Matchday 38 of the 2025/26 La Liga season had a bit of everything as the giants crumbled and the underdogs made the most of the opportunities in front of them.
While the title race was already decided heading into the weekend, there was still plenty left to play for across La Liga. European qualification, relegation battle, third place, and emotional farewells ensured the campaign ended with drama right until the final whistle.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid both suffered disappointing defeats in what turned out to be farewell appearances for two of their biggest stars, Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann. Meanwhile, Celta Vigo and Getafe got the job done under pressure to secure European football for next season.
Elsewhere, Girona’s incredible La Liga journey came to a painful end as relegation was finally confirmed, just a couple of years after they secured Champions League football with a historic third-place finish. Meanwhile, Villarreal signed off with a statement victory over Atletico Madrid to secure third place in style. Here are five things The Hard Tackle learned from Matchday 38 of the 2025/26 La Liga season.
Disappointing farewell for Robert Lewandowski
Barcelona secured the league title a couple of weeks ago by beating Real Madrid in the Clasico. While the Blaugrana got the job done, they have been a touch inconsistent ever since, losing two out of their last three league outings.
On the final matchday, Hansi Flick’s team squared up against Valencia. They dominated the ball, but could not create enough chances for their forwards. Valencia had more shots on goal despite having just 27% of the ball.
In the end, the home team found the back of the net thrice to secure a 3-1 win. While there was nothing at stake for the Spanish giants, they would have liked to give Robert Lewandowski a better farewell in his final game.
Celta Vigo and Getafe seal European spots
Celta Vigo and Getafe both dropped points in the penultimate matchday of the season, putting their European qualification in doubt. However, they still had matters in their own hands, as a win in matchday 38 would get the job done.
The Galician outfit secured a 1-0 win over Sevilla, while Getafe won 1-0 against Osasuna. Celta Vigo had to dig deep to secure all three points and qualify for the Europa League. While it was not a comfortable outing, they were deserved winners.
Meanwhile, Getafe did not have the majority of the ball, and neither did they create too many chances, but they were clinical in the final third and rock solid at the back. As a result, the Azulones have now secured Conference League football.
Rayo Vallecano stil have a chance to qualify for Europe
Rayo Vallecano, who returned to the top flight in 2021, have punched above their weight constantly. They secured an eighth-placed finish last season to secure UEFA Europa Conference League football. While they won 2-1 against Deportivo Alaves in the final matchday, once again finishing eighth, they have not secured a spot in any of the European competitions this time around.
However, they could still make it to Europe. They could be featuring in the Europa League next season if they manage to take down Crystal Palace in the Conference League final. Rayo Vallecano have been unbeaten in their last nine matches across competition, which will certainly give them a lot of confidence.
Girona’s time in La Liga comes to an end
Girona, who returned to La Liga in 2022, have had quite a ride in La Liga this time around. After surviving the drop in the initial years, they went on to challenge for the title and ended up finishing third on the table with 81 points, securing Champions League football.
A year after they reached new heights, the Catalan club were fighting for survival. A lot was down to the fact that quite a few of their top players left the club after helping them secure Champions League football. While they survived the drop last time out, the White and Reds have failed to do so this time around.
A run of eight straight games without a win has led to their relegation to the second division. Not only did they have to win on the final day, but a few results also had to go their way for survival. But Girona could only manage a 1-1 draw against Elche, ending all hopes.
The battle for third spot ends up being one-sided
In a game that would determine who would finish third in La Liga, Villarreal ended up putting five goals past Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid. For a team that takes pride in their strong defensive displays, it was a pathetic performance.
They had a decent amount of the ball, but were not good enough in the final third, or in their own box. Meanwhile, the Yellow Submarine, who had failed to win their last three league outings, made the most out of the majority of the chances that came their way.
With the majority of his first team stars starting, Simeone would have expected a much better performance from his team. Just like Lewandowski, even Antoine Griezmann had to taste defeat in his final game for his club.
