Expect tight La Liga title race this season, say Owen, McManaman

After two consecutive campaigns of Barcelona strolling to the La Liga title, former Real Madrid players Michael Owen and Steve McManaman are expecting the most competitive title race in recent seasons.

The duo told The New Paper yesterday that the signings Real, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have made will make for a keenly contested title race.

Champions Barcelona have been practically in a league of their own, winning the title at a canter the last two seasons.

Last term, they finished 11 points clear of second-placed Atletico and 19 points in front of Real, who were third.

The season before that, Barcelona ended 14 and 17 points ahead of Atletico and Real respectively.

McManaman, 47, who made over 150 appearances for Real from 1999-2003, said: "Barcelona won the league easily the last few years but, this year, you can't really say who is going to win it.

"Barcelona looked really average without (Lionel) Messi in the opening game. Atletico looked really good in their opening game.

"(Real) Betis lost but they and Sevilla have done well in the market. So, yes, it is going to be the most competitive in recent times. They all have a chance."

Owen, 39, who scored 16 goals in 45 games for the Los Blancos in a one-year spell, agreed, saying: "Yes, it is going to be mighty competitive. But not just that, it is going to be very exciting as well, perhaps more exciting than it's ever been.

"You have got (Eden) Hazard who is, in my opinion, one of the most exciting players in world football, and Barcelona have made good signings, too.

"It makes the league much stronger, for sure."

In a bid to ensure their squads are competitive, Spain's three biggest clubs have splurged over 800 million euros (S$1.2 billion) on new players.

Barcelona have bought the likes of French superstar Antoine Griezmann, Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, fullback Junior Firpo from Betis and Valencia custodian Neto.

Real have captured Hazard from Chelsea, Eintracht Frankfurt forward Luka Jovic, French fullback Ferland Mendy and Brazilian defender Eder Militao.

Meanwhile, Diego Simeone's Atletico boast a new-look side, after several big-name departures such as Griezmann, Diego Godin and Filipe Luis.

RECORD SIGNING

Atletico smashed their transfer record to sign Portuguese wonderkid Joao Felix, adding midfielder Marcos Llorente from Real, fullback Kieran Trippier from Tottenham Hotspur, defender Mario Hermoso from Espanyol and the Porto pair of defender Felipe and midfielder Hector Herrera.

With La Liga's transfer window due to shut only on Sept 2, Owen and McManaman expect one last splurge from either Real or Barcelona - on Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar.

For Owen, it is just a matter of which Spanish club Neymar moves to in the next two weeks.

He said: "There is no smoke without fire, so yes, all these rumours are there because something is brewing in the background.

"It does look like he is leaving PSG, and the only teams that can afford him and are big enough for him are Real and Barca.

"I don't think whoever signs him is guaranteed to win the league, but I think it will be an amazing signing for whoever can get it done."

But McManaman believes the 27-year-old former Barca man can be the difference in the title race.

He said: "I think (whoever signs Neymar), they'd be favourites for the title. I think he is a very good player when he focuses on his football.

"It does not seem to be the case now, but if he can get focused, then the club that gets him have a really excellent player on their hands."

Owen and McManaman were in town yesterday for the unveiling of Global Crypto Offering Exchange (GCOX)'s partnership with La Liga at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

Through the partnership, which covers Asia and the Middle East, GCOX hopes to provide exclusive services and products, social interactions, create business opportunities through football clinics and stage events with ambassadors.

GCOX's celebrity line-up includes Owen, legendary Filipino boxer-cum-senator Manny Pacquiao and Danish tennis star, Caroline Wozniacki.