The La Liga title race is heading towards maximum overdrive, with the three-way tussle for the Spanish holy grail set to go down the wire.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are currently leading the way at the La Liga summit, although the Catalans pipped their fiercest rivals to the top spot thanks to a gulf in goal difference.
Hansi Flick’s troops also have a game in hand, meaning they can extend their lead at the top of the La Liga standings if they topple Osasuna when club football resumes next weekend.
For the first time since 2020/21, when they won the league, Atletico Madrid are firmly in the mix for the league title, giving Barca and their capital rivals a run for their money.
However, having lost their last two league games before the international break, Diego Simeone’s side risk getting left behind by their perpetual bullies.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the battle for the Spanish holy grail becomes a two-way tussle down the line, but for now, Atletico sit third in the table, four points behind Barca and Madrid.
If the past few weeks are anything to go by, Barca have established themselves as title favourites and could solidify their position at the summit as early as this weekend.
They’d be expecting their challengers, Madrid, to put up a fight, and rightly so. Both sides are scheduled to lock horns on May 11 – a game that could decide the fate of the La Liga title.
While fans will flock to Seatsnet.com to buy Barcelona vs Real Madrid tickets at highly competitive prices, Atletico will watch from their camp, hoping both sides drop points in the eagerly anticipated El Clasico.
With Madrid and Barca also in the mix for Champions League glory, their jam-packed schedule could pave the way for Atletico to pounce, with the Colchoneros suffering a highly controversial UCL exit against Madrid.
Nevertheless, the final 11-12 games of the season are poised to be nothing short of attention-grabbing and nerve-racking.
At the moment, it’s anyone’s guess where the La Liga title will end up.
However, with club football hitting the pause button, we analyse some of the key games that could shake up the three-way race in the coming months.
Barcelona vs Osasuna – March 27
Barca will resume their La Liga title challenge on March 27 when they host Osasuna at makeshift home ground Olimpic Lluis Companys.
A win for Flick’s side would put them firmly in control of their own fate, but they’d still have to be looking over their shoulders, with Madrid following close behind.
Nevertheless, a three-point buffer will be a decent cushion for Barca at this stage of the season and will put more pressure on Madrid to strive for a perfect record.
Meanwhile, a win will send Barca seven points ahead of third-placed Atletico. The home game is the first of a horrifying five-game run in the pace of two weeks.
If the Catalans can navigate this jam-packed schedule and come out unscathed, it’ll be a huge calamity if they don’t go on to win the title.
Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid – April 6
Atletico didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory in the weeks before the international break.
Simeone’s men had been firing on all cylinders all season and looked odds-on to break Madrid and Barca’s stronghold on the La Liga title, but those prospects have waned in recent weeks.
The capital giants went into the international break on the back of consecutive defeats.
They were first bested by a mid-table Getafe side, punished by a last-minute strike from Mauro Arambarri.
As if that wasn’t enough, they lost 4-2 against table toppers Barca at the Wanda Metropolitano despite boasting a two-goal cushion with 20 minutes left in the game.
The writing is on the wall for Simeone’s men.
They have put themselves in a precarious position and must be nothing short of excellent for the remainder of the season if they’re to stand a chance.
Needless to say, their trip to Sevilla on April 6 is a must-win. Fortunately for Atletico, they’ve only lost one of their last six meetings with Sevilla.
Unfortunately for Atletico, they’ve only won one of their last six trips to Sevilla – a 2-0 win that came back in October 2022.
Real Madrid vs Athletic Club – April 20
Madrid have a tricky fixture scheduled for April 20, with Athletic Club making the trip to the Spanish capital for a high-stakes contest at Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos have wobbled in recent games, although they went into the international break on the back of consecutive wins.
Nevertheless, they can’t afford any more dropped points heading into the run-in.
With Barca hosting European hopefuls Celta Vigo on the same matchday, Carlo Ancelotti’s men must make sure they’re ready to profit off any potential dropped points.
Fortunately, Madrid have a sparkling home record against Bilbao. You’d have to go back to February 2005 for the last time Bilbao came away from the Bernabeu with maximum points.
Since then, Madrid have gone 19 games without defeat against the Basque club (W16, D3), including an astonishing 12-game winning streak between 2005 and 2016.
However, Bilbao came out on top when both sides locked horns in the reverse fixture in San Memes – their first league win against Los Blancos in nearly a decade.
That should send alarm bells ringing in the Los Blancos camp ahead of next month’s rematch.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid – May 11
None of the aforementioned fixtures come close to the battle of colossal importance that will take place on May 11 when Barca host Madrid in a fierce El Clasico showdown at Olimpic Lluis Companys.
It’s always a national main event when these two lock horns and fans can expect a cracking contest.
Both sides will be playing for pride and bragging rights, but there’s also the small matter of the La Liga title being on the line.
Flick’s side were in riotous form when both sides met in the reverse fixture at the Spanish capital, planting their flag firmly in the Bernabeu with a humiliating 4-0 trouncing.
To prove that the scoreline wasn’t a fluke, Barca repeated the trick in the Supercopa de Espana, demolishing Los Merengues 5-2 to claim the title.
Barca have bullied Madrid at every turn this season, and recent results against Los Blancos should encourage fans to buy Barcelona tickets from Seatsnet.com ahead of another cracking contest.
Coincidentally, Madrid thrashed Barca 4-1 in the Supercopa de Espana final before going on to win the league last season.
It appears Barca are using that same script to spur their vengeance rampage.
