La Liga Table

Twenty clubs over thirty-eight rounds. Level teams are separated on head-to-head record first, which is where La Liga differs from England.

What each position is worth

Positions one to four carry Champions League places, fifth the Europa League and sixth the Conference League, with the Copa del Rey winner taking a European place that shifts the others down when they have already qualified.

The bottom three drop to the Segunda División. Coming back up is harder than going down: two clubs are promoted automatically and the third place is decided by a play-off among the clubs finishing third to sixth, which is why well-supported clubs such as Racing Santander, Deportivo and Málaga spent years out of the top flight before returning this summer.

How ties are broken

Spain settles level clubs on their head-to-head record before anything else. Beat a direct rival home and away and you finish above them, whatever the goal difference across the rest of the season says. Only when the head-to-head is also level does overall goal difference come into it.

The practical effect shows up in April, when a club chasing a European place will know that one specific fixture is worth more than the three points on offer.

Coloured bands mark European qualification and relegation as things stand today. See also the fixtures, results and where to watch.