Figo Warns La Liga Title Could Be Settled Early
Real Madrid are stumbling. Barcelona are flying. And Luis Figo, a man who knows the weight of a Clasico better than most, is not pretending otherwise.
Six points already separate Madrid from the summit. Barcelona, perfect so far, have 21 points from 21, with 31 goals rattled in along the way. For a club built on dominance, this is one of Madrid’s ugliest starts in recent memory.
Figo, now a UEFA adviser but still very much a Madrid man at heart, did not sugarcoat it in a lively interview with Spanish station Marca.
“They have started very strongly. They are winning, playing well and scoring goals. For Spanish football, this is of course a good thing,” he admitted, acknowledging Barcelona’s blistering opening to the campaign.
The numbers leave little room for argument. Barcelona are irresistible right now. Madrid are chasing shadows.
Yet Figo refused to turn the early table into a verdict.
“We have to wait and see how the season develops, because it is very long,” he warned. The message was clear: panic now, and Madrid risk losing more than points.
Faith in Madrid’s response
Despite the bleak picture, Figo pushed back against any idea that the title race is already over.
“I am sure Real Madrid will compete until the end,” he insisted, leaning on the club’s history of late surges and stubborn comebacks.
“This is a competition that requires consistency until the month of May. There will be ups and downs during the season, and when they happen the team must show the maturity and quality to overcome them.”
For Figo, this is where Madrid’s season will be decided: not in the perfect weeks, but in the storms. He framed La Liga as a test of nerve as much as talent, a marathon where every wobble exposes character.
His early warning, though, carried weight. If Barcelona keep this pace, the gap could become unbridgeable long before spring. “La Liga could be settled before May if this level continues,” he cautioned. That line will not go unnoticed at Valdebebas.
Derby defeat and Mourinho’s fury
Madrid’s latest blow came in the capital derby, a 2-0 defeat to Atletico that deepened the sense of unease.
Figo, however, did not watch it. He was in Zurich and stayed away from the post-match drama that followed, especially the explosive comments from his compatriot Jose Mourinho about the refereeing.
On Mourinho’s outburst, he stayed ice-cold.
“He did what he thought he would do at that moment. I do not have to comment on it. I think these are personal acts, and if he did it, it was because he felt that way.”
No defence. No criticism. Just distance. Figo refused to be dragged into the storm, keeping his focus on the broader picture rather than one angry press conference.
Ballon d’Or and a word on Mbappé
When the conversation turned to the Ballon d’Or, with voting set to close on Monday, Figo stepped away from the debate entirely.
“I do not vote, so this is not on my mind. Those who make the decision are the ones who vote and we have to wait,” he said, declining to back any candidate publicly.
He did, though, reserve special praise for one man: Kylian Mbappé.
“He is always at a very high level. He has got us used to being one of the best players in the world and to scoring goals.”
It was a reminder of the standard required at the very top – the same standard Madrid must rediscover if they want Barcelona’s start to be a warning, not a death sentence for their title hopes.
