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5 takeaways from the opening half of the La Liga season

Miguel Vidal / Reuters

With the 2015-16 La Liga season reaching its halfway point, it's time to look at some of the things we've learned from the season's first 19 matchdays.

Atletico Madrid is a prime example of how Spanish football has evolved

When Barcelona started to play tiki-taka under Pep Guardiola and began achieving unprecedented levels of possession, Spanish football clubs were obviously forced to adapt, and it was only a matter of time before a tactical evolution took place involving defensive rigidity and rapid counterattacks.

Atletico Madrid appeared to have figured out the equation during the 2013-14 La Liga season, when the club captured its 10th title and first in 18 years.

However, Atleti has taken defensive rigidity and rapid counterattacks to new heights this season, conceding, in phenomenal fashion, only eight goals due to its defensive unit of Juanfran, Jose Maria Gimenez, Diego Godin, and Filipe Luis, and counterattacking with unparalleled efficiency after experimentation and fierce criticism with other approaches.

The fact that Atleti ranks eighth in possession (50.1 percent) in La Liga but sits first in the standings speaks volumes.

As Sid Lowe of the Guardian said regarding Atleti: "Be yourself, everybody else is already taken."

Neymar is the planet's second-best player

At some point this season, likely during El Clasico, there was something of a collective realisation that Barcelona employs Earth's top two footballers.

Following years of debate over whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player in the solar system, Neymar altered the conversation when Messi tore the internal collateral ligament in his left knee. Not only did the Brazilian phenom fill the void left by his Argentinian teammate, but he established himself as the heir to No. 10's throne.

Then, in November, by virtue of 90 minutes of dazzling play at the Santiago Bernabeu, Neymar effectively killed any lingering doubts over where he ranks.

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Neymar's numbers since August are better than Ronaldo's in almost every category, and the balance is only tipped in the former's favour when pitting the train wreck that is Real Madrid against the camaraderie that appears to exist at Barcelona along with the Catalan club's trophy cabinet.

Managers are dead men walking at Real Madrid

It was always going to end this way.

When the Spanish population learned that Rafa Benitez was sacked by Real Madrid and replaced by Zinedine Zidane, no one blinked twice, shoulders were shrugged, and life carried on. It was merely a matter of a revolving door being given another spin. Under the self-righteousness of Florentino Perez, the lack of patience at Real Madrid is a way of life for Los Blancos, expected by the club's supporters and ridiculed by their rivals.

As Michael Caley of The Washington Post explains, Real Madrid's results during Benitez's half-season in charge were among the worst in the club's recent history. Only once this decade have Los Blancos failed to reach 40 points by the halfway point, and it's only because of Barcelona's early struggles in front of goal that Zidane's side is still in the title race.

Benitez was never going to be the solution for Real Madrid, but it's almost as if that didn't matter. After all, remember that upon being asked why he let Carlo Ancelotti go as manager, Perez replied: "I don't know."

Villarreal can return to the Champions League

With the usual suspects of Atleti, Barcelona, and Real Madrid occupying the top three spots in the La Liga standings, there is one Champions League place up for grabs.

Villarreal, one of Spanish football's best-run clubs, could very well be the team to grab that final berth.

When October rolled around, Villarreal was atop La Liga for the first time in its 92-year history. And while the league's giants have slowly but surely overtaken the Yellow Submarine, there's every reason to believe that the club can return to European football's most prestigious club competition.

Not only is Villarreal on a six-match winning streak, the Yellow Submarine has taken 39 points from a possible 57 so far, equalling its club record start from the 2010-11 season when Champions League qualification followed. Even Marca believes Villarreal is the odds-on favourite to finish fourth in La Liga.

Rayo Vallecano must turn things around to avoid relegation

Rayo Vallecano experienced its worst first half of a La Liga season since 1989-90 and finds itself in the relegation zone with just two points from its last eight games and only 15 points in total.

Evidenced by the humiliating 10-2 thrashing Rayo endured at Real Madrid, a turnaround will not be easy for "the last of the barrio teams." As Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC points out, Rayo avoided relegation by making a number of signings two years ago. However, the club faces an even steeper battle this time around.

Paco Jemez, Rayo's colourful manager, has some work ahead of him.

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