What do Real Madrid need to win LaLiga? When can they beat Barcelona to the title?

Real Madrid take on Barcelona in El Clásico at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday knowing a victory will all but secure a second LaLiga title in three seasons. Carlo Ancelotti’s side head into the match with an eight-point lead with seven fixtures to play; a win over Barça would give them an almost unassailable 11-point advantage with just 18 available.

How many wins do Real Madrid need to be LaLiga champions? How soon could they win the title?

If Los Blancos come out of top in the Spanish capital, they will require three wins from their remaining six fixtures to ensure they reclaim the title they lost to Xavi Hernandez’s team 12 months ago.

Those three victories could, of course, come on any of last six matchdays, but four wins in a row, starting against Barcelona, would see Madrid crowned champions on the weekend of 12 May, when they are away to Granada, at the latest.

That date assumes La Blaugrana also win their three post-Clásico fixtures. Were a defeat to Madrid to send them into a downward spiral, Ancelotti’s men would obviously have the chance to wrap the title up earlier, which could boost their Champions League hopes.

Madrid’s best-case LaLiga scenario, Champions League boost

The best-case scenario for Los Merengues would see them win El Clásico and then follow up with victories away to Real Sociedad (26 April) and Cádiz (4 May). If Barça failed to take maximum points from their two post-Clásico Games at home to Valencia (29 April) and at Girona (4 May), Madrid would mathematically win the league on the first weekend in Cádiz of May.

That league match against Cádiz is sandwiched by the two legs of the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, which take place on Tuesday 30 April in Germany and Wednesday 8 May in Spain. There is a realistic chance Madrid could already be LaLiga champions by the time the second leg comes around.

On the flip side, of course, Los Blancos could lose El Clásico, which would close the gap to five points and open the title race back up considerably. Any number of permutations would then be possible, but they would need to win five of their last six LaLiga fixtures to be absolutely certain of finishing in top spot.