La Liga Title Race: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid Next Five Games After Matchweek 28 | OneFootball

The title race in La Liga continues to be one of the major storylines of European soccer season with a 10-match sprint to the finish line starting when action resumes following the international break.

Elsewhere in Europe's top five leagues, only the Serie A has a title race that compares to the drama currently taking place in La Liga. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, three of the best teams in world soccer, are once again immersed in a hard-fought battle to crown Spain's domestic champion.

On matchweek 28, Kylian Mbappe's brace led Real Madrid to a gutsy comeback win over Villareal to keep the pace at the top. But the most significant result came a day later, as Barcelona came back from a two goal deficit to defeat title rivals Atlético Madrid.

The Catalans remain atop the table, tied on points with Los Blancos but with a better goal difference and a game in hand after the postponement of their clash vs. Osasuna a week ago. Diego Simeone's men completed a nightmarish week where they got knocked out of the Champions League on a penalty shootout vs. Real Madrid and collapsed vs. Barcelona to go four points back of the lead in La Liga.

La Liga Standings

Here's how the next five league games compare for the La Liga title race protagonists following the international break.

Barcelona's Next Five La Liga Fixtures

Barcelona picked up three massive points in the title race vs. Atlético Madrid. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

Hansi Flick's side host Girona on the other side of the international break looking to avoid dropping points to their Catalan neighbors at home for a third season in a row. They will then welcome a Real Betis side that's come alive since the turn of the year, winners of five straight in La Liga including a 2–1 victory over Real Madrid.

Barcelona will then visit relegation candidate Leganés, looking for revenge after falling against them in the reverse fixture. Celta Vigo come to town a week later in what will be a tough out for Barça considering Celta are fighting for European soccer next season.

Three days later, on Apr. 23, another European competition hopeful visits the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, with Mallorca looking to throw a wrench at Barça's title hopes. It's also likely that during the coming weeks information surfaces regarding when Barcelona will play Osasuna in a match that was postponed following the death of first team doctor Carles Miñarro Garcia.

*Barcelona have not announced the rescheduled date of their clash with Osasuna.*

Real Madrid's Next Five La Liga Fixtures

Real Madrid are looking to win consecutive La Liga titles for the first time since 2008. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

Following the international break, Real Madrid has a pair of home games against Leganés and then Valencia. Both teams are immersed in the relegation battle and have fared little to no success at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Leganés having never won there and Valencia's last win there coming in 2008.

Madrid's favorable schedule continues with a visit to Alavés, meaning Los Blancos could comfortably reach 69 points by mid-April. A home bout against Athletic Bilbao on Apr. 20 will be a tough assignment considering Carlo Ancelotti's side fell to Athletic in the reverse fixture and Ernesto Valverde's men are currently only eight points back in the standings.

A trip to visit the always tricky José Bordalas Getafe, where Los Blancos have dropped points twice in the last four seasons, completes the reigning champion's next five game league run.

Atletico Madrid's Next Five La Liga Fixtures

Atlético Madrid hope to win their third La Liga title of the Diego Simeone era. / IMAGO/Maciej Rogowski

Atlético Madrid will hope the time off during the international break helps them heal the wounds of a scarring week that could define their season.

Simeone's men will return to league action on the road in Catalonia against an Espanyol side that has just one win from their last five matches. Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, where Atléti have just one win from their last six visits, will be a must-win game on Apr. 6.

Matches against the current bottom two teams in La Liga follow, with a home clash vs. Real Valladolid and a trip to the Canary Islands to face Las Palmas a week later. Anything other than coming away with six points from these two fixtures will be considered a failure for Los Colchoneros.

Atléti must be on high-alert vs. Rayo Vallecano, who will make the short trip to the Metropolitano on Apr. 23, hoping to remain in contention for the European places in La Liga.