Real Madrid have easier schedule than Barcelona for LaLiga final stretch
With 12 games left to be played in the race for the LaLiga title, Real Madrid, on paper at least, will have an easier run of games than Barcelona.
The Clásico victory on Sunday has left Real Madrid in pole position on a circuit that has fewer tricky bends than that of Barcelona.
Having seen off their eternal rivals 2-0 and with less than a third of the season remaining, Zinedine Zidane’s side sit one point ahead of Barcelona (with a better goal difference) and have a more favourable schedule ahead in the race for the LaLiga title.
Still pending for Quique Setién’s men is the visit of Atlético Madrid to Camp Nou (matchday 33) on April 26 and a trip Sevilla on 5 April (matchday 30) – two potential pitfalls that Madrid have already faced.
Although on these two matchdays, Los Blancos also have two difficult encounters, against Getafe at the Bernabéu and away to Real Sociedad. The Sociedad game is the only away fixture Madrid have remaining against a team currently in the top seven, although they also must make the tricky journey to San Mamés to face tenth-placed Athletic Bilbao.
Athletic and Sociedad are two of the seven teams that still have to face both LaLiga title contenders, with the others being Mallorca, Leganés, Villarreal, Alavés and Espanyol. Levante is the only club that will play neither of LaLiga’s top two in the run-up to the end of the season.
Six home games remain for Madrid and Barcelona
Both Madrid and Barça have six games left at home. Real Madrid will host Eibar, Valencia, Mallorca, Getafe, Alavés and Villarreal at the Bernabéu, and will travel to Betis, Real Sociedad, Espanyol, Athletic, Granada and Leganés.
On the other hand, Real Sociedad, Leganés, Athletic, Atlético, Espanyol and Osasuna will pass through Camp Nou, while Barcelona will visit Mallorca, Sevilla, Celta, Villarreal, Valladolid and Alavés.
Real Madrid and Barcelona's remaining LaLiga fixtures
| Matchday | Date | Real Madrid | Barcelona |
| 27 | 7/8 March. | Betis | Real Soc. |
| 28 | 13/14 March | Eibar | Mallorca |
| 29 | 21/22 March | Valencia | Leganés |
| 30 | 5 April | Real Soc. | Sevilla |
| 31 | 12 April | Mallorca | Athletic |
| 32 | 22 April | Espanyol | Celta |
| 33 | 26 April | Getafe | Atlético |
| 34 | 3 May. | Athletic | Villarreal |
| 35 | 10 May. | Alavés | Espanyol |
| 36 | 13 May | Granada | Valladolid |
| 37 | 17 May | Villarreal | Osasuna |
| 38 | 24 May | Leganés | Alavés |
Games in bold are home fixtures
LaLiga title will be decided in packed final month
The next six matchdays will be stretched out over a month and a half, from 7 March to 22 April. During that period there will be two breaks: the first for international fixtures on the last weekend of March and the second for the Copa del Rey on the weekend of 18-19 April.
The last six matchdays of the season, however, will be cramped into one month: from April 26 to May 24. Both Madrid and Barcelona will close off their seasons with away fixtures, against Leganés and Alavés, respectively.