The Good, the Bad, the Beautiful: The voodoo child, end of an era and initial reaction to genius

This weekly overview delves into some of La Liga's most compelling narratives, highlighting moments of brilliance, disappointment, and pure spectacle.

The Good: Raphinha is back – Voodoo child (slight return)

Raphinha undeniably brings a unique and essential dynamic to Barcelona. While perhaps not their most elegant or well-rounded player, he possesses an irreplaceable quality that drives the team's play, something no other player consistently provides, regardless of Hansi Flick's tactical emphasis on high pressing. His importance was evident against Newcastle United; as Barcelona adapted to their press, Raphinha swiftly capitalized on Jacob Ramsey's errant pass to score. Just days prior, he secured a 'scrappy' hat-trick against Sevilla—two penalties and a deflected shot—yet these moments underscored his heightened mobility and influence.

His aggressive, often unconventional, and always passionate style seems to naturally guide his teammates into Flick's desired positions. Raphinha's intensity and charisma exert a magnetic pull over the squad. His recent contributions against Newcastle were staggering: he scored the opener, delivered the set-piece for the second, earned the penalty for the third, assisted the fourth and fifth, and netted the sixth. These eight critical actions in just four days highlight how Raphinha dictates the team's rhythm, making sense of a Barcelona side facing significant 'expected downfall' in European football.

The Bad: The end of an era – Eskerrik Asko, Ernesto Valverde

The news of Ernesto Valverde's impending departure from Athletic Club this summer arrived amidst a period of poor form for the team. Their recent 3-0 loss to Girona, though Gazzaniga made some saves, felt unsurprising and largely justified. Girona, under Michel Sanchez, has successfully rebuilt, presenting a stark contrast to Athletic's stagnant, ineffective pressing and uninspiring attack.

Athletic Club has only secured three La Liga victories in 2026, a streak dating back to their December 6th win against Atletico Madrid, spanning eleven matches—and even prior to this, their form was not strong. With Valverde's exit confirmed, there's an opportunity for a shift in mindset, potentially reigniting their push for a European spot, which remains just three points away. This season was already anticipated as the conclusion of Valverde's tenure, with only echoes remaining of what was arguably Athletic's finest squad this century (2023-2025). As with any managerial cycle, an end is inevitable. The club and team now face the task of ensuring Valverde's final ten games are a tribute to his contributions, rather than a somber farewell.

The Beautiful: ‘No, Arda, no’

Initially, the week's most beautiful moment seemed destined to be Nicolas Pepe's dramatic 97th-minute equalizer against Alaves at Mendizorrotza. However, Arda Guler decisively overshadowed this with an indisputably brilliant goal. From an astonishing 68.6 meters, he launched the ball over the head of Matias Dituro, watching it bounce perfectly into the empty net—a true display of genius.

Guler's confidence in attempting such a feat is notable; he has tried similar long-range efforts three times, once hitting the crossbar and another time narrowly missing. This type of audacious shot is rarely even attempted by most players, given its extremely low probability, and is typically associated with specialists like Xabi Alonso, David Beckham, and Wayne Rooney. While we sometimes doubt La Liga and Microsoft's goal probability statistics, the 0.1% chance assigned to Guler's strike felt entirely accurate. With this goal, Guler now boasts a remarkable one-in-three conversion rate for these extraordinary attempts. As Alvaro Arbeloa remarked post-game, "It’s worth the price of the ticket, maybe two or three times over, to see what he’s done." Arbeloa's initial reaction, "No, Arda, no," perfectly captured the sheer audacity of the shot, perhaps even empathizing with the hapless Dituro, who was notably out of his goal.