La Liga Standings: A Season-Long Battle

The Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional, commonly known as La Liga, is Spain’s top professional football division. The season unfolds as a relentless competition, where 20 teams vie for the coveted title and qualification for European competitions. Understanding the standings (“klasemen” in Indonesian) is key to following the drama.

How the Standings Work

The La Liga table operates on a simple points system. Teams are awarded:

• 3 points for a win
• 1 point for a draw
• 0 points for a loss

Teams are ranked in descending order of total points accumulated throughout the season. The season typically runs from August/September to May/June, with each team playing every other team twice – once at their home stadium and once at their opponent’s.

Breaking Ties

When two or more teams finish the season with the same number of points, tiebreakers are applied to determine their final ranking. The primary tiebreaker is:

1. Head-to-head record: Points earned in matches played against each other.
2. Head-to-head goal difference: The difference between goals scored and conceded in matches played against each other.
3. Overall goal difference: The difference between goals scored and conceded across all league matches.
4. Total goals scored: The total number of goals scored across all league matches.

If teams are still tied after applying these criteria, a play-off match (or matches) may be considered, although this is rare.

What’s at Stake?

The standings determine more than just the champion. The top teams in La Liga earn spots in prestigious European competitions:

• Top 4: Qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage.
• 5th Place: Qualifies for the UEFA Europa League group stage.
• 6th Place: Potentially qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League, depending on the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) winner. If the Copa del Rey winner has already qualified for Europe through their league position, the Europa Conference League spot goes to the next highest-ranked team in La Liga.

At the bottom of the table, the stakes are equally high. The bottom three teams in the standings are relegated to the Segunda División, Spain’s second-tier league.

Following the Season

Keeping an eye on the La Liga standings throughout the season is crucial for understanding the narrative. Early season form might not be indicative of final results, and teams often experience peaks and troughs. The battle for Champions League qualification and the fight to avoid relegation are usually fiercely contested until the very end. Real Madrid and Barcelona historically dominate, but other clubs like Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, and Real Sociedad are always contenders for top spots, making La Liga one of the most exciting and unpredictable leagues in the world.