La Liga is nearing its final matchdays, and fans are at the height of excitement as major storylines emerge. Besides the title race, contract expiry, and transfer rumors are some other factors that intrigue fans. In addition, the managerial drama in Real Madrid is getting heated up amid a UCL loss and Copa del Rey exit. After all, the upcoming La Liga matchdays are what keep the fans hooked. Teams at the relegation risk could jump to the safe zone, or the top standings might change. Let’s see what the Spanish La Liga Matchday 33 brings us. Here we have given a detailed La Liga prediction for a few selected matches. It also includes a schedule and other highlights.
Real Madrid is on a 4-game winless streak, with the most recent UCL exit. In the previous matchday, Girona drew with Real Madrid, upsetting the hosts. Both teams’ goalkeepers did an excellent job, saving the most crucial goals. Real Madrid, however, kept the possession high, but couldn’t outscore Girona. This draw further widened the gap between the leading Barca and trailing Real Madrid in the standings to 9 points.
Barcelona vs Espanyol (4-1)
Barcelona gave one of the tense yet cathartic games in the previous match day against Espanyol. Ferran Torres gave a massive comeback after missing an open goal. He scored a brace and set the pace for the rest of the game. Espanyol’s Pol Lozano scored in the 56th minute, only to concede two more goals. Yamal and Rashford scored back-to-back, finishing the game dominantly.
Barcelona Eyes Vedat Muriqi, Replacing Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski’s contract expires soon, prompting the Catalan club to look for another striker. They are in talks to acquire the Atlético Madrid star Julian Alvarez, following the UCL and Copa del Rey exits. However, they are considering Vedat Muriqi as an appropriate backup choice if the Argentine refuses. However, Lewandowski’s departure will leave a significant void despite the presence of Yamal and Torres.
La Liga Matchday 33 Schedule
Athletic Club vs Osasuna
Date: 21 April 2026
Time: 10:30 PM IST | 01:00 PM EDT
Venue: San Mamés Stadium
Mallorca vs Valencia
Date: 21 April 2026
Time: 10:30 PM IST | 01:00 PM EDT
Venue: Iberostar Stadium
Real Madrid vs Alavés
Date: 21 April 2026
Time: 01:00 AM IST (Next Day) | 03:30 PM EDT
Venue: Bernabéu Stadium
Girona vs Real Betis
Date: 21 April 2026
Time: 01:00 AM IST (Next Day) | 03:30 PM EDT
Venue: Montilivi Stadium
Elche vs Atlético Madrid
Date: 22 April 2026
Time: 10:30 PM IST | 01:00 PM EDT
Venue: Manuel Martínez Valero
Real Sociedad vs Getafe
Date: 22 April 2026
Time: 11:30 PM IST | 02:00 PM EDT
Venue: Reale Arena
Barcelona vs Celta Vigo
Date: 22 April 2026
Time: 01:00 AM IST (Next Day) | 03:30 PM EDT
Venue: Camp Nou
Levante vs Sevilla
Date: 23 April 2026
Time: 10:30 PM IST | 01:00 PM EDT
Venue: Ciudad de Valencia
Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol
Date: 23 April 2026
Time: 11:30 PM IST | 02:00 PM EDT
Venue: Estadio de Vallecas
Real Oviedo vs Villarreal
Date: 23 April 2026
Time: 01:00 AM IST (Next Day) | 03:30 PM EDT
Venue: Carlos Tartiere Stadium
La Liga Expert Picks for Matchday 33
Real Madrid vs Alavés Prediction
Real Madrid’s Expected Lineup (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper
Lunin
Defense
Carvajal, Militão, Alaba, García
Midfield
Valverde, Tchouaméni, Bellingham, Díaz
Attack
Vinicius, Mbappé
Alavés’s Expected Lineup (5-2-3)
Goalkeeper
Sivera
Defense
Tenaglia, Parada, Blanco, Guridi, Aleñá
Midfield
Ibáñez, Martínez
Attack
Pérez, Otto, Diabaté
Preview
Real Madrid is in a critical phase, and the new manager is on the brink of getting sacked. Having no wins in 4 consecutive matches, including three defeats, has put a lot of weight on the Whites. Coming into the La Liga Matchday 33 fixture, Real Madrid will bring their 4-4-2 formation, flexible to switch to 4-3-3. Their recent game against Bayern Munich was good overall. They scored thrice against the Reds despite losing. This is a good sign after their poor performance against Mallorca and Girona. Alavés, on the other hand, is at risk of getting relegated, and the margin is not high either. They have decent midfield play and chance-making. But their coordination will suffer against Real Madrid’s strong transitions and offensive movement. Alavés is also defensively unwhelming in their recent matches. Given Alavés’s inferior form, Real Madrid will have the winning opportunity.
The Pick: Real Madrid.
Girona vs Real Betis Prediction
Girona Expected Lineup (4-1-4-1)
Goalkeeper
Gazzaniga
Defense
Martínez, Francés, Reis, Moreno
Midfield
Tsygankov, Martín, Lemar, Ounahi, Witsel
Attack
Echeverri
Real Betis Expected Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper
Vallés
Defense
Bellerín, Llorente, Natan, Gómez
Midfield
Amrabat, Altimira, Fornals, Ezzalzouli, Ruibal
Attack
Hernández
Preview
Girona is recently off a draw against Real Madrid. But still, their form takes a step back as they struggle with possessions. Real Madrid’s shots and transitions suffocated Girona, highlighting their defensive vulnerabilities. Under Manuel Pellegrini, Real Betis enjoys a strong season, ranked 5th in the La Liga standings. Their 11-13-7 record shows their moderate stability in the mid-table. They recently lost the Europa League Quarter-Final, exiting the league. They have a higher number of draws and are tougher to beat. Due to their better form, Real Betis is predicted to win in this La Liga clash.
The Pick: Real Betis.
Elche vs Atlético Madrid Prediction
Elche CF (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper
Dituro
Defense
Sangaré, Affengruber, Pétrot, Valera
Midfield
Morente, Febas, Villar, Silva
Attack
Neto, Mir
Atlético Madrid (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper
Musso
Defense
Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri
Midfield
Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman
Attack
Griezmann, Álvarez
Preview
Elche is far beyond repair and needs an urgent revival. As a newly promoted team, Elche had lost 13 games, while winning only 7. Technically, Elche’s defense is moderately poor, conceding a significant number of goals. Ranking 18th in the league, Elche brings a poor form to face Atlético Madrid. In contrast, Atlético Madrid is strong with a UCL qualification, beating Barcelona. They have a far better quality and depth, often dominating the midfield with their rapid transitions. As an elite club, Atlético Madrid is extremely strong in comparison. Therefore, Atlético Madrid is favored to win in this La Liga game.
The Pick: Atlético Madrid.
Barcelona vs Celta Vigo Prediction
FC Barcelona (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper
García
Defense
Araújo, Cubarsí, Martín, Balde
Midfield
Yamal, Eric, Pedri, Gavi, López
Attack
Ferran
RC Celta de Vigo (3-4-3)
Goalkeeper
Radu
Defense
Aidoo, Núñez, Alonso
Midfield
Rueda, Carreira, , Vecino, López
Attack
Antañón, Durán, Swedberg
Preview
After getting knocked out of the UCL Quarter-Final, Barcelona is looking to bounce back by winning. Their last La Liga game was a dominant win over Espanyol. Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Robert Lewandowski are the top strengths in the team. Their presence brings in a substantial number of goals. Conversely, Celta Vigo is in a difficult phase, losing the Europa League to SC Freiburg. Recently, they lost to Real Oviedo without goals. But still, they maintained most of the possession, but lacked a clear finish. Comparatively, Barcelona is in a better position to win this La Liga fixture.
The Pick: Barcelona.
Real Oviedo vs Villarreal Prediction
Real Oviedo (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper
Escandell
Defense
Vidal, Bailly, Calvo, Fonseca
Midfield
Chaira, Sibo, Reina
Attack
López, Fernández, Viñas
Villarreal CF (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper
Júnior
Defense
Veiga, Mouriño, Navarro, Cardona
Midfield
Gueye, Buchanan, González, Comesaña
Attack
Oluwaseyi, Moreno
Preview
Real Oviedo recently won over Celta Vigo with a dominant clean sheet. As a league’s last-ranked team, Real Oviedo is showing occasional brilliance. However, they have the worst defense in the league. Their -24 goal differential highlights how often they concede. Conversely, Villarreal comes as one of the elites in the league. They rank third in the standings, with 19 wins, 4 draws, and 8 losses. Technically, they are stronger than Real Oviedo with rapid transitions and build-up attacks. So, Villarreal is the favorite to win in this La Liga fixture.
Conclusion
The La Liga Matchday 33 is bringing plenty of storylines and expectations ahead. Transfer rumors, on one hand, are making teams’ future unpredictable. On the other hand, the title race pressures the teams to race before it’s too late. Additionally, the league’s top scorers are having their own competition for individual stats. Nevertheless, Matchday 33 will have obvious moments of drama both on and off the field.