A mere three points are all that separate the frontrunners, Barcelona, from Real Madrid in an exhilarating LaLiga season, while three goals also demarcate their primary goal scorers.
Leading the goal-scoring charts is Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona, with a remarkable 25 goals, closely followed by Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, who has 22, adding yet another layer to this fierce rivalry.
This Saturday, the Catalan side will welcome a high-flying Real Betis, currently positioned sixth, while reigning champions Real Madrid will host struggling Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Last weekend, after Mbappe scored twice against Leganes in Madrid’s narrow 3-2 victory, Lewandowski answered back with two goals in Barcelona’s emphatic 4-1 win over Girona.
In the latter stages of that match, his team missed several chances to extend their lead, a fact that Lewandowski underscored.
“In the final minutes, there were more openings and greater potential for scoring,” remarked the 36-year-old Polish forward.
“If we had delivered better final passes, we could have netted one or two more goals.”
With a rich vein of form, Lewandowski has scored nine times in his last nine league outings, amassing an impressive 38 goals across all competitions this season.
Defying age-related expectations, he believes he possesses the quality to continue making an impact at an elite level for years to come.
“I understand that many discuss my age, but I’ve been working hard since I was 21 or 22, and my aim is to compete at this level for even more years,” he stated.
“Physically, I’m feeling fantastic; if we review the statistics, there’s no significant difference compared to a few years ago.”
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick emphasised that the striker is committed not only to personal accolades but also to the success of the team in their quest for the coveted “Pichichi” award.
“He’s fit, he’s at 100 percent, and I know he’s keen to win the Pichichi,” Flick remarked.
“However, as I’ve always said, the team’s success takes precedence. This is something I really sense; he prioritises the team’s needs and concentrates on contributing to our success.”
Trailing not far behind, Mbappe has accumulated 33 goals in 46 matches this season, equalling the tally set by Cristiano Ronaldo in his debut season with Real Madrid.
Mbappe, who has long looked up to the Portuguese forward, remarked on matching Ronaldo’s figure being “very special”.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti commented this week that Mbappe has the potential to become a “legend” akin to Ronaldo, who is the club’s all-time leading scorer with 450 goals.
Mbappe stated that he is not placing any limitations on his goal count this season, and Vinicius Junior proclaimed back in January that the Madrid squad would do “everything possible to ensure (Mbappe) becomes the top scorer across all competitions”.
Valencia’s upcoming match presents an excellent opportunity for Mbappe to further increase his goal tally, especially as three key Valencia players—Jose Gaya, Luis Rioja, and Dimitri Foulquier—are suspended after receiving bookings last weekend.
No player has netted more league goals in 2025 than Mbappe, who has struck 12 times, ahead of Lewandowski, who has seven to his name.
Meanwhile, Villarreal and Spain forward Ayoze Perez has enjoyed a stellar season when fit, having scored 12 goals in just 22 league appearances for his club. The fifth-placed Yellow Submarine will count on him to be at his best as they face off against fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao this Sunday.
Perez scored and assisted another during Villarreal’s recent victory over Getafe.
Key Stats
3 – The number of matches Valencia has lost under Carlos Corberan in LaLiga out of 12 played, a marked improvement from nine losses in their first 17.
7 – Osasuna’s Ante Budimir has successfully converted every penalty he has taken this season in the top tier.
521 – The number of appearances Antoine Griezmann has made in LaLiga, surpassing Lionel Messi last weekend as the most by a foreign player.
Fixtures
Friday
Rayo Vallecano vs Espanyol (20:00)
Saturday
Girona vs Alaves (13:00), Real Madrid vs Valencia (15:15), Mallorca vs Celta Vigo (18:30), Barcelona vs Real Betis (20:00)
Sunday
Las Palmas vs Real Sociedad (13:00), Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid (15:15), Valladolid vs Getafe (17:30), Villarreal vs Athletic Bilbao (20:00)
Monday
Leganes vs Osasuna (20:00)
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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