When the schedule was revealed at the beginning of the 2024/25 LALIGA EA SPORTS season, Matchday 26 immediately jumped out as one to look out for. That’s because six of last season’s top seven are facing off amongst each other, as we have Real Betis vs Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid vs Athletic Club and FC Barcelona vs Real Sociedad.
On top of all that, the HISTORIC DERBY is taking place in the south of Madrid between CD Leganés and Getafe CF.
The very first game of the matchday takes place on Friday night and it’s a significant one too, in this case because it pits two teams inside the bottom four against each other as 17th-placed UD Las Palmas visit bottom-placed Real Valladolid. For Los Blanquivioletas, this really is a must-win game if they’re to give themselves any hope of escaping the relegation zone by the end of the season.
There are four games on Saturday, the first of which is Girona FC vs RC Celta. They’re both in mid-table and separated by just one point, so this promises to be a very competitive game, as it was when they drew 1-1 earlier in the campaign.
Rayo Vallecano vs Sevilla FC is the next game, and the capital city side are looking to get back to winning ways after losing two in a row. Rayo Vallecano remain in sixth place for now, but need a three-point haul soon if they’re to keep their European dreams alive.
There are two huge games in the title race on Saturday evening, the first of which is Real Betis against Real Madrid at 18:30 CET. This is one of the most difficult fixtures remaining for the defending champions, especially given that Isco and Real Betis are in good form.
Then, at 21:00 CET, attention turns to Atlético de Madrid, who host an in-form Athletic Club at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Across the past four months, these are the two teams with the most points collected in LALIGA EA SPORTS and they both enjoyed impressive victories last matchday, a 3-0 away win at Valencia CF in the case of Diego Simeone’s side and a 7-1 home triumph over Real Valladolid in the case of Ernesto Valverde’s.
Sunday begins with a derby, as CD Leganés and Getafe CF resume their rivalry, one that has existed at all levels of the Spanish footballing pyramid over the years. This will be their eighth meeting at LALIGA EA SPORTS level, with Geta winning three, Lega one and three draws so far. Both sides will hope to earn the bragging rights this Sunday.
Attention then returns to the top of the table, as FC Barcelona host Real Sociedad at 16:15 CET. A Sheraldo Becker goal earned La Real a 1-0 victory over Barça earlier in the season, so now the Catalan outfit will seek revenge and three vital points in the title race.
Later on Sunday evening, there are a pair of clashes between European qualification hopefuls and clubs inside the relegation zone, with RCD Mallorca hosting Deportivo Alavés in the Balearics and with CA Osasuna welcoming Valencia CF to Pamplona. Although these are two games between teams with very different objectives right now, everyone will be giving their all in search of the vital points.
The final game of the matchday comes on Monday, with Villarreal CF taking on RCD Espanyol at the Estadio de la Cerámica. When these sides met earlier this season, Ayoze Pérez was the main man as his two goals earned El Submarino Amarillo a come-from-behind win, and he remains in good form with three goals from his past four games. In the final game of this mouthwatering Matchday 26, he’ll look to find the back of the net again.
SOURCE: LALIGA CONTENTHUB.
