Primera
2021-2022|
Real Madrid
|
Barcelona
|
Atletico Madrid
|
Sevilla
|
Real Betis
|
Real Sociedad
|
Villarreal
|
Athletic Club
|
Valencia
|
Osasuna
|
Celta Vigo
|
Espanyol
|
Rayo Vallecano
|
Elche
|
Getafe
|
Mallorca
|
Cadiz
|
Granada CF
|
Levante
|
Alaves
|
||
| 1 | Real Madrid | 0–4 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 5–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 6–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 6–0 | 3–0 | |
| 2 | Barcelona | 1–2 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | |
| 3 | Atletico Madrid | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 | |
| 4 | Sevilla | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–3 | 2–2 | |
| 5 | Real Betis | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | |
| 6 | Real Sociedad | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| 7 | Villarreal | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 5–2 | |
| 8 | Athletic Club | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | |
| 9 | Valencia | 1–2 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | |
| 10 | Osasuna | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | |
| 11 | Celta Vigo | 1–2 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | |
| 12 | Espanyol | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–3 | 1–0 | |
| 13 | Rayo Vallecano | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | |
| 14 | Elche | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | |
| 15 | Getafe | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | |
| 16 | Mallorca | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–6 | 1–0 | 2–1 | |
| 17 | Cadiz | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | |
| 18 | Granada CF | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | |
| 19 | Levante | 3–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–4 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | |
| 20 | Alaves | 1–4 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 |
| Player | Club | Position | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
La Liga is Spain's elite football championship. The first tournament took place in 1929. 34 times the tournament was won by Real Madrid - the best result in the tournament. The reigning champion is Atlético Madrid. The first La Liga tournament was won by Barcelona. Now let’s consider the format of the championship, the standings, the list of teams and the number of matches in the season.
Participants in La Liga
20 teams from 14 cities play in the Spanish Football Championship. Each season, 3 new members are promoted from the second division to La Liga.
The full list of the participants in the 2021/2022 La Liga season is as follows:
- Alavés
- Athletic Club Bilbao
- Atlético Madrid
- Barcelona
- Valencia
- Villarreal
- Granada
- Cádiz
- Levante
- Mallorca
- Osasuna
- Rayo Vallecano
- Real Betis
- Real Madrid
- Real Sociedad
- Sevilla
- Celta
- Getafe
- Elche
- Espanyol
If compared with the 2020/2021 season, three changes have occurred in the standings. Eibar, Real Valladolid and Huesca left the elite group. Their places in La Liga were taken by Espanyol, Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano. The first two teams returned to the elite division after one season. It took Rayo Vallecano two seasons.
Tournament policy
La Liga, like most European football tournaments, is held according to the "autumn-spring" system. In the regular season, teams play two circles, playing with each opponent at a home field and in a road game. In total, the tournament schedule includes 38 rounds with 10 matches each. In total, the clubs play 380 matches during the season. The 2021/2022 season will take place from 13 August 2021 to 22 May 2022.
The tournament champion is determined by the highest number of points scored in the season. A three-point system is applied in each game: the winner scores three points, the loser scores zero, and in case of a draw the teams score one point. Based on the results of 38 rounds, all the points scored are summed up, and the final standings are drawn up. In case of equality of points, the position of the team is determined by additional indicators. The criteria are arranged in descending order:
- the number of points scored in head-to-head duels;
- head-to-head goal difference;
- goal difference in all matches of the season;
- the number of goals scored in the championship.
If teams are equal by all criteria, a play-off match is appointed. The winner of the match is ranked higher.
La Liga clubs fight for the championship, participation in European competitions and preservation of their positions. Six clubs from the Spanish championship advance to European competitions. The champion and three other clubs receive a direct ticket to the Champions League. The fifth club goes directly to the Europa League, and the sixth team starts from the Conference League qualification play-off stage. The 18-20 teams from the standings are relegated based on the results of all matches.
Favourites and outsiders
The fight for the championship title in Spain is between three top clubs. Since the 1984/1985 season, the championship title has been played by Barcelona and Real Madrid. From time to time, Atlético Madrid joins the fight. In addition to these three clubs, Deportivo and Valencia have won La Liga once since the 1984/1985 season. In the 2021/2022 season, there is no clear contender to win the tournament. Barcelona and Real Madrid were left without their leaders, and Atlético does not always have enough stability to fight even with weakened grandees.
Sevilla was also among the contenders to win the tournament. Last season, Sevilla was in the leading group for a long time, but at the end of the season it won only two victories in five rounds and finished the season on the fourth line. Sevilla is a contender for the title, but it needs to do its best and wait for a weak game from the main contenders for the trophy.
The main contender for relegation to Segunda is Elche. The team managed to preserve its position only in the final round of last season. Both newcomers Rayo Vallecano and Mallorca got into the group of outsiders. Espanyol, Levante, Cadiz and Getafe are at risk.
Transfers
Predictions for the Spanish La Liga would be incomplete without taking into account line-up changes. In the summer of 2021, a number of star players left the Spanish championship. The top of the most important exit transfers is as follows:
- Lionel Messi, Junior Firpo - Barcelona;
- Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Martin Ødegaard - Real Madrid;
- Bryan Gil - Sevilla;
- Ramón Miérez - Deportivo.
In total, La Liga clubs have earned €177 million from player transfers.
The departure of the main stars of the championship was partially compensated by entry transfers. In total, the clubs spent €251 million. Among the main newcomers of the league, it is worth highlighting:
- Rodrigo de Paul, Matheus Cunha, Marcos Paulo - Atlético Madrid;
- Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia - Barcelona;
- David Alaba - Real Madrid;
- Rafa Mir, Gonzalo Montiel - Sevilla;
- Arnaut Groeneveld, Juan Foyth - Villarreal;
- Jakub Jankto - Getafe.
The total value of the players in the Spanish La Liga clubs is €4.95 billion. Main news of the league, player stats, transfer changes are available on the official La Liga website, club websites and social media accounts.
Betting trends
In the 2021/2022 season, there will be an intense struggle for the title of top scorer. The last five seasons, the award was won by Lionel Messi. Now he's gone. Among the main contenders for the award are Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, Barcelona's Sergio Aguero, Atlético's Luis Suárez. The Swede Alexander Isak has not the worst chances to compete for the award.
Since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, the performance in La Liga has been on the decline. In the 2020/2021 season, it was 2.51 goals per game, and in the 2016/2017 season it was 2.94. With the departure of Lionel Messi, we can expect an even less scoring season. The highest-scoring teams of last season are Barcelona, Atlético and Real Madrid. Getafe, Elche and Alaves scored the fewest number of goals.
