By: Daniel Casallas Beltrán
There was no shortage of drama in Spain this weekend: an El Clásico win for Real Madrid in a dramatic and tense matchup, Villarreal’s Marcelino return to Valencia, a defensive masterclass at San Mamés, and an anniversary party in Barcelona that turned into a European reminder.
EL CLÁSICO – A STATEMENT AND A STORM
Real Madrid 2-1 FC Barcelona
Five points clear at the top, unbeaten, and suddenly strong again. Three goals were disallowed, Szczesny saved Mbappe’s penalty, and VAR overturned another, in an El Clásico atmosphere full of tension and drama.
Xabi Alonso’s men pressed high, moved fast, and showed a defensive strength that hadn’t been seen in the past 18 months. The midfield, with Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouameni, Arda Güler and Jude Bellingham, put on a shift and successfully suffocated Lamine Yamal and Pedri’s attempts to build and create chances. Bellingham starred with a brilliant assist to Kylian Mbappé, and a goal that rapidly followed Fermín López’s strike.
Barcelona were brave but weak. Injuries stripped them of intensity, experience, and a capable bench, as Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Andreas Christensen, and Joan García were all injured. Even Hansi Flick was absent, as he watched in the stands after his controversial red card last weekend. What remained was a youth-heavy team exposed by Real Madrid’s intensity.
Lamine Yamal once said, “As long as I win, they can’t say anything.” This time he didn’t win, and plenty has been said. Vinicius Júnior, mercurial as ever, taunted Yamal: “You’re all backwards passes”, and tension boiled after the final whistle, with Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois taunting Yamal, players clashing, and even police stepping in.
Embed from Getty ImagesATLETICO BOUNCE BACK FROM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DEFEAT
Real Betis 0-2 Atlético Madrid
Monday night football brought a 2-0 away win for Atlético Madrid against one of the main rivals for Champions League spots: Real Betis. Giuliano Simeone struck early at the third minute of the first half, while right before half time, Álex Baena scored his first goal since signing from Villarreal.
Atlético is still hurt by the 4-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League, and Betis are still trying to find a starting 11 that can cope with Europa League games and qualify for Champions League through La Liga.
Embed from Getty ImagesBOTTOM-PLACED TEAMS PUT ON A SHOW
Girona 3-3 Real Oviedo
A meeting between the league’s bottom two sounded like a footnote. It wasn’t. It became the weekend’s most chaotic and pulsating game. Six goals, two penalties, and more comebacks than logic should allow.
Azzedine Ounahi, the Moroccan sensation during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has again looked like the player the world admired during that one month. After coming on the 59th minute, Ounahi flipped the game by scoring a goal to make it 2-2, and then won a penalty after a fantastic run that led to Girona’s third. Cristhian Stuani, who came on with Ounahi, scored Girona’s first and third goals through penalties.
However, Real Oviedo, led by Fede Viñas and Salomón Rondón, who scored the first two goals, tied the game in dramatic fashion at 90+7’ at the stopwatch through a David Carmo goal.
A SAD RETURN
Valencia 0-2 Villarreal
The Derbi de la Comunitat brought Marcelino García Toral back to Mestalla, and with it, a flood of what-ifs. The man who delivered Valencia their last Copa del Rey and was later sacked by Peter Lim in 2019 brought his Villarreal side – third in the table with 20 points and still balancing Champions League duties – and showed everything Valencia once could have been.
“It’s a shame. The owner wants it to be this way. It’s a lack of respect for the fans and the club’s history. It’s sad,” said Marcelino, who didn’t hold back after the game. And it is sad. Valencia sit in the relegation zone with nine points. Mestalla turned on Javi Guerra, their homegrown hero, whose poor form has become a symbol of what playing for Valencia can be.
Embed from Getty ImagesFRIDAY NIGHT RELIEF
Real Sociedad 2-1 Sevilla
Sergio Francisco has built Real Sociedad around homegrown hero Mikel Oyarzabal, captain and conscience of this team, who produced the kind of night that once defined him: two goals, one from the spot, and a performance full of conviction.
Sevilla under Matías Almeyda are no longer passive. They run and press with intensity. However, it was not enough for them, as Real Sociedad beat them 2-1 and got out of relegation zone, the first real sign that the post-Imanol identity is building.
AN ANNIVERSARY WORTH CELEBRATING
Espanyol 1-0 Elche
RCD Espanyol celebrates its 125th anniversary this week, and the old Catalan club marked it in style. A narrow but meaningful win against one of the most entertaining sides in La Liga this season. Carlos Romero scored the only goal, and the three points pushed Espanyol up to fifth – in a Europa League spot and living their third-best start in club history.
Only in 1995-96, with 21 points, and 1997-98, with 19 points, did they begin better. Both times, they qualified for European competitions. Now, with 18 points, optimism is in the air, and fans hope for their first European competition since 2020.
BORDALÁS BALL AT ITS BEST
Athletic Club 0-1 Getafe
Athletic Club seemed to be recovering form after beating Qarabag 3-1 in the Champions League, but at San Mamés, they ran into the tactical brick wall that is José Bordalás. Getafe’s 1-0 win was pure Bordalás: compact lines, dark arts, time-wasting, and a counterattack finished by Borja Mayoral.
A WIN FOR THE LAST WINLESS SIDE IN LA LIGA
CA Osasuna 2-3 Celta de Vigo
Celta picked up their first league win of the season in dramatic fashion, coming from behind as Ferran Jutglà bagged a brace to counteract Ante Budimir’s brace. But Budimir’s heroics weren’t enough, as the Croatian striker missed a penalty by hitting the crossbar as he tried a Panenka and missed out on a hat-trick. A late Pablo Durán winner, assisted by Iago Aspas, sealed the win for Celta.
From Osasuna’s perspective, the story is strange: only counting first halves they’d be fourth in the league table; counting second halves they’d be 17th. For Celta: relief and revival, as their Europa League win against OGC Nice midweek only added weight to this breakthrough.
Embed from Getty ImagesElsewhere, a fair 1-1 draw between Mallorca and Levante took place in La Palma. Pablo Maffeo impressed from full-back, and Etta Eyong continues his exhilarating form and makes a strong case for La Liga’s revelation of the season. That’s six league goals now and a growing transfer interest around a £26m release clause. Jan Virgili, signed from Barcelona and La Masia graduate, also impressed from left-wing: fast, direct, and one of the few bright players in Mallorca’s grey season.
A late winner proved that Rayo are inching their way out of the shadows. Brazilian striker Alemão scored in added time (90+1’) to deliver the 1-0 win against Deportivo Alavés. This was his first goal for the team after signing from Mexican side CF Pachuca.
This week, Copa del Rey fixtures take place for all La Liga teams except those playing in the Supercopa, with lower division teams hoping for a big copa upset. Something to watch for before the weekend brings La Liga’s matchday 11.