Barcelona enters the decisive phase of the Spanish league with a four-point advantage over Real Madrid, in a race that seems complicated until the final rounds due to the strength of the remaining matches for both teams.

The Spanish newspaper 'Mundo Deportivo' reported that Barcelona, despite its lead in the standings, still faces tough matches, most notably hosting one of the capital's giants Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid, in addition to visiting Getafe's stadium, where they have not won since 2019.

In statements following the victory over Rayo Vallecano, Pedri confirmed that the team feels exhausted after the Champions League matches but emphasized the need to continue collecting points without excuses, noting that the countdown to securing the title has begun with nine rounds remaining.

Despite the points lead, Barcelona suffers from losing the head-to-head advantage after a 2-1 defeat at Santiago Bernabeu, which is the first criterion for breaking ties, while goal difference comes second, with the Catalan team currently leading with +50 compared to +37 for their rival.

After the break, coach Hans Flick's team will visit the Metropolitano stadium, before continuing the series of tough matches, facing Getafe, Osasuna, Alaves, and Valencia away, with Valencia hosting the final round of the season.

The Getafe match is one of the major challenges, as Barcelona has not won there since 2019, recording three goalless draws, a 1-1 draw, and a one-goal defeat since then. They will also host Espanyol, Celta Vigo, and Real Betis at home, along with the top matches.

On the other hand, Real Madrid will play away matches against Real Mallorca, Real Betis, Espanyol, Barcelona, and Sevilla, while hosting Girona, Alaves, and Oviedo, before concluding the season against Athletic Bilbao.

The report also noted that reaching 73 points at this stage of the season is not new for Barcelona, as it has happened on six previous occasions, with the team winning the league title each time. If the team manages to win all its remaining matches, it will finish the season with 100 points, enhancing its chances to reclaim the title despite the tough competition until the end.