Only one point separates bitter rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid atop the La Liga standings, setting the stage for a mouthwatering finish in the Spanish top-flight over the next few months.
The Catalans kicked off this weekend’s La Liga slate with a dominant 3–0 victory over Mallorca thanks to another dazzling display from Lamine Yamal. The win momentarily put Barcelona four points clear of Los Blancos in the standings, shifting all the pressure on Álvaro Arbeloa’s men to respond with a victory of their own on Sunday.
Real Madrid, without the services of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, looked anything but their best at the Mestalla, but they still managed to secure a 2–0 victory over a struggling Valencia side. Despite all the talk of crisis at the Bernabéu, the 15-time European champions are very much in the fight to dethrone Barcelona come May.
Tough matchups are on the horizon for the arch rivals in the coming weeks, and just one slip-up in La Liga could blow the title race wide open, especially with Champions League and Copa del Rey action thrown into the mix.
Barcelona, Real Madrid’s Next Five La Liga Games
| Barcelona | Real Madrid |
|---|---|
| Girona (A) – Feb. 16 | Real Sociedad (H) – Feb. 14 |
| Levante (H) – Feb. 22 | Osasuna (A) – Feb. 21 |
| Villarreal (H) – Feb. 28 | Getafe (H) – Mar. 2 |
| Athletic Club (A) – Mar. 8 | Celta Vigo (A) – Mar. 8 |
| Sevilla (H) – Mar. 15 | Elche (H) – Mar. 15 |
Barcelona’s next two La Liga clashes come against two inferior opponents: a struggling Girona side and a relegation-battling Levante. Neither team poses much of a threat against the defending Spanish champions, leaving Flick safe to start his strongest XI against Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals on Feb. 12.
The big tests for the Catalans come in back to back weekends against Villarreal and then Athletic Club. The Yellow Submarine have suffered just five league defeats in 2025–26, only two more than Barcelona. They also will be eager for revenge after Flick’s men handed them a 2–0 defeat at home before Christmas.
Athletic Club, meanwhile, are historically a team capable of giving Barcelona a fight, especially when Nico Williams is at his best. Even though Ernesto Valverde’s men have fallen well short of expectations so far this season, they get the advantage of hosting the defending Spanish champions just four days after Flick’s men clash with Atlético Madrid in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.
Barcelona then get to return home to the Camp Nou—where they have yet to lose since this season—to take on Sevilla, a team that previously secured a dominant 4–1 rout over the Catalans back in October.
Real Madrid might not have to worry about the Copa del Rey semifinals like Barcelona, but they do have to compete in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs. After what promises to be a tough matchup against an in form Real Sociedad team, the 15-time European champions must make the trip to Lisbon to take on Benfica.
Soon after, Arbeloa’s men face off with Osasuna, and they cannot afford to think ahead to the deciding leg of the knockout phase playoffs coming just four days later. With so many injuries plaguing Real Madrid, they also likely cannot rotate many players for the La Liga clash, making for a testing trip to Pamplona.
After getting through an action-packed February, Los Blancos can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their first La Liga game in March is against Getafe. Celta Vigo away from home pose a much bigger threat, especially after already defeating Real Madrid 2–0 back in December.
READ THE LATEST LA LIGA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND GOSSIP
- Alvaro Arbeloa Tempers Expectations After Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Return
- Transfer Rumors: Man Utd Target Real Madrid Star; Premier League Trio Eyes Pulisic
- Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Valencia: Unlikely Hero Keeps La Liga Title Race Alive
- Why Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham Aren’t Playing for Real Madrid vs. Valencia
This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Barcelona, Real Madrid’s Next Five La Liga Games Compare.
