The 2025/26 La Liga title race continued to throw up sharp contrasts as another eventful round of fixtures unfolded across Spain’s top flight.
While Barcelona and Real Madrid both found ways to keep the pressure on at the summit, familiar concerns resurfaced for Atletico Madrid, and the relegation picture in La Liga grew increasingly grim for Valencia.
Barcelona were made to work far harder than the scoreline suggested in a fiery Catalan derby, while Real Madrid unearthed an unlikely hero in Kylian Mbappe’s absence. Elsewhere, Villarreal steadied themselves after a setback before the break, but Diego Simeone’s side once again failed to capitalise on a favourable fixture.
At the other end of the table, Valencia’s alarming slide showed no signs of slowing, underlining the growing sense that this season may yet turn into a survival fight. With momentum, confidence and pressure shifting rapidly, the latest matchday served as another reminder of how unforgiving La Liga can be at both ends of the standings.
Joan Garcia steals the spotlight against former club
Barcelona extended their winning streak in La Liga to nine games with a 2-0 triumph over Espanyol. While the scoreline suggests it was a comfortable outing, the reality was a touch different, as the derby did force Hansi Flick’s team to dig deep.
Late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski sealed the three points for the Catalan giants. But it was former Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who kept them in the game with some exceptional saves. While it was a hostile return for him, the 24-year-old was fully focused on the task at hand.
The Spaniard managed to silence the crowd with his exceptional shot-stopping abilities. Garcia produced a series of outstanding saves to deny Pere Milla and Roberto Fernandez. While Espanyol dominated proceedings, they just could not find a way to get the ball past their former star.
Gonzalo Garcia steps up in Mbappe’s absence
While all eyes were on Vinicius Junior with Kylian Mbappe unavailable, it was actually Gonzalo Garcia who stepped up and delivered a performance that will be remembered for a long time. The 21-year-old striker bagged a hat-trick, helping his team secure a comfortable 5-1 win over Real Betis.
The Castilla striker was called into action during the Club World Cup, when Mbappe and Endrick were both out injured. He delivered some exceptional performances in the tournament. But that was not enough to get him regular minutes in the team.
With star forward Mbappe out injured, Xabi Alonso handed the youngster his second start in the league, and he ended up bagging a perfect hat-trick, which included a header, a sensational right-foot volley and a cheeky backflick from his left foot. He ensures Real Madrid stays within touching distance of La Liga leaders Barcelona.
Diego Simeone’s men drop points in La Liga again
We are only 19 games into the 2025/26 La Liga season and Diego Simeone’s team have already dropped points on eight occasions (D5 L3). After having secured back-to-back wins over Valencia and Girona, they were out-and-out favourites against Real Sociedad, who are struggling to get their season going.
However, Atletico Madrid could not get the job done against a team that are 15th on the table with 18 points in as many outings. Los Rojiblancos are just two points off the drop zone, and they have only won four games all season. It was expected to be a rather easy outing for Simeone’s team, but they could not create enough chances despite having dominated the ball.
Following this 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid are now 11 points off the top of La Liga and given how inconsistent they have been, they are unlikely to have a chance of competing for the league title this season. Their focus will entirely be on ensuring they secure a Champions League spot.
Third-placed Villarreal return to winning ways
Prior to the winter break, Villarreal squared up against leaders Barcelona. While they were on a winning streak and were hoping to put up a strong fight against the Catalan giants, they got outplayed and lost 2-0.
The Yellow Submarine squared up against newly promoted Elche this weekend. While they were expected to win, Elche were not going to make things easier for them. They have punched above their weight on quite a few occasions this season, and did put up a strong fight against Villarreal.
While Villarreal ended up winning 3-1, it was a tough test for the third-placed team. With this win, they do keep their chances of pushing for the league title alive. They are 11 points behind Barcelona, but do have two games in hand.
Valencia’s La Liga woes continue
While Valencia are just two points from safety, current form suggests they are the side struggling the most. They returned from the break hoping to get their season back on track against Celta Vigo, but those hopes were quickly dashed.
Valencia were thrashed 4-1 by Celta, with Borja Iglesias scoring twice. The real concern is not just their position in the drop zone, but the fact that they have managed only one win in their last 13 league outings.
If this trend continues, Carlos Corberan will come under increasing pressure, and Valencia will find it extremely difficult to retain their place in the Spanish top flight.
