The Liga BBVA — the most competitive title race in Europe

With just four games left in the Liga BBVA season, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are still locked in an enthralling battle for the league title. Both Spanish teams, two of the best sides in the planet, are immersed in a fight for top spot, an almost unique situation across Europe’s top leagues, with the exception of France. The two teams’ duel for the title is further proof that the quality of the league never ceases to grow.

This is the second year running in which Liga BBVA teams have gone into the final stretch of the season still battling for the title. The Catalans, on 84 points with four games remaining in the season, are the league leaders, but just two points ahead of their nearest challengers, Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Los blancos are second on 82 points, so a defeat for the blaugranas and a win for Madrid would see the two teams change places at the league’s summit.

The French league, better known as Ligue 1, is the only league in Europe with a similar situation in the title race. With four games left of the season, Paris Saint-Germain occupy the top spot on 71 points, three more than second-placed Olympique Lyonnais. But when you compare the two leagues, the balance is in favour of La Liga, as Barcelona have 13 more points than Paris, despite having played the same number of games.

The inequality with other leagues is even more evident. In the Premier League, the league leaders are Chelsea FC, who have 80 points. José Mourinho’s side are certain to win the English title, as they have a 13-point lead over Manchester City and Arsenal FC, the latter having played one game fewer. Therefore, with just four games to go until the season ends, five in the case of the Gunners, the league leaders need just one more win to wrap up the league title.

In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich have already won the league mathematically, leading closest rivals VfL Wolfsburg by 15 points. Thereare just 12 points left to play for in the league, and Pep Guardiola’s side are already celebrating another title. There is a similar situation in Serie A, the renowned Italian league, where league leaders Juventus need just one more point to clinch the title mathematically. There are five games left in the campaign, so the ‘Old Lady’ can pick and choose when they clinch the league, thanks to their 14-point lead over SS Lazio, who occupy second place.

Returning to the Liga BBVA, there are still four matches left to decide who will be the champions — in other words, a month in which anything could happen. Madrid still have to head to Sevilla FC, who are unbeaten at home in all competitions, and they face Valencia CF, another team that has spent the entire season in the top five.

Barcelona, meanwhile, still have to play a daunting match at Atlético Madrid, so anything could happen in a season that you can be certain will not be over until the final weeks of the season.