Barcelona move 11 points clear of Real Madrid in the La Liga title race with five games to play.
Published On 25 Apr 202625 Apr 2026
Fermin Lopez and Marcus Rashford’s goals took Barcelona to the brink of the La Liga title with a 2-0 win at Getafe.
The defending champions moved 11 points clear of second-place Real Madrid, who drew at Real Betis on Friday to dent their hopes of finishing the season with a trophy.
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Hansi Flick’s side can win their second consecutive Spanish title if they overcome Osasuna next weekend and Real Madrid fail to beat Espanyol.
“It’s not done, we have five more games, and we’re only focused on the next one,” Flick told reporters.
“We will celebrate when it’s time, but not now.”
Barcelona were without vital injured wingers Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, but still did enough to see off Jose Bordalas’s tricky side, sixth, in the Madrid suburbs.
“We were aware of what was going to happen here, we were going to have few chances, and I think we played well, competing well defensively and putting away the chances we had,” Lopez told Movistar.
“We know we’ve got a big advantage [in the title race], but even so, we can’t relax, I know it’s a cliche, but it’s the truth.”
Getafe set out to disrupt Barcelona’s rhythm with small fouls, and Barca struggled to create many clear opportunities.
Flick opted for Swedish winger Roony Bardghji in place of Yamal and chose Lopez on the left over Rashford.
Dani Olmo made the first with a neat dribble, speeding into Getafe territory, but pulled his shot wide of the far post.
Eventually, the hosts made the breakthrough just before half-time when Pedri played in Lopez.
Wearing a protective mask after hurting his face in a collision with Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Juan Musso during Barcelona’s Champions League quarterfinal elimination last week, Lopez stayed calm to slot home.
The midfielder imitated Yamal’s usual “304” celebration in tribute to the injured teenage star.
“The truth is he’s really important for us, it’s a shame that he can’t play any more, but the important thing is that he recovers well and is ready for the World Cup,” added Lopez.
With Getafe needing to come out of their shell to find an equaliser, Barca had more opportunities after the break.
David Soria saved from Olmo after he met Jules Kounde’s cross, and then the French defender headed a Joao Cancelo ball narrowly off-target.
Martin Satriano threatened for the hosts before Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, secured Barcelona’s triumph.
Robert Lewandowski sent the England international charging through on goal, and he slipped a low effort past Soria to help Barca put one hand on the trophy.
“Marcus, in the second half, he came on and used the space they gave us,” said Flick.
“I’m happy that we scored this goal for the team and also for him.”
Getafe goalkeeper Soria acknowledged Barca were clinical enough to clinch victory.
“They were very efficient, you give away two chances, and they score them both,” he said.
“It’s a shame to have gone in behind at half-time because it puts you in a difficult spot.”
Real Madrid could close gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to six points on Friday, three weeks shy of a Clasico meeting.
Who: Real Betis vs Real Madrid What: Spanish La Liga Where: Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla in Seville, Spain When: Friday at 9pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Real Madrid will continue their pursuit of league leaders Barcelona when they travel to Real Betis on Friday, but the record La Liga winners know that any slip-up now will be terminal for their hopes of lifting silverware this season.
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Barca play at Getafe on Saturday but only narrowly beat Celta Vigo on Wednesday to respond to Real’s latest win a day earlier.
It has been a turbulent season for Los Blancos on and off the field, but they are still fighting. Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at their latest fixture.
How is the La Liga race between Real Madrid and Barcelona looking?
Barcelona are nine points clear of Real after their 1-0 win against Celta Vigo.
The two Spanish giants have been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, where they both stood as favourites.
The quarterfinal exits for both came as a shock and leave all focus now on the La Liga race, which has only six rounds of matches remaining.
What is Real Madrid’s form before the Real Betis match?
Real’s season has lurched from bad to worse. Their run of 13 wins from the first 14 games of the season under new coach Xabi Alonso is a distant memory.
Barcelona have long since held a grip on the La Liga title, which has been strengthened by Los Blancos winning just one of their last three league matches.
Back-to-back La Liga defeats in March at Osasuna and at home to Getafe handed Barca full control of the league although a run of three wins thereafter kept them on the Catalans’ tails.
There is little doubt, though, that no further points can be dropped from this point forward for the Madrid giants.
Including the Champions League defeats by Bayern Munich, Real’s 2-1 win against Alaves on Tuesday was their first win in five matches, a run that saw them lose three games.
Will Real Madrid play Barcelona again in a Clasico this season?
One of the hopes that Real are clinging to in the final six games of the La Liga season is that they do still have to play Barcelona in a Clasico.
The match on May 10 at Barcelona will offer the chance to trim their rivals lead, if only by three points. Three further rounds of La Liga matches will follow that game.
What happened the last time Real Madrid played Real Betis?
Real Madrid stormed to a 5-1 home win in their previous La Liga meeting this season with Gonzalo Garcia netting a hat-trick in the fixture on January 4.
Raul Asencio and Fran Garcia were also on the scoresheet while Cucho Hernandez scored a consolation goal midway through the second half for Betis.
What happened in the corresponding La Liga fixture last season?
Betis came from behind to win 2-1 at home against Real Madrid in this fixture last season.
Brahim Diaz had given Los Blancos the lead, but Johnny Cardoso and Isco, with a penalty against his former club, turned the game.
Head-to-head
This will be the 143rd meeting between the sides with Real winning 78 of the matches while Real Betis have emerged victorious on 32 occasions.
Real Betis team news
Betis have former Manchester United winger Antony back from a one-match suspension.
Junior Firpo misses out with a knock, but Diego Llorente and Angel Ortiz are still in with a chance of featuring despite ankle and muscle problems, respectively.
Real’s faint hopes of overhauling Barcelona in La Liga suffered a further blow on Thursday with both Eder Militao and Arda Guler ruled out for the rest of the season.
Brazilian defender Militao has a left thigh injury while Turkish attacking midfielder Guler is sidelined with a right thigh problem, the club said.
For now, neither Militao, 28, nor 21-year-old Guler is considered at risk of missing the World Cup finals.
Yamal’s unhappiness at the end of the match against Atletico Madrid was over missed scoring opportunities, Flick says.
Published On 5 Apr 20265 Apr 2026
Lamine Yamal’s apparent anger at the end of Barcelona’s win over Atletico Madrid stemmed from his inability to score a goal during the crucial La Liga fixture and was not linked to any off-field incidents, says the Catalan club’s manager, Hansi Flick.
The Spanish forward was visibly unhappy in the closing moments of the closely fought match in Madrid and did not celebrate with teammates when Robert Lewandowski scored the winner in the 87th minute on Saturday.
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“He was a little bit angry,” La Liga leaders’ head coach, Flick, told reporters after the match.
The 18-year-old hit the post with a dinked effort after Fermin Lopez laid the ball off to him during the first half in a tense battle on the pitch.
A few minutes earlier, Yamal displayed great control, skill and vision to receive a ball in his own half, nutmeg an Atletico player and provide an open pass for Lopez in front of goal, but the 22-year-old failed to convert it into a goal.
“He [Yamal] gave it his all but was unlucky when it came to scoring or providing the final pass,” the German coach said.
“In the end, everything is fine.
“Of course, he has emotion. This was the game, with emotion, but he’s in the dressing room, and everything is good.”
Lewandowski’s dramatic late winner was celebrated by the Barcelona players on the pitch and bench, but Yamal looked subdued as he trudged on the pitch by himself.
Once the referee blew the full-time whistle, Yamal walked past Flick, who tried to placate his star player, and the two exchanged a few words before the forward headed back towards the dressing room.
Flick said Yamal’s reaction, or lack of it, was not “because of how he played, he played good”, and elaborated on his star player’s exasperation. “At the moment, he does not have this fortune that he scores the goals, but it can come back.”
Yamal has been at the centre of an Islamophobia controversy in Spanish football after he slammed anti-Muslim chants during his national team’s friendly match against Egypt in Barcelona on Tuesday.
At the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of La Liga club Espanyol, Spanish supporters chanted “Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim” during the World Cup warm-up match, which ended in a goalless draw.
It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid’s Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior in particular repeatedly racially abused.
Yamal is a Muslim player whose father moved from Morocco to Spain. He issued a damning statement on Instagram in the wake of the controversy.
“I am a Muslim. Yesterday at the stadium the chant ‘the one who doesn’t jump is the Muslim’ was heard,” he posted on Instagram in the aftermath of the match.
“I know I was playing for the rival team and it wasn’t something personal against me, but as a Muslim person it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.”
Yamal and Barcelona will return to action against the same opposition on Tuesday, as they host the fourth-ranked Spanish team in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal at the Camp Nou.
The fixture will provide another opportunity for the young player to add to his goal tally of 19 this season. He has scored 14 goals in La Liga and five in European competition.
“We have three days now to prepare for the next match,” Flick said when asked about the upcoming fixture.
“It’s a very important one, and he [Yamal] will be in a better mood than after the game.”
Barcelona move seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of Spanish football’s La Liga after beating Atletico 2-1.
Published On 4 Apr 20264 Apr 2026
Robert Lewandowski shouldered home a dramatic late winner for Barcelona as they edged Atletico Madrid 2-1 to move seven points clear at the top of La Liga after Real Madrid slipped up.
Second-placed Real were beaten 2-1 at Mallorca earlier on Saturday, and Barca capitalised at the Metropolitano stadium to take a big step towards defending the league title.
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Marcus Rashford pulled Barca level after Giuliano Simeone opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half.
Atletico midfielder Nico Gonzalez was sent off just before the break, and his team dug deep with 10 men to try and avoid defeat, which they almost managed.
Veteran Polish striker Lewandowski had other ideas and used his shoulder to deflect home a rebound from point-blank range after 87 minutes.
With little left to play for in La Liga, Atletico coach Diego Simeone rotated heavily, with Wednesday’s visit to Camp Nou in mind.
His Barca counterpart, Hansi Flick, opted for Dani Olmo as a false nine to rest Lewandowski, while starting Rashford in place of the injured Raphinha on the left wing.
The England international, on loan from Manchester United, tested Juan Musso early on with a free-kick, which the goalkeeper fielded comfortably.
At the other end, Antoine Griezmann, playing for Atletico for the first time since announcing his departure at the end of the season to MLS side Orlando City, was profligate.
The forward skipped into the box and cleverly nutmegged Gerard Martin, but his shot was too close to Barca stopper Joan Garcia to trouble the new Spain international.
Fermin Lopez was similarly wasteful at the other end, unable to find Rashford, who had a clear sight of goal, and prodding wide himself when Lamine Yamal sent him scuttling through with a sensational pass.
Barca’s 18-year-old star Yamal hit the post with a dinked effort after Lopez laid the ball off to him as the game flowed from end to end.
Atletico took the lead in the 39th minute through Giuliano Simeone, the coach’s son, bursting in behind Barca’s high defensive line onto Clement Lenglet’s pass and slamming past Garcia.
The visitors pulled level just three minutes later, Rashford exchanging passes with Olmo and drilling past Musso on only his third league start since January.
Atletico were reduced to 10 men just before half-time, when Gonzalez scythed down Yamal on the edge of the box as he ran towards goal.
Barcelona defender Martin was dismissed early in the second half as he thumped the ball away, but then clattered Thiago Almada with a high foot. However, after a VAR review, the red card was revoked, much to Atletico’s fury.
Barca substitute Ferran Torres, without a goal since January, was twice thwarted by Musso as the visitors probed for a winner but struggled to make their numerical advantage count.
Eventually, their winner came when Joao Cancelo cut his way into the penalty area, and his cross-shot was pushed out by Musso, only for wily striker Lewandowski to knock it home with his shoulder.
Who: Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona What: Spanish football’s La Liga Where: Metropolitano Stadium When: Saturday, April 5, at 9pm (19:00 GMT). How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Barcelona winger Raphinha’s untimely injury heaps further pressure on teenage star Lamine Yamal ahead of the club’s triple-header against Atletico Madrid.
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The Spanish champions visit Atletico on Saturday as they bid to maintain or even extend their lead at the top of La Liga, before two further games against Diego Simeone’s team in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Barca have already faced Atletico three times this season, beating them in La Liga in December but falling in the Copa del Rey semifinal over two legs.
Without Raphinha, out with a hamstring injury until May, the onus will be on 18-year-old winger Yamal to provide the magic Barca need to proceed on two fronts in the approaching, inevitably intense battles with Atletico.
Yamal played for Spain this week in a goalless draw against Egypt in Cornella at Espanyol’s stadium, which was notable for Islamophobic chanting from the home supporters that the teenager, a Muslim, condemned.
“To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist,” wrote Yamal on social media.
Yamal has shown maturity beyond his years since bursting onto the scene as a 15-year-old, including starring for Spain as they won Euro 2024 and blossoming further still as Barca claimed a domestic treble last season.
The youngster, often compared to another graduate from Barca’s La Masia youth academy, Lionel Messi, seems to save his best performances for the biggest occasions.
Yamal netted six times for Barca in his last seven matches across all competitions, and the Catalan giants will hope he can continue that form into the final phase of the season.
He admitted in February that he has not been happy this season, in part due to a long-running groin injury, but lately feels better.
“I have that desire to smile on the pitch that I haven’t had for a long time, and I’m very happy, now I’m happy playing,” said Yamal after scoring the first hat-trick of his career, against Villarreal.
In recent weeks, Barca have been dependent on the forward in attack and goalkeeper Joan Garcia at the other end.
Strikers Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have struggled for consistent form, while Marcus Rashford has fallen somewhat out of favour.
Raphinha’s injury opens the door for the England international, on loan from Manchester United, to start on the left again.
Yamal’s pressing and off-the-ball work is an excellent example for Rashford, who despite his strong contribution in terms of assists, sometimes lacks the relentless energy and focus Hansi Flick wants from his forwards.
Simeone’s Atletico, fourth by a distance from fifth-place Real Betis, have little to play for in the league but will want to build momentum before Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg at Camp Nou.
The La Liga showdown is a preview of the series in the Champions League quarterfinals between the Spanish clubs.
It will be the first of three games between Barcelona and Atletico in 10 days. The Spanish rivals will face each other five times in less than two months. They also met in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey in February and March, when Atletico advanced to the final 4-3 on aggregate.
The Champions League games will be on Wednesday in Barcelona and on April 14 in Madrid. Barcelona is looking to make it to the Champions League semifinals for the second season in a row, and Atletico is seeking to get back to the last four for the first time since 2017.
Stat attack – Barcelona
25.3 – The average age of the Barca squad is the youngest in the league: 25.3.
What happened the last time Atletico Madrid faced Barcelona?
Barcelona were 3-0 winners in the last meeting between the sides, the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal in March.
The first leg, however, was won 4-0 by Atletico.
What happened in the last La Liga meeting?
Barcelona were 3-1 winners in the reverse fixture in the league earlier this season.
What happened in the corresponding fixture last season?
Barcelona were 4-2 winners in the La Liga fixture at Atletico, despite the home side taking a two-goal lead.
Robert Lewandowski began the Barca comeback with his side’s first goal, which came in the 72nd minute.
Head-to-head
This will be the 252nd meeting between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, with Atletico winning 80 times and Barca claiming the spoils in 114 of the meetings.
Atletico Madrid team news
Marcos Llorente and Johnny Cardoso are both suspended for the match. Pablo Barrios and Rodrigo Mendoza have thigh and ankle injuries, respectively, and will also miss out.
Barcelona team news
As well as Raphinha, Barca are also likely to be without Frenkie de Jong at the weekend, but Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde may be able to return after injury.
Who: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid What: La Liga Where: Santiago Bernabeau, Madrid, Spain When: Sunday, March 22 at 9pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Madrid host rivals Atletico on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu, aiming to stay in touch with champions Barcelona, who currently hold a four-point lead.
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Los Blancos will be seven points off the summit if Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano earlier on Sunday.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid side dispatched Manchester City in the Champions League last 16 with two victories after entering the tie as underdogs, and it could be a turning point for a season hobbled by inconsistency.
Before the win over City, Madrid had faltered with back-to-back league defeats to Osasuna and Getafe.
Madrid will be seeking some vengeance for the 5-2 drubbing Atletico dealt them in their first league meeting at Metropolitano Stadium in September and will be hoping that Atletico’s main focus is on cup competitions – their main chances of silverware this season.
A top-four spot is virtually guaranteed for Atletico, who sit third in La Liga – 13 points clear of fifth place Real Betis.
Atletico – who will play Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final – are also into the last eight of the Champions League after overcoming Tottenham Hotspur.
Last up for Madrid
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr scored twice as the Spanish side eased into the Champions League quarterfinals, beating 10-man Manchester City 2-1 at Etihad Stadium to complete a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Vinicius put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute, after the VAR judged Bernardo Silva to have handled his shot on the line, a decision that also reduced City to 10 men and made an already daunting task seemingly impossible.
Pep Guardiola’s City were not waving the white flag, however, and Erling Haaland levelled in the 41st minute when he tapped in a pass from Jeremy Doku from close range.
City’s Doku and Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Vinicius had second-half goals chalked off before Vinicius completed his brace with the last kick of the game from the edge of the 6-yard box in the 93rd minute.
Vinicius’s goals were an answer to the Premier League team’s fans mocking him with a banner last season, referring to Rodri beating the Brazilian to the Ballon d’Or.
“Football is good for that, it always gives you another chance,” said Vinicius.
Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring the opening goal against City on Wednesday [Paul Ellis/AFP]
Arbeloa basks in ‘happiness and joy’ of win
Madrid march into the quarterfinals to face Barcelona after defeating City.
“It was a really tough tie against a team like this who have such talent,” Arbeloa after the game. “There’s happiness, there’s joy because of the performance and this continues.”
Asked about beating Guardiola, Arbeloa deflected praise to his players.
“I wouldn’t dare to say I can beat Pep Guardiola in terms of a tactical way, he’s an elite coach, he’s won thousands of trophies in his career, and what we’ve won is a tie,” he said. “I believe [the players] deserve the recognition for the work they put in.”
Last up for Atletico
Atletico Madrid held off Tottenham’s bid for an epic Champions League escape as they reached the quarterfinals despite a 3-2 defeat in the last-16 second leg on Wednesday.
Diego Simeone’s side trailed three times in north London but they did just enough to go through 7-5 on aggregate.
Randal Kolo Muani put Tottenham ahead in the first half before Julian Alvarez levelled immediately after the break.
Xavi Simons netted to give spirited Tottenham a glimmer of hope, but David Hancko’s equaliser extinguished any chance of an incredible comeback.
Simons’ stoppage-time penalty came too late for Tottenham to complete their mission impossible.
Alvarez scores against Spurs [David Klein/Reuters]
Numbers speak for themselves, says Simeone
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said the “numbers speak for themselves” after guiding his side into the Champions League quarterfinals for the eighth time in 13 seasons.
“Sometimes you don’t need to say anything, the numbers speak for themselves,” Simeone told reporters.
“It’s a moment to be happy as a club, as a team, with the joy of our fans, who will celebrate this step towards the quarterfinals.
“When you get here, the road will be tough, as in previous situations where we reached the final.”
Head-to-head
Real Madrid and Atletico have locked horns on 242 occasions, with Real Madrid winning 124 matches, Atletico winning 60, and 58 games ending as draws.
Atletico thrashed Madrid 5-2 when the clubs last met in La Liga in September 2025.
Indeed, Atletico are unbeaten in their last six league games against Madrid, with four of those games finishing in draws, and they have only lost one of their last eight games in La Liga against their rivals.
Their last encounter in any competition was a Spanish Super Cup semifinal in January, which Madrid won 2-1 courtesy of goals from Federico Valverde and Rodrygo.
Real Madrid’s team news
Kylian Mbappe made his return from a knee injury as a substitute in the second leg against City and is set to start up front alongside Vinicius Jr.
Madrid’s biggest absence may be goalkeeper Thibault Courtois, who will be out for about six weeks after picking up a muscle injury against City in midweek. Andriy Lunin is set to deputise for the big Belgian in goal.
Eder Militao, Dani Ceballos, and Rodrygo have also been ruled out with injuries. However, Alvaro Carreras, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba and Raul Asencio could all be available after recovering from their issues.
Jude Bellingham is back in full training after recovering from a hamstring injury and may make the bench.
Pablo Barrios and Rodrigo Mendoza are unavailable due to injuries, and goalkeeper Jan Oblak is a major doubt due to a hip problem, with Juan Musso likely to start between the sticks.
Defender Marc Pubill is also a doubt as rib pain caused him to miss out on the midweek game against Spurs, as well as a call-up to the Spanish national team for the upcoming international break.
Federico Valverde scores his fifth goal in three games as Real Madrid beat Elche to move one point behind Barcelona.
Published On 14 Mar 202614 Mar 2026
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Federico Valverde hit the back of the net, and the headlines, once again for Real Madrid as they beat Elche 4-1 in La Liga, but it was Arda Guler’s last-gasp strike from inside his own half that captured imaginations.
Midfielder Valvrder netted his fifth goal in three games for Los Blancos, having scored a hat-trick in midweek against Manchester City, with a curling effort from the edge of the box just before half-time on Saturday.
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It doubled his side’s lead after Antonio Rudiger volleyed home the opener in the 39th minute, following a scramble in the box from a Real corner.
Dean Huijsen was the unlikely player furthest forward to head home Real’s third in the 66th minute, but the defender was left unmarked in the box, where he remained after another corner that Elche had effectively failed to clear.
Even a late own goal by Manuel Angel could not dampen Los Blancos’ spirits, especially when Arda Guler went on to net what will surely be the goal of the season from inside his own half.
The 21-year-old Turkey midfielder spotted Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro off his line and didn’t hesitate to launch a long lob with his left foot that sailed over the hapless ’keeper and bounced once before settling into the net.
The Santiago Bernabeu stadium erupted in applause for the memorable goal that came with the victory beyond doubt in the 89th minute.
Güler joined Madrid from Fenerbache in 2023. He has scored four goals this season, when he has gained more playing time after the exit of veteran Luka Modric.
The win moves Real to within a point of leaders Barcelona, who can restore their four-point advantage when they play Sevilla on Sunday.
The game had been a nervy affair at Bernabeu Stadium until Rudiger’s opener settled the Madrid crowd.
The victory marks a third straight win for Real, who had lost two on the bounce in the league prior to the current run, and parted company with their coach Xabi Alonso in January.
Interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa, also a former Real player, could not have asked for a better week, with one of the best performances of the season produced in Wednesday’s win against City in the UEFA Champions League.
Arbeloa’s side take a 3-0 advantage to Manchester for the return leg on Tuesday, and with the La Liga race tightening, what was looking like a nightmare season could still end with the two most coveted titles for Madrid.
Elche, who were promoted to La Liga last season, remain mired in a relegation scrap, just a point above third-bottom Mallorca, who entertain Espanyol on Sunday.
Who: Real Madrid vs Elche What: Spanish football’s La Liga Where: Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain When: Saturday, March 14 at 9pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow:Al Jazeera Sport’s live coverage begins at 17:00 GMT
After stuttering and spluttering in Spain’s La Liga of late, Real Madrid stormed back into life with a resounding win in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
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Now the record La Liga winners return their focus on catching league leaders, and defending champions, Barcelona, in the Spanish top flight.
Elche arrive in Madrid with major concerns of their own, sitting one place above the relegation zone.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the game.
How is Real Madrid and Barcelona’s La Liga title race looking?
Barcelona are four points clear of Real, having both played 27 matches. Barca have won 22 of their matches and lost four, while Real have lost that same number but have only won 20, drawing two more games than their rivals.
Barcelona entertain 14th-placed Seville on Sunday, meaning Real can cut the lead to just a point if they beat Elche.
How have Real Madrid fared in La Liga this season?
The turbulent time that marked the end of Xabi Alonso’s spell as Real manager appeared to return in recent weeks, with Los Blancos losing two on the bounce in La Liga for the first time this season.
With a tricky trip to Celta Vigo following the defeats by Osasuna and Getafe, Real’s title challenge appeared on the line.
A 2-1 win in Vigo, thanks to goals from Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, last Friday cut Barca’s lead at the top to only a point, only for the Catalan club to restore their advantage with a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Los Blancos had won 13 of their opening 14 games in all competitions this season, only dropping points in the 5-2 defeat in the Madrid derby at Atletico.
The two wins in eight that followed set the tone for the remainder of Alonso’s time in charge, even five wins on the bounce thereafter couldn’t save the former Real midfielder from the chop, with the end coming following the Spanish Super Cup final 3-2 defeat by Barcelona.
Interim head coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, endured a torrid start – with a humiliating 3-2 defeat at Albacete in the Copa del Rey, but won the next five league games on the bounce to renew hope of catching Barcelona.
How have Elche fared in La Liga this season?
Elche were unbeaten in their opening seven games of the season, all in the league, winning four.
A seven-match winless run followed in La Liga, plunging the Alicante-based club into the relegation scrap.
Their latest winless run stretches to 11 matches – 10 in La Liga – with seven defeats in that time and only four league points snared.
Eder Sarabia’s side are now just one point and one place above the bottom three and are the only side in the competition yet to win away from home this season – losing nine of their 13 games on the road.
Last up for Real Madrid
Real’s season was given a welcome boost in midweek with a resounding 3-0 win against Manchester City – led by former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola – in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie.
Valverde, who netted the winner last weekend in Vigo, scored a first-half hat-trick to hand Los Blancos a significant advantage heading to Manchester for the return fixture.
Last up for Elche
Elche were defeated 2-1 at Villarreal in La Liga last Sunday, in what was their fifth consecutive defeat on their travels.
The last four of those came in the league, while the run began with their Copa del Rey exit at Real Betis.
Leo Petrot had given Elche the lead in the 58th minute, but a double from Chimy Avila turned the game.
Stat attack – Elche
Elche are yet to keep a clean sheet on their travels in the league this season. In the 13 games on the road, they have conceded 26 goals – but, on a more optimistic note, they have managed to score in all but two of those games.
What happened the last time Real Madrid played Elche?
Elche secured a valuable point in a 2-2 draw in the reverse match against Real in La Liga this season.
Aleix Febas and Alvaro Rodriguez twice gave the home side the lead, the latter netting in the 84th minute, but Dean Huijsen and Jude Bellingham twice levelled for Los Blancos, before Victor Chust was sent off for the home side in injury time.
What happened the last time Elche entertained Real Madrid?
Real were 3-0 winners in this fixture in October 2022, with Federico Valverde, Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio netting the goals.
Los Blancos took the reverse fixture 4-0 in February 2023.
When did Elche last beat Real Madrid?
It has been a long wait for Elche to come away with the spoils in this fixture, with their last win – a 3-1 victory – coming in 1978.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 54 times, with Real winning 35 of the encounters. Elche have emerged victorious on six occasions.
All six of Elche’s victories have come at home.
Real Madrid team news
Kylian Mbappe’s absence remains Real’s major frustration, but the French striker heads a long list of absentees.
Ferland Mendy is a major doubt, having been forced off in the victory against Manchester City due to injury.
The defender could join Mbappe, Eder Militao, Jude Bellingham, Dani Ceballos and Rodrygo on the sidelines
Franco Mastantuono is suspended for the game, but Alvaro Carreras and David Alaba are both close to shaking off calf injuries.
Elche team news
Hector Fort, who is on loan from Barcelona, is out with a shoulder injury.
Pedro Bigas and John Donald are both injury doubts and face late fitness tests.
