Madrid Faces Key La Liga Test in Round 20
Written by Black Hot Fire Network Team on January 17, 2026
La Liga enters round 20 this weekend with Barcelona aiming to retain their lead at the top of the table. Barcelona currently holds 49 points from 19 games, four points ahead of Real Madrid. Villarreal is in third place with 41 points, followed by Atletico Madrid and Espanyol. Levante and Oviedo are at the bottom with 14 and 13 points, respectively, facing a difficult battle to remain in La Liga.
Real Madrid vs Levante
Real Madrid, coming off two consecutive defeats, will play Levante at home under the guidance of their new coach, Alvaro Arbeloa. They need a win to close the gap with Barcelona. Real Madrid won the previous encounter 4-1 and have not lost to Levante since 2021. A victory would leave them only one point behind the league leaders. The match is scheduled for Saturday at 4 PM. The prediction is for Real Madrid to win.
Betis vs Villarreal
Betis, in sixth place with 29 points, will host Villarreal, who are third with 41 points. The last five meetings between these teams have produced a total of 18 goals. Villarreal has the fewest goals conceded this far into the season, tied with Atletico Madrid. The teams drew 2-2 in their previous encounter in October, with an Antony double for Betis. Villarreal has won their last two games, while Betis has only lost once in their last five outings. The match is scheduled for Saturday at 11 PM. The prediction is for over 2.5 goals.
Atletico Madrid vs Alaves
Atletico Madrid, in third place, is seeking a fourth consecutive La Liga game without defeat as they host 16th-placed Alaves at the Wanda Metropolitano. Alaves is only two points above the relegation zone and has lost four of their last five away matches. Atletico has failed to defeat Alaves in their last two attempts. The match is scheduled for Sunday at 6:15 PM. The prediction is for Atletico Madrid to win.
Real Sociedad vs Barcelona
La Liga leaders Barcelona will travel to Real Sociedad, aiming to extend their 11-match winning streak. Sociedad is unbeaten in their last five matches and qualified for the next round of the Copa del Rey after defeating Osasuna on penalties. Barcelona defeated Racing Santander 2-0. Jules Kounde and Robert Lewandowski scored for Barcelona in their 2-1 victory over Sociedad in the reverse fixture last year. The match is scheduled for Sunday at 11 PM. The prediction is for both teams to score.
