La Liga Daily Report - 2026-05-05

Atletico Madrid's season took another painful turn as they lost 1-0 to Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final second leg, exiting 2-1 on aggregate. The result extends Diego Simeone's latest European heartbreak and leaves Atletico reflecting on another deep run that still fell short of a final.

The elimination is especially damaging because it comes on top of a Copa del Rey final defeat and a La Liga campaign that has not delivered the level expected of a Simeone side. Reports around the match also highlighted Arsenal's Viktor Gyökeres as 'immense' in the tie, underlining how Atletico were edged out by a side that handled the decisive moments better.

Kylian Mbappé is under heavy scrutiny after a trip to Sardinia while recovering from a left hamstring injury, with his availability for Sunday's Clasico in Barcelona now in doubt. Multiple reports say the France forward has insisted he remains fully committed to rehab, but the timing of the out-of-town break has triggered anger among some Real Madrid supporters.

The row comes as Madrid prepare for one of the biggest matches in Spanish football and amid wider tension around the club's season. Mbappé's camp has pushed back against criticism, but the controversy adds another distraction before a game that could shape the La Liga title race.

Real Madrid have confirmed that left back Ferland Mendy will miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious thigh injury in Sunday's 2-0 win at Espanyol. Mendy lasted just 15 minutes before being replaced by Fran Garcia, leaving Carlo Ancelotti's side short of defensive depth at a crucial stage.

The injury is a major blow because Madrid are already navigating a tense finish to the campaign and now face Barcelona with another first-team absence. Losing a starting full-back for the run-in increases the pressure on a squad already dealing with injury and form concerns.

Athletic Bilbao have appointed Edin Terzic as head coach from next season, with the former Borussia Dortmund manager signing a contract until June 2028. The club are eighth in the La Liga standings and are replacing Ernesto Valverde, who will leave at the end of the season.

Terzic arrives with a reputation for high-intensity, attacking football after guiding Dortmund to the German Cup in 2021 and the Champions League final in 2024, where they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid. For Athletic, the move signals a clear long-term reset as they look to stay competitive while relying on their traditional local-talent model.

Barcelona go into Sunday's El Clásico knowing they can clinch the La Liga title by avoiding defeat against Real Madrid. With the championship within touching distance, Hansi Flick's side have turned the match into a potential title-decider after Madrid failed to close the gap when they beat RCD Espanyol 2-0 earlier.

The stakes are enormous because Barcelona can settle the race in front of their rivals and finish a season that has been shaped by narrow margins. The game also carries extra pressure for Madrid, who are fighting to salvage a difficult campaign while Barcelona are one result away from sealing the league.

Wojciech Szczesny has turned down a two-year contract offer from another La Liga club that would have made him the first-choice goalkeeper, instead choosing to honour the final year of his Barcelona deal. The decision suggests he wants to remain part of Barcelona's plans even with major goalkeeping questions looming this summer.

For Barcelona, Szczesny's choice adds stability in a position that could see key changes in the transfer window. Turning down guaranteed minutes elsewhere to stay at the club is a strong signal of commitment at a time when the squad is preparing for a decisive title finish.