The good, the bad and the beautiful in La Liga: Second sacking and the express bus through Galicia

A round-up of some of La Liga’s most intriguing storylines across the week, traversing through the good, the bad and something beautiful.

The Good

It is hard to believe that Espanyol, the same side that were hanging onto survival by Joan Garcia’s fingertips, look like one of the smartest outfits in Spain currently. If somehow it has escaped you that former manager Manolo Gonzalez was once a bus driver, the speed at which he is moving should be the headline news.

Los Pericos are just the second side to keep a clean sheet against Celta Vigo this season, and just the third to make off with three points from Balaidos, after Barcelona, and Getafe, the latter partners in both Espanyol’s remarkable feats. As any keen La Liga observer knows, and Elche found out last week, anyone can get Getafe’d. It moves Espanyol firmly into the European conversation; level on points with Real Betis, and with a four-point gap to Getafe and Athletic Club.

Aquest moment. pic.twitter.com/0c5SCSug4C

— RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (@RCDEspanyol) December 1, 2025

Be it ball-playing midfielders you require, the Espanyol coach can call on Urko Gonzalez, Ramon Terrats or Edu Exposito, exponent of arguably the finest set-piece delivery in La Liga. Tyrhys Dolan, Carlos Romero or Roberto Fernandez are all keen to eat up any space afforded to them, and extend the metaphor to a hungry Espanyol side on the whole. Craft comes from Pere Milla, who always plays with the confidence of the best player on the pitch. Craftiness? Kike Garcia and Leandro Cabrera are not just in their thirties, they have a veteran nouse and nastiness, that is mulled wine to a partisan support.

The Bad

In Asturias, there was a good dollop of anger at the Real Oviedo board for sacking Veljko Paunovic, the hero of the promotion they waited several childhoods for, feeling it was a little too early to pull the trigger. Paunovic was the first dismissal of the season, and this week Julian Calero became the second. A funeral-like silence met Levante’s decision; respectful but without acrimony.

Calero has soared to La Liga, coming from the third tier in just five seasons, with a lorry-load of goodwill behind him. An inspiring speaker, the former policeman was one of the first on the scene during the horrific 2005 terrorist attacks in Madrid. Described as the ‘man who rescued Levante from depression and brought back happiness’, even with his popularity in Valencia though, few were arguing for him to stear them through the storm.

The one-time assistant to Julen Lopetegui failed to inspire the defensive solidity his Basque boss was famed for at Sevilla, and Los Granotas have the joint-worst record in the division, conceding 26 times in 14 games. Levante have lost five of their last six, and their two wins this season have come against their cell-mates in the relegation zone: Girona and Real Oviedo. As time went on, and especially in their 2-0 defeat to Athletic Club, Calero’s systems confused his players as much as the fans, the resort of a manager who has exhausted all of the sensible plans in his armoury.

The concern for Levante has to be what comes next. Some of their players, Unai Vencedor, Jon Olasagasti or Manu Sanchez, are capable of the duties asked of them at La Liga level, but remain accompaniments. Thus far, the only main dish is Karl Etta Eyong, who has a suitcase packed for the African Cup of Nations in less than two weeks time. Football is a frame of mind, as Jorge Valdano reminds us regularly, but keeping Levante up looks like a headache for any manager.

The Beautiful

Ugliness was not in short supply in the Seville derby, as grown men threw their toys out of the pram and onto the pitch in protest at their own side’s impending demise against Real Betis. Sevilla manager Matias Almeyda chastised Betis’ players for celebrating in front of the ultras, reasoning that ‘it was only a couple of plastic bottles, and they didn’t even hit anyone’. It is a rather perplexing argument, made more puzzling still by his own actions at La Bombonera as a player.

Campeón de la @Libertadores en 1996 y multicampeón de torneos locales en @RiverPlate Matías Almeyda cumple 46 años.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Pelado! @peladoalmeyda pic.twitter.com/v95pjwAlXT

— Rosario es de river (@RosarioEsDeRiv1) December 21, 2019

The football match was saved by Pablo Fornals, who sort of looks like he might suit a superhero eye-mask. Robbed of Isco, Giovani Lo Celso and Antony for the big occasion, Fornals ensured there was some magic at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Nicking the ball from Baptiste Mendy, Fornals bamboozled Cesar Azpilicueta once, before checking back inside. Seeing his path still blocked, his dummy sent Jose Angel Carmona sliding almost out of shot, and Azpilicueta’s legs were still moving him the wrong way when Fornals released his low drive into the net.

El vals de Pablo Fornals en el Sánchez-Pizjuán #LALIGAHighlights pic.twitter.com/orMRaAPDEj

— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis) December 2, 2025

11 seconds of grit, determination, poise and precision that floored Sevilla’s battling resistance. If Beticos were concerned about the absence of their green galacticos for the derby, Fornals finalised his application for star status on Sevilla’s soil.

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