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Sevilla will be looking to extend their positive recent record against Elche, while Atlético Madrid will hope to return to winning ways against in-form Villarreal. Real Sociedad look to recover from a poor start to the season as they welcome Real Madrid to the Anoeta Stadium, while Barcelona entertain an inconsistent Valencia side. Let's dive into our preview of this weekend's action.....
Sevilla vs. Elche; Friday, 20:00 (BST)
Sevilla head into Friday's clash having endured an underwhelming start to the new La Liga campaign, having lost two of their opening three contests (W1-D0-L2). Both of these defeats came at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, with Sevilla conceding twice and scoring just once on home soil so far this term. Despite their struggles in the final third, the Los Nervionenses undoubtedly boast plenty of attacking quality. Rubén Vargas offers a constant threat, while Alfonso González recently netted on his debut for the club. These two players have added to Sevilla's strong counter-attacking proposition, with the stats suggesting they're one of the best teams in the league in phases of transition. The natives will demand a win following a couple of poor early performances; can Matías Almeyda's men secure all three points this weekend?
Elche, for their part, have made a more encouraging start than Friday's opponents. A record of one win and two draws means Los Franjiverdes have made their best start to a top-flight season since the 1968/69 campaign. With Álvaro Rodríguez delivering assists in each of his last two games and Rafa Mir - who will face his current employers less than a month after agreeing a loan switch to Eder Sarabia's side - recapturing his goalscoring instinct in recent weeks, the visitors are well-equipped in forward areas. Although their recent record at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán makes for uncomfortable reading, Elche's current attacking zest suggests they won't be looking to park the bus on Friday evening. Consequently, we can expect a fair amount of goalmouth action at both ends.......
Prediction: Both teams to score - Yes: 19/20 (bet365)
Explanation: This bet will land if Elche and Sevilla score at least one goal each, regardless of the final score.
Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid; Saturday, 15:15 (BST)
Real Sociedad have accumulated just two points from a possible nine so far, resulting in their worst league start since the 2015/16 campaign. The Txuri-urdin have also failed to score in their last four LaLiga fixtures against Real Madrid, a further bad omen amidst a disappointing run of form. They will be up against a Real Madrid side who have won each of their opening three fixtures, conceding just one goal in the process. Having ended the previous campaign with three straight victories, Los Blancos will be hoping to extend their La Liga winning run to seven this weekend.
The biggest threat to the San Sebastian defence needs little introduction. Kylian Mbappé has already netted three goals this term, and few would bet against him adding to his tally on Saturday afternoon. The Frenchman has been particularly prolific when facing Real Sociedad, having netted four times in five appearances against the Basque outfit while representing either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain. If Mbappé is on top form, it seems inevitable that Real Madrid will extend their recent positive record at the Anoeta Stadium.
Prediction: Real Madrid to win and Kylian Mbappé to score: 5/4 (bet365)
Explanation: This bet will land if Real Madrid win by any margin and Kylian Mbappé scores at least one goal.
Athletic Club vs. Alavés; Saturday, 17:30 (BST)
Alavés head into Saturday's derby having lost two of their first three league games, but know they possess enough creativity to hurt the opposition. Only Atlético Madrid have swung more crosses in the box since the beginning of the campaign, with Alavés consistently exploiting their quality on the flanks. They also have a penalty-winning supremo in industrious full-back Nahuel Tenaglia, who has directly earned four spot-kicks in his 76 La Liga appearances for the club. Dangermen Jon Guridi and Carlos Vicente are also capable of causing a problem for any defence.
The San Mamés hasn't been a happy hunting ground for Alavés in recent times, having failed to score in their last five visits to Bilbao. However, they face an Athletic side that often leaves gaps at the back in their pursuit of free-flowing attacking football. Athletic Bilbao's defensive shortcomings weren't helped by their failure to sign Aymeric Laporte, who was hoping to return to the Basque country on transfer deadline day to commence a second spell with the club. Although they shipped the fewest goals in La Liga last term, the Bilbao defence has been far from watertight in the opening weeks of the season. They've conceded an average of one goal per game and failed to keep a clean sheet in two of their first three league outings, a worrying set of statistics for a team that is accustomed to relying on its defensive solidity.
Prediction: Alavés - Over 0.5 goals: 5/6 (bet365)
Explanation: This bet will land if Alavés score at least one goal during the match.
Atletico Madrid vs. Villarreal; Saturday, 20:00 (BST)
Atlético Madrid will be desperate to register their first win of the campaign, having earned just two points so far amidst a slew of tepid performances. However, the stats aren't overly encouraging for the hosts.
Simone's men have conceded in each of their last eight meetings with Villarreal, and are therefore on course to endure their worst-ever run without a clean sheet against Saturday's opponents. Furthermore, Atléti hero Antoine Griezmann is currently navigating his longest La Liga goals drought - failing to score for the nineteenth consecutive occasion in last month's draw with Alavés - reflecting his team's current attacking woes.
On the other hand, Villarreal will arrive at the Metropolitano in a confident mood. The Yellow Submarine haven't been beaten in any of their last nine La Liga fixtures, a record aided by early-season victories over Girona and Real Oviedo and a 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo. The visitors are further boosted by Gerard Moreno's impressive goal-scoring record exploits at the Metropolitano, having scored in three of his last eight outings at Atléti's home ground. With the hosts chasing a victory and Villarreal sharp in attack, we should see plenty of goals in the Spanish capital on Saturday night. Incidentally, there have been three goals or more in four of the last five meetings between these two teams; no prizes for guessing what we expect to happen!
Prediction: Over 2.5 goals: 8/11 (bet365)
Explanation: This bet will land if at least three goals are scored in the match, regardless of the final result.
Levante vs. Real Betis; Sunday, 15:15 (BST)
Levante have started the season extremely poorly, suffering consecutive defeats in La Liga's opening three rounds for just the second time in their history. They have also shipped more second-half goals than any other team in the league, while being routinely punished from set-pieces (only Sunday's opponents have conceded as many from set-play scenarios). Nevertheless, Levante have traditionally performed well when facing Los Verdiblancos on home soil, winning three of the last four meetings at Ciutat de València. Experienced attacker José Luis Morales has also scored six times against Real Betis in his lengthy career, providing the hosts with another reason to feel confident.
However, the stats could also be used to argue the case for a Real Betis triumph. Pellegrini's men have won each of their last three games against Levante, and netted in 11 consecutive La Liga outings (registering a total of 19 goals throughout this period). Although Colombian frontman Cucho Hernández is currently struggling for goals, Real Betis remain productive in the final third, partially thanks to the return of last season's loan star Antony. Furthermore, Pellegrini has emerged victorious in 75% of his league meetings with Levante, his highest win percentage against any opponent he has faced on at least ten occasions.
This all suggests we're set for an open game on Sunday afternoon, with Betis perhaps edging the tie thanks to their superior attacking quality.
Prediction: Real Betis to win and both teams to score: 7/2 (bet365)
Explanation: This bet will land if Real Betis win the match and Levante manage to score at least one goal.
Barcelona vs. Valencia; Sunday, 20:00 (BST)
Barcelona possess a clear psychological edge in this fixture, having dominated Sunday's opponents in recent times. The Blaugrana have won eight of the last ten meetings between these La Liga giants, with Valencia only managing two draws throughout this sequence. Moreover, Valencia have conceded at least one goal in each of their last 21 visits to the Camp Nou, a run that highlights just how difficult it's been for them to thwart the Barça attack. Hansi Flick's side have shown their attacking strength from both in and outside the box, registering more long-range goals than any other La Liga outfit since the beginning of the campaign. Meanwhile, Valencia have delivered fewer attempts at goals than the vast majority of their league rivals.
Barcelona will also be buoyed by last month's impressive victories over Real Mallorca and Levante, alongside the fact that they've won their first La Liga home fixture in nine of the last eleven seasons. Polish talisman Robert Lewandowski has netted seven goals in his last five Barcelona appearances, as he continues to be one of the most feared strikers in La Liga despite navigating the twilight stage of his glittering career.
Valencia's defensive line is typically fragile away from the Mestalla, so expect Barcelona - particularly given their recent record against the Blanquinegros - to win by a comfortable margin on Sunday evening.
Prediction: Barcelona with -1.5 handicap: 4/6 (bet365)
Explanation: This bet will land if Barcelona win by a two-goal margin (i.e. 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 etc.) or more.
Espanyol vs. Real Mallorca; Monday, 20:00 (BST)
Espanyol go into this clash eager to maintain their positive home run against Real Mallorca. Los Periquitos have come out on top in each of their last six home meetings with the Balearic outfit, registering plenty of goals in the process. Moreover, they have started the 2025/26 season by earning seven points from their opening three games, their best return for almost two decades. Headed goals have become a lethal weapon for Monday's hosts, with Pere Milla nodding home twice this season already for an Espanyol side that isn't shy in asserting their aerial dominance.
In stark contrast, Mallorca haven't recorded any victories in their last six La Liga outings thanks to their inability to hold on to what they have in the closing stages of matches. Nevertheless, Jagoba Arrasate's men have demonstrated their ability to create chances, with Vedat Muriqi often being the beneficiary. The Kosovan marksman has netted 35 goals in 111 La Liga appearances, offering Mallorca a glint of hope for Monday's tie.
Prediction: Espanyol/Draw and both teams to score more than one goal: 5/6 (bet365)
Explanation: This bet will land if Espanyol either win or draw and both teams score at least one goal in the match.
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Odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.