What do Real Madrid need to win LaLiga? When can they beat Barcelona to the title?

Real Madrid took on Barcelona in El Clásico at a closed Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday knowing a victory would all but secure a second LaLiga title in three seasons. Carlo Ancelotti’s side headed into the match with an eight-point lead with seven fixtures to play; a win over Barça would give them an almost unassailable 11-point advantage with just 18 available. The game swung back and forth, but a 92nd minute winner from this season’s sensation, Jude Bellingham, secured it.

When can Real Madrid become LaLiga champions?

With Los Blancos coming out of top in the Spanish capital, they now require just three wins from their remaining six fixtures to ensure they reclaim the title they lost to Xavi Hernandez’s team 12 months ago.

Those three victories could, of course, come on any of last six matchdays, but three wins in a row, following that against Barcelona, would see Madrid crowned champions on the weekend of 12 May, when they are away to Granada, at the latest.

That date assumes the Blaugrana also win their three post-Clásico fixtures. Were this defeat to Madrid send them into a downward spiral, however, Ancelotti’s men would obviously have the chance to wrap the title up earlier, which could boost their Champions League hopes, with Bayern Munich awaiting them in the semi-final.

Madrid’s best-case LaLiga scenario

The best-case scenario for Los Merengues would see them follow up Sunday’s win with victories away to Real Sociedad (26 April) and Cádiz (4 May). If Barça failed to take maximum points from their two post-Clásico games at home to Valencia (29 April) and at Girona (4 May), Madrid would mathematically win the league on the first weekend in Cádiz of May.

That league match against Cádiz is sandwiched by the two legs of the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, which take place on Tuesday 30 April in Germany and Wednesday 8 May in Spain. There is a realistic chance Madrid could already be LaLiga champions by the time the second leg comes around.