What results do Barcelona need to be crowned LaLiga champions after draw against Atlético?
Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Atlético Madrid leaves Barcelona on 75 points, two points behind the leaders in the standings and with three games left to play.
Barcelona and Atético Madrid went into Saturday’s Week 35 LaLiga clash at Camp Nou knowing that it was a game which could prove decisive in the title race. Just two points separated the two clubs at the top of the table – a win for Barça would have put them top; an Atlético victory would have allowed them to open up a five-point gap, a distance which at this stage of the campaign, would have been almost impossible for the Catalans to overturn.
Atletico stay top, Barcelona move second, Real Madrid play tomorrow
But it ended goalless on the day. It means that Atleti remain top on 79 points and Barça move up into second place where they are still two points behind the leaders. They could slip back down a place if Real Madrid either win or draw their meeting with Sevilla on Sunday night. Madrid are currently third on 74 points and could pull level on points with Atleti if they beat Sevilla in Valdebebas.
What do Barcelona need to happen to be crowned champions?
As things stand, the only team that depends on themselves is Real Madrid. If they win all of their four remaining games (at home to Sevilla, away to Granada and Athletic Club then at home to Villarreal, they will end the season as champions on 86 points - and lift the league trophy, in spite of what the others do. So Barcelona need to win all of their remaining games (against Levante, Celta and Eibar) and need Real Madrid and Atleti to lose at least one of their games.
The maximum number of points Barcelona can end the season on is 84. So if they win all of their remaining three games, they would need Atleti to get no more than six points and Madrid to get no more than nine points from their matches.
The only realistic option of Barcelona winning LaLiga is by gaining points than their rivals as they have an inferior head-to-head record against all of them apart from Sevilla (they drew and lost to Atleti; and lost both encounters with Real Madrid) . So if Barcelona finish top but level on points with either Atleti or Real Madrid, they will lose on the head-to-head results. Their record against the other title contenders will take priority over goal difference alone which is a shame for Barcelona as they have a superior overall goal difference to all of the rest - +47.
"It's not over. We'll keep fighting" - Piqué
Gerard Piqué explained after the Atleti match: “We are still alive. We know the situation that we are in and that we don’t depend on ourselves but looking to some of the results this season, I think the league is still wide open, there are still three games left to play and we have to win Tuesday’s game and the next two. I haven’t got a crystal ball and I don’t know what is going to happen but our objective is to battle right to the end”.
Remaining games
Atlético: Real Sociedad (H), Osasuna (H), Valladolid (A)
Barcelona: Levante (A), Celta (H), Eibar (A)
Real Madrid: Sevilla (H), Granada (A), Athletic (A), Villarreal (H)