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It all comes down to the final weekend for Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Madrid need a draw at Malaga on Sunday to win La Liga for the 33rd time, and only the second in the Cristiano Ronaldo era. They are three points ahead of Barca, who play Eibar and have the head-to-head edge, meaning a win and Madrid defeat will make them champions.
Real have led the standings most of the way this year – or at least had games in hand with which to overtake Barca – and have lost just three league games all season, with only one – at Valencia – coming against a team in the bottom half of the table like Malaga.
The title would continue Zinedine Zidane’s stunning start to this top-level managerial career, with the Frenchman also having the chance to defend the Champions League two weeks from now – something that has never been done in the competition’s current format.
His counterpart Luis Enrique, on the other hand, will sit in the Camp Nou dugout for the final time when Eibar visit before attempting to say farewell with a trophy by beating Alaves in the Copa del Rey final.
It could also be goodbye for Antoine Griezmann, linked with a potential record-breaking summer move, and Atletico Madrid. They face Athletic Club, who are in a three-way battle with Villarreal and Real Sociedad for a Europa League spot.
Those clubs – or the one that finishes seventh, at least – will be cheering Barca on in the Copa final as a Blaugrana victory would pass Spain’s third Europa League qualification place down to the league table, allowing them all to participate next season.
At the bottom of the table, the fate of Granada, Osasuna and Sporting Gijon has already been decided. Those clubs will be playing in the Segunda Division next season, with Deportivo’s safety confirmed thanks to their superior head-to-head record over Sporting.
Culled from Goal.com