LALIGA TITLE RACE LIKELY GO DOWN TO THE WIRE - LUIS GARCIA

By Amiril Muttaqien Meketar

KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 (Bernama) -- The race for the Spanish football top flight, LaLiga, is expected to remain wide open until the final weeks of the season, with no clear frontrunner in sight, says former FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid player Luis Garcia.

Garcia believed that the championship may only be decided in the last two or three matches, as top two teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid, still continue to face tight schedules, European competitions, and increasing fatigue among key players.

bootstrap slideshow

“We're going to see very exciting games and I don't think we're going to see a big favourite until the last two or three games,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview ahead of the EA FC 25 Tournament Beat the Best grand final, here, Saturday.

After 30 matches, Barcelona is currently at the top of the league with 67 points followed by Real Madrid (63 points) while Atletico Madrid made up the top three teams (60 points).

Even though many thought that the Catalans are the favourites to clinch their 28th LaLiga title, but the ex-Spain international said The Galacticos have been consistent in picking up results, even without playing their best football.

The former UEFA Champions League winner who played for Liverpool during the 2004/2005 season also noted the importance of the upcoming El Clasico, calling it a fixture between Barcelona and Real Madrid on May 11, saying that could shift momentum for either side.

“We've got El Clasico that is coming very soon and you know that it's always special. You never know what is going to happen because we've seen it so many times,” he said.

Despite recent eliminations from both the Champions League and Copa del Rey, the 46-year-old said Atletico Madrid should not be ruled out entirely from the LaLiga title race.

The newly-appointed Johor Darul Ta’zim chief executive officer remained confident that the team will respond positively and attempt to close the gap at the top of the LaLiga table.

On the EA FC 25 Tournament Beat the Best, Garcia said the inaugural event is one of the initiatives to give a little bit back to all the support that LaLiga receive from the passionate fans here in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, LaLiga delegate in Malaysia, Adrian Prol said they are delighted to host the event in the country as it is a unique experience that combines video games, football lovers, technology and entertainment.

The grand final, which featured top 16 players from the online tournament, will be held here, tomorrow, with the champion stand a chance to win a cash prize of RM2,500 and a trip to Spain to experience LaLiga firsthand.

-- BERNAMA