This season’s La Liga title race set for a facinating ending
The race for La Liga’s title has too often been a canter for whichever team has been at the top for the majority of the season. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have cruised to titles very early in the campaign in recent seasons.
The country’s big two are once again the leading contenders to become Spanish champions in 2025, with Atletico Madrid now a more unlikely outsider heading into the last ten games of the season.
Barcelona have stunned under Hansi Flick
The Blaugrana heads into the final few months of the season, leading Real Madrid courtesy of just a superior head-to-head record. However, Hansi Flick’s team also has a game in hand, which could prove to be decisive in the final reckonings.
Under the German head coach, Barcelona has, at times, been simply stunning. The Catalan giants have produced some of the best attacking football of any European club in the 2024/25 season.
In fact, no club in European football’s top five leagues can better Barcelona’s goal tally of 75 league goals this season. Their front three of Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski have been unstoppable for much of the season.
Flick’s team has scored 16 more goals than their title rivals, while both have conceded 29 times in the Spanish top flight.
Despite their blistering attacking displays, they have shown signs of vulnerability. The Blaugrana’s recent 4-2 win at Atletico Madrid illustrated the good and bad of the Catalan side.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone looked to have outthought Hansi Flick as Los Colchoneros were two goals up against Barcelona at the Metropolitano in the 70th minute of the encounter between the pair.
However, the visitors stormed back with four goals, courtesy of strikes of Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, as well as a brace from substitute Ferran Torres to claim what could be a pivotal victory.
To beat one of their closest rivals on their own patch in such circumstances was simply breathtaking. However, the fact that they were two goals down in the first place gives their rivals hope.
Not a vintage season for Real Madrid
Although Los Blancos are still well in the title race, there is a feeling that this has not been the best La Liga campaign for Madridistas. The summer signing of Kylian Mbappe was supposed to cement their position at the top of the Spanish football tree.
Only Lewandowski has scored more goals than the Frenchman in La Liga, so the Frenchman has delivered after a slow start to his Madrid career. However, like their rivals from Catalonia, Real Madrid have shown their vulnerable side during this season’s campaign.
Comparing the current campaign to last season may be harsh, as the men from Madrid lost just once in La Liga while drawing eight games. However, comparison is the thief of joy.
This season, Carlo Ancelotti’s team has already suffered four defeats in La Liga, including a 4-0 humbling at the hands of their title rivals at the Bernabeu. Couple those defeats with six draws in the Spanish top-flight, and this season’s La Liga campaign has been somewhat underwhelming.
However, the reigning Spanish champions still have a chance of retaining their crown courtesy of Barcelona’s vulnerabilities. Ancelotti’s team needs to be ready to take advantage of any slip-ups by the Catalan giants if they are to have any chance of ending the season as Spain’s top dogs.
La Liga title race set for a fascinating ending
The race for the Spanish title is set for a fascinating ending. Barcelona has the advantage of having a game in hand and also the superior head-to-head record.
However, the Catalan giants have slipped up in unexpected games this term, which will give Ancelotti’s team hope that they can still nip in and claim the title.
One major factor in the title race could be the small matter of the second Clasico at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in gameweek 37. If there is still a title race by then, it may well be the deciding game, especially with it being advantage Barcelona due to their win at the Bernabeu in the reverse fixture.
For the neutral, which there are not many of in Spain, the current situation at the top of the table adds some extra intrigue to the last few months of the season. Hopefully, the season ends with a bang and doesn’t just fizzle out.