LaLiga Matchweek 8: What the stats say

Athletic Club v Deportivo Alavés
1 October, 2021

After winning 18 of their first 20 games against Alaves in LaLiga (D1 L1), Athletic have won just two of their last 12 matches against them in the competition (D5 L5), failing to score in seven of those 12 games.

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At home, Athletic have lost just one of their 16 LaLiga matches against Alavés (W12 D3), 0-2 in November 2005, although they have won only two of their last six (D3 L1).

Athletic are winless in their last five Basque derbies in LaLiga (D3 L2), since a 2-1 win over Eibar in September 2020, while Alaves are winless in their last three (D1 L2).

Athletic have lost just one of their last nine games played on a Friday in LaLiga (W4 D4), against Celta Vigo in December 2020, while Alaves have won just two of their last nine played on this day (D3 L4).

Athletic have won just one of their last six home games in LaLiga (D3 L2), losing their last one against Rayo Vallecano (1-2) - they have not lost two in a row at San Mames in the competition since October 2020 (4).

Alavés have lost their last three away games in LaLiga without scoring a goal – they last lost four on the bounce away from home in the competition without scoring in 1999 (4).

Iñaki Williams can become the player with the most consecutive appearances in LaLiga history, surpassing Juan Antonio Larrañaga (both 202). The Athletic Club striker has played uninterrupted in the competition since 20 April, 2016, in a match against Atlético de Madrid (0-1), playing 202 games since then in which he has managed 39 goals and 25 assists.

Alavés are the only team to have scored 100 per cent of their goals from set-pieces in LaLiga this season (two from two) and one of the four teams to have conceded the most goals via this manner in the competition (five, the same as Cádiz, Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano).

Athletic's Iñigo Martínez has scored two goals in seven games in LaLiga 2021-22, his highest tally in a campaign in the competition since 2016-17 when he scored three in 34 games for Real Sociedad.

Athletic coach Marcelino García Toral has lost just one of his five LaLiga managerial matches against Alavés (W3 1D), 2-1 at Mendizorrotza in January 2019 with Valencia.

Osasuna v Rayo Vallecano
2 October, 2021

Osasuna have won two of their last four matches against Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga (D1 L1), as many victories as in their previous 10 meetings with the Vallecanos in the competition (W2 D4 L4).

At home, Osasuna have lost just one of their nine meetings with Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga (W5 D3), 0-1 in January 2003, with a goal from Julio Álvarez, winning the last two.

Rayo Vallecano have won 13 points after their first seven games in LaLiga 2021-22 (W4 D1 L2), their second-best total in their history at this stage in the competition, after the 16 points in 1999-00 (W5 D1 L1) when they finished 9th -three points per win-.

With 11 points from seven games so far this season (W3 D2 L2), this is Osasuna's best start to a LaLiga season at this stage since 2005-06 (15 points, W5 D0 L2) which was their joint-best finish in the competition (4th, as in 1990-91).

Osasuna have made 66 high turnovers (40 meters) in LaLiga this season, more than any other side in the division.

Rayo Vallecano are one of three teams in LaLiga to score the first goal of the game the most times this season winning in all of them (G4 W4), along with Real Sociedad and Sevilla.

Osasuna have scored six of their 10 goals in LaLiga this season from set-pieces, including three from penalties, scoring more penalty goals than any other team in the competition this campaign.

Radamel Falcao has scored in all three of his games for Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga this season and could become only the third player to score for the club in four straight games in the competition in the 21st century after Elvir Bolic (four in 2002) and Miku (five in 2016).

Álvaro García has scored in his last two games for Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga (two goals in total) and is looking to score in three in a row for the first time in his career in the competition. He has scored three goals in seven league games this season, just one fewer than in his previous full campaign with Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga (four goals in 35 games).

This will be Rayo Vallecano coach Andoni Iraola’s first meeting in any competition with Osasuna. As a player, he won in two of his last three visits to the Navarran side in LaLiga, in 2011 (1-2) and 2013 (0-1).

RCD Mallorca v Levante UD
2 October, 2021

Mallorca have lost two of their last four matches against Levante in LaLiga (W1 D1), having gone unbeaten in their previous eight against the Granotas in the competition (W5 D3).

After losing their first home meeting in LaLiga against Levante, 1-2 in February 2005 with Héctor Cúper as coach, Mallorca have not lost in their next six home matches against them in the competition (W5 D1).

Mallorca have not won in their last four LaLiga matches (D1 L3), losing in the last two - they have not lost three in a row in the competition since February 2020 (3).

Levante are winless in their first seven games of a season in LaLiga (W0 D4 L3) for the second time in their history after 2007-08 (W0 D1 L6) in which they were relegated (20th placed at the end of the campaign).

Levante are one of five LaLiga teams yet to score a headed goal this season along with Getafe, Celta Vigo, Elche and Villarreal - their last such goal came last May against Barcelona (Gonzalo Melero).

Only Granada (8) have dropped more points with goals conceded in the second half in LaLiga this season than Mallorca (6).

Levante are the only opponent against which Mallorca's Takefusa Kubo has scored more than one goal in LaLiga (2), scoring in his last two meetings with the Granotas in the competition.

Dani Rodriguez has been involved in three of Mallorca's four home goals in LaLiga 2021-22 (two goals and an assist) - in four home games in LaLiga this season he has scored just one goal fewer than in 19 home games in his last campaign in the top-flight (3 in 2019-20).

José Luis Morales has scored four of Levante’s last five away goals in LaLiga, including the two that the Granota side have scored on the road this season.

Mallorca coach Luis García Plaza has lost only one of his five meetings with Levante in LaLiga, all with Getafe (W2 D2), although that defeat was at home, 0-1 in October 2012.

Cádiz CF v Valencia CF
2 October, 2021

Cadiz are unbeaten in their last two games against Valencia in LaLiga (W1 D1), having lost their previous five against them in the competition - they are looking to win consecutive matches against Los Che in the competition for the first time in their history, following a 2-1 win last April.

At home, Cadiz have lost two of their last three games against Valencia in LaLiga (W1), as many defeats as in their previous eight against them at home in the competition (W3 D3 L2).

Valencia are winless in their last nine visits to Andalusian teams in LaLiga (D3 L6), having won their previous five such fixtures – they last went 10 consecutive away matches without a victory against such opposition in 1977 (G13 D6 L7).

Cadiz have not won in their last five home games in LaLiga (D2 L3), since a 2-1 victory over Huesca last May, and have not gone six or more home matches without a win in the top-flight since a run of 12 in 1992-93 (D6 L6).

Valencia are winless in their last three LaLiga matches (D1 L2), scoring just one goal in each of those three games, after having not lost in their previous six games in the competition (W4 D2).

Only Alavés (2/2 - 100 per cent) have scored a higher percentage of their goals in LaLiga 2021-22 from set-pieces than Cádiz (5/7 - 71 per cent), with each of Cadiz’s last three goals in the competition coming via free kicks.

Valencia have conceded and won the most fouls (119 and 120) of any side this season across the big five European leagues - seven teams in LaLiga have received more yellow cards than them (18).

Cádiz's Álvaro Negredo has scored 11 goals in 14 games against Valencia in LaLiga, at least three more than against any other team (eight against Osasuna).

Excluding own goals, Gonzalo Guedes has been involved in 50 per cent of Valencia's last eight goals in LaLiga (two goals and two assists).

Valencia coach José Bordalás has lost five of his eight matches against Cádiz in all competitions (W2 D1), two in LaLiga, four in LaLiga Smartbank and two in Segunda B, picking up a win and a defeat in the two in the top-flight.

Club Atlético de Madrid v FC Barcelona
2 October, 2021

Atletico Madrid have not lost any of their last three meetings with Barcelona in LaLiga (W1 D2), their best unbeaten run against them in the competition since five games between September 2004 and December 2006 (W3 D2).

Atletico Madrid have won just one of their last 11 home matches against Barcelona in LaLiga (D3 L7), though it was the last one in November 2020 (1-0). The Red-And-Whites have not won two home games in a row against them in the competition since the three victories achieved between March 2008 and February 2010.

Atlético de Madrid lost their last match in LaLiga, 1-0 against Alavés, and could lose consecutive matches in the competition for the first time since February 2019 (vs Real Betis and Real Madrid).

Barcelona are unbeaten in their six matches in LaLiga 2021-22 (W3 D3) - they had only managed to remain unbeaten after their first six matches in one of their previous six campaigns in the competition, in 2017-18 (W6).

Atletico Madrid are one of the two teams to have picked up the most points from losing positions in LaLiga this season, alongside Real Madrid (7) and have conceded the first goal of the game on four occasions (W2 D1 L1).

Atletico Madrid's Luis Suarez has scored against 30 of the 31 opponents he has faced in LaLiga (171 goals in total), failing only against FC Barcelona (one clash).

Atlético de Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak has kept a clean sheet in his last two matches against Barcelona in LaLiga, saving all seven shots on target he faced. The Slovenian could become the first goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in three consecutive games against them in the competition in the 21st century.

Memphis Depay has scored in three of his six matches for Barcelona in LaLiga (three goals in total) and has had the joint-most shots on target in the competition this season (13, level with Karim Benzema).

Diego Simeone has lost 11 of his 19 matches as Atlético de Madrid coach against Barcelona in LaLiga (W1 D7), more than against any other opponent in the competition. Moreover, the Azulgrana side are the team that has scored the most goals against them in the competition under the Argentine's management (28).

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has not won any of his two managerial games against Diego Simeone in LaLiga (D1 L1). Only against Álvaro Cervera (D2 L1) has he played more managerial matches without a win in the competition (also two against Joaquín Caparrós and Zinedine Zidane).

Elche CF v RC Celta de Vigo
3 October, 2021

Elche have not won any of their last four matches against Celta Vigo in LaLiga (D2 L2) and they’ve never gone five games without a win against the Galicians in the competition.

At home, Elche have won just one of their last five LaLiga matches against Celta Vigo (D2 L2), 1-0 in March 2014 under Fran Escribá.

Celta Vigo have won on their last two visits to teams from the Valencian Community in LaLiga (4-2 vs Villarreal in April and 2-0 against Levante this season), after failing to win in any of their previous five away against them in the competition (D2 L3).

Elche have drawn their last three home games in LaLiga and only twice previously have they recorded four or more draws at home in a row in the competition: six in 1969 and four in 1984.

Celta Vigo have won five of their last LaLiga nine away games (D2 L2), as many wins as in their previous 59 away matches in the competition (W5 D22 L32).

Elche have made just 27 high turnovers in LaLiga this season, only Sevilla have made fewer (24) than them in the competition.

Elche's Lucas Perez has scored two goals in four games in LaLiga this season - he is just one goal away from reaching his 50th goal in the top-flight (32 with Deportivo La Coruna, 15 with Alaves and two with Elche).

Celta Vigo's Santi Mina has scored in his last two LaLiga games against Elche (three goals in total), including a brace in their last meeting with the Ilicitanos last February.

Santi Mina has been involved in Celta de Vigo's last four LaLiga goals (one goal and three assists) - the Galician has been involved in at least one goal in four straight games in the competition (two goals and three assists) for the first time in his career.

Elche coach Fran Escribá has only lost two of his eight LaLiga matches against Celta Vigo (W4 D2) although those two defeats were at home, in September 2014 at Elche and February 2016 with Getafe.

RCD Espanyol v Real Madrid CF
3 October, 2021

Espanyol have suffered 104 defeats in their 172 meetings with Real Madrid in LaLiga (W35 D33), the most of any side against a single opponent in the competition’s history.

Real Madrid have won 20 of their last 23 games against Espanyol in LaLiga (D2 L1), scoring 61 goals during this time (2.6 per match) and keeping a clean sheet in 17 of them (eight goals conceded overall).

Real Madrid have beaten Espanyol in nine of their 11 visits to the RCDE Stadium in LaLiga (D1 L1), more than any other visiting side at the ground in the competition.

Following their 1-0 win over Alavés, Espanyol could record back-to-back home wins in LaLiga for the first time since May 2019 under Rubi.

Real Madrid have not lost any of their last 18 away matches in LaLiga (W12 D6), and should they avoid defeat here will record their longest unbeaten run away from home in the competition’s history (19).

Real Madrid have scored more goals (six) and attempted more shots (32) after build-up attacks (open play sequences of 10+ passes ended in a shot or a touch in box) than any other side in LaLiga this season.

RCD Espanyol's Raúl de Tomás has been directly involved in 75 per cent of his team's four goals in LaLiga this season (two goals and one assist), the highest such percentage of any player in the 2021/22 competition.

Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has scored eight goals in LaLiga this season from an Expected Goals (xG) tally of 3.2, the best positive differential between goals and xG in Europe's big-five leagues in 2021-22 (+4.8).

Only Granada's Luís Maximiano (80 per cent) has a higher save percentage than Espanyol goalkeeper Diego Lopez (75.9%) in LaLiga this season (minimum 12 saves made).

Carlo Ancelotti has not lost any of his last 17 matches in LaLiga (W14 D3), and could equal his best run as Real Madrid coach in the competition (18 between October 2013 and March 2014 - W15 D3).

Getafe CF v Real Sociedad
3 October, 2021

Getafe have won 46.1 per cent of their LaLiga games against Real Sociedad (P26 W12 D7 L7), their highest win percentage against an opponent they have faced at least 15 times in the competition.

Real Sociedad have won each of their last two meetings with Getafe in LaLiga, keeping a clean sheet in both. This is the first time that they have both earned consecutive wins and kept consecutive clean sheets in the competition against them.

Getafe have lost their last seven LaLiga games, all this season, equalling their worst run of consecutive defeats in the top-flight, previously suffered in March 2016 under Fran Escribá.

Getafe are only the fourth team in LaLiga history to lose each of their first seven games of a season in the competition, after Racing Santander in 1928-29, Real Zaragoza in 1952-53 (who are the only team to lose each of their first eight matches of a season in the division) and Extremadura in 1996-97.

Real Sociedad have not lost any of their last six matches in LaLiga (W5 D1), keeping a clean sheet in five of these games. This is the first time the club has started a top-flight campaign with as many as five clean sheets in their opening seven matches since 1970-71 (six).

Getafe have only scored two goals from an Expected Goals (xG) tally of 4.9 in LaLiga this season, the worst negative xG difference in the division this term (-2.9).

Real Sociedad have won more points from goals scored in the second half of games than any other team in LaLiga this season (9).

Real Sociedad's Mikel Oyarzabal has won more points for his club with his goals than any other player in LaLiga this season, earning his side six points with his five goals.

Getafe’s Míchel is only the second manager in LaLiga history to lose 11 or more games in a row in the competition (seven with Getafe and four with Málaga), after Pako Ayestarán in 2017 (13).

Getafe coach Míchel has only won one of his six previous managerial clashes with Real Sociedad in LaLiga (D2 L3), although this was his most recent such meeting (2-0 with Málaga in December 2017).

Villarreal CF v Real Betis Balompié
3 October, 2021

Villarreal have only lost three of their last 13 meetings with Real Betis in LaLiga (W6 D4), although they did lose their last such encounter 1-2 at La Cerámica in February 2021.

Following their 2-1 win at La Cerámica in February 2021, Real Betis could win consecutive away games against Villarreal for the first time in their LaLiga history.

Villarreal have started a LaLiga season with five draws in their first six games for the first time in their history (W1), four of which have been goalless. They are the only the second team to play out as many as four 0-0 draws in their first six games of a campaign in the competition, after Real Sociedad, who have done so twice (1968-69 and 1970-71).

Villarreal have gone six straight games without defeat in LaLiga (W1 D5) and should they avoid defeat here, they will be on their best unbeaten run in the competition in 2021.

Real Betis have not lost any of their last eight away games in LaLiga (W3 D5), their best unbeaten run away from home in the top-flight since February 1997 under Lorenzo Serra Ferrer (G12 W7 D5), which was their longest-ever such run away from home.

Manu Trigueros (two) and Arnaut Danjuma (two) have scored four of Villarreal’s six goals in LaLiga this season, with three of the duo’s four strikes assisted by Yeremi Pino.

Willian José has scored each of Real Betis' last three goals in LaLiga, and could become the first player to score four successive goals for Betis in the competition since Rubén Castro in September 2016.

Villarreal's Paco Alcácer has only scored in one of his last 21 LaLiga games (23 shots attempted, 11 on target), with that strike coming against Alavés in April 2021.

Villarreal coach Unai Emery has started a LaLiga season without defeat in his opening six games for the third time in his coaching career (W1 D5), and the first since 2010-11 with Valencia (W5 D1).

Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini has lost just one of his seven matches against Villarreal in LaLiga (W4 D2), a 1-2 loss with Malaga in April 2012.

Granada CF v Sevilla FC
3 October, 2021

Granada have won three of their last four home matches against Sevilla in LaLiga (L1), this after winning just one of their previous 11 home games against them in the top-flight beforehand (D6 L4).

Sevilla have won 52.4 per cent of their LaLiga games against Granada (P42 W22 D8 L12), their third-highest win percentage against an Andalusian opponent in the competition, behind only Recreativo (80 per cent - P10 W8 D1 L1) and Almeria (75 per cent - P12 W9 D0 L3).

Granada have lost each of their last four Andalusian derbies in LaLiga; only once in their entire history in the top-flight have they suffered five straight defeats in such games, doing so in April 1960.

Sevilla have won nine of their last 11 Andalusian derbies in LaLiga (D1 L1), suffering their only defeat during this time at Los Cármenes against Granada (1-0 in October 2020).

Granada have started a LaLiga season without a win in their first seven games for only the fourth time in history (D3 L4), and first since 2016-17 when they were relegated from the top-flight.

Sevilla have gone seven straight games without a loss in LaLiga (W5 D2), conceding just two goals in their six matches during 2021/22 (W4 D2), their joint-best defensive record after this number of games at the start of a season (also two in 1970-71).

Granada have dropped six points from goals conceded in the last five minutes of games this term, more than any other team in LaLiga this season.

Against no other opponent has Granada striker Carlos Bacca scored more goals than he has against Sevilla in LaLiga (five in seven appearances), scoring a hat-trick against his former team in his last such meeting at with Villarreal in May 2021.

Sevilla striker Rafa Mir is attempting shots more frequently than any other player to play 50+ minutes in Europe’s big-five leagues this season, attempting a shot every 12 minutes (12 shots in 149 minutes in total).

Robert Moreno is winless in his seven LaLiga matches (D3 L4), and could become the first Granada coach to fail to win any of his first eight games in the competition with the club, with only Francisco Bru in 1941 (D2 L5), Pasieguito in 1972 (D2 L5) and Tony Adams in 2017 (L7) also failing to win each of their first seven.