Real Madrid Maintain Their Perfect Start

The games are coming thick and fast in La Liga as the teams gear up for three games in the space of seven days, but if one thing is clear, it’s that Real Madrid just keep winning. Los Blancos secured their fifth straight victory as they beat Espanyol 2-0 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu to ensure top spot remains theirs.

Just behind them, Barcelona made light work of a combative Getafe by beating them 3-0 in front of less than 6,000 fans at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, and Elche became the third team to make it five games unbeaten with a 1-0 victory over Real Oviedo.

Eye-catching results elsewhere included a 1-1 tie between Real Mallorca and Atlético Madrid, who have still only one win this season. That’s of concern for Atleti, as top four rivals Villarreal and Real Betis both won their fixtures, a 2-1 comeback against Osasuna and a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad respectively.

The storylines of La Liga matchweek four

MVP of the week

Sevilla coach Matías Almeyda took a unique approach to building team spirit this week in preparation for their game against Alavés. The coach hosted an Argentine-style ‘asado’ at the club’s training ground on Sunday, hosting the players to build rapport among a squad which features several new signings and arrivals. “It’s great for us players because Almeyda is a coach who understands what it’s like to be a player, he understands what goes through our heads,” defender Marcão reflected. After years of division in every area of the club, Almeyda could be just what was needed, and a hard-fought away victory at the intimidating setting of Mendizorroza reflected the achievement of a coach who is getting more out of a team than the sum of its parts.

Surprise of the week

Welcoming Athletic Club a week after a 6-0 thumping at the hands of Barcelona is probably the last thing that Valencia and coach Carlos Corberán was hoping for, but his team produced arguably their best display in months to secure a 2-0 victory over former coach Ernesto Valverde. Athletic, who featured new signing Aymeric Laporte for the first time since he returned to the club, appeared to be showing all the signs of a Champions League hangover, but Valencia were clinical, creating four big chances and taking two of them despite only having 44% of possession.

Stat of the week

Atlético Madrid’s poor start to the season continued, with six points from the first possible 15 being their worst start to a season in the Diego Simeone era and their worst since 2009/10, but the stat in particular related to star man Julián Álvarez. The Argentine forward stepped up to take a penalty, only to miss a penalty for only the second time in his career after 14 attempts. The miss was Atlético Madrid’s 143rd penalty miss in La Liga, more than any other team in history. The Colchoneros have scored 350, but ultimately failed with 29% of all of their penalties awarded in La Liga.

Team of the week

Goalkeeper: Leo Román (RCD Mallorca). Denying 2.17 expected goals is worthy of an inclusion at any time, but the Spaniard made a superb penalty save to deny Julián Álvarez and also made another incredible stop to deny the Argentine forward on 53 minutes when there was an 83% probability that he would score. The goalkeeper was the hero for Mallorca as he continues to prove Jagoba Arrasate right to back him.

Right-back: Javi Rueda (Celta Vigo). 23-year-old Javi Rueda looks like he’s been playing at the highest level for years, rather than weeks. Up against Rayo Vallecano, he produced another marauding display down the right flank as he not only set up Borja Iglesias’ goal but was also involved throughout both offensively and defensively for Claudio Giráldez’s team.

Central defender: Éder Militão (Real Madrid). A passing sequence of 26 passes led to an Éder Militão rocket straight into the top corner of Espanyol goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović’s net. He completed more passes than anyone else on the field with 94, and stepped up into a leadership role in every sense in the backline. The Brazilian has now left his two anterior cruciate ligament injuries well behind him.

Central defender: César Tárrega (Valencia). Homegrown Valencia talent César Tárrega has become an option that Carlos Corberán can rely on in the heart of his defence, and his display against Athletic proved that again. Winning eight duels and three tackles, he handled the pace of Iñaki Williams running at him with ease and made it look simple.

Left-back: Gabriel Suazo (Sevilla). Six successful tackles and eight recoveries of possession go to show how hard Chilean left-back Gabriel Suazo was working down the left flank for Sevilla in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The 28-year-old defender has settled in quickly in Andalusia and showed the value he brings to the team with a rounded and commanding display.

Right wing: Jorge de Frutos (Rayo Vallecano). The clash between Rayo Vallecano and Celta Vigo was hardly a thriller, but the energy and persistence of De Frutos kept the tie alive. He got himself in the right place at the right time to equalize for Rayo, winning more duels and fouls than anyone else on the field, and also completing more dribbles than anybody else either.

Central midfielder: Pape Gueye (Villarreal). Back in the team after Marcelino’s recent rotations, Pape Gueye’s confidence to take a shot from distance has been crucial for Villarreal this season and never more so than when he secured an 85th minute winner to secure a comeback win over Osasuna’s at the Cerámica. The combative Senegal international won seven duels and covered every blade of grass.

Central midfielder: Baptiste Santamaria (Valencia). Not since 2021 has a non-Spanish player scored and assisted for Valencia in the same game, but the Frenchman made it look easy in the comfortable win over Athletic. With an impressive eight passes into the final third reflected a man who was constantly looking to create from midfield to generate attacking threat.

Left wing: Ferran Torres (Barcelona). Ferran Torres wasn’t even in line to start until Marcus Rashford arrived late for the pre-match session, meaning that the Spaniard came in on the left flank. Up against a physical Getafe side, he scored a double with two excellent finishes, the second from outside the box and right into the bottom corner. It was a clinical performance from the Spaniard.

Forward: Cucho Hernández (Real Betis). It took the Colombian forward just seven minutes to thrash the ball into the roof of the net and give Betis the lead up against Real Sociedad. He was in the thick of it throughout the 90 minutes with 12 duels in total, and his energy and intensity helped to wear down a Real Sociedad side who struggled to control him.

Forward: Etta Eyong (Levante). Impressive at Villarreal, the only surprise about Etta Eyong’s form is that he’s producing these performances at Levante and not a much bigger club. He broke the deadlock with a wonderful solo goal before half-time and then set up strike partner Iván Romero for the third goal. The 21-year-old Cameroonian is now on three goals and three assists in five games.

Coach: Matías Almeyda (Sevilla). As mentioned above, Matías Almeyda is truly making the most out of his squad and blending the perfect mix of youth and experience in his Sevilla line-up. Against Alavés, he had to react not only to a short-lived first-half lead but also to losing a key attacker, Alfonso González, but his substitutions were spot on to secure the win.