The Champions League is the most prestigious competition in club football, and for next season’s tournament, five La Liga clubs are likely to qualify – as was the case for the current campaign, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Club and Villarreal were involved.
With nine matches to go of the current season, four of the places are all-but sewn up. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villarreal and Atleti occupy the top 4 at this stage, and they are 12 points clear of 5th. However, there are five teams in contention for what is likely to be the final Champions League place, which makes it the ideal time to pick up La Liga tickets on fanatix.
Because of the performances of the La Liga clubs in Europe this season, it is almost certain that a fifth Champions League spot will be heading to Spain for the second year in a row. This gives an extra incentive for those involved: Real Betis, Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad, Getafe and Athletic.
Not too long ago, it had been unlikely that a race for 5th would take place. Betis had been competing alongside Villarreal and Atleti for the top 4, with the rest trailing in their wake. But after trailing to win any of their last five La Liga matches (D3 L2), Manuel Pellegrini’s have been reeled in.
Their closest challengers are Celta. The Galicians have lost some momentum after two defeats in their last three, but they are only three points back from Betis – the caveat is that both clubs are still in the Europa League, so their attention will not be fully on La Liga matters, which plays into the hands of the chasing back.
La Real, Getafe and Athletic are all on 38 points, three behind Celta and six adrift of Betis. Txuri-Urdin are the form team of those involved, as they have had a significant upturn in form since Pellegrino Matarazzo took over as manager at the start of 2026. But they will also have one eye on the Copa del Rey final against Atleti, which could give more opportunities to their competitors.
Getafe are one of the stories of the season, with Jose Bordalas’ side continuing to punch massively above their weight. Three wins in their last four means they are on an upward trajectory of their own, as they seek an historic Champions League qualification for the first time in their history.
As for Athletic, they have had a miserable season, but they have started to show signs of life in recent months. Fuelled by the chance to end Ernesto Valverde’s managerial spell on a high, they could be set for a second Champions League qualification in a row if they manage to keep winning.
