La Liga returns this week, and the August games in Spain are so hot that referees are forced to call for hydration breaks for the games. Climate change is real, people, and so is a campaign where Barcelona will try to defend their title.
Here’s the scoop on the first week of action.
La Liga Matchday 1 WinnersNahuel TenagliaAlavés weren’t safe until the penultimate day of last season, so their fans will enjoy the auspicious start to their 2025-26 campaign thanks to their Argentinian attacker, who put home a loose ball in stoppage time to secure their 2-1 win over newly promoted Levante.
Luiz JúniorThe Villarreal goalkeeper conceded a penalty when Real Oviedo attacker Ilyas Chaira ran into his forearm chasing after a loose ball, but Luiz Júnior cleaned up the mistake by stopping José Salomón Rondón’s penalty kick to keep the game scoreless. That save and Alberto Reina’s subsequent red card keyed a 2-0 home win for Villarreal.
Robert NavarroAfter Sevilla’s two screamers tied things up against Athletic Bilbao, the home team’s new arrival proved his worth by volleying home Nico Williams’ cross to win the opener for Athletic Club. The San Mamés faithful already have reason to be glad he joined the team from Mallorca.
Germán ValeraThe opening week didn’t go so well for the newly promoted teams in La Liga, with Levante and Real Oviedo both losing. It was Valera who salvaged a point for the new boys, as his scuffed finish found its way into the net in the 91st minute to grab a home draw for Elche against Real Betis. The Atlético Madrid academy product (who is of Lithuanian descent) helped los franjiverdes win promotion from La Segunda División last season and extended his contract with the Alicante club, and now he has given them their first goal this season.
La Liga Matchday 1 LosersAtlético MadridThe offseason didn’t stop the hits from coming for Atleti, as they threw away a 1-0 lead on the road to give Espanyol a 2-1 win. Diego Simeone reworked his defense by bringing in Dávid Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri, and USA’s Johnny Cardoso this summer, and the new guys had better settle in quickly to get the team back on track.
José Luis Munuera MonteroWNBA fans have spent this summer complaining (justifiably so) about their referees, but they should take a look at La Liga. It wasn’t the fault of the ref in Barcelona’s victory over Mallorca that Manu Morlanes got red-carded for complaining, or that Vedat Muriqi did the same for almost decapitating Joan García while going after a loose ball, but the official lost control of the game when Antonio Rallo went down after Lamine Yamal’s shot hit him in the head and stayed down until after Ferran Torres’ follow-up went in the net. If Rallo was truly concussed, the game should have been stopped and Torres’ goal should have been ruled out. If Rallo was faking it, he should have been booked for it. Munuera Montero created needless confusion by stopping the game and then awarding Torres’ goal, and gave the Mallorca fans the impression that he was out to win the game for visiting Barça.
Paulo GazzanigaWhen goalkeepers have bad games, everyone notices, and Girona’s backstopper had a nightmare. Yes, David López should not have passed the ball back to him when he wasn’t expecting it, but the Argentinian netminder whiffed on his attempt to play the ball, and Rayo Vallecano’s Jorge de Frutos deposited it into the unguarded net. The two collided again when Gazzaniga dithered too long waiting for the ball to come into his penalty box, cleared it off an onrushing de Frutos, and then tackled him for a red card. His errors were the difference in Rayo’s 3-1 win, and now he’ll be suspended while Vladyslav Krapyvtsov gets a chance to take his starting job.
Juan CruzGiven the unenviable task of marking Kylian Mbappé, the Osasuna defender slew-footed the Real Madrid attacker in the penalty box while attempting to block a cross that never came. Cruz protested mightily, but we saw him hit himself in the head in a universal “Stupid!” gesture as soon as he committed the foul. Mbappé converted the resulting penalty for Real’s 1-0 victory.
Real Madrid’s offenseYes, they got the three points and their defense limited Osasuna to very few chances, but Real’s attack still looks disjointed because there are too many left-side players. This problem needs solving either via the transfer window or on the whiteboard with new Coach Xabi Alonso. If it isn’t, los blancos will be second best again this season.
