La Liga 2024/25: Three Teams Battle for the Crown

The La Liga title race was initially predicted to be a duel, but Atlético Madrid has entered the fray, transforming the competition into a thrilling three-way contest.

For the past two decades, Real Madrid and Barcelona have dominated La Liga, claiming 18 league titles between them. The only exceptions? Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid, who broke through in 2014 and 2021. This season, El Cholo’s side is once again staking its claim. Quietly but steadily, Atlético has climbed into contention, sitting level on points with league leaders Barcelona and holding a game in hand.

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Clash of Titans in Barcelona

The stage is set for a monumental showdown this Saturday night as Barcelona hosts Atlético Madrid in La Liga. This top-of-the-table clash features the league’s two best teams from the fall season. Atlético’s incredible 4-3 comeback victory over Sevilla just two weeks ago could prove to be one of the defining moments of the 2024/25 campaign. Now, they face a wounded Barcelona side desperate to reclaim their dominance.

Yamal Sidelined

Barcelona started the season with seven straight wins but has struggled since November. Last weekend’s shocking 0-1 home loss to Leganés marked the low point of a dismal stretch, yielding just one win in their last six league matches. To make matters worse, teenage sensation Lamine Yamal suffered an injury against Leganés and is expected to be sidelined for at least a month.

Momentum seems to favor Atlético Madrid heading into this weekend’s clash. Despite being the underdogs, the odds for an away win currently stand at an enticing 3.95. A safer bet might be the double chance (X2), priced at just under 2.0 at the time of writing.

Real Madrid's Steady March

What about the third contender in the title race? Real Madrid has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks and is expected to remain in the hunt until the very end. Last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Rayo Vallecano was an outlier, as Madrid derbies at Vallecas often take on a life of their own. Isi Palazón’s derby-day brilliance was a key factor, but the standout for Real has been Jude Bellingham. The English star rediscovered his top form with goals in five consecutive matches before taking a brief pause during Wednesday’s 3-0 Club World Cup triumph over Pachuca.

This Sunday, Real Madrid hosts Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu, a fortress where visiting teams rarely come away with points. Real’s only home league loss in the past 18 months came against Barcelona earlier this season. With Sevilla struggling, having won just one of their last 11 away games, a comfortable Real Madrid victory (-1 handicap) looks like a solid wager.

Betting Picks of the Week

• Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid: Double Chance (X2)
• Real Madrid vs. Sevilla: Real Madrid -1 Handicap

All bets are placed at Betsson.