The battle for the Champions League has not yet come to an end, and although Real Madrid has already clinched the title, the top four - Sevilla, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Betis - are still fighting for the remaining three Champions League spots.
In this 35th round of La Liga, Real Betis will face Barcelona while Real Madrid will take on Atletico Madrid in two marquee matches scheduled to take place at 3 a.m. on Sunday and 3 a.m. on the following Monday, respectively.
These two matches will not only affect the European ranking, but also the battle of honor between the two teams, the Madrid derby is expected to be the most intense degree of La Liga in recent years, as if to bring the audience back to the era of passionate title rivalry.
As the crowds fiercely battle for relegation and a Champions League spot, Atletico Madrid defender Giménez's comments have sparked controversial news in the Spanish capital this week: should we be applauding and cheering for the league title?
Celebrate the evolution of traditions:
After winning the Spanish trophy many rounds ahead of schedule, the practice of the newly crowned champions going on the road to be greeted by a parade of home players is gradually becoming a new rule in La Liga. Even the first team to face the champion team at the start of next season will follow suit to celebrate.
This tradition in La Liga continues to this day, both to honor the winning team and to inspire other teams who have not won the trophy to strive for the title the following season.
Stick to tradition or change?
In the last 10 years, there are only three teams that have won the La Liga, namely Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. The feuds between these three teams have long been entrenched, with fans picking on each other and fierce rivalries on the field all part of the game. Getting players from these teams to sit down and encourage each other is challenging in itself and goes against the competitive spirit of athletics.
Nonetheless, conventions often become the bottom line that people are unwilling to violate; it's a human weakness that most people choose to live with, even if it's uncomfortable or even distasteful.
Since many of the championships were not decided until the last minute, or the winning team finished the game before winning the championship, it is not uncommon to see controversial parade fiascoes.
The seasons that people remember most are 13/14 and 17/18.
Let's go back to the 17/18 season, when Barcelona won the title multiple rounds ahead of schedule and had to travel to the capital's Stadio Bernabeu to finish their remaining matches.
During a press conference before a national derby, a reporter asked if Real Madrid would congratulate Barcelona on their win with a parade, and here's how then-coach Zinedine Zidane responded to the media.
"We're not going to have a parade," Zidane said. "That's it. We will go straight into tomorrow's game and there will be no parade - we just want to win three points tomorrow. Because, it's a league game and we want to close the gap with our opponents. My answer is clear, it's my decision and there's no need to discuss it any further."
Zinedine Zidane made it clear that Real Madrid will not be lining up for Barcelona during the game. They just want to focus on the game and fight for three points to close the gap with their rivals.
Instead of congratulating the other team first on the field for their achievement, it not only weakens their own momentum, but more importantly, the two teams are eternal arch-rivals, and peace is not possible anywhere, anytime, because without the excitement of competition, is it even soccer?
The first to comment was goalkeeper Oblak, who gave his response to a reporter who mentioned the matter after the loss to Bilbao in the 34th round of the competition:
"As a captain, I don't like the idea of having a parade ceremony." Oblak said.
