During this weekend, the long-awaited return of the Kings League took place, and it was a first day that left numerous relevant details and some unexpected results, particularly the defeats of Ultimate Móstoles and Porcinos, the two great favorites to win this split. Before diving into that, it’s worth mentioning that the other 10 teams had a decent showing, with their average level being less surprising than I expected. Although one game doesn’t determine their future in the competition, it’s clear that we’re in for the most evenly matched split in the history of the competition.
Never before have I seen such equality between all the teams, with a feeling that anyone could take the victory. This is something that, although it can hurt many, only validates the radical changes we’ve had so far with those abrupt changes in the templates. It’s an exciting time, to say the least.
Now, let’s talk about Ultimate Móstoles and Porcinos. After the market closed, they were the teams of Djmari and Ibai Llanos that seemed to have been better reinforced, with many of the most quoted players on their rosters. This, combined with two of the best trios of players, placed them as great favorites and put many expectations on them. However, after the first day, those expectations have given way to doubts. Both teams did not comply with what was expected of them and were beaten by their rivals, 6-1 against Saiyans in the case of Porcinos and 7-0 against El Barrio in the case of Ultimate Móstoles.
Room for Improvement
If we had asked the majority about these results before the day came, surely these would not have been the expected outcomes for absolutely anyone. This is also the magic of the Gerard Piqué format, which allows things to change spectacularly. It must be said that both results are somewhat misleading. In the case of Porcinos, they had plenty of chances to score several more goals, only they ran into an outstanding Marc Briones who defended the goal with nails and teeth. The more than controversial expulsion of Gerard Vacas, which left them with one player less for five minutes, will also give a lot to talk about.
A Cluster of Factors
In the case of Móstoles, a cluster of things came together. To start, a team like El Barrio surprised everyone with a remarkable performance that, if maintained, will make them a team to watch. However, it must be said that Móstoles did not deserve not to score a single goal, something that was reflected in the final statistics, which showed that their expected goals were even superior to those of the rival. If we add to this a great performance by Hugo Eyre and Rafa Lev, together with the penalty failed by Djmariio, this explains the final result.
Of course, there is still a lot of competition and much to decide. This first day does not mark what the Split result will be, but I think it should serve as an early touch of attention for both teams. A reminder that, no matter how many big names they have on their roster, titles can only be won with hard work and team game. It’s a lesson that both Ultimate Móstoles and Porcinos would do well to learn from, and one that will surely shape the rest of the competition.