La Liga Fixtures 2017: Schedule, Live Stream and Week 26 Predictions

A lack of consistent form among La Liga's big guns has left the Spanish title race wide open leading into Week 26 of the 2016-17 campaign, with Barcelona leading Real Madrid by just a single point.

Barca are in the strongest vein of form among Spain's heaviest hitters, and they'll be hoping to keep their one-point lead intact after they play host to Celta Vigo on Saturday evening.

Manager Luis Enrique's side have played one game more than second-placed Real, who were forced to fight back from 3-1 down to snatch a point at home to Las Palmas on Wednesday. Los Blancos travel to in-form Eibar on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, have just two days of rest before they welcome Valencia to the Vicente Calderon, having been forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Deportivo La Coruna on Thursday.

Read on for a breakdown of La Liga's Week 26 schedule, complete with all the essential viewing information, predictions and previews of the weekend's most enticing fixtures.

Date	Time	Prediction
Friday, March 3	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	Real Betis 1-2 Real Sociedad
Saturday, March 4	12 p.m. GMT/7 a.m. ET	Leganes 1-1 Granada
Saturday, March 4	3:15 p.m. GMT/10:15 a.m. ET	Eibar 2-2 Real Madrid
Saturday, March 4	5:30 p.m./12:30 p.m.	Villarreal 2-1 Espanyol
Saturday, March 4	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	Barcelona 3-1 Celta Vigo
Sunday, March 5	11 a.m. GMT/ 6 a.m. ET	Sporting Gijon 0-0 Deportivo La Coruna
Sunday, March 5	3:15 p.m. GMT/10:15 a.m. ET	Atletico Madrid 2-1 Valencia
Sunday, March 5	5:30 p.m./12:30 p.m.	Las Palmas 2-0 Osasuna
Sunday, March 5	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Malaga
Monday, March 6	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	Alaves 1-3 Sevilla

Viewers in the United States can live-stream matches via beIN Sports Connect and fuboTV, while audiences in the United Kingdom can use the Sky Go app to tune into the action.

Atletico Madrid vs. Valencia

Although Atletico's La Liga title hopes already looked to be gone, a 1-1 draw from their trip to Deportivo on Thursday saw them slip further out of contention. They are now 11 points off the summit in fourth spot.

The result marked the extension of a worrying streak for manager Diego Simeone's side, per Squawka, and even the visit of 13th-placed Valencia on Sunday could be a concern for the capital club:

Los Che have salvaged some pride in La Liga of late, going from league laughing stock to some semblance of their former selves, as illustrated by the division's official Twitter account:

However, Valencia's form away from home continues to suffer, and manager Voro hasn't seen his men emerge victorious in their last three trips away from the Mestalla Stadium.

Atletico striker Antoine Griezmann showed his class in grabbing an equaliser at Depor on Thursday, and while Los Rojiblancos have the quality to see off Valencia, it may not be by the big margin some might expect.

Prediction: Atletico Madrid 2-1 Valencia

Eibar vs. Real Madrid

Real Madrid would have suffered a second defeat in three matches on Wednesday evening were it not for the late heroics of Cristiano Ronaldo, who inspired his team to snatch a 3-3 draw late on at home to Las Palmas.

With just one win in their last three games and confidence somewhat lacking, it could be the individual brilliance of Ronaldo becomes more of a factor as the season rages on, and the Portuguese has a sterling record of scoring to uphold:

Eibar will be no pushovers, though, after losing just once in their last seven fixtures, and the Guardian's Sid Lowe recently spoke highly of the club's approach to football—despite its reputation—via Euan McTear of Marca:

One gets the sense that if Valencia can defeat Los Blancos at home as they did a little more than a week ago, Eibar—who have scored 18 goals in their last seven games—have it in them to accomplish a similar feat.

Of course, you can never bet against Real Madrid to not clinch some form of result, but it may not be the one they're seeking against an Eibar team thriving on the attacking talents of Sergi Enrich and Pedro Leon.

Prediction: Eibar 2-2 Real Madrid