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Madrid clubs in thrilling title finish as relegation tension grips Bremen, Koln
Atletico Madrid's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates his goal during the Spanish League football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and CA Osasuna at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on May 16, 2021. The Spanish League gets finished May 22. PHOTO/AFP
What you need to know:
- A draw for Atletico could mean the top two are tied on points but that would see the trophy returned to Real Madrid, who would sneak it on head-to-head.
Barely a week has gone by this season without Diego Simeone saying “one game at a time” and now it really rings true, with Atletico Madrid one match away from winning La Liga.
If they beat Real Valladolid today, they will be crowned champions for the first time since 2014 and few could argue given they will have been top of the table since December. But Real Madrid are lurking, only two points behind, and ready to dip their neck over the line at the last moment.
Real Madrid must win at home against Villarreal to have any chance.
Villarreal are in a three-way battle to finish fifth and sixth, with the team that comes seventh dropping out of the Europa League and into the new and less lucrative Europa Conference League.
A draw for Atletico could mean the top two are tied on points but that would see the trophy returned to Real Madrid, who would sneak it on head-to-head.
Valladolid might have been relegated already had results gone against them last weekend but instead they are still fighting to be the one team out of three that survives.
Huesca and Elche are the others scrapping to finish 17th, with both of them two points ahead of Valladolid, while Eibar is already relegated Eibar and Getafe, who are safe.
Werder Bremen have only ever spent one season outside of the Bundesliga since its formation in 1963 (they were relegated in 1980 but came straight back up), but this is now the second year in a row that they have come dangerously close to the trap door.
Last season, a 6-1 final-day thrashing of already-safe Cologne saw them scrape into the playoff, where they then failed to beat second-division Heidenheim but survived on away goals (0-0, 2-2).
When they host Borussia Mönchengladbach today, they have it all to do; they must win to guarantee safety provided Bielefeld don’t win. Otherwise, Werder will face a second consecutive playoff.
A draw would guarantee safety on goal difference providing Bielefeld lose and Cologne don’t win, but would see Werder in the playoff if Cologne win. A draw would see Werder go straight down if Cologne win and Bielefeld avoid defeat.
However, these battles will not overshadow the Bundesliga’s sensation in Robert Lewandowski, who can break Gerd Muller’s single-season goal record when Bayern play in front of their home fans for the first time since March 2020.
The Poland striker equalled Muller’s record of 40 goals set in 1971/72 last week and will relish his chances as Augsburg visit the Allianz Arena.
