When was the last time the League was this even?

With eight League games played in 2018-19, only six points separate the top of the table (Sevilla, 16 points) with the team in twelfth (Eibar, 10 points). It’s something not seen in the domestic competition since the 2005-06 season. The start of that campaign saw more than a dozen teams in a very similar situation, separated by only five points from top to tenth.

In 2005, Getafe led the table with 17 points, with Celta Vigo in second on 16.

Maximum equality

Looking at the current state of play, Real Madrid, Espanyol and Alavés all have 14 points, and sit from third to sixth place. Thirteen seasons ago, Los Blancos, Valencia and Osasuna had 15 points with Barça and Real Sociedad on 13.

Outside of the European places, we find Valladolid and Real Betis on 12 points in 2018-19, Real Sociedad with 11 and Celta and Levante closing the top ten places of the competition with 10 points. In 2005-06, Villarreal, Sevilla and Cádiz rounded off the top ten with 12 points each.

Big difference by the end of the season

Despite the initial equality, at the end of the season things were vastly different. FC Barcelona clearly won the title thanks to the 82 points achieved (25 wins, seven draws and six defeats). Rijkaard’s team finished 12 points ahead of Real Madrid, second with 70 points, 13 ahead of Valencia (69 points) and 14 in front of Osasuna and Sevilla (68 points).

Barça also lifted the Champions League in Paris at the end of the 2005-06 season. Ambassador of the Club and Barça Legend, Juliano Belletti, scored the winner to overcome Thierry Henry’s Arsenal (1-2), the Frenchman exchanging London for Barcelona years later.