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Spanish league keeps growing star power

By WTOP Staff

JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Two months after Spain’s national team flopped at the World Cup, the country’s domestic league is ready to shine with even more star power.

Already boasting the sport’s two biggest names in Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the Spanish league got even richer in individual talent with the addition of several players who stood out at the tournament in Brazil, including James Rodriguez and Luis Suarez.

The league will also hope to build on an entertaining finale last season, which saw Atletico Madrid clinch the title in a winner-take-all showdown at Barcelona, and its dominance of European competitions when Real Madrid beat Atletico in the all-Spanish Champions League final. Sevilla won the Europa League.

Madrid has again flexed its monetary muscle as the world’s richest sports club by gobbling up three of the World Cup’s most impactful players.

The club spent about 115 million euros ($154 million) for Rodriguez, the Colombian who led the World Cup in scoring, Germany midfielder Toni Kroos and Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

“This could be the beginning of an important era because I am lucky enough to coach a fantastic squad,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who led the team to its 10th European Cup title last season.

But the most talked-about move of the off-season was Barcelona’s deal with Liverpool to add the gifted and volatile Suarez to an attack already featuring Messi and Neymar.

Besides Germany’s 7-1 win over Brazil in the semifinals, perhaps the most memorable moment of the World Cup will likely be Suarez’s ignominious bite of an Italian opponent that led to the Uruguay forward receiving his third suspension for sinking his teeth into another player. This most recent ban was softened to let him practice and play friendlies with Barcelona, but Suarez cannot play a competitive match until Oct. 25.

Barcelona’s distractions don’t end with Suarez. Court investigations into Messi’s alleged unpaid taxes and Neymar’s contract are ongoing, while the club is appealing a one-year transfer ban for violating rules regarding youth players.

Stung by its failed quest to keep the winning run established by Pep Guardiola alive, Barcelona replaced coach Gerardo Martino with former player Luis Enrique. The club also brought in several more players as it looks beyond the exit of Carles Puyol and Victor Valdes and the sale of Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez.

“We have done well to reinforce our squad,” Luis Enrique said. “After having important departures, the club has made a big effort so that I have a one-of-a-kind team.”

But the key to the Spanish league remaining a compelling competition will hinge on its defending champion.

Atletico’s title run, as relentless as it was surprising, did much more than give the capital’s “second team” its first league title since 1996. It also was the perfect retort to criticism that the league had become a boring, perennial two-horse race.

Atletico, however, has lost several key players. Striker Diego Costa, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and defender Filipe Luis all joined Chelsea, while David Villa left for Major League Soccer. Atletico coach Diego Simeone will now have to retool his attack around newcomers Mario Mandzukic and Antoine Griezmann.

“Our reality in the league is to focus on Sevilla, Valencia and Athletic (Bilbao),” said Simeone, who, like last season, continues to relish the underdog role.

Below the top three, Bilbao, Sevilla and an up-and-coming Villarreal seem set to battle for the fourth and final Champions League spot.

The main goal for at least half of the 20-team competition will again be staying in the top flight.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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