LALIGA EA SPORTS is back, with the first games of 2026 having taken place over the weekend. There were some incredibly impressive results, the most significant of which are discussed below.
Joan García stars in ELDERBI DE BARCELONA
FC Barcelona overcame city rivals RCD Espanyol 2-0 on Saturday night, courtesy of late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski. But, it was goalkeeper Joan García who really stood out, making several incredible saves on his return to the RCDE Stadium.
Academy graduates steer Real Madrid to a big win
Real Madrid matched FC Barcelona’s three-point haul by thrashing Real Betis 5-1 on Sunday. Curiously, all five goals were scored by Spaniards and by academy graduates, something that hadn’t happened at Los Blancos since 1989. Gonzalo García bagged a hat-trick, while Fran García and Raúl Asencio scored one each too.
Villarreal CF start 2026 with another win
Despite losing their final game of the year, 2025 had been an incredible year for Villarreal CF. And, Marcelino’s men kicked off 2026 on the front foot, winning 3-1 away at Elche CF to move up to third place in the table, thanks in part to Atlético de Madrid’s 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad.
A perfect debut for Luis Castro
New Levante UD boss Luis Castro made his debut in the dugout in Matchday 18, and it couldn’t have gone better as his team thrashed Sevilla FC 3-0 on the road. Iker Losada, Carlos Espí and Carlos Álvarez each got on the scoresheet, in what was Levante UD’s first league win since the beginning of October.
A big home win for RC Celta
RC Celta have had a good season so far, but they had been struggling at home. They entered Matchday 18 with the third-worst home record in the competition, but it didn’t look like it as they thrashed Valencia CF 4-1 to give their supporters something to celebrate.
Girona FC move out of the relegation zone
A 2-1 victory away at RCD Mallorca was a huge deal for Girona FC, who moved up and out of the relegation zone. That leaves Valencia CF inside the bottom three. Levante UD and Real Oviedo continue to occupy the bottom two places.
Real Oviedo strengthen the squad
The January transfer window is now open, and bottom-placed Real Oviedo have made two signings already. They’ve brought in two Uruguayans, with striker Thiago Borbas and midfielder Nicolás Fonseca joining the new Uruguayan coach Guillermo Almada.
Thiago Fernández joins Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF are another team to have already made a move in the transfer market, acquiring Argentinian winger Thiago Fernández. With the club currently in third place, El Submarino Amarillo are looking to push on in the second half of the season.
It’s time for the Spanish Super Cup
Matchday 19 is coming up next weekend for 16 of the 20 teams in LALIGA EA SPORTS, while the other four will compete to win the first piece of silverware of the Spanish football season. The Spanish Super Cup is taking place in Saudi Arabia, with FC Barcelona facing Athletic Club in one semi-final while the other pits city rivals Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid against each other.
There is Copa del Rey action this midweek
There is also one Copa del Rey game taking place this midweek, the final tie of the Round of 32. That’ll be between Granada CF and Rayo Vallecano, and it takes place in the Andalusian city on Tuesday evening.
