The La Liga Matchday 21 is moving towards exciting matchups. This Matchday 21 puts several teams’ rankings at stake. Mainly, the competition between Real Madrid and Barcelona is so close in the standings. Particularly, Barcelona has previously lost a four-point lead in Matchday 20 to Real Sociedad. Now, they must secure a win to keep their rankings intact. Even a draw could cause them to lose their position. On the other hand, Real Madrid is in good form, but their disjointed playmaking causes moments of confusion at times. Apart from that, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid share the same points in the table, prompting both teams to win. Lastly, Alaves, Levante, and Oviedo are fighting hard to escape relegation. For the upcoming Matchday 21, the predictions and expert picks are out. Let’s take a look at it. Get regular La Liga news and other buzz from Bettingpremier.
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La Liga Previous Matchday Highlights
Barcelona’s Fall
Barcelona had a disappointing failure at the hands of Real Sociedad. It was completely unexpected and surprising to see Barcelona fall at the hands of Real Sociedad. Real Sociedad scored twice with excellent execution. While Barcelona remained dominant in playmaking, only Marcus Rashford was able to score. Most of the shots from Barcelona were nullified, given Real Sociedad’s strong defense. Ultimately, Real Sociedad took another lead after Barcelona’s lead in the 71st minute and won the game. If you are into football games and major tournaments, click here.
Real Madrid’s Clean Sheet
Real Madrid keeps its four-game winning streak in the current game. They made back-to-back shots, especially with Kylian Mbappe’s agility. They dominated Levante in possession and passes. Levante rarely had the time to create and execute chances. In the end, Real Madrid scored twice while nullifying Levante’s shots.
Villarreal’s Surprise Loss
Despite ranking in the top four, Villarreal lost to Real Betis. Their speed and coordination went poor, and they lost a costly chance to climb up the ladder. Real Betis managed to hold most of the possession on their side. They also excelled in shots and playmaking, leading to a clean sheet win against Villarreal. This defeat was unbearable to Villarreal fans, seeing their decline in quality. Click here to see every major sports’ news and sensational buzz.
La Liga Odds and Predictions for Matchday 21
Levante vs Elche
This Levante vs Elche clash will occur at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia at 03:00 p.m. ET. This La Liga game is scheduled to occur on 23 January 2026.
Standings
Levante is ranked 19th in the current league standings.
Elche is ranked 8th in the La Liga standings.
Prediction
Elche is currently making good progress this season despite being newly promoted. For a newly promoted team, an 8th position in the table is way better. Just like Elche, Levante is also a newly promoted team. But their performance remains underwhelming as they barely managed to win this season. Due to poor possession rates and pace, they lost nearly 11 games. Their form is also not consistent. But Elche has a more stable quality and winning performance. They have won around five games and drawn 9 games. This is significantly better when compared with Levante’s record. Elche also has a solid defense with a positive goal differential. But Levante is poor at defending, as they have conceded a significant number of goals. It is very much obvious that they will struggle against Elche’s offensive overload. So, Elche’s win is guaranteed in this game against Levante.
Villarreal vs Real Madrid
Villarreal and Real Madrid are facing each other in the upcoming La Liga Matchday 21. This game will start at 03:00 p.m. ET at Ceramics Stadium on 24 January 2026.
Standings
Villarreal is ranked third in the current La Liga standings.
Real Madrid is second in the current season standings.
Prediction
Villarreal’s previous game was a tremendous failure against Real Betis. In that game, Villarreal’s performance was absolutely underwhelming. They lost most of their possessions to Real Betis. They also fail to deliver consistently as they have lost twice in their last five games. Under Marcelino García Toral, Villarreal’s offense is tactical but learns it the hard way. Their 4-4-2 formation allows them to pass quickly in between games and employs aggressive tracking. In contrast, Real Madrid brings a solid offensive side. Their scoring ability is elite, and their defense is strong. Under Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid’s strategy is too strong to disrupt. However, the internal turmoil might be an active concern for them. But players like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo will maintain possession for most of their games. Therefore, Real Madrid has the winning edge against Villarreal in this La Liga game.
Atletico Madrid vs Mallorca
Atletico Madrid will visit Mallorca on 25 January 2026. This La Liga game will begin at Riyadh Air Metropolitano. This Spanish La Liga game will begin at 08:00 a.m. ET.
Standings
Atletico Madrid ranks in 4th place in the La Liga standings.
Mallorca stands at 15th spot in the standings.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid has a strong formation with a compact defensive structure. Their offense utilizes quick passing and vertical passing. Atletico Madrid’s high-intensity pressing allows them to pressure their opponents and increases their possession. Their defense is among the best in Europe. Key Players like Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann add a substantial strength to their offense. They might create excellent chances and execute goals more often. Conversely, Mallorca ranks significantly lower than Atletico Madrid. Their quality is mildly inferior to that of Atletico Madrid. They have been underwhelming in performance for the past five games. Mallorca often concedes goals after losing possession. They have a good capability to win over top-half teams. But compared to Atletico Madrid, Mallorca’s quality has declined. So, there is no chance that Mallorca will outscore Atletico Madrid. Hence, Atletico Madrid is predicted to win in the Spanish La Liga game.
Barcelona vs Real Oviedo
Barcelona and Real Oviedo are playing in the current La Liga game on 25 January 2026. This La Liga game will start at 10:15 a.m. ET at Camp Nou Stadium.
Standings
Barcelona ranks first, leading the La Liga standings.
Real Oviedo is suffering at the 20th spot in the current season standings.
Prediction
Barcelona absolutely leads the current La Liga season. They are at the top of the table with 49 points and are more consistent in the table. However, their last match was a failure. They lost their game against Real Sociedad, failing to execute the shots. But their squad depth is a positive factor indeed. Players like Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, and Robert Lewandowski are some of the best offensive players on the team. Moreover, Barcelona has the highest goals scored in the league. So, they have a solid winning chance this time. Real Oviedo, in contrast, literally ranks last in the La Liga standings. They got only two wins this campaign. They are also winless in the last five games. Starkly contrasting against Barcelona, Real Oviedo’s form will suffer in the upcoming game. Therefore, Barcelona is the favorite to win in the upcoming game.
Alaves vs Real Betis
Alaves will welcome Real Betis on 25 January 2026. This Spanish La Liga game will start at 03:00 p.m. ET at Mendizorrotza Stadium, giving a home advantage for Alaves.
Standings
Alaves is in 18th position in the standings.
Real Betis ranks 6th in the current standings.
Prediction
Real Betis is far better than Alaves and brings its solid quality to this game. With 32 points in the table, Real Betis comes with a solid background. In terms of scoring, Real Betis have a strong offensive form. They have a good scoring efficiency, scoring 33 goals in the season overall. Unlike Real Betis, Alaves has an irregular form, and they have not been performing really well. They often struggle to maintain their possession under pressure. Defensively, their team lacks the coordination to block opponents’ aggression. They remain winless in their last five games, and they are struggling to get out of the relegation zone. Their team dynamics are exactly opposite to Real Betis. Hence, Real Betis has a solid winning probability in this match against Alaves.
Real Sociedad vs Celta Vigo
Celta Vigo will visit Real Sociedad at Anoeta Stadium on 25 January 2026. This Spanish La Liga game will start at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Standings
Real Sociedad is in 9th place in the current La Liga standings.
Celta Vigo is 7th in the current season standings.
Prediction
Real Sociedad has recently beaten Barcelona. In that game, their possession was relatively low, but they used the chances more wisely. Regarding head-to-head games, their last meeting was a tie against Celta Vigo. Celta Vigo is also a strong side, winning 8 games and drawing 8 games. Considering their last five games, Celta Vigo has never lost once. Despite being similar in quality, Celta Vigo has a slightly solid form. Based on their consistency, it is apparent that Real Sociedad won’t make it against Celta Vigo. So, Celta Vigo will win this time.