The 2025/26 La Liga season has officially kicked off, and the first weekend's matches have already set a high standard for drama and competition. With new managerial faces on the touchline and title contenders eager to make an early statement, the opening matchweek has been a must-watch event. This post provides a full breakdown of all the matches played so far, an analysis of the key games, and a summary of what's still to come as the first round of fixtures draws to a close.
Match of the Day: Barcelona's Title Defense
Defending champions Barcelona began their campaign with a dominant 3-0 victory against Mallorca on Saturday. The game, which took place in Mallorca, saw Barcelona take control from the outset and capitalize on their opponents' mistakes. Mallorca's hopes were dashed in the first half when two of their players received red cards, leaving them to play with nine men.
Barcelona's prolific attack from last season was on display, with both Raphinha and Lamine Yamal finding the back of the net. Raphinha scored the opener just seven minutes into the match with a back-post finish, while Ferran Torres doubled the lead before the half-hour mark.
Marcus Rashford, who came on as a substitute in the 69th minute.
Other Matches Played So Far
Rayo Vallecano 3–1 Girona: In a shocking result on the opening day, Rayo Vallecano secured a major victory away at Girona. The match was defined by a horror show from Girona's goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga, who made two costly errors and was sent off in the first half. Rayo took full advantage, with goals from De Frutos, Álvaro García, and a penalty from Isi Palazón. Joel Roca scored a late consolation goal for Girona, but it was not enough to mount a comeback.
Villarreal 2–0 Real Oviedo: Villarreal started their season with a convincing home victory and a clean sheet against promoted side Real Oviedo. The goals came from Etta Eyong and P. Gueye in the first half, giving Villarreal a comfortable two-goal cushion to start the season.
Valencia 1–1 Real Sociedad: This highly anticipated match ended in a tightly contested draw. Both teams battled back and forth, with Daniel López scoring for Valencia and Takefusa Kubo equalizing for Real Sociedad.
Matchweek 1 Fixtures and Results
Here is a look at all the matches that have been played in the opening weekend of the La Liga season.
| Date | Fixture | Result | Goalscorers |
| Friday, August 15 | Girona vs. Rayo Vallecano | 1–3 | GIR: Roca. RAY: De Frutos, García, Isi (p) |
| Friday, August 15 | Villarreal vs. Real Oviedo | 2–0 | VIL: Eyong, Gueye |
| Saturday, August 16 | Mallorca vs. Barcelona | 0–3 | BAR: Raphinha, F. Torres, Yamal |
| Saturday, August 16 | Valencia vs. Real Sociedad | 1–1 | VAL: López. RSO: Kubo |
| Saturday, August 16 | Deportivo Alavés vs. Levante | 2–1 | ALA: Not published. LEV: Diarra |
Upcoming Matches
The opening matchweek is not yet complete. Here are the remaining fixtures to look forward to:
| Date | Fixture |
| Sunday, August 17 | Celta Vigo vs. Getafe |
| Sunday, August 17 | Athletic Bilbao vs. Sevilla |
| Sunday, August 17 | Espanyol vs. Atlético Madrid |
| Monday, August 18 | Elche vs. Real Betis |
| Tuesday, August 19 | Real Madrid vs. Osasuna |
A Strong Start for the Champions
The first few matches have already delivered on their promise of excitement, with goals and surprise results. Barcelona's dominant win sends a clear message to the rest of the league, and their young squad, bolstered by new signings, looks poised for another strong campaign. However, the real test for the title race will begin once Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid have had their first run-out. The debuts of Xabi Alonso and Hansi Flick, along with the season opener for Diego Simeone's men, are still to come. The first matchweek of the 2025/26 season is proving to be a thrilling one, and the action is far from over.