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With Real Madrid crowned champions on Saturday, attention at the top of LaLiga Santander has turned to which teams can qualify for Europe next season. Each team has four games remaining, with the final weeks of the season promising to offer a thrilling finale.
Three from FC Barcelona, Sevilla FC, Atlético de Madrid, Real Betis, and Real Sociedad are set to qualify for the Champions League, while Villarreal CF and Athletic Club are also vying for Europa League qualification.
On Saturday May 7 Real Betis welcome Barça to Andalusia, while Villarreal CF host Sevilla FC on Sunday, ahead of Atlético de Madrid’s visit to rivals Real Madrid in the always spicy Madrid Derby.
On Matchday 36 FC Barcelona host RC Celta, while Real Betis face Valencia CF in the pick of the midweek games, while on Matchday 37 Villarreal CF battle with Real Sociedad and Atlético de Madrid host Sevilla FC.
The final day of the season offers huge showdowns which could prove decisive in the hunt for European football. FC Barcelona welcome Villarreal CF, Atlético de Madrid visit Real Sociedad, Real Betis face a tough match against Real Madrid, while Sevilla FC welcome Athletic Club.
FC Barcelona
Barça started the season badly under coach Ronald Koeman but surged from ninth in the table up to second after Xavi Hernández took the reins. The coach restored the club’s classic style of high-pressing possession football and reignited the title race, although recent results have seen the Catalans lose momentum. Barça were unable to win a trophy this season but finishing well would give them momentum and hope ahead of the new campaign.
Sevilla FC
Julen Lopetegui’s side started the season brilliantly and nurtured their own title ambitions, with new signing Erik Lamela hitting the ground running, while the team has been strong defensively throughout and supremely well organised. Jules Koundé and Diego Carlos are tough customers at the back, and Ivan Rakitić is still impressing in midfield, including netting against Real Betis in El Gran Derbi. However, they have generally found it harder to find the net in 2022 and now are embroiled in a battle to finish in the top four.
Atlético de Madrid
It has been an atypical season for Diego Simeone and his team. The Colchoneros are known to be tough customers at the back, but on their way to winning LaLiga Santander last season they developed a more attacking style and have continued with it this term, sacrificing some of their defensive solidity. Atlético have been in the Champions League every season since 2013-14 but have a fight on their hands to qualify in the final weeks.
Real Betis
Manuel Pellegrini’s side, one of the most entertaining to watch in the division, have guaranteed themselves a Europa League place with their recent and dramatic Copa del Rey victory over Valencia CF, but could go even further with a good run between now and the end of the season. They have spent a lot of the campaign in the top four but dropped out after FC Barcelona’s 2022 surge. With Nabil Fekir, Joaquín and Sergio Canales helping to create for Juanmi and Borja Iglesias, Real Betis have been impressive in front of goal.
Real Sociedad
Like in the previous campaign, Real Sociedad started strongly and after nine Matchdays were joint top of the table with Real Madrid. However, a bad winter spell in which Imanol Alguacil’s side won just one from nine saw them drop away from the top. They have magician David Silva to add sparkle in attack, but the backbone of their season has been a tight defence. Their recent 1-0 home defeat by FC Barcelona makes a top four finish difficult but they won’t give up.
Villarreal CF
Reaching the Champions League via a top four finish is still mathematically possible for Villarreal CF, albeit unlikely, and what was perhaps their most possible route into next season’s competition – winning it outright – disappeared in midweek. Meanwhile in LaLiga Santander they began with five draws from six games, which wasn’t fair reward for their strong performances. However, Gerard Moreno hit top form alongside strike partner Arnaut Danjuma in December, and they built up steam heading into the final stages of the campaign. Unai Emery is one of the division’s top coaches and his team head into matches meticulously prepared.
