Barcelona Dominates Real Madrid in Stunning 2025 La Liga Showdown - The Numbers Don't Lie

Spain's top flight has concluded its activities until the opening weekend of January, providing an opportunity to look back on an eventful 2025 campaign.

Another season filled with excitement has played out in La Liga as Barcelona claimed the previous campaign's championship while Real Madrid repeatedly faced uncertainty following a significant coaching transition. The action below the giants was equally captivating.

The Yellow Submarine have maintained their remarkable run under Marcelino's guidance, Atlético Madrid have shown promise without delivering, and Girona have experienced a dramatic decline after their unexpected European debut.

Here's how the 2025 La Liga standings concluded following an exciting 12-month period.

La Liga 2025 Table: Complete Rankings

2025 has belonged to Barcelona. While there were occasional moments of doubt, their supremacy has been largely unchallenged. Hansi Flick's inaugural campaign at the helm ended with a domestic clean sweep, with their La Liga displays being especially remarkable as a star-studded attacking unit propelled them to glory.

They netted an astounding 102 goals in La Liga throughout 2025 as Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and an exceptional supporting ensemble dominated the attacking third. Several clubs possessed stronger defensive records than the Catalans, but such concerns become irrelevant when you can score freely. Accumulating 96 points from merely 37 fixtures is tremendously impressive.

Predictably, Barça top the 2025 standings by a considerable margin, with their Clásico opponents Real Madrid trailing by ten points in second position despite having played an additional match. Carlo Ancelotti's reign concluded disappointingly and Xabi Alonso's subsequent difficulties have created a turbulent year in the Spanish capital.

Los Blancos have performed significantly below the expectations of the world's most prestigious club and they sit four points behind Barça in the 2025–26 campaign at the midseason break. Substantial improvement is required in the coming year if Alonso hopes to keep his role and Madrid wish to prevent further disappointment.

Challenges have emerged elsewhere in Madrid, with Atlético Madrid losing their status as Spain's third-strongest side in the 2025 rankings. In the previous year's annual standings, Diego Simeone's squad was merely six points behind second-placed Barça, but they occupy fourth in this year's table and trail second place by a massive 14 points.

Villarreal's remarkable rise has pushed Atléti down the rankings, with Marcelino's team enjoying an outstanding calendar year. They secured Champions League qualification last season and appear set to achieve this again, despite their poor European showings during the current group stage.

Real Betis have collected nine additional points compared to 2024 while playing one fewer match, experiencing a successful year that brought Europa League qualification and a Conference League final berth. They have proven exceptionally difficult to defeat under Manuel Pellegrini, suffering just eight defeats in 37 La Liga matches during 2025—only two more than Real Madrid.

Espanyol have made an excellent start to 2025–26 following last season's average performance and sit sixth in the annual rankings, positioned three points above Champions League contenders Athletic Club. Both teams have fared better than Celta Vigo.

Despite recording a goal difference of -10, Valencia and Rayo Vallecano both secure top-10 positions ahead of Getafe, who share the same goal difference but have two fewer points than tenth-placed Rayo.

Sevilla and Real Sociedad have significantly disappointed in 2025, occupying 14th and 15th positions in the yearly standings respectively. The former have secured only 10 victories in La Liga this year, while Real Sociedad have suffered more defeats than their wins and draws combined. Better performances will be demanded in the season's second half and beyond.

Girona's fall has been striking, with only 31 points gathered in 2025 and a terrible goal difference of -35. The next-worst goal difference among teams present throughout La Liga this year is Real Sociedad's -18. Michel faces significant challenges ahead.

Six clubs have participated in La Liga for only half a season during 2025, naturally placing them at the table's bottom. However, surprising overachievers Elche, who reach the winter break in ninth position, have accumulated just nine fewer points than Girona despite playing 20 fewer matches.

Real Valladolid suffered through a terrible 2024–25 campaign in which they earned merely 16 points as La Liga's worst team. Relegation became certain early on, but they essentially surrendered after Christmas, collecting only four points from 20 matches in 2025. They have made a lukewarm start to their return to the second tier.

*Data from Transfermarkt