FCBARCELONA.CAT

21.03.2007 17:48

The most open league in the last five years

With only 11 league games left, the season is now heading into the home straight. This season the league championships is one of the most open title races in the last 5 years with only 6 points separating the first four teams.

After the break for the international games, the league championship will head into the decisive home stretch and it promises to be one of the most exciting finishes in recent seasons. It has been 5 years since the top four teams reached this stage of the season with so little to separate them. It demonstrates how evenly balanced the Spanish league is this season.

Season 2001-02

To find a similar situation we have to go back to the season 2001-2002. After 27 weeks there were a total of seven teams separated by only five points. València, Real Madrid, Betis, Deportivo, Barça, Celta and Athletic Bilbao (in descending order).
All teams had aspirations, not only Champions League qualification, but also of claiming the league title itself.

On that occasion it was Valencia that eventually emerged champions with Deportivo, Real Madrid and Barça earning the other Champions League spots.

Leaders up to the end

In four out of the last five season the teams in first position after 27 weeks finished as champions: València in 2001-02, Real Madrid in 2002-03 and Barça in the last two seasons. The only exception was Real Madrid in the season 2003-2004 when it was Valencia who came from behind in the closing weeks of the season to claim the title.

Evenly-balanced

Apart from the four top teams there are two other teams who are still in contention at the top end of the table - Real Zaragoza and Atletico Madrid. Zaragoza have still to face the top four teams while Atletico have only Barça left to play out of the teams above them.