Why Barcelona Will Win La Liga 2025-26 and Real Madrid and Atletico Won't

In every La Liga season but one since 2012-13, the top three spots have been claimed by Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona, in one order or another.

There's no suggestion it will go any other way in 2025-26, especially with Girona dropping off considerably since the club's surprising march to third two seasons ago.

Despite the significant narrowing down of possibilities, it's still a tricky task to call which side will take the Spanish top flight's grand prize in the upcoming season. 

There's a strong case to be made for each of the capital clubs and the Catalan side, but it's the latter who will just about inch ahead of their opponents to claim the La Liga spoils. 

Want to know why? Read on to find out why Barcelona will win La Liga and Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid won't. 

Why Atletico Madrid Won't Win the Title

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In a blind pick, Atletico would always be trailing behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in the battle for Spanish football supremacy. 

But you can never count out Diego Simeone's side. Los Rojiblancos will not let the possibility of claiming their 12th La Liga trophy go without a serious, perhaps bloody, fight. 

While there has been little in the way of blockbuster signings coming through the doors of the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, you could practically craft a new starting XI with the arrivals.

It's that strength in depth that serves Atletico so well, with players battling for positional favor and desperately trying to prove they deserve it on the pitch. That commitment to the cause is a necessity under Simeone.

That can only get a team so far, though. Julian Alvarez should build on an impressive first season, and the arrival of Álex Baena from Villarreal gives the squad a potent attacking weapon in the final third. But a lack of real quality harms Los Rojiblancos.

They simply don't have enough to close the gap on their rivals. 

Why Real Madrid Won't Win the Title

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The arrival of Xabi Alonso in the managerial hotseat is certainly intriguing and exciting, and how he sets Los Blancos up tactically this season will be fascinating to watch. 

The club's former midfield metronome worked miracles at Bayer Leverkusen, delivering the club's first-ever Bundesliga trophy in 2023-24 and leading Die Werkself to only their second DFB Pokal title in the same season.

While he won't have to turn water into wine in Madrid, he'll have to balance a squad full of huge stars with egos to match, and that might be just as challenging.

The task became too tall for a managerial great like Carlo Ancelotti, who couldn't quite arrange the puzzle in the right way in his final season at the club. Whether Alonso can put the pieces in place will be key to Los Blancos' prospects.

Arrivals have been focused on defense rather than attack for the most part, but it's not entirely clear how Trent Alexander-Arnold will be utilized.

While predominantly a right-back with Liverpool, he often drifted into midfield areas. Alonso might see similarities between himself in his prime and the lad from Merseyside. The Spaniard could take advantage of those ball-playing abilities and trust the 26-year-old to unlock the attacking riches in front of him in a slightly more central role.

The period of transition will hamper the club this season. It took Alonso a little time to figure out his best setup at Leverkusen. While the tools at his disposal are better, that doesn't necessarily mean he can craft something as stunning in a shorter space of time. 

Why Barcelona Will Win the Title

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The major criticism about Barcelona last season is that La Blaugrana should have grabbed more silverware.

That might seem an unusual stick to poke them with, considering they won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España. But they were phenomenal, and a Champions League trophy should have rounded off an incredible campaign.

Unfortunately, it didn't. But at least that's now a serious goal they can aim for this season.

Hansi Flick took no time to settle in Catalonia, similarly to how quickly he made himself at home in the Bayern Munich dugout in his first (not even complete) season as head coach.

Now he'll be aiming for a clean sweep, and he's got everything he needs to do so.

Both Raphinha and Lamine Yamal were outstanding in 2024-25, and Robert Lewandowski continued to defy Father Time with 42 goals in all competitions. 

Add to that impressive defensive solidity and a midfield with remarkable talent throughout, and it's easy to see Barcelona matching (or even bettering) their achievements in the upcoming campaign.

Even a backdrop of drama in the club's financial and administrative departments hasn't seemed to affect them. 

The lack of major new arrivals might come back to haunt Barcelona, but considering the quality already bursting through the club's seams, that shouldn't be a problem. 

The players appear settled, comfortable, and totally confident in each other's incredible abilities. That's a scary prospect for everyone else.

It's Barça's title to lose, in more ways than one.