The 2021–22 La Liga, also known as La Liga Santander for sponsorship reasons, marked the 91st edition of Spain’s premier football competition. It commenced on August 13, 2021, and concluded on May 22, 2022. The schedule was announced on June 30, 2021.
In a decision on June 24, 2021, the Spanish Council of Ministers approved full-capacity stadium attendance, modifying the ‘new normality’ decree amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Atlético Madrid entered as defending champions, having clinched their eleventh title in the previous season. Promoted from the 2020–21 Segunda División were Espanyol, Mallorca, and Rayo Vallecano, replacing Huesca, Valladolid, and Eibar, who were relegated.
Real Madrid secured their record-extending 35th title with four games remaining, following a 4–0 win over Espanyol on April 30.
Notably, this season marked the absence of Lionel Messi, the league’s all-time top scorer, and Sergio Ramos, a longtime figure at Real Madrid, both having departed for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. This was the first La Liga campaign since 2003–04 without their presence.
Champions: 
Real Madrid, (35th title)
Top Goal Scorer: 
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), 27 goals
Player Of the Season: Karim Benzema ( Real Madrid)
Best Goalkeeper: 
Yassine Bounou (
Sevilla)
La Liga 2021–22 Point Table | Standings
Position Team Played Win Draw Loss GF GA GD Points Qualification | Relegation
1 Real Madrid38 26 8 4 80 31 +49 86 Qualify to UCL
2 
Barcelona38 21 10 7 68 38 +30 73 Qualify to UCL
3 
Atlético Madrid38 21 8 9 65 43 +22 71 Qualify to UCL
4 Sevilla38 18 16 4 53 30 +23 70 Qualify to UCL
5 
Real Betis38 19 8 11 62 40 +22 65 Qualify to Europa League
6 
Real Sociedad38 17 11 10 40 37 +3 62 Qualify to Europa League
7 
Villarreal38 16 11 11 63 37 +26 59 Qualify to Europa Conference League
8 
Athletic Bilbao38 14 13 11 43 36 +7 55
9 
Valencia38 11 15 12 48 53 −5 48
10 
Osasuna38 12 11 15 37 51 −14 47
11 
Celta Vigo38 12 10 16 43 43 0 46
12 
Rayo Vallecano38 11 9 18 39 50 −11 42
13 
Elche38 11 9 18 40 52 −12 42
14 
Espanyol38 10 12 16 40 53 −13 42
15 
Getafe38 8 15 15 33 41 −8 39
16 
Mallorca38 10 9 19 36 63 −27 39
17 
Cádiz38 8 15 15 35 51 −16 39
18 
Granada (R)38 8 14 16 44 61 −17 38 Relegated to Segunda División
19 
Levante (R)38 8 11 19 51 76 −25 35 Relegated to Segunda División
20 
Alavés (R)38 8 7 23 31 65 −34 31 Relegated to Segunda División
Note A: Due to Real Betis winning the 2021–22 Copa del Rey and also securing European qualification through their league position, the Europa League spot traditionally allocated to the Copa del Rey winners was redirected to the team finishing sixth in the league standings. Consequently, the Europa Conference League place originally designated for the sixth-placed team was passed down to the team finishing seventh in the league table.
Note B: Head-to-head points: Rayo Vallecano 9, Elche 7, Espanyol 1.
Note C: Head-to-head points: Getafe 8, Mallorca 5, Cádiz 2.
La Liga 2021–22 Top Goal Scorers
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Karim Benzema Real Madrid27
2 
Iago Aspas Celta Vigo18
3 Raúl de Tomás Espanyol17
4 
Vinícius Júnior Real Madrid17
5 Juanmi Real Betis16
6 
Enes Ünal Getafe16
7 Joselu Alavés14
8 José Luis Morales Levante13
9 
Ángel Correa Atlético Madrid12
10 
Memphis Depay Barcelona12
La Liga 2021–22 Most Assist Provider List
Rank Player Club Assists
1 Ousmane Dembélé Barcelona13
2 Karim Benzema Real Madrid12
3 Jordi Alba Barcelona10
4 Iker Muniain Athletic Bilbao10
5 Dani Parejo Villarreal10
6 Vinícius Júnior Real Madrid10
7 Sergi Darder Espanyol9
8 Óscar Trejo Rayo Vallecano9
9 Nabil Fekir Real Betis8
10 
Luka Modrić Real Madrid8
La Liga 2021–22 Team of the Season
Position Player Club
Goalkeeper 
Thibaut Courtois Real Madrid
Defender Marcos Acuña Sevilla
Defender 
David Alaba Real Madrid
Defender Jules Koundé Sevilla
Defender Éder Militão Real Madrid
Defender 
Ronald Araújo Barcelona
Midfielder Sergio Canales Real Betis
Midfielder Nabil Fekir Real Betis
Midfielder Luka Modrić Real Madrid
Midfielder Iker Muniain Athletic Bilbao
Midfielder Pedri Barcelona
Forward Karim Benzema Real Madrid
Forward Raúl de Tomás Espanyol
Forward 
João Félix Atlético Madrid
Forward Vinícius Júnior Real Madrid
La Liga 2021–22 Team information and Sponsor
Team Manager Captain Kit Manufucturer
Alavés Julio Velázquez Víctor LaguardiaKelme
Athletic Bilbao Marcelino Iker MuniainNew Balance
Atlético Madrid Diego Simeone KokeΝike
Barcelona Xavi Sergio BusquetsNike
Cádiz Sergio Gonzalez José MariMacron
Celta Vigo Eduardo Coudet Hugo MalloAdidas
Elche Francisco Gonzalo VerdúΝike
Espanyol Luis Blanco David LópezKelme
Getafe Quique Sánchez Flores
DjenéJoma
Granada Aitor Karanka Víctor DíazΝike
Levante
Alessio Lisci José Luis MoralesMacron
Mallorca
Javier Aguirre Manolo ReinaNike
Osasuna Jagoba Arrasate Oier SanjurjoAdidas
Rayo Vallecano Andoni Iraola Óscar TrejoUmbro
Real Betis
Manuel Pellegrini JoaquínKappa
Real Madrid Carlo Ancelotti MarceloAdidas
Real Sociedad Imanol Alguacil Asier IllarramendiMacron
Sevilla Julen Lopetegui Jesús NavasΝike
Valencia José Bordalás José GayàPuma
Villarreal Unai Emery Mario GasparJoma
La Liga 2021–22 Teams
Promotion and relegation (pre-season)
The league comprised twenty teams in total, consisting of seventeen teams from the 2020–21 season and three promoted teams from the 2020–21 Segunda División. This included the top two teams from the Segunda División standings and the winners of the promotion play-offs.
Teams relegated to Segunda División
Eibar became the first team to be relegated from La Liga after a 1–4 defeat to Valencia on May 16, 2021, ending their seven-year tenure in the top division. Valladolid followed as the second team to be relegated, losing 1–2 at home to Atlético Madrid on May 22, 2021, concluding their three-year stint in La Liga. Huesca completed the trio of relegated teams after a goalless draw against Valencia on May 22, 2021, marking their immediate return to the second division after just one season in La Liga.
Teams promoted from Segunda División
On May 8, 2021, Espanyol became the first team to secure promotion to La Liga, guaranteeing their return to the top flight with a 0–0 draw against Zaragoza. The second team to achieve promotion was Mallorca, confirmed after Almería’s 2–3 loss to Cartagena on May 18, 2021. Both clubs swiftly returned to the first division after a season away.
Rayo Vallecano completed the trio of promoted teams by winning the playoff final 3–2 against Girona on June 20, 2021, marking their return to La Liga after a two-year absence.
Restrictions
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, clubs were not allowed to use the total capacity of their stadiums. According to the progress of the pandemic, the capacity allowed each month was decided by the Government of Spain, in agreement with the Autonomous Communities.
August (rounds 1 to 3): 40% of capacity allowed. Additionally, the Basque Country reduced it to 20%, Catalonia to 30% and the Valencian Community limited the attendance to a maximum of 15,000 spectators, always respecting the agreement.
September (rounds 4 to 7): 60% of capacity allowed. The Basque Country raised its own limit to 30%, while Catalonia did to 40%.
October (rounds 8 to 12): full capacity allowed, except for Catalonia and Basque Country, whose governments limited the attendance to 60%.
