Ace Football presents a detailed view of the fixtures played in the 28th gameweek of the La Liga campaign.
Another matchday of La Liga action ended on Monday as teams locked horns with their opponents during the weekend.
Ten matches took place across Spain, with the league’s table seeing some major changes.
As we prepare for another exciting week of La Liga football, let’s review our main takeaways from Matchday 28.
Barcelona and Real Madrid prepare for El Clasico in top form
Barcelona and Real Madrid came into their La Liga games on the back of two different European games. The Catalans drew 0-0 against Galatasaray at Camp Nou while Real Madrid pulled off a brilliant comeback to eliminate PSG from the Champions League.
Both sides, however, managed to win their last league games before the upcoming El Clasico with impressive victories. Barca crushed Osasuna 4-0 as new signings Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continued their incredible form.
On the other hand, Real Madrid defeated Mallorca 3-0, continuing their four-game winning streak in the league. Let’s see if they can do the same against their arch-rivals this weekend.
Atletico ready to challenge Barca for third spot
After a period of unbalanced performances and ‘identity crisis’, Atletico seem to be back in their best form in recent weeks. They have won all of their last four league games while eliminating Manchester United from the Champions League.
A 2-1 win over Cadiz saw Diego Simeone’s side go level on points with Barcelona this week. However, the Rojiblancos sit behind Xavi’s third-placed side because of their lower goal difference.
Considering their consistent run of results last season, Atletico can become a real threat to Barca’s position if they maintain their current form.
Villarreal get back on track after Osasuna setback
Villarreal were on a six-game unbeaten run when they suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat against Osasuna last week. However, Unai Emery’s side bounced back with a similar win over Celta Vigo this week.
Dani Parejo’s goal in the 64th minute was enough for Villarreal to clinch a crucial win in the league. The Yellow Submarines went seven on the league table, only four points away from fifth-placed Betis.
After stunning Juventus with a 3-0 win in Turin, Villarreal are now in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It will be interesting to see whether they can continue their impressive run against Cadiz this weekend.
Levante continue bid to leave the relegation zone
Levante have been stuck at the rock-bottom of the La Liga table for the most part of the La Liga season. However, their recent performances have shown a newly-found form, which might salvage their campaign.
The Frogs have lost only one of their last five games, holding Espanyol to a 1-1 draw this week. They are now only five points away from leaving the relegation zone.
On Saturday, they will look to surprise Osasuna, who have been highly unstable in their recent matches. They followed a brilliant win over Villarreal with a crushing 4-0 loss against Barca last week.
Betis bounce back as Top-four race heat up
Real Betis lost back-to-back games against Atletico Madrid and Sevilla when they slipped to fifth place on the table. However, two victories have reignited the Green and Whites’ hopes of a comeback into the top four.
Atletico Bilbao were not able to stop Betis from clinching a hard-fought 1-0 win this week. Borja Iglesias scored the winner in the 20th minute, with Betis then delivering an exceptional defensive display.
However, a red card for Nabil Fekir will force Betis to play without one of their key men this weekend. On Sunday, they will take on a Celta Vigo while hoping to leapfrog Atletico from the fourth spot.
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