Matchday 26 in the Spanish top-flight is here! The action in the upcoming round gets underway on Friday with relegation-battling Levante's showdown with mid-table side Elche, with fans eagerly awaiting the weekend fixtures.
Valencia kick things off on Saturday as Soler and Co. take on Mallorca with the goal of making amends for their horrible defeat to Barcelona last weekend. Atletico Madrid, who threw away a one-goal lead against Manchester United at home in the UEFA Champions League to draw 1-1, will return to the pitch, taking on Celta Vigo. League leaders Real Madrid will take to the field a few hours before their city rivals.
Elsewhere, Barcelona, who are growing in confidence under new boss and former iconic midfielder Xavi Hernandez, will play their fixture on Sunday in what should be an interesting clash. Similarly, Sevilla will be in for a tricky tie this weekend. Here's everything you need to know about Matchday 26 in La Liga.
Who are the top teams in La Liga ahead of Matchday 26?
| Поз. | Команда | CM | П | Н | П | Заб | Проп | +/- | П | Форма | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Реал Мадрид | 38 | 29 | 8 | 1 | 87 | 26 | +61 | 95 | ННППП | |
| 2 | Барселона | 38 | 26 | 7 | 5 | 79 | 44 | +35 | 85 | ППППП | |
| 3 | Жирона | 38 | 25 | 6 | 7 | 85 | 46 | +39 | 81 | ПППНП | |
| 4 | Атлетико Мадрид | 38 | 24 | 4 | 10 | 70 | 43 | +27 | 76 | ППППП | |
| 5 | Атлетик | 38 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 61 | 37 | +24 | 68 | ПППНП | |
| 6 | Реал Сосьедад | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 51 | 39 | +12 | 60 | ППППП | |
| 7 | Реал Бетис | 38 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 48 | 45 | +3 | 57 | НПНПП | |
| 8 | Вильярреал | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 65 | 65 | 0 | 53 | ННППП | |
| 9 | Валенсия | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 40 | 45 | -5 | 49 | НППНП | |
| 10 | Алавес | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 36 | 46 | -10 | 46 | НППНП | |
| 11 | Осасуна | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 45 | 56 | -11 | 45 | НПННП | |
| 12 | Хетафе | 38 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 42 | 54 | -12 | 43 | ППППП | |
| 13 | Сельта | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 46 | 57 | -11 | 41 | НПППП | |
| 14 | Севилья | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 48 | 54 | -6 | 41 | ППППП | |
| 15 | Мальорка | 38 | 8 | 16 | 14 | 33 | 44 | -11 | 40 | ПННПП | |
| 16 | Лас-Пальмас | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 33 | 47 | -14 | 40 | НННПП | |
| 17 | Райо Вальекано | 38 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 29 | 48 | -19 | 38 | ПППНП | |
| 18 | Кадис | 38 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 26 | 55 | -29 | 33 | ПНППП | |
| 19 | Альмерия | 38 | 3 | 12 | 23 | 43 | 75 | -32 | 21 | ПНППП | |
| 20 | Гранада | 38 | 4 | 9 | 25 | 38 | 79 | -41 | 21 | ППППП |
Top games to watch on Matchday 26 in La Liga
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid: Los Blancos' lead at the top currently stands at six points, and given that they will be facing 11th-placed Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid should feel confident ahead of this tie. Additionally, given Sevilla's upcoming fixture – more on that below – Ancelotti's men boast the golden opportunity of adding to that lead. While Benzema and Co. have won only twice in their last six outings across all competitions, in La Liga, they have triumphed six times in their last 10 games, suffering only one defeat. Meanwhile, their opposition are on a four-game losing streak, having triumphed only once in their last six matches. Can Los Franjirrojos pull off a surprise victory at the Santiago Bernabeu or will Real Madrid secure a routine victory? Tune in to find out.
Barcelona vs Athletic Club: Fresh off their Europa League victory over Napoli, Barcelona return to action this weekend in a highly-anticipated La Liga showdown. The Blaugrana are gearing up to take on Athletic Club as Xavi's men seek revenge for that Copa del Rey defeat they suffered against the Basque club. The 4-2 victory over Osimhen and Co. was a huge confidence boost, but the Catalan giants had already shown great character in their last league outing, smashing Valencia 4-1 last weekend. Does another huge victory await the Spanish giants? Don't miss this clash.
Sevilla vs Real Betis: This is a clash between second and third in the league. Sevilla will play hosts to Real Betis with the sole goal of picking up the three points, but with the visitors winning as many games as Lopetegui's side this season (14), it will not be easy. The home side recently lost 1-0 to Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Europa League but progressed to the next round nonetheless, which was a huge boost. Domestically, Sevilla have not lost in a month, and their rock-solid defense has played a huge part. However, it should be noted that their last domestic defeat came against none other than Real Betis in the Copa del Rey, going 2-1 down on January 22. Los Verdiblancos are one of the favorites to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, which would be a spectacular achievement, as Pellegrini's men sit in third, boasting a four-point advantage over fourth-placed Barcelona. A win would be crucial in their top-four pursuit!
Who's out for Matchday 26 in La Liga?
Barcelona: Umtiti, Fati, Roberto, and Balde (injured); Alba (suspended); Araujo (doubtful)
Real Madrid: No injuries
Sevilla: Lamea, Caros, and Suso (injured); Ocampos and Kounde (suspended); Martial and Rekik (doubtful)
Real Betis: Montoya and Miranda (injured); Camarasa and Rodri (doubtful)
Atletico: Cunha, Wass, and Koke (injured)
Athletic Club: Nico Williams (injured); Berenguer (suspended); Alvarez (doubtful)
