The La Liga top spot has changed hands for two consecutive weeks. Real Madrid's loss has exposed deep-rooted issues, while Barcelona's victory has brought them back to the summit.

In the 25th round of La Liga, the leader Real Madrid played first but suffered a 1-2 away defeat to Osasuna. This allowed Barcelona to see the opportunity to return to first place once again. The Blaugrana performed impressively, beating Levante 3-0 at home with goals from Bernar, De Jong, and Fermin. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona experienced contrasting results over these two rounds — one win and one loss each. Real Madrid only held the top spot for a week before Barcelona took it back.

After 25 rounds, Real Madrid stands second with 19 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses, totaling 60 points, while Barcelona leads with 20 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses, totaling 61 points. The two teams are separated by just one point. Barcelona lost the top spot after their last La Liga defeat, but with Real Madrid’s loss this round, Barcelona has regained first place. Considering the current form of both teams, Barcelona has regained the edge in the title race. Both teams have defensive weaknesses, but Barcelona scores significantly more goals, making them the favorite to win La Liga this season.

Real Madrid’s problem lies in an unbalanced squad. Looking at the positioning of Vinicius Jr. and Mbappé, both are essentially left wingers. Adding Rodrygo, also a left winger, and Bellingham, who prefers the left side, results in overlapping positions. This overlap makes the squad unbalanced and weakens their overall strength. Real Madrid needs a new world-class midfielder to boost creativity; otherwise, this season is likely to end empty-handed again, struggling behind Barcelona in La Liga and falling short in the Champions League.