La Liga Preview: Barcelona remain hopeful but title likely to stay in Madrid – originally posted on Sportslens.com
The penultimate matchday of the 2020/21 La Liga season beckons with some spicy fixtures at both ends of the table.
The keenly-contested race with two matchdays remaining leaves almost no room for dropped points as four sides can mathematically win the title.
Real Madrid remain firmly in contention after a 4-1 thumping of Granada on Thursday kept them within two points of leaders Atletico Madrid.
Following back-to-back draws with Atletico and Levante, Barcelona are lagging four points behind Los Colchenors and are probably out of the race.
Even though the prospect of Sevilla winning the race looks far-fetched, the Andalusian giants are still sniffing around the ultimate prize.
Meanwhile, the relegation battle rolls on. A thin five-point gap separates the bottom six, with basement boys Eibar only three points adrift of safety.
Will Madrid sides capitalise on Barcelona’s wasted opportunities?
If Atletico beat mid-table Osasuna at the Wanda Metropolitano, Barcelona and Sevilla will officially be out of the title race.
Diego Simeone’s men have been relentless against the Pamplona minnows lately, having won their last five La Liga showdowns by an aggregate score of 16-1.
Osasuna have failed to score in five of their last seven league visits to Atletico, so it looks to be a safe bet to suggest that Barca and Sevilla are no longer genuine title contenders.
Meanwhile, the reigning Spanish champions are the only side with a decent chance of extending Atletico’s seven-year La Liga title wait.
Los Merengues face the daunting task of beating a stubborn Athletic Bilbao side in the Basque Country to pile more pressure on their rivals heading into the final weekend.
But regardless of what happens in Bilbao, the title seems likely to stay in the capital.
Will Lionel Messi hit another 30-goal landmark in La Liga season?
Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi is currently holding the top spot on the La Liga scoring leaderboard and looks to be waltzing off with another top-scorer award.
The Argentine has tallied 29 league goals this season, seven more than closest chasers Karim Benzema and Gerard Moreno.
Messi is one goal shy of smashing a 30-goal barrier in La Liga for the fourth time in five years, which comes as a small consolation given another underwhelming season.
La Liga Fixtures
La Liga Results
La Liga Table
La Liga Live Streaming
All of this weekend’s La Liga fixtures will be available to watch online.