After the preponed of matchday 19 of two key fixtures, the 2024-25 La Liga is back on its regular schedule with matchday 16. The upcoming battle promises intense battles and electrifying moments. The weekend will kickstart with the fight between Celta Viga and Mallorca and wrap up with Getafe and Espanyol. The title race between Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico de Madrid will continue, which makes every point crucial. and teams like Espanyol, Valencia, and Valladolid are in a fierce battle to avoid the relegation zone, adding a layer of tension and drama to the league. Some teams are also hunting for European qualification. Overall, this matchday 16 is set to deliver action-packed drams for all football enthusiasts.
Here is a quick recap of the 2024-25 La Liga matchday 15; the weekend kicked off with Mallorca’s hard-fought victory against 2-1 over Valencia. Round 15 was again a disaster for Barcelona, which lost to Las Palmas. with 2-1. Meanwhile, Alaves and Leganes played to a 1-1 draw, and both teams tried harder to earn but shared the points at the end. On the next day, Espanyol showed a solid performance by defeating Celta Vigo by a margin of two points, showcasing their attacking prowess and capitalizing on scoring opportunities. Atletico Madrid showed a dominant display against Valladolid by securing an impressive 5-0 victory. Another draw match between Villarreal and Girona was 2-2, and Real Madrid continued their strong performance with a 2-0 win over Getafe, which maintained their position at the top of the table.
A 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano showcased Athletic Club’s determination and ability to grind results. Real Sociedad continued their impressive run by defeating Real Betis 2-0, further consolidating their top-flight position. It was clear from this match that Real Sociedad had a disciplined defensive approach and a clinical finishing style. After a 1-1 draw between Sevilla and Osasuna, the weekend ended with a 1-1 draw between the two teams. Both teams showed great effort and tactical awareness in a balanced and competitive match. In the following section, we will discuss the 2024-25 La Liga matchday 16 in depth.
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Celta Vigo vs. Mallorca
On December 7, 2024, Mallorca is making a road trip to compete against Celta Vigo for round 16 of the 2024-25 La Liga showdown.
Championship Won
- Celta de Vigo: 0 La Liga title
- Mallorca: 0 La Liga title
Celta de Vigo heads into this match with a record of five wins, three draws, and seven losses, which placed them in the 12th in the La Liga standings. This season, their offense scored 23 goals with 1.5 points per game. However, the primary issue lies in their defense; they have conceded 27 total goals so far, with 1.8 points conceded per game, which placed them in the bottom third position in the defense table.
While Mallorca sits in sixth place on the table, they are in the Europa Conference League qualifiers zone with seven wins, three draws, and six losses. Over to their offense, they marked 16 total goals with an average of 1.0 points per game, and defensively, they are impressive compared to Celta de Vigo, who conceded 18 total goals with 1.1 average points per game. Therefore, with the recent form and performances, Mallorca will have a higher chance of winning this game.
Las Palmas vs. Valladolid
To move forward their position in the 2024-25 La Liga table, Valladolid is set to face off Las Palmas on matchday 16, December 7, 2024, at Estadio de Gran Canaria (Las Palmas).
Championship Won
- Las Palmas: 0 La Liga title
- Valladolid CF: 0 La Liga title
Las Palmas recently defeated Barcelona by one point, and now they aim to capitalize on their home advantage at the Estadio Gran Canaria. So far, Las Palmas has a strong defensive record at home and has played a key role in Valladolid’s defense against attacks. However, their inconsistency remains a concern that will add an advantage to the opponent’s ability to score and move the game forward.
Meanwhile, although they lost heavily to Atletico Madrid 0-5, Valladolid showed they could do well on the road, combining experienced players and strong starts. They will be looking for weaknesses in Las Palmas’ defense and try to make this game more intense, and they try to escape from the relegation battle. Based on the current performance, Las Palmas is slightly favored to win this round 16 match.
Real Betis Balompié vs. Barcelona
At Estadio Benito Villamarín (Sevilla), Barcelona will compete against Real Betis on December 7, 2024, in the 2024-25 La Liga encounter of matchday 16.
Championship Won
- Real Betis Balompié: 1 La Liga title
- Barcelona: 27 La Liga titles
Finally, Barcelona snapped their three-week disaster performance by defeating Mallorca in the preponed matchday 19 with a dominant score of 5-1. Thanks to Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Frenkie de Jong, and Pau Victor, who showed stellar performances and led the team to victory. This victory created a four-point gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Let’s see what happens, whether Barcelona safeguards its top position or Real Madrid overtakes it. They have a record of 12 wins, one draw, and three losses. This season, they have the best offense by marking 48 total goals with an average of 3.0 points per game. Over to their defense, they have conceded 17 total goals with 1.1 average points per game.
Real Betis suffered their second consecutive defeat against Real Sociedad without scoring a single shot. In the 14th minute of the game, Diego Llorente’s own goal gave the team an early lead; further, they didn’t find the net back, so they ended up in defeat. They are in 11th place for offense, with 16 total goals scored and an average of 1.1 points per game. For defense, they are in the 9th place with 18 total goals conceded, with an average of 1.2 points per game. Looking at Barcenolan’s recent performance, they will likely continue their dominant role in this game and have an edge to win against Real Betis.
Valencia vs. Rayo Vallecano
On December 7, 2024, Valencia will face Rayo Vallecano at Estadio de Mestalla (Valencia) in the highly anticipated 2024-25 La Liga showdown.
Championship Won
- Valencia: 6 La Liga titles
- Rayo Vallecano: 0 La Liga title
Valencia will hope to secure a much-needed victory, given that they are being carried by their home crowd at Mestalla and given a mixed start to the season. A 2-1 loss to Mallorca does show resilience, and they will be keen to tighten up defensively. Rayo Vallecano comes off a 2-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao and has been synonymous with a burning start and performing solidly away from home.
With an experienced squad, they would want to take advantage of any gaps in the Valencia defense. The game is played during a desperate period for both teams, who must accumulate more points to climb up the La Liga table. Valencia will likely win this game because of the home advantage and their recent struggles.
Girona vs. Real Madrid
The defending champion Real Madrid will face Girona in round 16 of La Liga on December 8, 2024, at Estadio Municipal de Montilivi (Girona).
Championship Won
- Girona: 0 La Liga title
- Real Madrid: 35 La Liga titles
Before heading into this matchday 16, Real Madrid will take Athletic Club on December 5, 2024, as part of matchday 19. Currently, they are standing in second place on the La Liga table with ten wins, three draws, and one loss. With their impressive performance, they qualified for the UEFA Champions League Group Stage. Even though their La Liga campaign is improving, the team suffered greatly in their UEFA Champions League campaign. With a total of five games completed, they could win only two and lost three matches, which placed them in 24th place, and with a margin of points, they qualified for the playoff.
Conversely, Girona stands in the middle of the table with six wins, four draws, and five losses. They won three in their last five games, drew one, and lost one match. They are also participating in the UEFA Champions League, and with a total of five games played, they could win only one match and lose four, and they didn’t qualify for the playoff. Based on recent form and predictions, Real Madrid is favored to win their Matchday 16 encounter against Girona.
Leganes vs. Real Sociedad
At Estadio Municipal de Butarque (Leganes), Leganes and Real Sociedad will head-to-head on December 8, 2024, in the La Liga 2024-25 fixture.
Championship Won
- CD Leganés: 0 La Liga title
- Real Sociedad: 2 La Liga titles
This season, Leganes is struggling near the bottom of the table. In this game at their home, they hope to show an outstanding performance, giving them the edge they need. Their inconsistency in attack and defense was a significant concern, making their time challenging. Real Sociedad is enjoying a more comfortable mid-table position, where they have shown a balanced mix of offense and defense.
Despite their solid play, they have mixed results away from home, but their only hope is their offense. Comparing both teams’ performances and recent forms, Real Sociedad will come out top, leveraging their attacking prowess to break down CD Leganes’ defense.
Athletic Club vs. Villarreal
The fourth-place Athletic Club will face fifth-place Villarreal in round 16 of the La Liga encounter on December 8, 2024, at Estadio San Mamés (Bilbao).
Championship Won
- Athletic Club: 8 La Liga titles
- Villarreal: 0 La Liga title
Both teams are tied at 26 points, and the upcoming game’s result will either move Villarreal one step forward or keep them there if Athletic Club wins. In their last match, Athletic Club defeated Rayo Vallecano 2-1. Thanks to Oihan Sancet, who single-handedly dominated the second half of the game and led the team towards success. They had ball possession of 53%, with 12 goal attempts, seven shots on goal, and four shots off goal. Both their offense and defense were impressive this season, which made them show a great play on the ground.
At the same time, Villarreal is standing behind them with a record of seven wins, five draws, and two losses. In round 15, they equalized the game with Girona, scoring 2-2. Thierno Barry took the early lead, and in the second half, Alex Baena shot another goal for Villarreal, but the later dominance from the opponent ended the game in a draw. They had ball possession of 35% with 13 goal attempts, four shots on goal, six shots of goal. This will be a close battle, but with the recent performances, Villarreal will have an edge to win this game.
Osasuna vs. Deportivo Alavés
In the La Liga encounter, the matchday 15 clash between Osasuna and Alaves is scheduled for December 8, 2024, at Estadio El Sadar (Pamplona).
Championship Won
- CA Osasuna: 0 La Liga title
- Deportivo Alavés: 0 La Liga title
Osasuna has impressed with patience and hard work, especially in attacking, where they have key players like Ante Budimir and Raúl García. These key factors have supported the team’s performance this season, from their brilliant defense to many counter-attacks. On the other hand, Deportivo Alavés has had quite a mixed season with some exciting results.
However, it is depleted by some tough losses against more potent competitors. Inconsistency may be a problem for this meeting. Alavés would need to improve the defense and work on grinding results to contend against Osasuna. Considering Alaves’ recent inconsistent performance, the upcoming match will be a triumph for Osasuna.
Atlético de Madrid vs. Sevilla
On December 9, 2024, Atletico de Madrid will compete against Sevilla at Metropolitano Stadium (Madrid) in the forthcoming La Liga 2024-25.
Championship Won
- Atlético de Madrid: 11 La Liga titles
- Sevilla FC: 1 La Liga title
The last four Atletico de Madrid matches have been excellent wins, with clean sheets on all of them. The disciplined defense structure by Jan Oblak, Antoine Griezmann, and Angel Correa, attacking forward, makes them a great opponent. On the other hand, Sevilla has been mixed as it has provided them with promising results and very tough losses. Under the balanced approach of their coach, their recent performance against more brutal sides would be challenging, given this matchup.
Sevilla has to step in minutely to provide tightness in the counterattacking and take advantage of counterattacking against such strong defenses as Atlética. Over to their standing, Atletico de Madrid is in third place with a record of nine wins, five draws, and one only defeat, and Sevilla is in 11th place with five wins, four draws, and six losses. Therefore, Atletico de Madrid has a significant edge in crowning the victory against Sevilla in the upcoming matchday 16.
Getafe vs. Espanyol
Matchday 16 will conclude with the battle between Getafe and Espanyol on December 10, 2024, at the Coliseum (Getafe).
Championship Won
- Getafe: 0 La Liga title
- Espanyol de Barcelona: 0 La Liga title
Both teams will endeavor to claim vital glory in the match to climb the table and possibly avoid the relegation battle. Getafe is a typical defensive team that plays direct-attacking football in its games, so it will try to use home advantage. On the other hand, Espanyol will come into this match seeking redemption, seeking to regain the confidence that has placed them so competitive in the league.
The offensive creation of their team will be crucial in puncturing Getafe’s defense and generating goal-scoring opportunities. This game will be essential; each point will improve their position in the table, so they have to be more serious and show their complete effort on the ground. Given the current form and statistics, Getafe is slightly favored to win this match, but it can also be a 1-1 draw.