Printed On 1 Might 2026
Barcelona might clinch a second straight La Liga title this weekend if it maintains its profitable type and Actual Madrid endures one other stumble.
The Catalan membership leads Madrid by 11 factors with 5 video games left.
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If Barcelona wins at Osasuna on Saturday, then Madrid should additionally win at Espanyol on Sunday to lengthen the title race for at the very least another spherical.
If all the things goes Barcelona’s means this weekend, then it’s going to host Actual Madrid in a Clasico within the following recreation because the newly topped champion.
Whereas Hansi Flick is on the cusp of a 3rd main title, together with the 2025 Copa del Rey, in his two years answerable for Barcelona, Madrid is dealing with a second straight season and not using a main piece of silverware.
How do the groups form up for the La Liga weekend?
Barcelona is operating away with the home title.
It has received 9 straight in La Liga, a home profitable run marred solely by a loss to Atletico Madrid within the Champions League quarterfinals, costing them their place within the competitors.
The Catalan membership can’t anticipate a straightforward victory in Pamplona, nonetheless, as they try and heap the stress on second-placed Actual Madrid.
Ninth-placed Osasuna has misplaced solely twice at its El Sadar Stadium this season and is on a run of 10 straight dwelling matches with out defeat.
Madrid, in the meantime, has just one win in its final six video games throughout all competitions because it limps to the end of a disappointing season through which Xabi Alonso was fired and — barring a drastic change of occasions — Alvaro Arbeloa may even be ousted within the offseason.
Espanyol has been in an excellent larger rut than Madrid.
Espanyol was in fifth place in the beginning of 2026, nevertheless it has but to win this yr, an astonishing run of 16 video games, and fallen into the big group of groups attempting to keep away from relegation.
Atletico Madrid performs at Valencia on Saturday earlier than Diego Simeone’s group visits Arsenal subsequent week with their Champions League semifinal poised after a 1-1 first-leg draw.
Who’re the important thing gamers this weekend?
Barcelona’s 22-year-old midfielder Fermin Lopez, who is anticipated to play for Spain at this yr’s World Cup, is ending the marketing campaign as certainly one of its most incisive attacking gamers.
His aim within the 2-0 win at Getafe final Saturday was quantity 13 for Fermín this season to go along with 16 assists.
Whereas Madrid struggles, Vinicius Junior is maintaining his good type with two targets in his final two league video games.
Raphinha’s return softens Yamal’s loss for Barcelona
Lamine Yamal is out for the season for Barcelona with a muscle damage, however coach Flick is celebrating the return of winger Raphinha from damage.
Raphinha suffered a hamstring damage whereas enjoying for Brazil in March, which left him sidelined as Barcelona had been knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico.
“Rapha is a participant who all the time provides us 100%, when he’s on the pitch or in coaching,” Flick advised reporters on Friday.
“His mentality, his perspective, is all the time 100% and that helps us loads. This season he has … needed to undergo [from injury], so for us, it’s essential to have him again.
“He may even journey with us and we’ll see what occurs [against Osasuna] … I believe additionally for the group it’s nice to have him again, as a result of he’s certainly one of our captains, he’s optimistic and can provide us this stuff that we want.”
Flick additionally added the Yamal is recovering effectively from his hamstring damage, which isn’t anticipated to threaten his World Cup possibilities.
“He’s doing good, so the evolution is nice, I believe we’ll see him within the World Cup,” mentioned Flick.
“He has time, extra time, to recuperate, to return again. And that is what he needs.”
Are Barcelona nearby of a La Liga file?
If Barca win their remaining 5 league matches, they’ll attain the 100-point file first set by Jose Mourinho’s Actual Madrid in 2012 after which matched by Tito Vilanova’s Barcelona facet in 2013.
“We’re solely focussed on the following match, [but] after all, we wish to win each recreation between now and the top of the season,” mentioned Flick.
“For me, it could be good after we can win each recreation, but additionally, we’ve robust opponents. Our job is, in each match, to play on our greatest stage, to be taught from the sport for the following recreation and for our coaching.
“So that is our philosophy, our perspective, our mentality.”
