What Barcelona Need to Secure the La Liga Title Ahead of El Clásico
- Barcelona moved close to the La Liga title after beating CA Osasuna, but Real Madrid delayed their celebrations with a crucial win
- El Clásico will be decisive, with the Catalan giants needing just a win or draw at Camp Nou to be crowned champions
- A Madrid victory would keep the race alive, reducing the gap and forcing Barcelona to secure the title in a later match
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FC Barcelona moved to the brink of the La Liga title last Saturday after their win over CA Osasuna stretched the gap over Real Madrid to 14 points.
The result meant Álvaro Arbeloa’s side had to win in Cornellà to prevent Barcelona from sealing the title without playing.
Los Blancos responded and got the job done, keeping the title race alive for at least another round.
Source: Getty Images
Their victory also avoided an uncomfortable scenario, having to give Barcelona a guard of honor before the upcoming El Clásico at the Spotify Camp Nou.
That situation would have dominated headlines, with debates over whether Madrid would perform the gesture. Instead, the win ensured Barcelona must now clinch the title on the pitch.
Within the Barcelona camp, the squad largely stayed away from the guard-of-honor discussion, focusing instead on finishing the job as soon as possible.
Robert Lewandowski avoided the topic altogether, pointing to another internal objective - winning all remaining matches to hit the 100-point mark, a target that has energized the team.
Next stop: El Clásico
Attention now turns to El Clásico next weekend, which could decide everything.
Barcelona know that a win - or even a draw - would be enough to mathematically secure the title. In that scenario, the gap would remain at least 12 points with only three matches left, making it impossible for Madrid to catch up.
A Madrid victory, however, would delay the celebrations. It would cut the gap to eight points with nine still available, while also giving them the head-to-head advantage.
That outcome would force Barcelona to win at least one more game to be crowned champions.
If Barcelona draw and Madrid win, the title race would stretch further, with the gap reduced to six points and two matches remaining. While these scenarios remain hypothetical, they underline how much is still at stake.
Despite the slim chances of a comeback, Madrid are determined to fight on.
Delaying Barcelona’s title celebrations, or even preventing the possibility of witnessing their rivals lift a 29th league crown at Camp Nou, remains a key motivation.
All eyes are now on El Clásico, a high-stakes showdown that could see Barcelona crowned champions in front of their fiercest rivals on their own turf.
Osimhen on Barcelona's radar
As previously reported by YEN.com.gh, the Spanish giants are considering a summer move for Victor Osimhen, who currently plays for Galatasaray and impressed with the Nigeria national football team at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The former Napoli striker has established himself as one of Europe’s most reliable forwards, having claimed the Serie A Golden Boot during the 2022/23 campaign.
Source: YEN.com.gh
