Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Crucial Five-Game Stretch Could Decide La Liga Championship
Right when the battle for Spain's top prize appeared somewhat static, a significant shift in the La Liga championship race took place during Matchday 24, propelling Real Madrid two points ahead of their eternal rivals Barcelona.
The 15-time European titleholders began this weekend's La Liga fixtures with an emphatic 4–1 triumph over Real Sociedad, achieving this without the services of the sidelined Kylian Mbappé. The victory, highlighted by Vinicius Junior's double, elevated Los Blancos to the league's summit.
Barcelona possessed the opportunity to answer two days afterward on Monday to regain their position at the top with a victory against Girona. However, a squandered penalty from Lamine Yamal and a decisive late strike from Fran Beltrán resulted in a surprising 2–1 loss for the current Spanish titleholders. Suddenly, Hansi Flick's squad now finds itself behind a revitalized Real Madrid team in the table.
Matters will not become simpler for Barcelona during the upcoming five weeks; a challenging sequence of matches awaits in La Liga, mixed with Champions League and Copa del Rey commitments. The fixture list facing Álvaro Arbeloa's team appears considerably less intimidating by comparison.
Real Madrid, Barcelona's Next Five La Liga Games
Real Madrid, Barcelona's Next Five La Liga Games
Real Madrid | Barcelona |
|---|---|
Osasuna (A) – Feb. 21 | Levante (H) – Feb. 22 |
Getafe (H) – Mar. 2 | Villarreal (H) – Feb. 28 |
Celta Vigo (A) – Mar. 7 | Athletic Club (A) – Mar. 8 |
Elche (H) – Mar. 15 | Sevilla (H) – Mar. 15 |
Atlético Madrid (H) – Mar. 22 | Rayo Vallecano (H) – Mar. 22 |
Following Real Madrid's return from Lisbon after the opening leg of the Champions League knockout stage playoffs, they resume La Liga duties against Osasuna, an opponent they haven't suffered defeat to in 15 years.
Arbeloa's squad then contests the return leg versus Benfica at the Bernabéu before hosting Getafe in the Spanish capital. While the visitors usually offer little defensively, they haven't scored against Los Blancos in their previous four encounters.
Celta Vigo are the next opponents for the 15-time European champions, who will seek retribution after suffering an embarrassing 2–0 defeat in the earlier meeting back in December. The opening leg of Real Madrid's possible Champions League round of 16 follows the domestic encounter, before a struggling Elche visits the Bernabéu.
The major examination for the La Liga championship hopefuls arrives just before the March international pause against Atlético Madrid. Los Blancos were demolished 5–2 in the season's first Madrid derby, but they subsequently secured a narrow 2–1 triumph over their fierce adversaries in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals. Three points in this crucial fixture could prove decisive in their mission to unseat Barcelona.
Barcelona's calendar is set to become significantly more demanding as February draws to a close. The reigning Spanish champions receive a short respite with what should be a straightforward encounter against Levante at home before facing third-placed Villarreal, a crucial test that could influence the La Liga championship race.
Subsequently they must turn their attention to the return leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals versus Atlético Madrid just three days later. The exhausting contest precedes the Catalans' journey to San Mamés, where Athletic Club lies in wait.
Even if the match proves less demanding, Flick's team will still receive only a few days' rest before the opening leg of the Champions League round of 16. Shortly thereafter comes a La Liga meeting with Sevilla, who previously overcame Barcelona 4–1 in the reverse encounter back in October.
The squad's juggling act will persist the following week when it contests the return leg of its Champions League round of 16 tie, before hosting Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou. The Madrid-based side is another team that secured a favorable result against the Spanish powerhouse: a 1–1 stalemate in August.