La Liga Roundup, Matchday 20
Matchday 20 of the 2024/25 La Liga season has concluded, featuring exciting matches, impressive performances from players, and surprising outcomes. Here is the La Liga roundup for matchday 20.
Espanyol 2-1 Valladolid
Espanyol defeated fellow relegation candidates Real Valladolid 2-1 at the RCDE Stadium, marking their sixth victory in the last seven home matches against them. Espanyol successfully maintained their lead to earn all three points, establishing a four-point gap over Valladolid, who were unable to achieve their first consecutive wins since May.
Girona 1-2 Sevilla
Sevilla broke a dismal streak of six consecutive losses against Girona by securing a 2-1 victory away from home, which also ended their three-match away losing streak in La Liga. This result leaves Girona still looking for consecutive league wins this season, while Sevilla has managed to halt their away struggles. With a 7-point cushion from the relegation zone, they can now feel a bit more at ease.
Leganes 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Atlético Madrid faced a setback in their quest for the title as their impressive 15-match winning streak across all competitions was unexpectedly halted by Leganés. A header from Matija Nastasić and a missed penalty from Antoine Griezmann were enough for Leganés to achieve their first-ever victory against the Colchoneros in the top division, winning 1-0. This victory allows Leganés to move five points above the relegation zone, while Atlético falls to second place.
Real Betis 1-3 Alaves
Kike García emerged as the standout player, scoring his first hat-trick since May 2021 in Deportivo Alavés’s 3-1 La Liga win against Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarín. His performance helped secure only the team’s second victory in 14 league matches. Alavés fully deserved their first away league win in nine attempts. Meanwhile, Real Betis continues to struggle this season, having won just once in their last nine league games.
Getafe 1-1 Barcelona
Getafe achieved a 1-1 draw with Barcelona, further complicating the Blaugrana’s struggles in La Liga, as they have won just one of their last eight league games. Meanwhile, Getafe, who are battling against relegation, will likely be satisfied with the point that elevates them to 16th place in the standings, aiding their efforts to move away from the relegation zone.
Celta Vigo 1-2 Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao maintained their position among the top four in La Liga with a 2-1 win against Celta Vigo at Estadio de Balaídos, marking their 11th consecutive match without a loss in the Spanish league since their defeat to Girona last October. Celta experienced their first home loss in three encounters against Athletic. With this being their 10th defeat of the season, the Galicians remain in 13th place, just five points clear of the relegation zone.
Real Madrid 4-1 Las Palmas
Real Madrid recovered from an early challenge to achieve a dominant 4-1 win against Las Palmas, marking the 36th consecutive away La Liga match in which Los Amarillos have failed to win against them. This victory puts Los Blancos back at the top of La Liga, ahead of their city rivals Atlético Madrid. On the other hand, Las Palmas has suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time under Diego Martínez and is now just three points above the relegation zone.
Osasuna 1-1 Rayo Vallecano
Two players named García worked together to help Osasuna secure a draw in their La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano at El Sadar. Osasuna climbed two spots to 10th place, while Rayo moved up one position to 9th due to a better goal difference. Both teams remain in contention for a spot in European competitions.
Valencia 1-0 Real Sociedad
Valencia has ended their nearly two-month winless streak in La Liga, securing a 1-0 victory against Real Sociedad thanks to Hugo Duro’s first-half goal. This win moves Carlos Corberán’s team off the bottom of the standings. Valencia is now unbeaten in four matches for the first time since January of the previous year. Meanwhile, Real Sociedad, who had the opportunity to climb into fifth place, has lost 2 of their last 3 La Liga games without finding the net.
Villarreal 4-0 Mallorca
Villarreal netted four goals within eight minutes during the first half, a feat not accomplished by any La Liga team since the 2012-13 season, and secured a remarkable victory against Mallorca, marking their second win in the last six league matches. This victory allows the home team to claim sole possession of fifth place in the standings, three points ahead of Mallorca.