Madrid (Spain), Feb 3 (IANS) Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona both won their respective matches this weekend, while Real Madrid lost away to Espanyol as the title race once again got congested in Spain. Real Madrid still maintained a narrow one-point lead with 49 points with Atletico in second place with 48 points. Barcelona are 45 points with Athletic Bilbao following close behind in fourth with 41 points. Villarreal are placed fifth with 37 points.
Here are some things we learned this weekend in La Liga.
Close title race up ahead of Madrid derby
The weekend started with Real Madrid four points ahead of Atletico Madrid and seven in front of FC Barcelona and it now ends with Real holding a slender one-point lead over Atletico and just four over Barcelona, reports Xinhua. With Real Madrid and Atletico due to play each other next weekend, that will give Barca the chance to get even closer to the top of the table and while different results could have seen Real Madrid stamp some authority on the table, now it is very much ‘game on’ in the title race.
Rudiger injury big blow for Real Madrid
Real Madrid were stunned by a 1-0 defeat to struggling Espanyol, who caught them on the break to score the only goal of the game. However, perhaps even worse news for Madrid was the loss of defender Antonio Rudiger with a hamstring injury.
That injury will keep Rudiger out of action for at least three weeks, meaning he misses next weekend’s Madrid derby at home to Atletico Madrid, the Champions League play-off against Manchester City, as well as a Copa del Rey quarter-final in Leganes, and a league visit to Osasuna.
With Eder Militao out for the season and David Alaba struggling for fitness, Rudiger has been Madrid’s best defender by a long way this season, but the fact he is so good also means he has played almost 3,000 minutes already and his body has said enough. Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland will be very pleased indeed.
Atletico back in title race
Atletico Madrid moved to within a point of Real Madrid after a relatively routine 2-0 win at home to Mallorca with goals from Samuel Lino and Antoine Griezmann. It was by no means a classic in the Metropolitano Stadium, but Atletico did enough against a Mallorca side that is going through a difficult start to 2025, with Griezmann sealing the win in injury time.
Atletico seem to be happier when they are underdogs in a tournament than when they are favourites and they showed that when they dropped five points from two games after taking the leadership at the end of last year. A win in the Bernabeu next weekend, would put Atletico back on top: Will Diego Simeone’s side travel to the Bernabeu as underdogs?
Celta need Aspas back ASAP
Celta Vigo’s 2-1 defeat away to relegation-haunted Valencia on Sunday saw them slip to just four points above the bottom three and after a good start to the season, the team from the north-west of Spain is now involved in a relegation battle.
Celta have suffered three defeats and taken just one draw from their four matches in 2025, and it’s no coincidence they have been without club captain and striker, Iago Aspas for all of those games as he struggles with a calf injury. The 37-year-old has six goals and three assists this campaign but contributes so much more, with his drive, passion, and leadership, and Celta needs him back as soon as possible.
–IANS
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