On the day Barcelona’s title hopes ended with a 2-1 home loss to Celta, Luis Suarez scored his 20th goal of the season to keep Atletico top of La Liga.
Reminder: Barcelona let Luis Suarez leave for $7M last summer.
The curtains will finally fall on what has been one of the most closely contested title races in the recent history of La Liga on Saturday. Current holders Real Madrid will need to pick up all three points when they face off against Villarreal at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Saturday, while hoping that leaders Atletico Madrid drop points against Real Valladolid as the battle for the title goes down to the wire.
Atletico Madrid could claim their 11th Laliga title and their second under Diego Simeone. The Argentine could become the third coach to win two titles in the competition for the club, after Ricardo Zamora (1939/40 and 1940/41) and Helenio Herrera (1949/50 and 1950/51).
Under Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid have won 89% of their meetings with Valladolid in Laliga (8/9). Only against Elche and Las Palmas (100%) and Osasuna (91%) have they recorded a higher win percentage in the competition under the Argentine coach than against the Pucelanos (minimum five games played).
Atletico Madrid have won four of their last five Laliga away games against Real Valladolid, with the only exception coming in their visit to Jose Zorrilla (0-0 in October 2019). They had not won any of their previous seven such away games against them before this spell.
The hosts are likely to remain without their entire first choice back four as Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos and Rafael Varane are all out, while Ferland Mendy is unlikely to feature. Toni Kroos is out with coronavirus and Lucas Vazquez remains injured.
The visitors have doubts over Juan Foyth and Samu Chukweze, while Vicente Iborra has been out for the majority of the season with a ligament injury.
Real Madrid have not lost any of their last 17 matches in La Liga (W12 D5).
Villarreal have lost 70% of their away games against Real Madrid in La Liga (P20 W1 D5 L14).
Real Madrid have won only two of their last seven meetings with Villarreal in the Spanish top-flight (D4 L1), with both of those coming at home.
Villarreal have won each of their last two league games and have kept a clean sheet each time. The last time they won three in a row without conceding was in June 2020.
Real Madrid have scored at least two goals in five of their last six home matches in La Liga.