy Altidore possesses immense power and showed skill last season for the USA and Hull. Villarreal's creativity and speed can feed the big man. Ander Herrerra is gifted, tough, wins the ball and uses it with lots of smartness. Potentially top class, he helped save Zaragoza last season. TERRY
Iker Muniain from Athletic Bilbao is certainly one to watch. He is only 17 but he played a few games last year and I expect him to play more this season. He is a really exciting player; he is quick, a great dribbler, just 5'4" tall and built in the typical Spanish mould. He is tough and athletic and is a real star in the making. He prefers to play through the middle and reminds me a lot of Messi. He loves taking players on and is a real gutsy player who I would love to see do well this year. GERRY
There are always young players coming through but we won't know until three months into the season who the stand-out players will be. Mallorca will bring at least four players from their B-side through and they always impress. Sporting Gijon are another side who have some good young players, and so do Sevilla. You are probably more likely to see these players emerge from those sort of clubs rather than Real Madrid or Barcelona who go for the more experienced players.

The Special Effect

GUILLEM
I have a feeling that Mourinho will somehow get the better of Guardiola this season, but it's not a foregone conclusion as there are many unanswered questions and unknown quantities when it comes down to this new era at Real Madrid. However, Madrid now have options that they were missing last season. The defence is stronger, they have brought in wide players and added a couple of footballers - Canales and Ozil - who can prise open the most static of defences. If it comes down to the head-to-head results between Mourinho and Guardiola, we all know that Jose has the blueprint for beating Barcelona and the current champions will not quite have the upper hand in the way they have in recent seasons against their old enemy. GRAHAM
Mourinho has already caused an avalanche of media coverage. Beyond his exceptional previous career, the way he bullied Barça out of the Champions League last season has made Madrid fans salivate. Because he's talented and brings intensity of work he will be good for the Madrid squad, he will lead the media a merry dance and Barça will have a relentless rival. But Barça's players tell me that they are already bored of being asked about him every 10 minutes. Success will be a trophy - any of the three they play for and he's a good bet to bring Madrid their first Copa Del Rey for 18 years. Everything else would be a massive bonus. TERRY
Mourinho brings so much to La Liga and he is the perfect match for Real Madrid - it was inevitable he would manage them eventually. I'm sure he will be successful at the Bernabeu - he wins trophies wherever he goes. At Real he will be judged by their performance in the Champions League and in the matches against Barcelona - and I expect him to improve Real's recent fortunes in both of those contests. The Madrid fans will love him and so will the Spanish press - he'll give them a headline every day. Barcelona fans and most of the rest of Spain won't be so impressed but that won't bother him in the slightest. GERRY
Mourinho seems to put confidence into the players who play under him. Real Madrid will be a lot more defensive than their adventurous rivals Barcelona but Mourinho has the Midas touch and I wouldn't bet against him winning the title or the Champions League this year. He will definitely win something - he proved that at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and he will do it now at Real. Mourinho is good for the public, fantastic for the press, and great for the game. I love him.