LaLiga 2025/26 continues with Matchweek 2 from Friday to Monday, August 22–25. The round opens on Friday night and rolls through a busy weekend across Spain.
Expect early statements from title hopefuls and newly promoted sides alike. Below are fixture cards with kickoff data.
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Betis vs Alaves
Betis will be without important players like Hector Bellerin, Marc Roca, and Diego Llorente. Chimy Avila and Aitor Ruibal are also uncertain to play. Sergi Altimira couldn’t train before the game against Elche because of a fitness problem, which makes the central midfield situation even tougher. With Isco unavailable, Giovani Lo Celso and Pablo Fornals will have to step up. Betis managed to get a 1:1 draw against Elche, even though Elche had most of the ball early on, controlling over 70% in the first half.
Alaves pulled off an exciting 2:1 win at home against Levante, with Toni Martinez scoring first with a header, and Nahuel Tenaglia securing the victory with a goal in the 92nd minute. Unfortunately, they will be missing defender Moussa Diarra and maybe Carlos Martin too. Alaves has been doing well against Betis lately, having won 3-1 in their last match in January and staying unbeaten in their last five games against them.
Betis’ home crowd at La Cartuja could push them, Alaves has a good record against them lately, and their fast counterattacks might take advantage of the holes in Betis’ defense.
X (Draw)
Predicted CS: 1:1
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Mallorca vs Celta
Mallorca began their season with a 0-3 defeat against Barcelona, having only 29% possession and just one shot on target. Important players like Vedat Muriqi and Dani Rodriguez will be at the forefront of their 4-2-3-1 formation, but injuries to Ivan Cuellar, Jose Copete, and Toni Lato, might put pressure on their team. Recent matches for Mallorca indicate a pattern of low-scoring games, with fewer than 2.5 goals.
Celta faced a 2-0 loss to Getafe in their first match, even though they controlled possession with 69% but failed to finish their chances effectively. Iago Aspas and Oscar Mingueza are crucial, but injuries to Jailson and questions about Sergio Carreira could affect their defense. Celta’s recent 2-1 victory over Mallorca in April and their unbeaten streak in the last four encounters show they have the ability to compete.
Both teams had a tough start to the season, with Mallorca losing at home to Barcelona and Celta falling to Getafe, highlighting their offensive struggles. We expect fewer than 3 goals in today’s match.
0-2 (Under 2.5)
Predicted CS: 0:1
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Atletico Madrid vs Elche
Atletico kicked off their season with a 2:1 loss as away team against Espanyol. Under the guidance of Diego Simeone, they maintain a well-organized strategy, with new players like David Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri, and Conor Gallagher boosting the team. Atletico has an impressive home record, having not lost in their last 4 La Liga home matches, and they’ve triumphed in 6 out of their last 7 games against Elche in all competitions.
Elche, who just got promoted from La Liga 2, managed to draw 1:1 with Real Betis in their first match, showing they can be tough but struggled to attack with only 1 shot on goal. Their coach, Eder Sarabia, counts on Agustin Alvarez and Elbasan Rashani to lead the offense. Unfortunately, injuries to Oscar Plano and uncertainty about other players make their squad weaker. Their recent 4-0 defeat to Atlético in the Copa del Rey back in January shows the difference in quality.
Atletico’s strong home performance makes them clear favorites. While Elche had a solid run in La Liga 2 and have shown some toughness lately, their lack of experience in the top league and weak attacking options will probably be a problem.
1 & T1 2+ (Atletico to Win & Over1.5)
Predicted CS: 3:0
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Levante vs Barcelona
Levante, who just got promoted, lost their first game 2-1 to Alaves, giving up a goal in stoppage time. Coach Julian Calero pointed out some defensive problems that Barcelona’s attack might take advantage of. Even though Levante plays well at home, they have a tough match ahead against Barcelona. Their strategy is to counterattack, but they have a hard time against teams that press high.
Barcelona kicked off the season with a strong 3-0 victory over Mallorca, even though they were missing Robert Lewandowski and Marc-Andre ter Stegen because of injuries. Hansi Flick focuses on high pressing and quick attacks, with players like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Dani Olmo leading the way. The midfield trio of Frenkie de Jong, and Pedri gives them good control, and new goalkeeper Joan Garcia has been dependable. They’ve won 4 out of their last 5 games against Levante, scoring an average of 2.8 goals each game.
With a stronger squad and lots of attacking power, even without some key players, Barcelona is the favorite. Levante’s defeat to Alavas showed their defensive weaknesses, which Barcelona could take advantage of.
2-2 (Barcelona to Win HT and FT)
Predicted CS: 0:3
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Osasuna vs Valencia
Osasuna started the season with a 0-1 home loss to Real Madrid, showing defensive resilience but lacking attacking punch. Under Vicente Moreno, with Ante Budimir as the focal point up front. Their home form remains a strength, but they’ve drawn or lost recent encounters with Valencia.
Valencia drew 1-1 away to Real Sociedad in their opener, earning a point against strong opposition but highlighting offensive struggles. Carlos Corberán’s side is relying on Hugo Duro and Umar Sadiq for goals, though their away record is poor, winless in 5 straight La Liga away games. They hold a historical edge in this fixture but have drawn their last two meetings with Osasuna.
Osasuna’s home strength and Valencia’s away struggles point to a competitive match. Osasuna’s high-pressing form could exploit Valencia’s shaky defense.
0-2 (Under 2.5)
Predicted CS: 1:0
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Real Sociedad vs Espanyol
Real Sociedad kicked off their season with a 1-1 tie against Valencia, where Takefusa Kubo scored to level the game after they were down. With Sergio Francisco as their coach and key players like Kubo, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Martin Zubimendi leading the offense, they seem to be in good form. New players like Luka Sucic and Sergio Gomez bring extra strength to the team, but losing Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand might impact their teamwork early on.
On the other hand, newly promoted Espanyol had a great start with a 2-1 comeback win against Atletico Madrid, turning around a goal from a Julian Alvarez free-kick. Under the management of Manolo Gonzalez, they play a defensive style, depending on Javi Puado and loan player Alejo Veliz to create counterattacks. Unfortunately, the absence of Martin Braithwaite has made their attack weaker. Espanyol has struggled away from home, with no victories in their last 4 La Liga away matches.
Real Sociedad’s strong pressing and home advantage should take advantage of Espanyol’s poor defense when playing away.
1 (Real Sociedad to Win)
Predicted CS: 2:1
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Villarreal vs Girona
Villarreal kicked off their La Liga season with a 2-0 victory against Real Oviedo, demonstrating their strength even with a changed lineup. Marcelino Garcia Toral’s strategy depends on Ayoze Perez, Alex Baena, and the new player Nicolas Pepe to bring excitement to their attacks. Villarreal has 5 consecutive home wins in the league. They have also scored at least one goal in each of their last 6 league matches.
Girona faced a loss in their first match of the season, being defeated at home by Rayo Vallecano with a score of 1-3. They were completely outplayed in both halves and had significant defensive issues. Girona’s away performance is worrying, as last season they only managed one win in their last 9 away games.
Villarreal’s recent victory and home field advantage should take advantage of Girona’s weak away defense, even with some injuries. Their aggressive playing style could overpower Girona’s ball control.
1 (Villarreal to Win)
Predicted CS: 2:0
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Oviedo vs Real Madrid
Recently promoted Real Oviedo, after winning a playoff against Mirandes with a score of 3-2, lost their first game of the 25-26 season 2-0 to Villarreal. Under the guidance of V. Paunovic, they are counting on Nacho and Federico Vinas to provide offensive power. Oviedo has a solid home record, winning 7 out of their last 10 home matches, but they are up against a tough opponent in Real Madrid.
Real Madrid started their season with a 1-0 victory at home against Osasuna, thanks to a penalty goal from Kylian Mbappe. They displayed strong defense but seemed a bit tired in the second half, suggesting they might need to rotate their players. The midfield is struggling without Bellingham and Camavinga, which will likely mean they have to rely on Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni. In attack, Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are still big threats, and Arda Guler might also step up.
Real Madrid is expected to win easily, showing off their better squad depth, strong attacking options led by Mbappe and Vinicius, and their historical success.
2 (Real Madrid to Win)
Predicted CS: 1:3
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Athletic Bilbao vs Rayo Vallecano
Athletic Bilbao kicked off the season with an exciting 3-2 win at home against Sevilla. Last season, they finished in 5th place and had a strong home record. Their style of play shows they can attack well, but they have some weaknesses in defense, as they let in two goals in their first game even though they were ahead 2-0 at halftime.
Rayo Vallecano surprised Girona by winning 3-1 away from home. They also have 3 points, which puts them in a good position early in the season. Last year, they finished 15th, but their away performance was average, and they are currently on a six-match unbeaten streak in LaLiga. Manager Francisco Rodriguez might rely on Jorge de Frutos and Alvaro Garcia after their impressive performances in the win against Girona.
Athletic Bilbao is expected to win, taking advantage of their great home record and their historical success against Rayo at San Mames.
1 (Bilbao to Win)
Predicted CS: 2:1
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Sevilla vs Getafe
Sevilla lost 3-2 in their first game against Athletic Bilbao. They tried to attack well, scoring with Dodi Lukebakio and Lucien Agoume, but their defense was weak. Last season, they ended up in 17th place with 41 points and had a mix of results when playing at home. Recently, they have only won 1 out of their last 12 competitive games.
Getafe won 2-0 at home against Celta Vigo, with goals in the second half from Adrian Liso and Christantus Uche. They showed strong defense in their first match. Coach Jose Bordalas likes to use a compact formation, with Carles Perez and Christantus Uche being important for their attack. The defense, led by Djene Dakonam, is still strong even with some problems.
Sevilla is slightly favored to win because they are playing at home and have a good record against Getafe, winning 3 out of the last 4 matches they played against them.
1 (Sevilla to Win)
Predicted CS: 1:0
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