LaLiga matchweek five: Game-by-game previews

September 9

Girona FC v Real Valladolid CF

Girona have not won either of their two meetings with Real Valladolid in LaLiga (D1 L1)), failing to score in both, the only team they have faced in the top-flight and failed to score.

Real Valladolid have won only one of their nine away games against Girona in all competitions (D2 L6), 2-1 in November 1975 in the second leg of the first round of the Copa del Rey.

Following their 1-1 draw with Mallorca last time out, Girona ended a run of 16 straight games without a draw in LaLiga (W4 L12), their longest ever run without a draw in the top-flight.

September 10

Rayo Vallecano v Valencia FC

Rayo Vallecano have drawn five of their last seven games against Valencia in LaLiga (W1 D1), having drawn just one of their previous 19 against Los Che in the competition (W5 L13).

At home, Rayo Vallecano have not lost any of their last five LaLiga games against Valencia (W2 D3), their longest unbeaten run at home against them in the top-flight.

Valencia have not won any of their last 15 visits to teams from the Madrid region in LaLiga (D4 L11) - their longest winless run away against such opposition since 1992 (G15 D2 L13).

RCD Espanyol v Sevilla FC

Espanyol have failed to win any of their last eight games against Sevilla in LaLiga (D3 L5), since a 3-1 win in January 2017 with Quique Sánchez Flores and Jorge Sampaoli in charge of the respective sides.

Sevilla have won five of their last eight LaLiga away games against Espanyol (D1 L2), managing just one fewer win than in their previous 34 away games against them in the competition (W6 D11 L17).

Sevilla have won more games against Espanyol (71 in 146 meetings) than against any other side in their LaLiga history, also scoring more goals against them in the competition (243) than versus any other team.

Cádiz CF v FC Barcelona

Cádiz have taken points in each of their last four matches against Barcelona in LaLiga (8 points - W2 D2), just one fewer than in their other 24 meetings with them in the competition (W2 D3 L19).

Barcelona have failed to score in their last two games against Cádiz in LaLiga (D1 L1), as many times as in their previous 26 meetings against them in the competition (W19 D4 L3).

No team has won and scored more goals against Cádiz than FC Barcelona in the history of LaLiga (19 wins and 59 goals, the same numbers as Real Madrid).

Cádiz have lost all four of their games in LaLiga 2022/23, failing to score in all four, suffering their worst start after the opening four games to a top-flight season. Moreover, only between January and February 1990 have the Andalusian side suffered more consecutive defeats without scoring in the competition (six).

Atlético Madrid v RC Celta de Vigo

Atlético de Madrid have won just four of their last eight games against Celta de Vigo in LaLiga (D3 L1), having won their previous six meetings with the Galicians in the competition.

Celta de Vigo have failed to win any of their last 10 LaLiga away games against Atlético de Madrid (D3 L7), failing to score in six of them, since a 3-2 win at the Vicente Calderón in June 2007 with Hristo Stoichkov as manager.

Atlético de Madrid have lost just one of their last eight home games in LaLiga (W5 D2), 0-2 to Villarreal in their last meeting at the Cívitas Metropolitano. The Red-And-Whites have not lost consecutive home games in the competition since May 2013, at the Vicente Calderón.

September 11, 2022

Real Madrid v RCD Mallorca

Real Madrid have won eight of their last nine matches against Mallorca in LaLiga, losing only during this period in October 2019 (1-0).

Real Madrid have won six home games in a row against Mallorca in LaLiga – the first time they had done so. The last time Mallorca avoided defeat away from home against Los Blancos in the competition was in May 2009 with Gregorio Manzano as coach (3-1).

Mallorca have lost more games (39 in 60 meetings) and conceded more goals (131) against Real Madrid than against any other opponent in the history of LaLiga.

Real Madrid are the only team with a 100 per cent win rate in the big five European leagues this season (4/4). They will be looking to win their opening five league games for just the second time in the 21st Century, having previously done so in 2009-10.

Elche CF v Athletic Club

Elche have lost in three of their last five meetings with Athletic Club in LaLiga (W1 D1), having lost just one of their previous seven meetings in the competition (W3 D3).

Athletic Club have won just one of their last 12 LaLiga away games against Elche (D4 L7), 3-2 in May 2015. This was the only one of their last six away trips to Elche in the league that they’ve scored in.

Elche have lost six of their last eight LaLiga matches (W1 D1), failing to score in all six defeats. Furthermore, they have equalled their worst start after four games of a season in LaLiga (1 point - D1 L3, level with 1962/63, 1964/65 and 1984/85).

Getafe CF v Real Sociedad

Getafe are winless in their last four matches against Real Sociedad in LaLiga (D2 L2), their longest winless streak against them in the top-flight.

At home, Getafe have won eight of their 14 matches against Real Sociedad in LaLiga (D3 L3) - their joint-highest number of home wins against an opponent in the competition (also eight against Málaga, Levante, Sevilla and Valencia).

Real Sociedad have won just one of their last 12 LaLiga away games against teams from the Madrid region (D6 L5), although that win came precisely against Getafe (1-0 in February 2021).

Real Betis Balompié v Villarreal CF

Real Betis have lost eight of their last 12 LaLiga games against Villarreal (W3 D1) - only against Barcelona (9) have they suffered more defeats in the competition since 2016/17 (also eight against Atlético Madrid and Sevilla).

Real Betis are winless in their last three home meetings with Villarreal in LaLiga (D1 L2) and could equal their longest winless run at home against the Yellows in the top-flight (D2 L2 in March 2009).

Villarreal have won three of their last five visits to Andalusian sides in LaLiga (L2) - as many victories as in their previous 11 away games against them in the competition (W3 D4 L4).

September 12, 2022

UD Almería - CA Osasuna

Almeria have only lost one of their last four matches against Osasuna in LaLiga (W2 D1) although that defeat came in their last home match against the Navarran side (1-2 in April 2014).

Almeria have lost four of their last six home matches in all competitions against Osasuna (W1 D1), having won the previous four at home against them.

Since the start of last season, Osasuna have won in two of their five visits to Andalusian sides in LaLiga (L3), having won just one of their previous 11 trips to Andalusia in the top-flight (D2 L8).