FC Barcelona secure second place

FC Barcelona have beaten Rayo Vallecano 3-0 at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, and that confirms that they will finish as runners-up in La Liga 2023/24. And finishing second also means that the team has bagged the fourth and final spot in next season's Spanish Super Cup, where they'll be competing for the trophy along with Real Madrid, Athletic Club and Mallorca. 

In the end, Barça have got the job done remarkably comfortably. Yet things weren't looking quite so good after they had lost 4-2 away to Girona just a fortnight ago. That left Barça depending on Girona dropping points to have any chance at all of finishing second, and their Catalan neighbours duly obliged by drawing at Alavés and then losing at home to Villarreal, meaning that rather than trailing, Barça instead went into the penultimate round of matches with a four-point margin in their favour.

Girona won their own game away to Valencia this Sunday, but it matters for nothing. The 4-point gap holds, but there is only one more game to play.

Athletic Club in semis

As league runners-up, Barça will play the Copa del Rey winners in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals, namely Athletic Club. Meanwhile, league champions Real Madrid will play the losing cup finalists Mallorca.

The games are all being played in Saudi Arabia from 8 to 12 January 2025.