La Liga Table 2016-17: Updated Standings after gameweek 37 and upcoming fixtures
| # | Team | Games | G.D. | Points |
| 1 | Barcelona | 37 | 77 | 87 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 36 | 60 | 87 |
| 3 | Atletico Madrid | 37 | 41 | 75 |
| 4 | Sevilla | 37 | 15 | 69 |
| 5 | Villareal | 37 | 21 | 64 |
| 6 | Athletic Bilbao | 37 | 12 | 63 |
| 7 | Real Sociedad | 37 | 6 | 63 |
| 8 | Eibar | 37 | 7 | 54 |
| 9 | Alaves | 37 | -2 | 54 |
| 10 | Espanyol | 37 | -2 | 53 |
| 11 | Malaga | 37 | -4 | 46 |
| 12 | Valencia | 37 | -7 | 46 |
| 13 | Celta Vigo | 36 | -13 | 44 |
| 14 | Las Palmas | 37 | -18 | 39 |
| 15 | Real Betis | 37 | -23 | 38 |
| 16 | Leganes | 37 | -19 | 34 |
| 17 | Deportivo La Coruna | 37 | -21 | 33 |
| 18 | Sporting Gijon | 37 | -30 | 30 |
| 19 | Osasuna | 37 | -49 | 22 |
| 20 | Granada | 37 | -51 | 20 |
The Title Challengers:
Real Madrid and Barcelona beat their opponents Sevilla and Las Palmas (respectively) by identical scorelines of 4-1 with Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. taking centre-stage for their teams. This means that the league still remains neck-and-neck, although the advantage is still with Real Madrid due to their game in hand. As Los Blancos keep repeating, each game from now in is a final, and any slip-up can be fatal.
Upcoming fixtures:
Real Madrid:
- Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid (Away game): 17th May, Wednesday, late night... i.e 18th May, Thursday, 12.30 AM IST
- Malaga vs Real Madrid (Away game): 21st May, Sunday, 11.30 PM IST
Barcelona:
- Barcelona vs Eibar (Home game): 21st May, Sunday, 11.30 PM IST
Barca and Real both face tough fixtures in this home run. While Celta’s European dreams were ended rather cruelly by Manchester United, Malaga have no chance of improving upon their current position of 11th, both will have the eyes of the entire footballing world turned on them and their professional pride will be called into question. Both these teams have been known to be prickly opposition to top-of-the-table teams, especially at home, and they will be keen to make a point or two.
Eibar, meanwhile, may have already lost out in the pursuit of Europa league spots, but the fairy tale story of the season will look to end the season on the right note.
The battle for Europe:
Atletico Madrid have cemented their third place, while Sevilla has sown up the last Champions League spot – no thanks to their own efforts to shoot themselves in the foot over the last couple of months. While the Andalusians were humbled in the Bernabeu, Atletico were held to a 1-1 draw at Sevilla’s neighbours Real Betis. These results bring to a conclusion a rather disappointing season for both teams and they will look to end the season on a high as they prepare for the rigours of the summer transfer window.
Atletico Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao, 21st May, Sunday, 8.45 PM IST
Sevilla vs Osasuna, 21st May, Sunday, 8.45 PM IST
The Europa league spots meanwhile retain the most gripping finish in Spain with Villareal just a point ahead of the great Basque rivals Atheltic Bilbao and Real Sociedad who are both tied on points. All three drew their matches this game week, Villarreal being held by Deportivo La Coruna 0-0, Atheltic hosting Leganes for a 1-1 while the Anoeta bore witness to a fun 2-2 draw with Malaga.
Moving forward, Atheltic have the toughest task of the lot as they have to take part in what is going to be the very last game at the Vicente Calderon... it promises to be a highly emotional affair, and Atletico are never more dangerous than when things get emotional. La Real play Celta Vigo (who were thrashed 3-1 by Alaves) while Villareal travel to the Mestalla to take on a fairly resurgent Valencia (who beat Espanyol this week) – although both of which would be classified as easier than Atheltic’s task. This one promises to go down to the wire.
Relegation
Granada and Osasuna were joined in purgatory by Sporting Gijon despite the latter’s 1-0 win over Eibar thanks to the draws that Deportivo and Leganes managed away. While a Depor loss to Las Palmas and a Sporting win over Real Betis will leave the two on similar points, the side for A Coruna have the advantage in terms of both head-to-head (they won both their fixtures) and Goal Difference.
For those wishing to the last of Granada, Osasuna and Sporting for a year at least (those who don’t follow Segunda division, anyway) they’ll be up against Espanyol, Real Betis and Las Palmas with the first match happening at midnight on Friday evening and the others taking place on Saturday at 8.30 PM IST.