La Liga Top 3 Exact Order Odds

2021/22 La Liga and Champions League winners Real Madrid are yet again likely to go on to win the Spanish La Liga.

Much like the 2021/22 season, this top three sees massive La Liga rivals Barcelona as second, though Xavi’s men will be hoping that they will be able to improve upon the 13 point margin. To round out a complete repeat of the 2021/22 season, Atletico could find themselves third again, Diego Simeone’s team only two points adrift of Barcelona.

This particular top three has only occurred five times since the start of the La Liga back in 1929, despite the wealth of success for each side. The first instance of this top three happened back in the 1961/62 season, but is more of a recent phenomenon, with three of the five times coming after 2010 - 2016/17, 2019/20 and 2021/22, making this outcome ever more likely for the 2022/23 season.

Despite a somewhat confusing financial situation, Barcelona have gone big in the summer transfer window, with the acquisitions of Raphinha, Andreas Christensen and Robert Lewandowski amongst many.

This summer strategy could see Barcelona climb back up on the top of the perch for a 27th time. Though predicted top three rivals, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have also brought their fair share in the summer window - Real bringing in the likes of Antonio Rudiger and Atletico acquiring Axel Witsel.

A top three headed by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid has only happened four times in La Liga history. The first came in the 1991/92 season, but wouldn’t be seen again until deep into the new millennium. In the four seasons between 2012 and 2016, the league finished with this top three three out of four times. This recent bout of this top three makes it even more likely for another appearance in the 2022/23 season.

In spite of a relatively poor 2021/22 season by Barcelona’s standards, the Catalan team look likely to win big in Spain if Barcelona legend Xavi can get his new signings ticking.

Simeone has now been at Atletico Madrid for over a decade, with his type of play and philosophy well ingrained in his team and also proven successful. Carlo Ancelotti has also been proven to still have it after some harder seasons with Everton in the Premier League, returning to win the double.

This top three is even more rare than the ones above, only occurring three times, and only once after 2000. The first came in the 1990/91 season and the other two instances came in successive seasons - 2017/18 and 2018/19. However, Atletico have also finished runners-up to Barcelona other times, namely in the 1972/73 season and the 1983/84 season, making this top two as well as top three increasingly likely.

The most successful team in La Liga history could move themselves even further out of Barcelona’s reach, with ten more titles than the Catalans if the top three of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla comes to fruition. Along with Real Madrid winning a 36th title, and Barcelona would become runners-up for a record 28th time.

This top three is exceedingly rare, only happening once before in the 2006/07 season. This season, in particular, was very close, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both finishing on 76 points, with Los Blancos claiming the title based on a superior head-to-head. Sevilla finished a close third, only five points adrift of the top two.

Despite this particular top three only happening once before, Sevilla weren’t too far from Atletico in the 2021/22 season, sitting only a point behind by the end of the season, meaning this top three is more likely than one would expect.

Atletico Madrid are the third most successful team in La Liga history with 11 titles, ten Copa del Reys and three Europa Leagues. The Colchoneros finished third in the 2021/22 season, 15 points behind winners Real Madrid, failing to defend their title, something both Real and Barcelona have failed to do with both of their last La Liga titles.

The top three of Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona has only occurred twice in La Liga. First of all in the 1965/66 season, where Atletico only beat Real by a single point to win the league, with Barcelona six points adrift.

The other time came more recently in the 2020/21 season where Atletico finished the season on 86 points, Real on 84 and Barcelona on 79. Despite only happening twice, this top three is one of the most recent in La Liga, meaning it is highly likely to happen again.