Atlético Madrid would top a Spanish soccer league table of the 2023 calendar year.
The calendar year table may mean little in the long run, but there is an unexpected team sat in first place in LALIGA as Atlético Madrid rank number one in the standings, despite failing to position themselves the top two of last season or the ongoing campaign.
Despite Barcelona taking the crown last year and Real Madrid heading into the winter break as leaders, neither of the Clásico duopoly have come out on top of the calendar year table for 2023.
The Colchoneros ended the year on 88 points with a goal difference of +45, despite finishing third in 2022/23 and sitting third in the table at the time of writing in 2023/24.
That result puts them level with FC Barcelona on the same number of points but a goal difference of just +35. The Catalan side were the champions of LALIGA in 2022/23, but a slow start to the current campaign leaves them in fourth place amid the winter break.
LALIGA’s current leaders, Real Madrid, come in third on 85 points with a goal difference of +46. They have an eight-point gap over the next-highest ranking side, again extending the gap between Spain’s three biggest clubs and the rest.
Surprise package Girona
The next best-placed team would be current joint-leaders Girona, who have recorded 77 puntos and also the fourth-best goal difference of +26. That includes 45 points from 2023/24 and 32 from the latter half of the 2022/23 campaign.
Basque teams occupy fifth and seventh place with Real Sociedad on 73 points and Athletic Club on 61 points. Andalusia’s two biggest clubs, Real Betis and Sevilla, are in sixth with 63 points and ninth on 53 points respectively. The rest of the top 10 is made up of Villarreal in eighth and Getafe in 10th.
At the wrong end of the table, Granada, promoted halfway through the year, have registered just eight points from 18 matches. That’s fewer than also-promoted Alavés on 16 points in 2023, and relegated sides Elche (21 points from 23 games), Valladolid (23 points) and Espanyol (24 points).
The lowest-scoring team to have played the full 41 fixtures available in the 2023 calendar year are Almería on 29 points from 21 games. Ahead of them are Celta Vigo on 43 points and Cádiz with 45 points.
Among the best in Europe
While the number of games played makes for difficult comparisons, only Manchester City have secured more points in 2023 as they took their tally to 93 points from the same number of games, 41, courtesy of their Premier League wins over Everton and Sheffield United while Spain’s competition has enjoyed a winter break.
Inter Milan are the only other side to compete with 87 points, putting them ahead of Real Madrid’s 85. Aston Villa are also level on 85 points in the Premier League, having played one game more than their Spanish counterparts.
No side in Germany or France is able to compete with Spain’s top three over the 2023 calendar year. In Holland, PSV Eindhoven matched Manchester City’s 93 points from fewer games, only 36, and Feyenoord recorded 87 points. In Portugal, Porto came top on 87 points from 35 games, with Benfica in second on 85 points.