Tight Title Race in La Liga as Teams Gear Up for January Matches

MADRID, SPAIN — The La Liga title race heats up as the defending champions, FC Barcelona, maintain a tight grip on the top spot, leading Real Madrid by four points and Atlético Madrid by nine points. With the first half of the 2025–26 season completed, all 20 clubs in Spain’s top division are enjoying a brief holiday before resuming play this weekend.

Barcelona will return from the holiday break with a challenging away match against Espanyol on January 3. Despite winning the last three Catalan derbies, Barcelona faces a tough test as Espanyol is currently on a five-game winning streak in La Liga and sits fifth in the standings.

Following the match against Espanyol, Barcelona will take on Real Sociedad, who have struggled this season with only four victories. Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso‘s team will also be wanting to solidify their position. Real Madrid begins the year by hosting Real Betis at the Bernabéu on January 4.

Real Madrid hopes to continue their momentum with back-to-back league victories after a troubled phase in November. They will also face last-place Levante, Villarreal, Rayo Vallecano, and a challenging game against Valencia in their upcoming fixtures.

Atlético Madrid, who sit in third position, have only lost twice in their last 13 matches across all competitions. With an opportunity to close the gap on Barcelona and Real Madrid, Atlético’s fixtures this month include matches against Real Sociedad, Alavés, and Mallorca. Diego Simeone’s squad will also have a stern test against Real Betis, whom they defeated 2-0 earlier in the season.

As the teams prepare for a packed January schedule, the title race remains wide open with critical matches ahead. The outcome of these games could be pivotal in determining who ultimately claims the La Liga title.