Barcelona, Atletico and Real Madrid separated by a point in La Liga race

It’s anyone’s guess as to who will be crowned champion of LALIGA EA SPORTS in 2024/25. That’s’ because it could hardly be tighter at the top of the table after 17 matchdays.

Real Madrid, the reigning champions, are in third place on 37 points after 17 matches played, while their city rivals Atlético Madrid are second on 38 points after playing the same number of games.

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FC Barcelona are currently in first place, also on 38 points but having played a game more than their two closest title rivals.

None of the other major European leagues are this tight at the top at this stage of the season.

Looking at the English Premier League, the Italian Serie A, the German Bundesliga and the French Ligue 1, none of these competitions has its top two teams level on points, nor do they have the top three separated by just one point.

In England, Italy and France, the difference between first and third is currently six points, while in France it’s seven points.

Three contenders with three different styles

La Liga is proving to be super competitive and there are three very different teams battling it out at the top of the table. FC Barcelona have racked up their haul of 38 points through an explosive offence, scoring a league-leading 50 goals, while they have been much more vulnerable at the back and have conceded 20 times already, keeping just four clean sheets.

Compare and contrast that with Atlético de Madrid, who boast the joint-best defensive record of the competition with just 11 goals conceded in 17 matches, the same goals against record as only Real Sociedad. They are scoring goals too, with 31 so far, but it’s the defence and Jan Oblak who have led Los Colchoneros to this point and been especially key to their recent run of 11 wins in a row in all competitions.

Then there’s Real Madrid, who are somewhere in the middle with 37 goals scored and 16 goals conceded. Carlo Ancelotti would like his team to tighten up in defence, and also for his attacking front line to score a few more goals at the other end.

Athletic Club are lurking just behind

Athletic Club cannot be ruled out of this title race either. The Basque side may not have won the Spanish league since 1984, but they’re playing very well this season under Ernesto Valverde and currently boast 33 points after 18 matches played, just five fewer than the leaders.

Looking at the results so far, the current pace suggests this league title could be won with as little as 85 points. That would be the lowest winning points tally since 2008, which highlights just how competitive La Liga is and which means clubs outside the usual top three can dream.

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There is still a long way to go in this season’s title race, and the top two haven’t even faced each other yet. They’ll meet soon, though, as next Saturday brings up the first FC Barcelona vs Atlético de Madrid of the season. Those two sides will enter that game in first and second place and level on 38 points, so it’s a match that football fans around the world won’t want to miss.