LaLiga
Penultimate round in LaLiga: everything you need to know
10 games in two hours that could decide the league title and relegation places. Barça control their own destiny to retain their title.
It's a case of 'the good old days' this evening as we take a step back in time to when all Spanish league games commenced at 5pm on a Sunday evening. Radio was king then with shouts of "Goooll" breaking though the commentary momentarily as goals flew in all around the country.
Jornada 37 (the penultimate round of game in the 2015/16 league campaign) takes place this evening with all ten matches commencing at a unified kick-off time (17:00 CET) with 90 minutes ahead that are sure to be instrumental in deciding who will be crowned LaLiga champions as well as which teams join Levante and drop into the second tier of Spanish football.
Of all 20 LaLiga sides, just eight have nothing at stake this evening whilst 12 clubs and their supporters will be biting their nails come kick-off.
The teams with nothing at stake are Levante (relegated), Villarreal (fourth place) along with Real Sociedad, Las Palmas, Valencia, Málaga, Sevilla and Eibar. Dignity and keeping home fans content will be their main objectives this evening.
In the title race, Barcelona (who still control their own destiny), Atlético and Real Madrid will all need to win and in the quest for fifth place (and avoiding a summer of Europa League qualifying rounds that sixth place offers) are Athletic and Celta.
The remaining seven sides (Betis, Espanyol, Deportivo, Granada, Rayo Sporting and Getafe) are all embroiled in the relegation battle although each side with their own degree of tension. Whilst not mathematically safe, Betis and Espanyol will be paying close attention to other relegation battles with special attention on the Coliseum Alfonso Perez where second bottom (Getafe) face third bottom (Sporting) in a game that will go some way in shaping relegation places.
For Barça to win the title this evening they need Atlético to lose in Valencia against Levante and for Madrid not to beat Valencia. If that scenario materializes then Barça will retain their LaLiga crown.
For Atleti and Madrid to keep the title chase alive through to week 38 they need to achieve the same result as Barça or secure a better result than that of Luis Enrique's men.
Athletic Bilbao have destiny in their hands to secure fifth place as they face Las Palmas this evening and Sevilla next week. Celta play Málaga today but have to travel to the Calderon next week and play an Atleti side who hope to still be a candidate in the title race.
If drama is your thing then Getafe is the ground to be at today where as "Los Azulones" face Sporting Gijon. Both sides will have one foot in Segnda should Depor, Rayo and Granada win their respective games. A draw would also secure safety for Betis and Espanyol irrespective of their own results today. Should the bottom sides manage to contrive a quintuple tie on 39 points then Deportivo are the side set to lose out as the head-to-head system kicks in leaving the Galician side back in the second tier.
The battle to avoid the drop and the race for the title are invariably interwoven. Should Barça win and Atlético and Real Madrid draw then a point next week at relegated threatened Granada would be enough for the Catalan side. If Sporting and Getafe draw this evening then and Granada beat Seville then a point would be enough for the red and white hoops with a convenient draw suiting both teams needs.
Before we tie ourselves up in knots with these"what if "scenario" let's see what this evening's 90 passionate minutes of football throws at us .This is not your typical Sunday in Spanish football.