The 20th matchday of the 2024-25 La Liga season is upon us. Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are battling for the top berth, and only one point separates these two sides. Meanwhile, Barcelona are lurking right behind them as the third seed.
These three contenders are back in action this weekend, and the La Liga 2025 odds back them to win their games. Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will go on the road to take on Leganes and Getafe, respectively, while Real Madrid will host Las Palmas. Elsewhere, Espanyol, Girona, Real Betis, Celta Vigo, Osasuna, Valencia, and Villarreal will host Valladolid, Sevilla, Alaves, Athletic Bilbao, Rayo Vallecano, Real Sociedad, and Mallorca, respectively.
Without further ado, continue reading below as SBOTOP previews the top three matches in the Spanish top-flight this weekend.
Leganes vs Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid are back on top of the La Liga standings after their narrow 1-0 win against Osasuna, and they followed it up with a 4-0 victory over Elche in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 last night. Diego Simeone’s side now has a 15-game winning streak across all competitions. Los Rojiblancos have not lost a game since losing 1-0 to Real Betis last October.
Julian Alvarez scored the matchwinner against Osasuna, and he got some much-needed rest against Elche, coming off the bench only in the 73rd minute and scoring a goal two minutes later. Alexander Sorloth led the line for Los Rojiblancos by notching a brace, and Rodrigo Riquelme added one more for good measure. Antoine Griezmann, Jan Oblak, Pablo Barrios, and Javi Galan didn’t play last night, so expect Diego Simeone to recall them back to the starting XI against Leganes.
Leganes are also fresh from winning their Copa del Rey Round of 16 matchup against Almeria. However, they’ve had mixed results in their last five La Liga games, with two losses, two draws, and one win. Los Pepineros are 16th in the table with only 19 points, and they would prefer to be far from the drop zone as much as possible. Borja Jimenez has the unenviable task to draw out La Liga 2025 highlights from his team against Atletico Madrid, as Leganes are one of the lowest-ranked attacks in the Spanish top-flight.
Real Madrid vs Las Palmas
Real Madrid had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Las Palmas in their first meeting this season, as they needed a late Vinicius Jr. penalty to nullify Alberto Moreiro’s fifth-minute goal. This result caused Carlo Ancelotti’s side to drop to fourth in the table, but at least they’re back as the second seed.
Los Blancos are undefeated in their last four La Liga matches (W3, D1). However, they’re coming off a 5-2 loss against Barcelona in last Monday’s Spanish Super Cup final. They will take on Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 as part of their preparations against Las Palmas. Don’t be surprised if Ancelotti doesn’t start top scorers Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. tomorrow to get them ready this weekend. Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. have combined for 18 league goals and seven assists this term.
Las Palmas were on a four-game unbeaten run (W3, D1) after taking points against Barcelona, Valladolid, Real Sociedad, and Espanyol before losing to Getafe last Saturday. Diego Martinez’s men have a full week off since they’re already eliminated from the Copa del Rey. Besides Alberto Moreiro, Los Blancos’ defence will have their hands full with Sandro Ramirez and Fabio Silva, who have combined for 12 league goals and four assists this season.
Getafe vs Barcelona
Barcelona are winless in their last three La Liga games (D1, L2), but they have built momentum ahead of their clash against Getafe at the Coliseum Stadium this weekend. After losing to Atletico Madrid before Christmas, Hansi Flick’s men are through to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals and have won the Spanish Super Cup at the expense of Real Madrid.
Lamine Yamal is back after missing the past few weeks due to an ankle injury. The Euro 2024 winner has scored three goals in his last three appearances. Yamal’s return to form will only make Barcelona even more dangerous in the final third since he’ll continue to link up with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, who have combined for 27 league goals and eight assists this season.
Getafe recently ended their two-game slide in La Liga, and they just beat Pontevedra in the Copa del Rey Round of 16. Mauro Arambarri, Alvaro Rodriguez, and Borja Mayoral will lead the line for Geta Azulones.
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