LaLiga Matchweek 6: what the stats say

DEPORTIVO ALAVES v ATHLETIC CLUB 

Alavés have failed to win any of their last three matches against Athletic Club in LaLiga (D2 L1), failing to score in all three, their second-longest run without scoring against the Bizkaia side in their top-flight history (after a run of four between 1932 and 1954).

Athletic Club have not won any of their last seven visits to Mendizorrotza in LaLiga (D3 L4), their worst away winless run in this derby in the competition. Their last win on Alaves' soil in LaLiga was in May 2003 under Jupp Heynckes (4-2).

Alavés have failed to win any of their last seven Basque derbies in LaLiga (D3 L4), failing to score in six of those games. The last time the Vitoria side suffered a worse run in such matches in the competition was between March 1933 and June 1999 (P12 D4 L8).

Athletic have won two of their last three Basque derbies in LaLiga (L1), as many as in their previous 13 such games in the competition (W2 D7 L4).

Athletic have collected 10 out of the last 12 available points in LaLiga (W3 D1), this after picking up just five from the previous 27 possible in the competition (W1 D2 L6).

Alavés have won five of their last six home games in LaLiga (L1), including both played at Mendizorrotza this season – only once have they won their first three at home in a top-flight campaign (1930/31).

Deportivo Alavés striker Kike García has scored five goals against Athletic Club in LaLiga, four with Eibar and one with Osasuna. He could become only the second player to score against Athletic with two different Basque teams in the competition in the 21st century, after Borja Bastón (two goals for Eibar and one for Alavés).

Athletic Club's Iñaki Williams has played more games without scoring a single goal against Alavés than against any other opponent in his LaLiga career (12 games).

Alavés coach Luis García Plaza has lost all three of his LaLiga encounters with Ernesto Valverde, while only against Carlo Ancelotti (four) has he faced a manager more in his career as a LaLiga coach without ever avoiding defeat (three also against Paco Jémez).

Ernesto Valverde has managed seven games against Alavés in his LaLiga career, winning all five as Barcelona coach and failing to win both of his two as Athletic Club coach (D1 L1).

GIRONA FC v RCD MALLORCA

This will be the third encounter between Girona and Mallorca in LaLiga, after the two last season, which ended in a draw at San Moix (1-1 in September 2022) and a Girona win at Montilivi (2-1 in May 2023).

Mallorca have only won two of their 11 away games against Girona in all competitions (D3 L6), a 4-2 win in December 1939 on their first visit to Girona’s ground and 1-0 in November 2020, both wins coming in the second tier.

Only against Real Burgos (P4 D4) have RCD Mallorca played more games without picking up a single win than against Girona in their LaLiga history (P2 D1 L1 – also P2 D1 L1 v CD Leganés).

Girona are unbeaten in their five games in LaLiga 2023/24 (W4 D1) – excluding Real Madrid and Barcelona, they are the first side to won 13+ points from their opening five matches in a season in the competition since Sevilla in 2017/18 (13 points, W4 D1).

In their last game against Celta de Vigo, Mallorca achieved their first win in LaLiga 2023/24 (1-0) after failing to win their first four games this campaign (D2 L2) – they could win two away games in a row in the competition for the first time since November 2022 (W2).

Girona have the highest shot conversion rate in the big-five European leagues this season (24.4 per cent).

Only Philipp Hofmann has contested more aerial duels (290) than Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqui (275) in the big-five European leagues in 2023.

Mallorca's Dani Rodríguez, who made his 100th LaLiga start last time out against Celta de Vigo, has provided seven assists in the league since the start of last season, more than any other player for the Balearic side.

Only against Elche (P3 W2 D1) has Girona coach Míchel Sánchez managed more games without losing than against Mallorca in LaLiga (P2 W1 D1).

Girona (P2 D1 L1) are one of only four teams that current Mallorca coach Javier Aguirre has failed to beat in his entire managerial LaLiga career, after Eibar (D1), Hercules (L1) and Las Palmas (D1).

OSASUNA v SEVILLA FC  

Osasuna have now gone three straight games unbeaten against Sevilla in LaLiga (W2 D1), their best unbeaten run against them in the competition since a run of four straight wins between November 2004 and February 2006.

Sevilla have three wins in their last six visits to El Sadar in LaLiga (D2 L1), one more than in their previous 17 away games against Osasuna in the competition (W2 D6 L9).

Sevilla have scored in 14 of their last 15 meetings against Osasuna in LaLiga (29 goals), only failing to score in February 2022 in their second last league visit to El Sadar (0-0).

Osasuna have lost their last two games in LaLiga and could make it three defeats in a row in the competition for the first time since November 2021 (3).

With their win against Las Palmas last matchday, Sevilla ended a seven-game winless streak in LaLiga (D2 L5), their longest winless run in the competition since April 2018 (G7 D3 L4).

Dodi Lukebakio scored the winning goal for Sevilla last time out against Las Palmas in what was his first LaLiga appearance for the club. Only one player has scored in his first two appearances for Sevilla in the competition in the 21st century: Erik Lamela in 2021 (three goals).

Osasuna striker Chimy Ávila has scored three goals in seven games against Sevilla in LaLiga. Only against Celta de Vigo and Villarreal (four goals) has the Argentinian scored more goals in the competition.

Sevilla's Sergio Ramos has scored four goals against Osasuna in LaLiga, three of them via headers. Only against FC Barcelona (four) has the player from Camas scored more headed goals in the competition (three also against four other teams).

Against no other coach has Osasuna boss Jagoba Arrasate managed more games without losing than against José Luis Mendilibar (G4 W2 D2) in his entire LaLiga career (also G4 D4 v Vicente Moreno and G4 W4 v Álvaro Cervera).

Sevilla coach José Luis Mendilibar has not won any of his 12 matches against Osasuna as a manager in LaLiga (D7 L5). Only Marcelino García Toral against Barcelona (G20 D7 L13) has managed more games against a side without a win in the competition in the 21st century (also José Bordalás v Real Madrid G12 D2 L10 and Sergio González v Real Madrid G12 D2 L10).

BARCELONA v RC CELTA DE VIGO 

Barcelona have won 10 of their last 13 home meetings with Celta de Vigo in LaLiga (D1 L2), scoring a total of 35 goals in these 13 league meetings (2.7 per game).

Celta de Vigo have won six of their 20 games against Barcelona in LaLiga over the last 10 years – since September 1, 2013 – (D4 L10); only Real Madrid (W7 D3 L10) have beaten Barcelona more times in the competition since then.

Barcelona have failed to score in only one of their last 54 home games against Celta de Vigo in LaLiga (W41 D11 L2), in a 0-1 defeat in November 2014 with Luis Enrique Martínez and Eduardo Berizzo on the benches.

FC Barcelona have collected 13 points in LaLiga 2023/23 (W4 D1), equalling their tally from last season after their first five games (13 points - W4 D1). This is the third time that the Azulgrana side have repeated their points tally at this stage of the competition in two consecutive seasons in the 21st century (7 points in 2019/20 and 2020/21 and 15 in 2012/13 and 2013/14).

Barcelona have kept 18 clean sheets in 21 home games in LaLiga since the start of last season (W17 D3 L1), at least six more than any other side in Europe's top five leagues (Manchester United, 12 clean sheets in 22 home games).

Celta de Vigo have collected just four out of 15 available points in LaLiga 2023/24 (W1 D1 L3), equalling their second worst record at this stage in a top-flight campaign in the 21st century (four points, W1 D1 L3 in 2006/07, 2016/17 and 2017/18) after 2021/22 (one point, D1 L4).

Against Real Betis last matchday, Barcelona, thanks to Ferran Torres' strike, scored a direct free-kick goal in LaLiga for the first time since Lionel Messi's against Valencia in May 2021, after 41 unsuccessful free-kick attempts in the competition since then.

FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has scored three goals in LaLiga 2023/24, his lowest tally after his first five games of a league season since 2018/19 in the Bundesliga (three). On the other hand, the Polish striker has managed three assists in LaLiga this season, equalling his best tally after five games in the top five European leagues (three in the Bundesliga 2020/21).

Celta de Vigo captain Iago Aspas has scored 10 goals in 17 LaLiga games against Barcelona, equalling the highest tally by any player against Barcelona in the competition in the 21st century, achieved by Diego Forlán (10 goals in 11 games).

Celta de Vigo coach Rafael Benítez has won his last two away games against Barcelona in LaLiga, both with Valencia (4-2 and 1-0 in January and October 2003 respectively). Only two coaches have won three consecutive away games against Barcelona in the history of LaLiga: Patricio Caicedo between 1939 and 1942 and Miguel Muñoz between 1963 and 1965.

ALMERIA v VALENCIA CF

Almería have won just one of their seven home games against Valencia in LaLiga (D2 L4), although that was in the last one at the Power Horse Stadium (2-1 in April 2023).

Valencia have just two wins in their last six LaLiga matches against Almería (D2 L2), having won six of their previous eight league games against them (D1 L1).

Almería have played seven home games against Valencia in LaLiga, conceding at least one goal in all of them (16 goals conceded). Valencia are the side they have faced the most at home while conceding in 100 per cent of those games in the top-flight.

Almería are the only team in LaLiga to have lost two games after scoring first this season (1-3 v Real Madrid on matchday 2 and 1-2 v Villarreal last matchday). They hadn’t lost any of the six previous games in the competition in which they had scored the first goal (W4 D2).

Valencia have collected nine points from their first five games in LaLiga 2023/24 (W3 D2), their second highest such tally over the last six seasons (10 points in 2021/22, W3 D1 L1).

Sergio Akieme has scored in each of his last two LaLiga matches (against Celta de Vigo and Villarreal) and could become the first Almería defender to score in three consecutive top-flight games (Srdjan Babic also two in April this year).

Almería midfielder Gonzalo Melero has scored three goals in six meetings with Valencia in LaLiga, his joint-most against a specific side, along with three against Cádiz CF. Valencia are the only side against which he has scored with all his three top-flight teams: Huesca, Levante and Almería.

Valencia's Hugo Duro has scored three goals in his last three LaLiga games, as many as in his previous 49 top-flight appearances.

Vicente Moreno has won two of his three games managed against Valencia in LaLiga (L1). Indeed, Valencia could be the first side against which the current Almería coach has achieved three wins in his top-flight career.

Valencia coach Rubén Baraja has four wins in eight games as coach against Almería in all competitions (D2 L2), his most against a single opponent, along with Gimnàstic de Tarragona (G5 W4 L1) and Alcorcón (G8 W4 D3 L1).

REAL SOCIEDAD v GETAFE CF

Real Sociedad have won three of their last six meetings with Getafe in LaLiga (D2 L1), as many wins as in their previous 17 top-flight meetings with the Blues (W3 D5 L9).

Getafe have only lost 33 per cent of their away games against Real Sociedad in LaLiga (G15 W4 D6 L5), their second lowest rate of away defeats against a single opponent with at least 10 such meetings in the competition (Osasuna - 29 per cent G14 W4 D6 L4).

Real Sociedad have kept a clean sheet in each their last three home games against Getafe in LaLiga, having conceded at least one goal in each of their previous five matches (nine overall). It is their best run without conceding at home against the Blues in the top-flight.

Real Sociedad have not lost any of their last 12 home games in LaLiga (W7 D5), their best home run in the competition since August 2013 (G15 W8 D7).

After three consecutive wins between 2019 and 2020, keeping a clean sheet in two of them, Getafe have not won on any of their last 10 visits to the Basque Country in LaLiga, drawing seven of them (L3) and going scoreless seven times during this streak.

Excluding own goals, Ander Barrenetxea has scored Real Sociedad's last two goals in LaLiga. The last player to score three or more consecutive goals for the Txuri-urdin side in the competition was Alexander Isak in February 2021 (six in a row).

Only against Celta de Vigo (six) has Real Sociedad's Mikel Oyarzabal scored more goals than against Getafe in his entire LaLiga career (five – also against Athletic, Granada and Valencia).

Getafe striker Borja Mayoral has scored in three of his last five visits to the Reale Arena in LaLiga, netting one goal with Real Madrid in April 2016 and two with Levante in March and October 2019. Only at Balaídos (four) has he scored more away goals in the competition.

Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil has not lost nor conceded a goal in any of his last four meetings with José Bordalás in LaLiga (W2 D2), having suffered two defeats in his first three games managed against Bordalás in the competition (W1).

José Bordalás has five wins in his eight matches as Getafe coach against Real Sociedad in LaLiga (L3), his joint-most victories against a single opponent in charge of the club, along with Real Betis (G9 W5 D2 L2).

RAYO VALLECANO v VILLARREAL CF 

Rayo Vallecano have won two games in a row against Villarreal for the first time (1-0 and 2-1 in 2022/23). Previously, Rayo Vallecano had only won three of their 18 top-flight games against Villarreal (W3 D3 L12).

Villarreal have won 60 per cent of their games against Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga (G20 W12 D3 L5). Only against Levante (65 per cent - G26 W17 D2 L7) do they have a higher winning ratio among teams they’ve faced 15+ times.

Villarreal have only won on one of their last five visits to Vallecas in LaLiga (D1 L3), a 5-1 win in May 2022 under Unai Emery, having gone unbeaten in their first five away games against Rayo Vallecano in the competition (W4 D1).

Rayo Vallecano have won three of their five games in LaLiga in 2023/24 (L2), all by a 2-0 scoreline – it is their most wins in their first five games in a top-flight campaign in the 21st century.

In their last game against Alavés, Rayo Vallecano had 11 shots on target, equalling their highest tally in a top-flight game in the last decade (since 2013/14) – they also had 11 in October 2022 against Cádiz and in February 2023 against Almería.

Rayo Vallecano's Raúl de Tomás has scored three goals in six meetings with Villarreal in LaLiga, including two goals in each of his two games against them at Vallecas.

Villarreal striker Alexander Sørloth has scored three goals in three appearances against Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga, more than against any other opponent in the competition.

Alexander Sørloth has scored in each of his last three games for Villarreal in LaLiga, his second-best scoring streak in the competition (five with Real Sociedad between November 2022 and January 2023). He is also the first Villarreal player to score at least three goals in his first five league games since Nicola Sansone in 2016 (also three).

Rayo Vallecano coach Francisco Rodríguez has won just one of his seven games against Villarreal in LaLiga (D2 L4), a 1-0 win with Elche in January 2022.

Villarreal coach Pacheta has only lost one of his three managerial matches against Rayo Vallecano in all competitions (W1 D1), losing the one in LaLiga: 0-1 with Real Valladolid in January 2023.

REAL BETIS BALOMPIE v CADIZ CF

Real Betis have not won either of their last two games against Cádiz in LaLiga (D1 L1), failing to score in both. It is the first time that Real Betis have gone two games in a row without scoring against Cadiz in the top-flight.

Cádiz have scored in four of their last six away games against Real Betis in LaLiga (W1 D3 L2), having lost on each of their first six visits to them in the competition.

Real Betis have won just one of their last five Andalusian derbies in LaLiga (D3 L1), failing to score in the last two (D1 L1). The last time Real Betis went three Andalusian derbies in a row without scoring in the competition was in February 2014 (L3).

Cádiz have lost only one of their last seven away Andalusian derbies in LaLiga (W2 D4), winning the last one against Real Betis in April 2023 (2-0). Never in the history of the competition have Cádiz won two away Andalusian derbies in a row.

Real Betis have conceded 10 goals in five LaLiga games this season, equalling their second worst record at this stage of the competition in the 21st century (10 in 2004/05), only conceding more in 2016/17 (11).

Cádiz have not won any of their last seven away games in LaLiga (D2 L5), losing both of their two away games in the current campaign – they have not lost their first three away games in a top-flight season since 1989/90.

Cádiz (39 per cent) have the third lowest average possession in LaLiga this season, ahead of Getafe (34 per cent) and Mallorca (37.9 per cent), currently their second-lowest on average in a season in the 21st century (33.7 per cent in 2020/21).

Cádiz striker Maxi Gómez has scored four goals in eight LaLiga games against Real Betis, with three of them at Benito Villamarín. At no other away venue has the Uruguayan striker scored more goals in the competition (three also at Camp Nou, Reale Arena and RCDE Stadium).

Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini has lost just one of his eight meetings with Cádiz in LaLiga (W3 D4), losing the last one (0-2 in April 2023).

Cádiz CF coach Sergio González has won five of his 10 matches against Real Betis in LaLiga (D2 L3), more than against any other opponent in his managerial career in the competition.

LAS PALMAS v GRANADA CF

Las Palmas have won their last two home games against Granada in LaLiga, scoring at least four goals in each of them (4-1 in 2015 and 5-1 in 2016). The Canarian side have never won three in a row against them in the competition.

Granada have won four of their last six games against Las Palmas in LaLiga (L2), achieving one win less than in their previous 16 matches against them in the top-flight (W5 D6 L5).

UD Las Palmas have scored in each of their 14 home games against Granada in LaLiga (26 goals overall), their best 100 per cent scoring record against any opponent in the top-flight.

Las Palmas have not scored in any of their last four games in LaLiga (D1 L3) and, in case they do not score against Granada, they could equal their worst scoring streak in the history of the competition (five between April and May 1980 – D1 L4).

Granada have lost four of their five games in LaLiga this season (W1), conceding at least two goals in each of these five matches – this is the second time they lost four of their first five games in a season in the competition after 2015/16 (W1 L4) when they finished 16th.

Las Palmas are winless in their last 21 LaLiga games (D7 L14), the longest active streak of any team currently in the top five European leagues – if they don’t win, they will equal the third-longest winless run in LaLiga history (22 for Elche in 2013 and Real Burgos in 1993).

UD Las Palmas’ Sandro Ramírez has scored three goals in six matches against Granada in LaLiga, his favourite opponent in the competition along with Athletic Club (three goals in 10 matches).

Lucas Boyé has scored in each of his last four matches in LaLiga, including his two appearances for Granada in the competition – he could become the first Granada player to score in his first three games in the top-flight in the 21st Century.

UD Las Palmas coach Francisco Javier García Pimienta has managed two games against Granada, both in the second tier last season, winning 2-0 at home and losing 1-2 away, with the latter his only encounter against Paco López.

Granada coach Paco López has won both of his games against La Palmas in all competitions. Against no other team he has achieved three wins with 100 per cent success in his managerial career.

ATLETICO DE MADRID v REAL MADRID CF 

Atlético de Madrid have won only one of their last 14 meetings with Real Madrid in LaLiga (D7 L6), having remained undefeated in their previous six derbies against them in the competition (W4 D2).

After their win in September 2022 (2-1), Real Madrid could become the second team to beat Atlético de Madrid on two consecutive visits to the Metropolitano in LaLiga, after Levante (2-0 in 2021 and 1-0 in 2022).

Atlético de Madrid have scored in each of their last 11 Madrid derbies in LaLiga (24 goals) and if they score they will achieve the best streak of scoring against such opponents in their top-flight history (12 games).

Real Madrid have scored 298 goals in 172 matches against Atlético de Madrid and could become the second team in the history of the competition to score 300 goals in regional derbies after Barcelona against Espanyol (340 goals in 176 duels).

Last matchday against Valencia (0-3), Atlético de Madrid suffered only their fourth defeat in LaLiga in 2023 (W17 D6), ending a streak of seven games without losing in the competition (W4 D3) – they have not lost two or more consecutive matches in the competition since December 2021 (L4).

Real Madrid have conceded three goals in five games played in LaLiga 2023/24, all three within the first 15 minutes of the game, conceding more goals in this period than any other team in the competition this season.

Atlético de Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann has scored seven goals in 26 games against Real Madrid in LaLiga, five in his 14 derbies. The Frenchman is the Atlético player who has scored the most goals against Real Madrid in the competition in the entire 21st century.

After scoring against Athletic on MD1, Jude Bellingham could become the third player to score in both his debut for Real Madrid in LaLiga and in his first league derby against Atlético de Madrid since at least 1998/99, after Luís Figo and Wesley Sneijder (Joselu Mato could also achieve this milestone, having scored on his league debut with The Whites against Almeria in May 2011).

Diego Pablo Simeone has coached more games with Atlético de Madrid against Real Madrid than any other coach in LaLiga history (G23 W5 D9 L9) and only Ricardo Zamora (G13 W7 L6) has achieved more wins with the club in the derby than the Argentine (same as Luis Aragonés - G22 W5 D6 L11).

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has suffered seven defeats against Diego Pablo Simeone in all competitions (G20 W8 D5). Only against Luciano Spalletti (11) and Roberto Mancini (8) has he lost more games in his entire managerial elite career.