La Liga Roundup, Matchday 26
The 26th round of La Liga has concluded, it featured exciting matches, impressive player performances, and surprising outcomes. Here is the summary of the La Liga matches from matchday 26.
Real Sociedad 1-3 Villarreal
Villarreal continued their unbeaten streak to six matches with a 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad, thanks to two goals from Santi Comesaña. Real Sociedad, who have only won one of their last seven LaLiga matches, lost Ander Barrenetxea to injury early on but still controlled the game initially. Despite Takefusa Kubo posing a threat for the hosts, they struggled to create clear chances. Since defeating Villarreal 3-0 in December, Real Sociedad have only won twice in the league and are now 12 points behind in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Barcelona 4-0 Getafe
Barcelona continued their strong performance in La Liga by defeating Getafe 4-0, moving Xavi’s team into third place after winning four out of their last five league matches. The team aimed to capitalize on their recent improvement and knew that a win would put pressure on Girona, who are ahead of Barcelona by two points. The hosts dominated possession from the start but struggled to threaten Getafe’s goalkeeper, David Soria.
It wasn’t until the 20th minute that Barcelona created a significant scoring opportunity, which they successfully converted. With a three-goal lead, Xavi’s team comfortably controlled the game in the final half-hour, with Getafe offering little resistance. Fermín Lopez scored a fourth goal in stoppage time, sealing a sixth consecutive away defeat for Getafe against Barcelona. Barcelona currently sits in third place, and their recent positive form has given them a slim chance of defending their La Liga title.
Alaves 1-1 Mallorca
Deportivo Alavés continued their strong performance in 2024 by securing a hard-earned draw against RCD Mallorca at the Mendizorrotza Stadium. They have only suffered one defeat in LaLiga since the beginning of the year, with three wins, four draws, and one loss. Despite Mallorca’s late equalizer, they have struggled to win in four of their last five league matches and are now focusing on the upcoming Copa del Rey semi-finals against Real Sociedad. On the other hand, Alavés has climbed to 12th place after losing just once in their last six league games, with two wins and three draws.
Almeria 2-2 Atletico Madrid
Almería managed to secure a 2-2 draw against Atlético Madrid at the Power Horse Stadium after coming from behind twice. Atlético has struggled in their visits to Almería, winning only once in eight matches, with their last victory dating back to the 2014/15 season. Despite Atlético’s recent poor form, they took an early lead in the game.
Almería, however, showed resilience and equalized with a brilliant goal from Luka Romero. The second half started slowly, but Atlético regained the lead through a deflected shot from Rodrigo De Paul. Romero then scored his second goal of the game to level the score again. Almería, on the other hand, remains winless and at the bottom of the table but has gained hope after going unbeaten in three consecutive games for the first time this season.
Cadiz 2-2 Celta Vigo
Celta Vigo missed out on a crucial opportunity in the La Liga relegation battle by drawing 2-2 against Cádiz. This result prevented them from securing their first victory at the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla since January 1988. Despite managing to salvage a point, Cádiz continues to struggle with only three goals and five points from nine La Liga matches, placing them in 18th position and three points behind Celta Vigo. While this outcome may feel like a setback for Rafael Benítez’s team, they have only lost one out of eight matches against teams in the bottom seven of the La Liga standings.
Real Betis 3-1 Athletic Bilbao
Real Betis broke a three-game winless streak at Estadio Benito Villamarín with a convincing 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga. Despite the visitors attempting to stage a comeback during the game, Rui Silva’s impressive double save prevented any chance of a turnaround. The win sees Real Betis move closer to the top four, while Athletic Bilbao missed the opportunity to level points with Atlético Madrid.
Las Palmas 1-1 Osasuna
UD Las Palmas managed to secure a draw at home against CA Osasuna after coming from behind, with Unai García and Kirian Rodríguez scoring impressive volleys in an exciting 1-1 match at Estadio de Gran Canaria. Despite Las Palmas being more aggressive towards the end, they were unable to secure a win against a determined Osasuna team that settled for a draw. This outcome leaves both teams in the middle of the table, with Las Palmas climbing to eighth place above Valencia, while Osasuna remains in 11th after going three league games unbeaten.
Real Madrid 1-0 Sevilla
Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga to eight points with a contentious 1-0 victory over Sevilla. Sergio Ramos, facing his former team, suffered his first defeat against them after previously having a record of one win and two draws. Real Madrid remains undefeated in 18 league matches at their home ground, the Santiago Bernabéu, with 15 wins and three draws. They are now in a strong position to secure their 36th La Liga title as they prepare to face Valencia next Saturday. Meanwhile, Sevilla will be aiming to widen the six-point gap to the relegation zone when they host Real Sociedad on the same day.
Girona 3-0 Rayo Vallecano
Girona ended their three-match winless streak with three second-half goals to defeat 10-man Rayo Vallecano for the third time this season in all competitions. This victory helped them reclaim second place in La Liga with a 3-0 win at Estadi Montilivi. While the goals were a positive outcome, Girona will also be happy to have kept a clean sheet after conceding seven goals in their previous two matches. On the other hand, Rayo Vallecano continues to struggle, remaining without a win since the first week of January.
