Real Madrid’s victory over Barcelona in the Clasico was not only dramatic due to Jude Bellingham’s late goal, it also increased their lead at the top of La Liga to 11 points.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are now on course to win a record 36th Spanish league title. Their Clasico rivals are second with 27 La Liga trophies, while Atletico Madrid have 11.
Also with a Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich coming up and having already won the Supercopa de Espana (the Spanish equivalent of the Community Shield in England), Madrid is looking good this season.
Barcelona will almost certainly relinquish the La Liga crown they won last season and Opta’s end-of-season predictions give Madrid a 100% chance of winning the title.
But it’s not sewn yet.
Here, we explain when they could be crowned La Liga champions.
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What is the state of play in La Liga?
Real Madrid lead with 81 points, 11 points ahead of Barcelona with 70.
Girona are third on 68 points after an early title race faded, but Michel’s side have now secured European football for the first time in their history and remain on course for Champions League qualification. Atletico are seven points behind them in fourth, while fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao are three points further back.
RANKING | He @Real Madrid extends his lead to eleven points and is MOST LEADER of #LALIGAEASPORTS! 🔝🤍 pic.twitter.com/9Pzry38Z7Q
– LALIGA (@LaLiga) April 22, 2024
“It’s a lot closer,” Ancelotti said of Madrid’s title chances after the Clasico, a win that followed their Champions League penalty shootout win at Manchester City. “Let’s continue, we have other matches. Now we have to rest well because it has been a very demanding but unforgettable week.
What are Real Madrid’s remaining fixtures?
Madrid travel to Real Sociedad on Friday evening before the first leg of their semi-final with Bayern at the Allianz Arena the following Tuesday. They will then host Cádiz on Saturday May 4, before the second leg against Bayern at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday May 8.
A trip to Granada follows on the weekend of May 12, before a midweek home match against Deportivo Alaves. They will travel to Villarreal on the weekend of May 19 and host Real Betis for their final match of the league season on the weekend of May 26.
There is also the small matter of a potential Champions League final for Madrid at Wembley on June 1, if Ancelotti’s side get past Bayern.
What are Barcelona’s remaining fixtures?
Xavi’s side have three tricky matches next: they host Valencia on Monday and travel to local rivals Girona on Saturday, May 4, before Real Sociedad visit on the weekend of May 12.
They will then travel to Almeria on the weekend of May 15, host Rayo Vallecano on the weekend of May 19 and close the season in Seville on the weekend of May 26.
The latest matches of Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga
real Madrid | Barcelona |
---|---|
Royal Society (a), April 26 |
Valencia (m), April 29 |
Cadiz (m), May 4 |
Girona (a), May 4 |
Grenada (a), May 12* |
Real Sociedad (m), May 12* |
Alaves (m), May 15* |
Almeria (a), May 15* |
Villarreal (a), May 19* |
Rayo Vallecano (m), May 19* |
Betis (m), May 26* |
Seville (a), May 26* |
*Date to be determined
When could Real Madrid win La Liga?
The earliest Madrid can win the title is May 4.
If they win their next two games against Real Sociedad and Cádiz and Barcelona drop points against Valencia or Girona, then Ancelotti’s side will be crowned champions this Saturday night.
But Ancelotti’s side could even win the title this afternoon – before Barca play Girona.
If Madrid beat Real Sociedad this week and Barcelona lose to Valencia, a point from Los Blancos’ home game against Cadiz would put them 15 points ahead. Barca would still have five games to play, but if the teams finish level on points, Madrid will emerge victorious due to their superior head-to-head record this season (which is taken into account before goal difference in Spain).
If Barca keeps up the pressure and both teams win their next three matches, Madrid would win the title on the weekend of May 12 by beating Granada away. Barca would not be able to overcome the 11-point deficit with nine left to play.
How can I watch on TV?
In the UK, La Liga matches are broadcast on LaLigaTV via Viaplay UK. In the United States, fans can watch La Liga on ESPN+.
What will Madrid’s victory mean for Spain’s “big two”?
Madrid winning the title would be an impressive feat for Ancelotti’s side. It’s easy to forget that they lost their first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and their best centre-back Eder Militao to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries just at the start of the campaign. They then saw centre-back David Alaba sent off with one as well.
Bellingham’s goals (17 in 25 La Liga matches so far) have helped them build momentum, but the Englishman’s stoppage-time goal against Barcelona was his first for Madrid since February. The team’s players made significant contributions and Ancelotti tweaked his system to make the team more defensively sound when they were overwhelmed in a defeat to Atletico in September. This remains their only defeat in the league.
It would be Ancelotti’s second La Liga title with Madrid, both won in his second spell at the club since 2021. It would reflect Los Blancos’ forward planning well – key players such as Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Eduardo Camavinga have all 23 and under. , with teenager Endrick and potentially Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, 25, to follow this summer.
On the other hand, Barça players will be disappointed not to have capitalized on the La Liga title won last season under Xavi. They rallied after the legendary former midfielder announced he would step down at the end of the season, but it wasn’t enough. Their biggest hope in the near future will be La Masia products Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, two of their best players this season at 16 and 17 years old.
(Top photo: José Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)