LaLiga matchweek 5: what the stats say

RAYO VALLECANO - DEPORTIVO ALAVÉS

15 SEPTEMBER

Rayo Vallecano have lost just two of their last eight meetings with Alavés in LaLiga (W4 D2), having lost three of their first four top-flight meetings with them (W1).

Alavés have scored in four of their six away games against Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga (W3 D1 L2), registering their biggest ever away win in the top-flight (5-1) in September 2018.

Rayo Vallecano have lost their last two games in LaLiga, failing to score in both. It is the first time that the Vallecas side have gone two defeats in a row without scoring in the competition since a run of three between January and February 2022.

Alavés have not won any of their last 17 away games in LaLiga (D3 L14) and, should they fail to win at Vallecas, they will equal their worst ever winless run away from home in the top-flight, suffered between October 1998 and August 1999 (G18 D3 L15).

Against Atlético de Madrid in their last game at home Rayo Vallecano lost 0-7, equalling their worst home defeat in the history of LaLiga, suffered against Barcelona in April 2012 under José Ramón Sandoval.

Alavés have scored the joint-highest per centage of their goals from outside the box in LaLiga this season (40 per cent - 2/5), along with Sevilla (40 per cent - 2/5), and also conceded the highest per centage of goals this way (40 per cent - 2/5).

Rayo Vallecano striker Raúl de Tomás has scored four goals in five games against Alavés in LaLiga, his favourite scoring opponent in the competition.

Against Valencia last time out, Alavés striker Kike García missed his first penalty in LaLiga, having scored his first two penalty kicks, both with Osasuna.

Rayo Vallecano coach Francisco Rodríguez has won just one of his three meetings with Alavés in LaLiga (L2), the last one was in February 2022 with Elche (3-1).

Alavés coach Luis García Plaza has lost all six of his meetings with Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga, the only opponent against whom he has suffered 100 per cent of defeats in the top-flight.

ATHLETIC CLUB - CÁDIZ CF

16 September

Athletic Club have won 11 of their last 16 games against Cádiz in LaLiga (L5), having last drawn against them in February 1989 (0-0 at the current Nuevo Mirandilla).

Cádiz have won two of their last three visits to San Mamés in LaLiga (L1), having failed to win in their previous 13 away games against Athletic in the competition (D2 L11).

Athletic have lost seven of their last 12 games at San Mamés in LaLiga (W4 D1), suffering one more defeat in this period than in their previous 25 home games in the competition (W14 D5 L6).

Cádiz have collected seven points in LaLiga 2023/24 (W2 D1 L1), only in 1987/88 have they bettered this tally after their first four games of the season in the competition counting three points per win (9 points - W3 L1).

 Athletic have kept two clean sheets in two of their last three LaLiga matches (two goals conceded against Betis), having conceded at least one goal in each of their previous 10 league games (16 goals overall).

Cádiz's Darwin Machís scored his second LaLiga brace in his last game against Villarreal (142 appearances), his first since February 2020 against Osasuna with Granada.

Oihan Sancet has scored three goals in four games against Cádiz in LaLiga, scoring a hat-trick at San Mamés in February 2023. He has attempted the most shots in LaLiga 2023/24 without scoring among Athletic players (five).

Álvaro Negredo has scored six goals in 20 LaLiga games against Athletic but none in his five games with Cádiz. Only against Real Madrid (14) has the striker attempted more shots without scoring for his current team than against Athletic (13) in the competition.

Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde has won seven of his eight games managed against Cádiz’s Sergio González in LaLiga (L1), including his only two managerial duels against Cádiz, with his side scoring four goals in each (4-0 at the Nuevo Mirandilla and 4-1 at San Mamés).

Cádiz coach Sergio González has not won any of his six visits to San Mamés in LaLiga (D3 L3). At no other away venue has he gone more games without a win in the competition (six also at Balaídos and Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán).

REAL MADRID CF - REAL SOCIEDAD

16 September

Real Madrid have dropped points in three of their last five home games against Real Sociedad (W2 D2 L1), having won their previous nine home games against them in the competition.

Real Sociedad have not lost either of their last two meetings with Real Madrid in LaLiga (W1 D1), keeping clean sheets in both. The last time the Txuri-urdin went three games in a row unbeaten against Los Blancos in the competition was in May 2004 (G5 W4 D1).

Real Madrid have failed to score in either of their last two matches against Real Sociedad in LaLiga (D1 L1). Only against Deportivo de La Coruña between 2004 and 2005 and Barcelona between 2009 and 2010 (three) have Real Madrid failed to score in three consecutive matches against an opponent in the competition in the 21st century.

Real Madrid have the chance to win their first five games of a LaLiga season in consecutive seasons for only the second time (after 2022/23), after the 1961/62 and 1962/63 campaigns. Real Madrid's longest winning run from the start of a top-flight campaign dates back to the 1968/69 season, when they won each of their first nine matches.

Real Sociedad have lost just one of their last 13 LaLiga matches (W7 D5), 1-2 to Atlético de Madrid on MD37 in 2022/23, and none this season (W1 D3). The last time they started a LaLiga campaign unbeaten in their first five games was in 2002/03 (W4 D1), finishing runners up.

Real Madrid have attempted the most shots in LaLiga 2023/24, both overall (75) and on target (32), posting a 10.7 per cent conversion rate (eight goals from 75 shots), their lowest after their first four games of a league season since 2013/14 (9.9 per cent - eight goals from 81).

Real Sociedad are the team with the most fast breaks in LaLiga 2023/24 (8), finishing six of them with a shot (two goals), also the highest tally of any team in the competition this term.

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has scored in each of his four LaLiga appearances (five goals) and could become only the second player to score in his first five games in the competition in the 21st century, after Zlatan Ibrahimovic in September 2009 for Barcelona (five goals).

With his brace against Granada last time out, Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo now has 18 goals in 133 LaLiga appearances, making him the outright top Japanese goalscorer in the history of the competition (Takashi Inui, 16 goals in 166 appearances).

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has only won 50 per cent of his games against Imanol Alguacil in LaLiga (G4 W2 D1 L1). Only against Diego Pablo Simeone (25 per cent - G8 W2 D2 L4) does the Italian have a lower win per centage in the competition among managers he has faced at least four times (50 per cent also against Luis Enrique Martínez, Unai Emery and Manuel Pellegrini).

RC CELTA DE VIGO - RCD MALLORCA

16 September

Celta de Vigo have lost each of their last two encounters with Mallorca in LaLiga, failing to score in both. Never in the history of the competition have the Galician side lost three in a row against them.

Mallorca have won points in four of their last five away games against Celta de Vigo in LaLiga (W2 D2 L1), collecting the same number of points in this period as in their other 11 visits to Celta in the competition (W1 D3 L7).

Following their win over Almería last time out (3-2), Celta de Vigo could make it two wins in a row in LaLiga for a third time in 2023 previously doing so in March under Carlos Carvalhal (two).

Mallorca have started a LaLiga season without a win in their first four games for a fifth time in their history (D2 L2), previously doing so in 2000/01 under Luis Aragonés (D1 L3), a campaign in which they equalled their best ever top-flight finish (3rd as in 1998/99).

Celta de Vigo have lost both of their games at Balaídos in LaLiga 2023/24 failing to score in both. Only in 2021/22 under Eduardo Coudet have Celta began a top-flight campaign with three consecutive home defeats.

No team has scored more headed goals than Mallorca in LaLiga in 2023 (10, the same as Girona) while no side has conceded more goals in this manner than Celta de Vigo this year (nine, the same as Almería).

Iago Aspas has not scored in any of his last 15 LaLiga matches, the longest goal drought of his entire career in the competition. He is also the player who has attempted the joint most shots in the league this season without being able to score, along with Largie Ramazani (13 each).

Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi has not scored in any of his four games in LaLiga 2023/24 (nine shots) although he should have scored 2.1 goals according to his xG. The Kosovar is the player with the worst differential between his goals scored and expected goals in the competition this season (-2.1).

This will be the fifth managerial game between Celta de Vigo’s Rafael Benítez and Mallorca’s Javier Aguirre in LaLiga and the first since January 2004 (Valencia 0-1 Osasuna). Both coaches have won two and lost two of their four duels in the competition.

Rafael Benítez is the third Celta de Vigo coach to lose each of his first two home games in LaLiga, after Ricardo Comesaña in 1939 and José Villar in 1986. None have lost their first three home games in the top-flight.

FC BARCELONA - REAL BETIS BALOMPIÉ

16 September

Barcelona have won 17 of their last 20 meetings with Real Betis in LaLiga (D1 L2) although their only two defeats against Betis during this period have come at home: 3-4 in November 2018 under Ernesto Valverde and 0-1 in December 2021, the first defeat under Xavi Hernández.

Real Betis have won two of their last five away games against Barcelona in LaLiga (L3), having managed just one win in their previous 22 visits to Barcelona’s ground in the competition (W1 D3 L18).

Barcelona have dropped points in four of their last eight LaLiga games (W4 D1 L3), as many as in their previous 19 (W15 D2 L2).

Away from home, Real Betis have won 10 of the last 15 points on offer in LaLiga (W3 D1 L1), having won just one point from the previous 12 on offer (D1 L3).

Barcelona have started a LaLiga season unbeaten in their first four games for a third consecutive season (W3 D1), having suffered at least one defeat after the same number of fixtures in two of the previous four league campaigns.

Only Manchester City (30) have completed more build-up attacks (actions with the ball in play of +10 passes that end in a finish or action in the opposition box) than Barcelona in Europe's top 5 leagues this season (26, level with PSG).

Real Betis's Isco Alarcón has created more chances (13) without registering an assist than any other player in LaLiga 2023/24, which is also his personal best after the first four games of a season in his entire career in the competition.

FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 25 goals in 38 LaLiga appearances. Only four players have reached this figure in fewer games in the 21st century: Cristiano Ronaldo (27), Radamel Falcao (36), Ruud van Nistelrooij (36) and Luis Suárez (37) - Diego Forlán also 38.

Willian José has scored three goals in his last four LaLiga games, the same as in his previous 39 league appearances for Real Betis. It is also the Brazilian's best scoring start after his side's first four games of a season in his entire career in the competition.

Following his 1-0 win at Camp Nou in December 2021, Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini can become only the second coach to beat Xavi Hernández twice in his LaLiga managerial career (W1 L3), after Andoni Iraola with Rayo Vallecano (W2 D1).

Getafe CF - CA Osasuna

17 September

Getafe have not lost any of their last eight matches against Osasuna in LaLiga (W4 D4), since a defeat at El Sadar in February 2014 (0-2). Only against Deportivo de La Coruña in 2016 (G9 W6 D3) and Alavés in 2023 (W2 D7) have Getafe registered a longer unbeaten run in the competition.

Osasuna have only won on one of their 14 visits to the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in LaLiga (D5 L8), 2-0 in March 2008 under José Ángel Ziganda, losing each of the last three. Osasuna have never lost four in a row on Getafe’s soil in the competition.

Getafe have not lost any of their five home games in LaLiga since the beginning of José Bordalás’ second spell at the club (W3 D2), keeping a clean sheet in each of the last two. The last time Getafe had three consecutive clean sheets at home in LaLiga was in May 2022 (three).

Osasuna could win their first three away games of a LaLiga season for a second time across the last three campaigns (four wins in the first four away games of 2021/22). They had never done so even once in their previous 39 top-flight appearances.

Getafe average the fewest successful passes (177) and dribbles completed (3) per game across Europe's top five leagues this season.

Osasuna have attempted 13 headed shots in LaLiga this season (excluding blocked), a record only surpassed by Brest (16) and Brentford (15) in Europe's top five leagues this season (13 also by SV Darmstadt 98).

Borja Mayoral has scored both of Getafe's goals in LaLiga 2023/23, becoming only the second player to score the club's first two goals in a single season in the competition (counting own goals), after Miku Fedor in 2011/12, who scored their first three.

Chimy Ávila has scored 24 goals in 96 appearances for Osasuna in LaLiga and can match John Aloisi as the third fastest player to reach 25 goals for the club in the competition in the 21st century (97 for the Australian), after Walter Pandiani in 2010 (75 appearances) and Ante Budimir in 2023 (88).

David Soria is the only player to have made two errors leading to a goal in LaLiga this season. Last season, the Getafe goalkeeper also made the most such errors in the competition with three, along with Paulo Gazzaniga, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Stole Dimitrievski.

Against no other opponent has Jagoba Arrasate managed more games without a single win as Osasuna coach than against Getafe in LaLiga (G8 D4 L4 - the same as against Atlético de Madrid L8, Real Madrid D3 L5 and Real Sociedad D2 L6).

VILLARREAL CF - UD ALMERÍA

17 September

Villarreal have not lost any of their seven home games against Almería in LaLiga (W5 D2). Only against Real Zaragoza (G11 W6 D5) and Granada (G8 W5 D3) have Villarreal played more matches on home soil without defeat in the competition.

Almería have not won any of their last eight matches against Villarreal in LaLiga (D2 L6), keeping just two clean sheets. Their last win against Villarreal in the competition dates back to May 2010 under Juanma Lillo (4-2).

Villarreal have lost their last two games in LaLiga, conceding at least three goals in each (seven in total). Never in the history of the competition have Villarreal lost three games in a row conceding three or more goals in each.

Almería have won just one of their last 27 away matches in LaLiga (D6 L20), 2-1 against Getafe in April 2023, drawing the last two. The Andalusian side have not gone three visits in a row without defeat in the top-flight since February 2010 (G3 W1 D2).

Villarreal have lost their first two home games of a single LaLiga season for the second time, after the 2018/19 campaign. Villarreal have never lost their first three home games in the history of the competition.

Almería have not won any of their four matches in LaLiga 2023/24 (D1 L3), the third time they have started a season in the competition without a win in their first four games, after 2010/11 (D2 L2, 20th at the end and relegated) and 2013/14 (D2 L2, 17th and avoided relegation).

Villarreal have scored in each of their last 21 LaLiga matches (43 goals), the second-best scoring streak in their entire top-flight history, following one of 24 straight games between March and October 2019 (48 goals).

Villarreal's Álex Baena has been involved in three goals in his last four LaLiga games (one goal and two assists), as many as in his previous 17 league games (two goals and one assist).

Sergio Arribas has scored two goals in his four LaLiga appearances for Almería (eight shots and two on target), having scored none in his 10 league games for Real Madrid (two and one).

Vicente Moreno is the third coach to fail to win any of his first four games in charge of Almería in LaLiga (D1 L3), after Roberto Olabe in 2011 (L4) and Francisco Rodríguez in 2013 (D2 L2). Olabe achieved his first league win in his seventh game and Francisco in his 11th.

SEVILLA FC - UD LAS PALMAS

17 September

Sevilla have won their last five games against Las Palmas in LaLiga, their best-ever run against the Gran Canarian side in the top-flight and their best current run of wins against a single opponent in the competition.

UD Las Palmas have not won an away game against Sevilla in LaLiga since March 1980 (1-0). Since then, the Canaries have failed to win on any of their following 10 visits to Sevilla's home ground in the top-flight, losing eight of them and going scoreless in seven (D2).

Sevilla have lost their last five games in LaLiga and, should they lose to Las Palmas, they will suffer their worst run of consecutive defeats in the competition since May 2000, the season of their last relegation (1999/00).

UD Las Palmas have not won any of their last 20 LaLiga matches (D7 L14), the worst winless streak in their top-flight history.

Sevilla have started a LaLiga season with three defeats from their first three games for the first time in their history. Only two teams in the history of the competition - Atlético de Madrid in 1988/89 (3rd) and Valencia in 1999/00 (4th) - have finished in the top four at the end of the campaign after such a start.

UD Las Palmas are the team that has completed the most high turnovers in LaLiga 2023/24 (37), one more than Sevilla (36, also Real Sociedad and Athletic). The Canaries are also the team that have attempted the most shots following a high turnover in the competition this season, along with Real Sociedad (seven).

Sergio Ramos can play a LaLiga match for Sevilla for the first time since 28 August 2005 (against Racing Santander), 18 years and 20 days later. The player from Camas made 39 appearances for Sevilla in the competition, scoring two goals.

Jonathan Viera is the only UD Las Palmas player to have scored in LaLiga 2023/24 (a penalty). Excluding that one penalty kick, the Gran Canarian side have not scored from any of their 32 shots in the competition this season, 26 of them from open play.

Sevilla coach José Luis Mendilibar has won four and lost two of his six LaLiga meetings with Las Palmas. Mendilibar has not played more games without a draw in the top-flight against any other opponent (Girona - G6 W4 L2).

Francisco Javier García Pimienta has not won any of his four games as Las Palmas coach in LaLiga (D2 L2) and his side have scored just one goal, the lowest scoring start by a Las Palmas manager after four games in the competition’s history.

VALENCIA CF - CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID

17 September

Valencia have now gone 17 straight meetings without a win against Atlético de Madrid in LaLiga (D6 L11), their longest ever winless run against an opponent in the competition.

Atletico Madrid have won their last three games against Valencia in LaLiga and could win four in a row against them for a third time in the competition, which would be a second time under Diego Simeone between 2015 and 2017 (the first was between 1975 and 1977).

Valencia have lost their last two games in LaLiga and could suffer their worst losing streak under Rubén Baraja (three). The last time they suffered a worse run in the competition was a run of five defeats between January and February 2023 (one under Genaro Gatusso, three under Voro and one on the debut of their current coach).

Atlético de Madrid are unbeaten in their two away LaLiga games in 2023/24 (W1 D1), keeping a clean sheet in both. The Red-And-Whites have not started without conceding in their first three away games in the same season since 1995/96, when they kept a clean sheet in their first six away league outings (W5 D1).

Valencia average the youngest starting XI in LaLiga this season (24 years and 221 days) while Atlético Madrid have the third oldest average age in the competition in 2023/24 (30 years and 51 days).

Atlético de Madrid have scored 10 goals in three LaLiga games this season, although seven came in one of them, the biggest away victory in their history (7-0 v Rayo Vallecano). The last two times Los Rojiblancos have scored 10 or more goals after the first three games they have gone on to win the title (1995/96 and 2013/14).

Valencia striker Hugo Duro has scored 10 goals in 92 LaLiga games, scoring three of them against Atlético de Madrid, his favourite opponent in the competition.

Antoine Griezmann has scored 12 goals in 22 meetings with Valencia in LaLiga (eight goals in 11 with Atlético de Madrid), more than against any other opponent in his entire career in the competition.

Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone has recorded 13 wins against Valencia in LaLiga (D8 L2), a record surpassed by only two managers in the competition's history (Luis Aragones and Manuel Pellegrini also 13): Javier Irureta (W14 D5 L13) and Miguel Muñoz (W21 D5 L12).

This will be the second meeting between Rubén Baraja and Diego Pablo Simeone in LaLiga as coaches. The first one ended in a 3-0 win for Atlético de Madrid, the heaviest defeat suffered by the current Valencia coach in the competition.

GRANADA CF - GIRONA FC

18 September

This will be the first meeting between Granada and Girona in LaLiga. Granada have won four and drawn one of their six games against the Catalans, all of those in the second division, losing the most recent meeting (0-2 in March 2011).

Granada have won all three of their home games against Girona in all competitions, keeping clean sheets in the first two.

Granada will be the sixth Andalusian side to face Girona in LaLiga. The Catalan side only won one their first game against one of those five Andalusian teams: 1-0 against Málaga in August 2017 (1-0).

Granada have won just one of their last 14 matches on a Monday in LaLiga (D6 L7), 3-0 v Levante in November 2021. Girona, meanwhile, have won just two of their last seven league games on this day (D3 L2), the only two in which they scored.

Girona have won their last two away LaLiga games against Andalusian sides, both against Sevilla in 2023 (0-2 in May and 1-2 in September). Before this run, they had never beaten such opposition on the road (P8 D2 L6).

Girona have won 10 points from a possible 12 in LaLiga 2023/24 (W3 D1), their best ever return at this stage of a top-flight season.

Following his goal against Real Sociedad on his LaLiga debut for Granada, Lucas Boyé could become the first player to score in each of his first two games for the club in the competition in the 21st century.

Following his goal against Las Palmas in his first game since returning to Girona, Portu ended a run of 39 consecutive games without scoring in the competition (37 games with Getafe and the last two with Real Sociedad).

Granada’s Paco López has not lost any of his three meetings with Girona in LaLiga (W1 D2) - only against his current club (G4 W1 D3) has he managed more games without ever losing in the competition (Cádiz - D3).

Girona coach Míchel Sánchez avoided defeat in his only previous LaLiga game as a manager against Granada (3-3 with Huesca in December 2020) also going unbeaten against opposing manager Paco López (W1 D1).