Madrid Derby to Decide La Liga's Winter Champion
The upcoming Madrid Derby between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid will determine La Liga's winter champion, with both teams closely competing at the top of the table.
The highly anticipated Madrid Derby between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid is set to decide the winter champion of La Liga. Currently, Atlético leads the standings with 41 points, closely followed by Real Madrid with 40 points, each having played 18 matches. With one game remaining in the first half of the season, the outcome of this derby is crucial.
Real Madrid is scheduled to face Valencia on January 3, and a victory would propel them two points ahead of Atlético. Subsequently, Atlético Madrid will play against Osasuna on January 12, where they will aim to reclaim the top spot. Meanwhile, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao have already completed their first half of the season.
Although the title of 'winter champion' holds no official value, historically, teams leading at mid-season often continue to win the league. In the past two decades, 17 out of 20 winter champions have secured the La Liga title by season's end. Notably, in the 2013-2014 season, Barcelona led at mid-season but Atlético Madrid clinched the championship. Similarly, in the 2019-2020 and 2014-2015 seasons, the winter leaders did not win the league.
For Atlético Madrid, being winter champions has not always guaranteed ultimate success. Historically, they have led at mid-season 11 times but secured the league title only three times, most recently in the 2020-2021 season. Under coach Diego Simeone, Atlético achieved this feat as both player and manager, notably winning the double in the 1995-1996 season and the league in 2020-2021.
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