THE La Liga title race has reached boiling point – and this weekend is certain for another major twist.Leaders Atletico Madrid, rivals Real Madrid and third-placed Barcelona are all in action, while Atletico can rule Sevilla and Barca out of winning the title if they clinch victory.
Atletic Bilbao vs Real Madrid – 5.30pm
Atletico Madrid vs Osasuna – 5.30pm
Barcelona vs Celta Vigo – 5.30pm
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Stay up to date with every kick from Spain in our live blog, below…
BOTTOM OF THE BAREL
Readers, I just wanted to give you guys a quick heads up as to what is going on at the bottom of the La Liga pyramid.
As I previously stated, there are currently six teams staring relegation in the face so this could be the most intense relegation battle ever.
At the moment, Real Valladolid, Elche and Eibar all occupy spots in the drop zone but SD Huesca, Getafe and Deportivo Alaves are dangerously flirting with it too so a couple of poor results in the remaining fixtures could be difference in staying afloat or drowning.
However victories for Alaves and Getafe would guarantee both sides safety leaving only one more spot available to stay up.
Make sure to stay tuned because I will be definitely be keeping an eye on what’s happening down in the pits of hell.
EL PISTOLERO
Or better known as Luis Suarez, is the man who was forced out of Barcelona and is on the verge of leading his new employers Atletico Madrid to their first La Liga title in just under a decade.
The Uruguayan was nicknamed EL Pistolero (‘gunfighter’) because of how clinical he is in front of goal and these statistics definitely back that up.
REAL MADRID BENCH
Lurin, Altube, Hazard, Asensio, Marcelo, Isco, Mariano, Blanco
REAL MADRID XI
(4-3-3) Courtois, Odriozola, Militao, Fernandez, Guiterrez, Valverde, Casemiro, Modric, Rodrygo, Benzema, Junior
ATHLETIC BILBAO BENCH
Nunez, Vesga, Gomez, Lopez, Ezkieta, Villalibre, Garcia, Vicente
ATHLETIC BILBAO XI
(4-4-2) Simon, de Marcos, Alvarez, Martinez, Balenziaga, Berenguer, Vencedor, Garcia, Morcillo, Sancet, Williams
CELTA VIGO BENCH
Sequeira, Junca, Solari, Baeza, Carlos Dguez, Hugo Sotelo
CELTA VIGO XI
(4-4-2) Villar, Vazquez, Aidoo, Araujo, Caricol, Mendez, Beltran, Suarez, Nolito, Mina, Aspas
BARCELONA BENCH
Dest, Pjanic, Braitwaite, Puig, Neto, Trincao, Matheus, Umtiti, Junior, Tenas
BARCELONA XI
(3-5-2) Marc Andre ter Stergen, Pique, Aravajo, Sergio, Griezmann, Messi, Dembele, Lenglet, Pedri, Jordi Alba, Ilaix Moriba
OSASUNA BENCH
Oier, Avila, Torres, Roncaglia, Gallego, Inigo Perez, Torro, Juan Perez, Martinez, Sanchez
OSASUNA XI
There are three Garcia’s in the starting line-up this evening.
How about that for changing room banter.
(4-3-3) Herrera, Ramalho, Unai Garcia, David Garcia, Cruz, Mocayola, Ruben Garcia, Brasanac, Jony, Budimir, Barja
ATLETICO BENCH
Grbic, Gimenez, Renan Lodi, Vrsaljko, Kondogbia, Torreira, Herrera, Vitolo, Joao Felix, Dembele
FELIZ CUMPLEANOS FELIPE
Happy 32nd birthday to Atletico Madrid’s rock at the back, Felipe Montero who has earned himself another place in the first XI against Osasuna.
I bet he never asked for anything other than three points this evening.
ATLETICO XI
(4-4-2) Oblak, Trippier, Savic, Felipe, Hermoso, Llorente, Koke, Saul, Carrasco, Correa, Suarez
CUE THE STARTING LINE-UPS!
OSASUNA SQAUD UPDATE
The visitors will be travelling to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in numbers because 99% of their players are fit and ready to go.
However, the second in command goalkeeper, Ruben Martinez is yet to get over his fractured hand so the 36-year-old will remain on the treatment table.
And right-back Nacho Vidal is facing a one-match ban for picking up ten yellow cards in the season.
ATLETICO MADRID TEAM NEWS
Diego Simeone only has to deal with one absentee in Thomas Lemar for the clash against Osasuna who is still struggling a hamstring problem.
Apart from that, the Atletico boss should have a full-strength side to select from.
WHAT A WANDAFUL STADIUM
Estadio Wanda Metropolitano is the home ground of Atletico Madrid and if Los Rojiblancos play their cards right, it could also be the home of the La Liga title by the end of next weekend.
ATLETICO MADRID VS OSASUNA CURRENT FORM
The hosts haven’t put together a perfect run of results going into this evening’s game but four wins and a draw against Barcelona in their last six isn’t the worst either.
However, Diego Simeone’s men did suffer a 2-1 defeat against Athletic Bilbao towards the end of April but with the way things are starting to turn out, the Madrid gaffer would have jotted that down as a slight blip in the title hunt.
Osasuna aren’t doing too bad themselves. Los Rojillos are comfortably sitting in 11th position with no pressure on them what so ever. But Jagoba Arrasate’s men have only picked up one win in their last four matches so he’ll want his side to improve so they can have a strong ending to the season.
VICTORIOUS VIGO
If Celta Vigo are to stand any chance of qualifying for next season’s Europa League, they’ll need history to repeat itself from their last masterclass at the Camp Nou.
RACE FOR EUROPA
The crown jewel isn’t the only thing that has still been undecided this campaign.
Just below the La Liga title race, there’s a fierce battle brewing for a place in next season’s Europa League (EL) and it is almost at boiling point.
Celta Vigo, Real Betis, Real Sociedad, and this year’s finalist Villarreal are all still in contention to secure a spot in Europe but with only two games remaining, it’s Sociedad who are currently first in the pecking order.
However, Unai Emery has led his side to the final of EL after slaying his former club Arsenal in the semi’s, so should The Yellow Submarine go all the way and win the competition, Villarreal would gain automatic qualification for the Champions League which then presents the opportunity for one of the other three teams to sneak in through the European back door.
As I mentioned earlier, there are only 6 points which separates 5th spot from 8th so you would be a brave human to bet your money on who will come out on top.
ROAD TRIP
Atletico Madrid are speeding in the fast lane with only a couple junctions left until they reach their exit which leads to the La Liga title.
But will the car have enough gas in the tank to make it there or will it run out of fuel?
FOUR HORSE RACE
In your average footballing year, you could argue that La Liga would have normally been wrapped up already by either Barcelona or Real Madrid especially at this late stage of the season.
But the universe has conjured up some unpredictable things of late such as Covid-19 and stadiums with no fans so it makes sense as to why Simeone’s side are currently sitting top of the charts and Sevilla are still in the run-in to win the league because again, this adds to the unpredictability.
Atletico Madrid have always been labelled as the dark horses of the division because they often give both the Spanish giants a run for their money but they quite often fall short at the final hurdle.
However on this occasion, only two more victories are needed for them to clinch the league title or better yet, it could be handed to them should the teams below continue to slip-up.
The Rojiblancos are third in the all-time winners list having secured 10 La Liga titles in their entire history but the most recent one came seven years ago in 2014 so Simeone will be desperate to put that drought to an end.
Despite Atletico Madrid being so close to obtaining silverware, the teams chasing them know a thing or two on what it takes to win titles.
Sevilla were last crowned Champions of Spain back in the 1945/46 season but they most certainly shouldn’t be written off because since then, Los Nervionenses have lifted the Europa Cup a record six times winning three of them in a row.
Barca have been the victors of La Liga a whopping 27 times ranking them second in the charts and Los Blancos have won it the most with 34 titles to their name so Atletico fans it’s not over until it’s over I’m afraid.
TABLA DE LA LIGA
Five points separates 20th to 15th.
There’s only a seven point gap between 14th and 9th.
Six points is the difference between 8th and 5th.
Then finally Sevilla would need six points to jump from 4th to the top.
When I say a lot of places are up for grabs, I really meant it.
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