The Spanish La Liga is heating up as battles for European spots and avoiding relegation are becoming more intense. With the top three positions of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid seemingly secure, teams outside the top three are battling it out for fourth place, as well as Europa League and Conference League berths. However, unlike previous seasons where few teams had a chance to qualify for European competitions, this year’s top seven could potentially secure a ticket to an international tournament next season.
Fierce Competition for European Spots
The fight for fourth place is being contested by Real Sociedad, Real Betis, and Villarreal CF. Real Sociedad currently occupies the position while Real Betis and Villarreal are just a few points behind. The top seven positions in the league stand a chance to qualify for European competitions next season. If the winner of the Copa del Rey is one of these seven teams, then even the seventh-placed team stands a chance of qualification. This situation makes things more challenging and exciting with multiple teams vying for positions that guarantee a place in an international tournament.
Athletic Club, Rayo Vallecano, CA Osasuna, RC Celta, and Girona FC are some of the clubs fighting to take advantage of this battle for seventh place. These teams have been performing well lately and could cause an upset in the latter stages of the league.
Battle Against Relegation
With only 11 games remaining in La Liga’s current season, several teams are fighting against relegation. This year’s relegation battle is particularly close as many teams remain within four points of each other. The competition is so close that some pundits have said it may require more points than usual to avoid relegation this season.
Matches between the teams at the bottom of the table are therefore crucial. Relegation six-pointers such as Huesca vs. Elche, Real Betis vs. Levante, and Getafe vs. Osasuna will be must-watch for fans. It is difficult to predict exactly how many points will be required to avoid relegation this season.
Preview of Matches in La Liga Matchday 27
La Liga Matchday 27 promises to be action-packed with exciting matches such as Athletic Bilbao vs. Getafe. The encounter features Enes Unal, who has scored 8 goals for Getafe in the previous 7 games and has the highest contribution percentage of any player in Spain’s top division. Getafe has won most of their matches since January 28th, and they face an Athletic Bilbao side that has lost three of their last five.
Fighting for the title, Barcelona takes on Elche, a team struggling at the bottom of the table. Barcelona is dominating the league with 68 points and sits comfortably at the top of the table with a massive lead of 55 points over Elche who occupy last place. In this match, Barcelona is predicted to win with ease by at least one goal according to some analysts.
Overall Competitiveness of La Liga This Season
La Liga’s competitiveness is evident in every position of the league table this season, which makes it more exciting and intriguing than ever before. The only thing that seems predictable is FC Barcelona being the frontrunners for the league title. However, below Real Mallorca in 11th place, every other team seems to be in contention for European spots.
Real Sociedad and Real Betis are battling it out for fourth place while Villarreal is still in contention for a spot too. Athletic Club holds seventh position and has a shot at securing a Conference League place if Real Madrid or Barcelona wins the Copa del Rey.
Celta Vigo, Osasuna, and Rayo Vallecano are also contenders for the final European spot. Celta Vigo has an attack spearheaded by reliable goal scorers in Iago Aspas and Gabri Veiga. These teams have a renewed sense of purpose to perform their best in this last third of the season for better results.
In conclusion, La Liga is providing fans with some of the most exciting football matches of the season. With battles in every position of the league table, teams that were hovering around relegation places are suddenly firing on all cylinders to avoid relegation. Similarly, teams who were struggling for form have miraculously become a force to reckon with to book their place in continental competitions next season. The remaining games of the season will undoubtedly be fascinating for football fans worldwide.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
