Spanish La Liga is scheduled to begin on August 28 with 20 clubs competing for the honour of lifting the trophy come May 20, 2018 when the season draws to a close. Real Madrid come into the league as the defending champions having broken their league title drought in a season that also saw them win the Champions League. As always, the league comprises of 17 teams from 2016/17 season with three promoted from Segunda Division. Levante, Girona and Getafe are the teams that have come up while Sporting Gijon, Osasuna and Granada have gone down. The top four teams qualify for the Champions League with the fifth placed team going to Europa League group stage and sixth place taking the side to Europa League qualifying round. Meanwhile the bottom three teams will drop the second tier.
Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 1-0 in captain Andres Iniesta's final game at Nou Camp.
Fernando Torres scored twice in his final game in boyhood club Atletico Madrid's coloures as they drew 2-2 with Eibar.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale's goals were cancelled out as Villareal managed a 2-2 draw against Real Madrid.
Barcelona's Andres Iniesta and Atletico Madrid's Fernando Torres set to play their last games for their boyhood clubs.
Lionel Messi said he had spoken to Neymar about rumours linking him with a return to Spain for La Liga rivals Real Madrid.
Barcelona had last tasted league defeat 13 months ago against Malaga, going 43 games unbeaten, but they failed in the 37th match of this season to tarnish an otherwise flawless domestic campaign.
Barcelona lost 5-4 in a wild game at Levante on Sunday, ruining the champion's chance to become the first team to finish a Spanish league season without a defeat under its current format.
Real Madrid did not need resting forward Cristiano Ronaldo to crush Celta Vigo 6-0 at home in its second-to-last match before the Champions League final against Liverpool.
Real Madrid are third in the standings on 72 points and missed out on the chance to move level with city rivals Atletico, who are second on 75.
Barca are two matches away from becoming first team in La Liga since 1933 to complete a season without losing and first since league was expanded from nine teams.
Sergi Roberto will miss the rest of the Liga season and the first match of the next campaign after being given a four-game ban for striking Real Madrid's Marcelo in last Sunday's tension-filled 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp.
Antoine Griezmann, one of Atletico Madrid's key players, has been heavily linked with a move to the Nou Camp at the end of the season.






