Ultimate Guide to La Liga Weekend: Three League Leaders, a Single Day in Spain

In the normal course of events, Spain’s big three would win their matches this weekend.

Real Madrid are away but to an out-of-form, relegation-threatened side who have the worst defensive record in La Liga. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are both at home, the Catalan side to a team in the bottom three and Atleti against Malaga–mid-table, without a win in four and with their season effectively already over.

All three should, and probably will, win their games—but there will be no accusations this time of that making La Liga boring and predictable, because it will directly contribute to one of the most topsy-turvy title fights of all time.

Real are third in the table but first up to play on Saturday. If they beat Rayo, they go top of the table, an incredible scenario given the unrest five months ago and the lead Barcelona had. After Real’s game, Atletico Madrid play immediately, and they can go top with a win, a point ahead of Real once more. That in turn would leave Barcelona, clear by a huge margin a month ago, down in third place, unbelievably.

But not for long.

Barcelona play straight after Atleti’s game finishes and can naturally return themselves to top spot by beating Sporting Gijon, giving La Liga three different league leaders in the space of three hours on a weekend when only three games would remain.

Boring? Predictable?

It’s going to go to the wire, and as much as quality of play, mental resilience is going to tell much about which club can avoid slipping up in the final weeks. If Barcelona, back on track after their midweek destruction of Deportivo La Coruna, remain in their groove, nobody can do anything about it. They’ll win out their fixtures and take the title on head-to-head even if Atleti follow suit and finish perfectly.

A month ago, Barcelona winning the title seemed mundane enough to not even be called a prediction. Now, they’re going to have to be nothing short of faultless to do it, and the excitement can last right up until the final whistle every weekend, every final whistle, one after another.

 

 

Jornada 35 

Friday

Las Palmas vs. Espanyol

 

Saturday

Rayo Vallecano vs. Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid vs. Malaga

Barcelona vs. Sporting Gijon

Eibar vs. Deportivo La Coruna

 

Sunday

Levante vs. Athletic Club

Sevilla vs. Real …

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