Barcelona look to storm to La Liga lead after Madrid and Atletico slip ups

Gone are the fateful months of November and December. FC Barcelona are once again a steamroller and have yet to taste defeat in this 2025 where they have scored 41 goals and conceded 12 in 11 games. A streak that has allowed them, together with the results of their rivals, to get the La Liga lead back within their grasp.
After matchday 19, the last of the first half of the season, Hansi Flick's side were six points behind Real Madrid at the top of the table with 44 points. the 'Merengues' and Atletico have been copying each other's results in recent weeks and the 'Cules', trailing, can overtake them as early as Monday.
To do so, of course, they have to beat Rayo Vallecano at Montjuic. If they do so, they will draw level on 51 points with Real Madrid and officially move ahead because they have a better goal average. Barça are on +36 after scoring 64 goals and conceding 25, while the 'Merengues' are on +29 with 52 goals scored and 23 conceded.
The 'Cules' also have the particular average against Madrid thanks to the 0-4 win at the Santiago Bernabeu on matchday 11. However, this is not taken into account until the two games between them are played (the second ‘Clasico’ will be on 11th May). In the meantime, what matters is the overall balance. Their record is also better than Atletico's (+23), although Simeone's side are within two points of each other. In the first leg, they won 1-2 in the first leg. In the second round they will meet on 16th March.

Although the ‘Cules’ started the league year with a draw at the Coliseum against Getafe, they have since gone on to string together three victories: the stunning 7-1 win over Valencia, the 1-0 win over Deportivo Alaves that Lewandowski settled and the emphatic 1-4 win in Seville last week. Meanwhile, Atletico lost steam, losing to Leganes (1-0) and drawing with Villarreal (1-1) before beating Mallorca (2-0).
For their part, Real Madrid's slip-ups have been more concentrated. Although they made up for their defeat in the Super Cup by beating Las Palmas (4-1) and Real Valladolid (0-3) with a very good feeling, they then suffered three setbacks with their respective refereeing controversies. First came the defeat against Espanyol (1-0) and they crossed paths with Atletico in a Madrid derby where the ‘Colchoneros’ could have made a statement, but it ended 1-1.
On Saturday, Simeone's side were presented with another spectacular opportunity. Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Osasuna in the afternoon and then, just after lunchtime, Atletico were held to a 1-1 draw by Celta. Down a player from the seventh minute due to Pablo Barrios‘ red card, 'Los Rojiblancos' found themselves on the ropes after Iago Aspas’ 1-0 lead, but Sorloth came to the rescue in the 81st minute to at least leave things as they were.
Now, all eyes in the capital will be on what happens in Barcelona on Monday. Barca can overtake their rivals and put the pressure on a fight for the league title that a month ago seemed to have slipped away. What a final stretch awaits us.