Ancelotti expects close title race in La Liga

There is unlikely to be a runaway LaLiga victor this season like Real Madrid in the previous edition, with a multi-club title race making it harder for a dominant leader to emerge, the champions' manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday.

Barcelona, leaders since August, have slipped to third after winning only one of their last seven league matches, losing the top spot to Atletico Madrid in a 2-1 home loss last month.

Ancelotti's Real, who are a point behind Atletico with 40 points from 18 matches, have a chance to provisionally take the top spot when they visit 19th-placed Valencia on Friday.

"The level of competitiveness in LaLiga lowers a bit the points you need to win the title," Ancelotti, whose men finished 10 points ahead of second-placed Barcelona when they amassed 95 points during the 2023-24 campaign, told reporters.

"The fact that Atletico are there also generates uncertainty and I think it will take less than 90 points to be champions."

Ancelotti said while Barcelona's drop in form was unexpected, the club had a strong chance of staging a comeback.

"You have a slump and then you get competitive like before. Barcelona and Atletico have the same chances of competing with us," he added.

Ancelotti, who has led Real to two LaLiga titles since taking charge in 2021, said he did not expect to get an easy win at struggling Valencia.

"Tomorrow we start a new challenge, with a lot of excitement. It will be a demanding game... we want to start the year well," the 65-year-old said.