La Liga Finale is Finally Here

By: Daryl | June 16th, 2007

Real Beckham La Liga finale It’s the insanely exciting title race that’s seen all manner of comebacks and last minute this and thats. It’s the La Liga season that’s seen David Beckham never playing for Madrid again, then playing for Madrid again, then playing for England again and then Madrid wanting him to stay another year. It’s the season that’s seen the Eto’o-Ronaldinho partnership stretched to breaking point, and Leo Messi emulate Diego Maradona not once, but twice. It’s the season that’s seen GolTV commentator Ray Hudson hit new heights of inspired lunacy. And finally it all comest to a head tomorrow night in Spain….

Real Madrid go into the final round of games on top of the Primera with 73 points and a better head to head record against Barca. They need a win at home to Real Mallorca to guarantee the the title and send Beckham and Roberto Carlos into the sunset with a winners medal each. If they lose or draw, they need Barca to lose or draw. Ramon Calderón rather foolishly started the celebrations early last week, though captrain Raul has sensibly restored some humility to Madrid. And with good reason. Mallorca have the best record of any Spanish team at the Bernabeu over the last seven seasons.

Barcelona also have 73 points, but sit in second. You don’t need me to tell you that goal difference is irrelevant because Barca have an inferior head to head record against Madrid, but I did anyway just in case. Barca are away to already relegated Gimnastic, comfortably the Primera’s worst team. They expect to win and will just have to hope that Madrid slip up. Whatever happens, Ronaldinho can finally take a well earned rest at the final whistle, and I’m half-expecting him to just curl up and go to sleep in the center circle as soon as the season is over.

Sevilla are still in with a shout, being just two points behind their more famous competitors. The underdog in me wants to see them do it, but they have an inferior head to head record to Barca and an equal head to head record with Real (though a better goals scored record.) So a Fredi Kanoute-less Sevilla will need to beat Villarreal (who are themselves on a seven game winning streak) and hope that Barca and lose and Madrid draw or lose. Sevilla do have the Copa del Rey final against Getafe to look forward to next weekend though.