Mumbai: This season’s race for Champions League qualification in La Liga promises to be a thrilling one, with several clubs in contention. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona sit out in front in first and second, locked in a tense title race, while Villarreal CF and Atlético de Madrid currently occupy third and fourth place on 45 points each. But, both clubs now need to look over their shoulder at Real Betis, who are currently fifth and just behind on 41 points.
Real Betis have been continuously inside the top six since Matchday 7, but it’s only in the past month that Manuel Pellegrini’s men have truly climbed into the Champions League conversation. With four victories from their past five, including three wins in a row, Los Verdiblancos have moved into striking position and seem poised to capitalise on any slip-up from Villarreal CF or Atlético de Madrid.
The team’s most recent win came in Matchday 24, a 2-1 victory away at RCD Mallorca. First-half goals from Ez Abde and Cédric Bakambu, two players who are now well and truly back from the Africa Cup of Nations, earned the Andalusian outfit the win, even with Vedat Muriqi keeping up his scoring run and pulling one back for the islanders in the second half.
After the game, Ez Abde spoke about the possibility of Champions League qualification, stating: “We need to keep this up, by continuing to work hard, and we should have Champions League qualification as an objective. It won’t be easy, but we hope to make it by the end of the season.”
Curiously, Real Betis won’t face either of their direct rivals again this league campaign. We’re only five matches into the second half of the season, but already Los Verdiblancos have taken on each of Villarreal CF and Atlético de Madrid for a second time. And, Real Betis have defeated both of their rivals in recent weeks, which partly explains how they’ve been able to close the gap.
Against Villarreal CF, Los Verdiblancos won 2-0 at home in the middle of January, to follow on from a 2-2 draw at the Estadio de la Cerámica earlier in the campaign. As such, Pellegrini’s side hold the head-to-head tiebreaker in the event of finishing the season level on points. It should be noted, though, that Villarreal CF have played one game less than Atleti and than Los Verdiblancos, so could consolidate their position.
Also Watch:
As for Real Betis’ meetings with Atlético de Madrid, the two clubs played twice in the space of three days earlier in February. The first game was in the Copa del Rey and the team from Spain’s capital won 5-0 at the Estadio de la Cartuja. However, that weekend Real Betis secured a shock 1-0 victory at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, to really shake up the Champions League race. That said, Atleti did win the previous league meeting 2-0, so it’s Los Colchoneros who have the head-to-head tiebreaker.
It’ll be a fascinating end to the season to see which two clubs join Real Madrid and FC Barcelona inside the top four and in next season’s Champions League. There is still a small chance that a fifth Champions League position could become available in LALIGA EA SPORTS, but for now the clubs have to approach every game thinking that they need every possible point to finish inside the top four
