This past weekend saw the resumption of play in La Liga. This week's team managed to damage their opponents chances at a Champions League spot while pulling themselves out of relegation. That's a performance worthy of TOW recognition.

The La Liga Team Of The Week made headlines and/or played matches on the weekend of April 3 -5. The winner is:

Club Atlético Osasuna

Osasuna is based in the city of Pamplona which is most famously known for The Running Of The Bulls during the Festival of San Fermín. This weekend, Pamplona belongs to Osasuna after their massive road win 4-2 against Atlético Madrid. Walter Pandiani scored twice and Iranian midfielder Masoud Shojaei added the 4th to seal the 3 points. The victory was HUGE for Osasuna because it moved them out of the relegation zone into 14th place and 2 points from the drop. Osasuna is now unbeaten in their last 3 matches and have lost once since February. If they continue their play they will certainly be playing in La Liga next season.

The win also damaged Atlético Madrid's chances of qualifying for the Champions League. Los Colchoneros are now 5 points back of 4th place Villarreal. For their impressive and possibly relegation avoiding win, Club Atlético Osasuna are the La Liga Team Of The Week for Week 29.

08-09 La Liga T.O.W. - Week 29

I'm a keep it real, I couldn't come up with anything original and amusing to write for the intro, so let's get straight to the Team Of The Week. Remember that the TOW played matches and/or made headlines during the calendar week of March 16 - 22.

The winner is:
Valencia Club de Fútbol


The team known as Los Che snapped a 6 game winless streak with their big road 1-0 win over Racing Santander. Juan Mata scored the game winner in the 77th minute to secure the 3 points for Valencia. The win moved Valencia into 6th place and back into a European spot.

Los Che have the talent to compete for a Champions League spot but inconsistent play and financial difficulties have led to a disappointing and underachieving season. However, this win could be the boost Valencia needs to re-establish their place amongst the elite of Spanish football.

For their important road win against an always tough Racing Santander, Valencia Club de Fútbol is the Week 28 La Liga Team Of The Week.

08-09 La Liga T.O.W. - Week 28

We are already in mid-March and wow has this year flown by. Why is it the older you get the faster the years go by? Anyway, you aren't reading this caring about the speed of years, you want to know what team is the La Liga Team Of The Week for Jornada 27. This time we got a good one and it might be pretty obvious. Remember that the Team Of The Week played matches and/or made headlines during the calendar week of March 9 - 15. The winner is:

08-09 La Liga T.O.W. - Week 27

It was a full week of action in Europe. Champions League, UEFA Cup, and La Liga action. Its been awhile since there has been a La Liga Team Of The Week but considering the events of this week its time to award one. Remember that the TOW played matches and/or made headlines during the calendar week of Feb. 23 - March 1. The winner is:

08-09 La Liga T.O.W. - Week 25

We have officially hit double digit weeks in the La Liga season which means that we are going to see the separation of the contenders & the pretenders for the title of La Liga Champion. The energy of starting a new season has worn off and now the grind of a long season begins to set in. The teams with the best combination of talent and determination will stand out and claim glory. With all that flowery, epic language out of the way we can get to the business of the La Liga Team Of The Week. The winner made headlines and/or played matches during the calendar week of Nov. 3 - 9.

Real Betis Balompié


The team based in Sevilla in the south of Spain gets the nod over Barcelona this week for their 4-2 road win vs. Numancia. 2 goals by Brazilian born Turkish international Mehmet Aurelio secured the win for Betis and moved them further away from relegation. You must be reading this going BARCA SCORED 6 GOALS!! AND THEY AREN'T THE T.O.W. As a Barca fan, I was tempted to name them but a home 1-1 draw against FC Basel midweek eliminated them and a road win counts more than a home win, Barca got their 6 at the Camp Nou. Betis' victory was more important, it moved them 4 points clear of relegation. Had Betis lost they would have fallen into the last relegation spot while had Barca lost they would have been in a Champions League spot just 2 points behind leaders Villarreal. Falling from 1st to 4th, is not nearly as bad as falling from 15th to 18th so Betis did well to take the 3 points on the road. Therefore, Real Betis Balompié earns the moniker of La Liga Team Of The Week.

08-09 La Liga T.O.W. - Week 10

Alright, we are back again for another Team Of The Week and I'm a bit late cause I got caught up in the U.S. Presidential Election. Hopefuly, a nation's fortunes has changed with the outcome of the election. Same could be applied to the La Liga Team Of The Week. The TOW that played matches and/or made headlines during the week of Oct. 27 - Nov. 2.

Real Racing Club de Santander

The team from the northern autonomous community of Cantabria killed 2 birds with one stone in their 4-2 road victory over 1st place Valencia. The first bird that fell was Valencia's unbeaten record and the second was Racing's relegation place. Racing sealed the win with a hat trick from Burundi born and future Belgian international striker Mohammed Tchité.


The 3 points elevated Racing out of relegation and knocked Los Che from 1st place and from the ranks of the unbeaten. Villarreal is now the only unbeaten team in La Liga. To go on the road and beat an unbeaten 1st place team when you are struggling with relegation this early in the season is a fine result. This victory could be result that changes the Racinguistas season for the better. So give it up to Real Racing Club de Santander for their 4-2 win at the Mestalla to become the La Liga Team Of The Week.

08-09 La Liga Team Of The Week - Week 9

ts been awhile since a La Liga Team Of The Week has been awarded. My bad, I've been slippin. Don't worry I got my good writing boots and there will be no more slippage. The winner of the La Liga Team Of The Week played matches and or made headlines during the week of Oct. 20 - Oct. 26 and the winner is:

Fútbol Club Barcelona

The Blaugrana this past week displayed the kind of football that we expected to see them play last season. This past Wednesday, Barca traveled to Switzerland and destroyed FC Basel 5-0 in a Group C Champions League match. A double by Bojan Krkic led Barca to the victory and a perfect record in the Champions League.


The glut of goals continued on Saturday when they got a hat trick from Samuel Eto'o in the 1st 24 minutes and a 14th minute goal from Thierry Henry to crush Almeria 5-0.


Granted FC Basel and Almeria are not the stiffest of competition but a dominant team is supposed to crush the teams that are not the stiffest competition. 10 goals scored and 0 allowed that's impressive, is there a team more stacked offensively than Barca? I think not. Hence, Fútbol Club Barcelona is the winner of La Liga Team Of The Week.

08-09 La Liga Team Of The Week - Week 8

The La Liga Team Of The Week for Week 3 of the Spanish 1st division was an easy choice. Considering the results and the environments the TOW had to perform in, there is no doubt that the runaway Week 3 winner of the La Liga Team Of The Week is:

Villarreal Club de Fútbol



The team known as The Yellow Submarine can no longer be considered a surprise to anyone. They certainly aren't as historic or as popular as Real Madrid or Barca but their form right now is much better and they may have the best chemistry of any team in Europe. Tuesday, they earned a tough 0-0 draw at Old Trafford against the defending European champs in Champions League group play, then traveled to Numancia and beat a spirited side (and last week's TOW) 2-1 with goals in the 2nd half by Santi Cazorla & Joseba Llorente. 4 points from 2 road games including a clean sheet against Man U, that's impressive. Manuel Pellegrini has this side confident and looking like a team with a trophy in mind. Its still early to crown them anything but they are damn good. So good that they are La Liga's Team Of The Week.

08-09 La Liga Team Of The Week - Week 3

Welcome to the 1st edition of "La Liga Team Of The Week" Isn't this the best part of the sports year. Mainly because its the start of football season, both American and International aka Real football. Its gonna be one great season and hopefully as a Barca fan, the Blaugrana will win a treble although it doesn't look like it. Don't worry Barca is not the team of the week. In fact they will never win Team Of The Week if they continue to play the way the have been playing. The winner of this season's 1st Team Of The Week (which combines Week 1 and this past week) is:

Club Deportivo Numancia de Soria



You might be thinking, how can a team that lost, win the TOW but the way they lost and who they have played make them a worthy recipient. The recently promoted side in the first two weeks of the season have had to take on the two biggest clubs in Spain and they have not been afraid at all. In week 1, they beat Barcelona 1-0 and this past week lost a tough 4-3 match to Real Madrid. If you want to get technical they have put more goals in the net than their opponents, 5 to 3, unfortunately the game winner in the Real Madrid game was an own goal but nevertheless you have to give credit to a newly promoted side for not being intimidated by the big clubs. Even though they beat my team, Numancia has proven that they are worthy of being in La Liga and let's hope they continue their inspired play. Club Deportivo Numancia De Soria is the La Liga Team Of The Week.

08-09 La Liga Team Of The Week - Week 1