This years La Liga title race has been full of turns and surprises, and on Saturday the two top sides, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, meet in the Camp Nou in what promises to be one of the most spectacular showdowns in Spanish football history.
If Barcelona win, they will retain the title thanks to a superior head-to-head record, and that will make it nine times that they have won the Liga crown on the final day. If Atleti win or draw, they will win it for the first time since 1996.
Atleti are limping into this match as the battle for domestic and European honors has worn out Diego Simeone’s side. Atletico have already played 59 games this season and they have eight players who have played over 4000 minutes already. Can Simeone get his team up for two more games (this and the Champions League final?).
Meanwhile for For Barça, this has been a season marred by its mediocrity, yet they stand on the cusp of another trophy. There will be a big overhaul at Barcelona, and this could well be the last hurrah for the core of the side that has dominated Spain and Europe since 2009.
Will the experience of Barca pull them through to another famous win, or will the fairy tale season of Atleti continue. My heart says Atleti gets the point they need on Saturday, while my head expects one more masterful performance from Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.