If Madrid do clinch the championship on Saturday, it is being reported in the Spanish media that the team will lift the LaLiga trophy immediately after the final whistle, before parading it around the Bernabéu. Title party planned at Bernabéu and Cibeles Real Madrid team news for potential title party vs Espanyol.What’s more, it looks like Espanyol will be lining up against a weakened Madrid team, as injuries, suspensions and next week’s European commitments take their toll on the hosts.
It is, though, worth noting that Vicente Moreno’s side, who sit 13th in the table, nine points clear of the relegation zone, did beat Madrid 2-1 when the sides faced off at the RCDE Stadium in October. This season, Espanyol have managed just one win in 16 away LaLiga games, and have lost four of their last five on the road.
Since that defeat to Espanyol just over a quarter of a century ago, Madrid have recorded 22 wins and three draws in the teams’ 25 meetings in the Spanish capital. Los Pericos last beat Madrid in Madrid back in April 1996, when Jordi Lardín’s double earned a 2-1 win for a team coached by José Antonio Camacho - a man who made over 500 appearances for Real as a player, before going on to manage the club across two spells that lasted a combined five months. So what are the chances of Espanyol making Madrid wait at least another 24 hours? Well, their record at the Bernabéu does little to suggest they’ll do city rivals Barça a favour. Over 25 years since Espanyol’s last win at the Bernabéu they lose to Espanyol, and Barcelona fail to beat Real Mallorca on Sunday.they win or draw against Espanyol on Saturday, or.That leaves Los Nervionenses 14 points adrift, with only 12 more available to them. And, in any case, both scenarios are now no longer possible, as Sevilla drew 1-1 with Cádiz. However, Julen Lopetegui’s side were already out of the title race, as their inferior head-to-head record against Madrid and Barça meant they could not finish top in either a two-way points tie with the former, or a three-way points tie also involving the latter. Sevilla, who for much of the season have been Madrid’s closest challengers, were also 15 points behind with five to play as they headed into their clash with Cádiz on Friday. Given that Barça are now on a run of three straight Camp Nou defeats - the first time this has ever happened to the Catalans within the same season - that’s an eventuality one would be ill-advised to rule out. If Barcelona are to have any hope of overhauling Madrid, they must also win every game they have left - so, even if Los Blancos lose to Espanyol, they will win the league this weekend if Xavi Hernández’s men drop points at home to Real Mallorca on Sunday night. *Data updated to date April 30th, 2022 Real Madrid could be champions this weekend even if they lose