La Liga Power Rankings: Real Madrid in control of their own destiny

5. Villarreal

Villarreal are not a team to take lightly, and Real Madrid will have to circle the Yellow Submarine on their calendars on July 15 just before La Liga wraps up. On Monday, Villarreal drew with Champions League-quality side Sevilla 2-2 in an exciting match, and this was actually the first time they have dropped points since the restart. They won their first three games 1-0, including a recent win over Granada. With Gerard Moreno, Santi Cazorla, and possible Real target Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa shining, Villarreal also have star quality.

6. Athletic Club

Athletic Bilbao are an underrated side who play all of their opponents tough, as Madridistas can recall when they drew 0-0 with the Basque club. On Saturday, Athletic Club defeated Real Betis, and they drew Atletico Madrid when La Liga first returned. They also took down Villarreal before the restart. This team has its issues, but they defend so well. Their match against Barcelona will tell fans of Spain’s top flight exactly what Athletic Club are made of.

7. Getafe

Getafe should seal the final spot in the Europa League, and they have already shown they are capable of succeeding in that competition by making it to the Round of 16 against Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez’s Inter Milan. One of the most physical teams in all of Europe, Getafe are incredibly well-coached.

They can cause any club in Spain problems, though they’ve had a rough return to football with no wins in three games. Getafe will face Real Sociedad and Real Madrid in their next two games after today’s contest against Real Valladolid, so this is a huge stretch for Jose Bordalas’ men.