As we begin 2026, and as Spanish football returns, there are so many storylines to look out for over the next few months. Here we take a look at five things to keep an eye on over the second half of the season, which could have implications for the second half of 2026 too. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
Villarreal CF’s title chances
As things stand, FC Barcelona lead the 2025/26 LALIGA EA SPORTS table and Real Madrid sit in second place. But, Villarreal CF are very much in the mix as well. El Submarino Amarillo are currently 11 points off first place, but they have two games in hand. If Marcelino’s men win those and cut the gap to Barça to five points, it really could be a dramatic three-way title race. Even if Villarreal CF fall off in the latter stages, it looks like FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will push each other all the way. So, stay tuned!
The relegation threat facing Valencia CF
At the other end of the table, the relegation battle promises to be as fascinating as ever. Real Oviedo and Levante UD, two of the newly promoted sides, currently occupy the bottom two positions, while Valencia CF sit in the third relegation spot. Could Los Che suffer relegation, returning to the second tier for the first time since the 1986/87 season? With no wins in five matchdays, relegation is a real possibility for the historic club, in this always competition division.
The race for Europe
The European race could be especially interesting this season, with teams like RCD Espanyol and even newly promoted Elche CF in the mix. It remains to be seen if LALIGA EA SPORTS will gain a fifth Champions League spot, as it did last year, with this depending on teams’ performances in UEFA competitions this season. Either way, the race for Champions League qualification will be thrilling, as will the battle to qualify for the Europa League and Conference League. Just seven points separate sixth-placed Real Betis from 10th-placed Getafe CF, so a lot can still change in this part of the table.
Mbappé’s pursuit of another Pichichi Trophy
Kylian Mbappé’s goalscoring rate has been one of the top storylines of the first half of the season, and it’ll be fascinating to see how many goals the French forward ends up with. He currently has 18 LALIGA EA SPORTS goals from 18 appearances, and 29 total goals for the season. He is on pace to net 36 league goals this term, a tally not achieved since Lionel Messi in 2018/19. At the same time, Mbappé is fighting to win another European Golden Shoe, as he did last season, and is competing against Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland for that honour.
The promotion push of historic clubs
There is also so much to look forward to in LALIGA HYPERMOTION, where Real Racing Club lead the way and hold a three-point advantage in the race for automatic promotion. The club from Santander haven’t played at LALIGA EA SPORTS level since 2011/12, so promotion would be a seismic event for the city and region of Cantabria. Other historic clubs are also chasing a long-awaited promotion, with CD Castellón currently fourth and looking to return to the top tier for the first time since 1990/91, while RC Deportivo are fifth and trying to get back to the division they last competed in back in 2017/18.
