La Liga Roundup, Matchday 2
The second round of La Liga has wrapped up, showcasing thrilling matches, standout player displays, and unexpected results. Below is a recap of the games from matchday 2 in La Liga.
Celta Vigo 3-1 Valencia
Celta Vigo achieved their second consecutive win to kick off their La Liga season, overcoming a deficit to defeat Valencia 3-1 at the Estadio Abanca-Balaídos. In the end, Celta was able to maintain their lead and secure another win, placing them at the top of the La Liga table. On the other hand, Valencia will have to wait for their first points of the season, but they will have a chance to earn them soon, as Baraja’s team is set to face Atletico Club on Wednesday.
Sevilla 1-2 Villarreal
Ayoze Pérez scored a last-minute goal in the 95th minute, securing Villarreal’s first win of the 2024/25 La Liga season with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. This marked Sevilla’s first loss under coach Xavier García Pimienta. Sevilla almost turned one point into three during stoppage time, but Kelechi Iheanacho’s shot was saved by Conde. In a dramatic turn of events, Villarreal quickly countered, and a cross into the box deflected off Carmona to Pérez, who struck a powerful volley past Nyland, giving Villarreal their first win at Sevilla since 2019.
Osasuna 1-0 Mallorca
Osasuna continued their unbeaten run in the new LaLiga season with a 1-0 victory against Mallorca at El Sadar Stadium, achieving their first head-to-head win in four encounters. Typically, Osasuna has been a mid-table team, finishing 10th, 11th, 10th, 7th, and 11th in their last five seasons in Spain’s top division. However, if they keep delivering performances and results like this, they might be in contention for a European spot this season.
Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Barcelona continued their perfect start to the new La Liga season by defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-1 in their first home match of the 2024/25 season. This victory marked their 23rd consecutive home league game without a loss against the Basque team. Barça managed the match comfortably, maintaining their unbeaten record in home La Liga openers since 2010. On the other hand, Athletic Bilbao is still searching for their first league win of the season, which they will aim to achieve in their upcoming match against Valencia.
Getafe 0-0 Rayo Vallecano
Getafe and Rayo Vallecano ended in a 0-0 draw, marking the first scoreless match of the 2024/25 LaLiga season. This result allows Getafe to remain unbeaten in their first two matches of the season for the first time since the 2020/21 campaign. Overall, both teams delivered a lackluster performance, but Getafe will soon welcome back their 15-goal striker, Mayoral. Additionally, this draw extends Rayo Vallecano’s unbeaten streak against Getafe to seven matches.
Espanyol 0-1 Real Sociedad
Takefusa Kubo’s goal in the second half earned Real Sociedad a 1-0 win against Espanyol, preventing a third consecutive loss in La Liga. This victory marks Sociedad’s first points of the season and their 65th win over the Catalan team, the highest number they’ve achieved against any opponent. On the other hand, Espanyol remains without points or goals this season, a situation that Manolo González and his team need to address quickly to avoid an early struggle against relegation.
Real Madrid 3-0 Real Valladolid
Real Madrid secured their first victory of the 2024/25 LaLiga season with a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabéu, extending their unbeaten streak in the Spanish top division to 29 matches. Brahim Díaz added to the score line with a lovely chip late in the game, while Endrick also made an impact by scoring his first goal at the Bernabéu from a tight angle. Carlo Ancelotti’s team achieved their first league win of the season, leaving Valladolid without any points and still searching for a win against Madrid since 2008.
Leganes 2-1 Las Palmas
Leganés achieved their first victory since returning to the top division, defeating Las Palmas 2-1 in front of their home crowd with two goals in the second half. The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when Rodríguez launched a counterattack and assisted substitute Enric Franquesa, who finished into the bottom corner. This goal proved vital, as Sandro scored for Las Palmas in stoppage time, but Leganés managed to maintain their lead, earning four points from their first two matches.
Alaves 0-0 Real Betis
In a match that failed to produce any excitement, Alavés and Real Betis ended in a goalless draw at Mendizorrotza, leaving both teams still in search of their first win of the season. Despite numerous substitutions from both sides, the game lacked quality, highlighted by Fekir’s missed chance to score from a clear position in the box. Aleksandar Sedlar received a straight red card for a late elbow, but Betis could not capitalize on their numerical advantage.
Atletico Madrid 3-0 Girona
Atlético Madrid achieved their first win of the 2024/25 LaLiga season with a convincing 3-0 triumph over Girona at the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano. Additionally, this marked Atlético’s first clean sheet in seven home matches. On the other hand, Girona, facing challenges due to player departures over the summer, is struggling to replicate their successful 2023/24 season when they qualified for the UEFA Champions League. They currently have only one point from two matches this season and have managed to score just one goal.