Manchester City will probably be crowned the Premier League champions in their next fixture. They might have faltered against Chelsea, but winning the League is now a matter of when and not if. In Serie A, Inter Milan finally ended Juventus’ nine-year dominance, grabbing the Scudetto with four games to spare.
However, it’s all to play for in La Liga even as the league reaches the climax. The battle for domestic glory in Spain is going to the wire, with four times still at a prime position to clinch the coveted title.
After a goalless draw at Camp Nou- pitting Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid had a real chance to level up with league leaders, but they faltered when it mattered most. Zidane’s men played host to fourth-placed Sevilla but were twice forced to come from behind in a two-all draw at Santiago Bernabeu.
Diego Simeone’s side sits at the top of the league with a two-point gap and hopes to widen it further when they play host to 5th placed Real Sociedad tomorrow. Nonetheless, three other teams are still in with a shout of claiming the title and will be closely monitoring th league leaders’ performance.
Atletico have themselves to blame if they don’t win La Liga.
Atletico Madrid, for a long time, led La Liga with commanding double figures. According to many pundits and fans, they were the champions-elect. However, Diego Simeone’s side has had a stuttering form in the past month, their commanding lead being cut to just two points with two games to go.
It’s going to be a sprint finish, with the top three teams having equal chances of lifting the title. What unfolds between now and the end of the season will remain imprinted in Spanish football folklore.
Atletico Madrid has been virtually in pole position to lift the league title for almost the whole season. While they remain favorites, they look like they are out of gas and can no longer sustain the pressure at the top. However, they were able to hold Barcelona to a goalless draw and would build on that to grind a win in their next fixture.
Who else could win the La Liga title?
Barcelona hasn’t been at their best form this season. They sit third on the table and would be praying that the other teams falter. While they’ve been a more consistent side than any other team, the Catalans’ performance has been underwhelming. A league title would place significant doubt in the mind of club president Joan Laporta on Koeman’s future.
Real Madrid, on the other side, hasn’t been able to maintain the same consistency as their force rivals Barcelona. However, they have been showing up when it matters most and winning some of the vital matches in the league.
They are only two points off the leaders and cannot be ruled out of this race. Frenchman Karim Benzema has 15 goals in his last 16 appearances and could just be the deciding factor in this tight title race!
