La Liga Matchweek 1: whats the stats say

ATHLETIC CLUB – GETAFE CF

Athletic have lost just two of their last 20 matches against Getafe in LaLiga (W8 D10) - they are the opponents they have drawn the highest per centage of games against in the top-flight, with a minimum of seven meetings (44.7 per cent - G38 W12 D17 L9).

Athletic have just lost one of their last 10 LaLiga home games against Getafe (W4 D5), 0-2 in February 2020, although they have drawn each of the last three.

Getafe have not won any of their last 13 visits to teams from the Basque Country in LaLiga (D8 L5), having won each of their previous three away games against these sides – indeed, it is their longest winless run away to these teams in the competition.

Athletic have not won their first LaLiga game of the season in any of the last four campaigns (D2 L2), since a 1-0 win in August 2019 against Barcelona. Getafe, meanwhile, have failed to win in their last three LaLiga openers (D1 L2), since a 1-0 win against Osasuna in September 2020.

Athletic have not lost any of their last 18 home games in LaLiga (W12 D6) and have not gone 19 or more without defeat at home in the top-flight since 1984 (G19 W17 D2) with Javier Clemente as coach.

Getafe have lost each of their last five games in LaLiga, failing to score in four of them, and have not lost six straight in the competition since September 2021 (L7).

Athletic's Iñaki Williams has scored six goals in 16 games against Getafe in LaLiga, while only against Real Sociedad (seven in 18 games) has he netted more in the competition (also six in 17 games against Real Betis).

Getafe have scored each of their last four away goals against Athletic in LaLiga via headers. They are the opponent against whom they have scored the most away headers in their top-flight history (six).

After losing three of his first four games against Getafe in LaLiga (W1), Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde has not lost any of his next 20 against Los Azulones in the competition (W16 D4). Indeed, this is his longest unbeaten run against the same opponent in the top-flight.

Getafe coach José Bordalás has picked up points in five of his six visits to Athletic in LaLiga (W1 D4), although his only such defeat was the first of two times a team coached by him conceded five goals in a match in the competition (5-1 in January 2021). 

REAL BETIS BALOMPIÉ – GIRONA FC

Real Betis have just lost one of their eight games against Girona in LaLiga (W5 D2), although it was the most recent one in March this year (2-3). They’ve scored at least once in all eight previous games.

At home, Real Betis have just lost one of their nine games in all competitions against Girona (W6 D2), 0-1 in March 2010 in the Spanish Segunda División.

Girona have not lost any of their last six visits to Andalusian teams in LaLiga (W4 D2), after losing each of the previous six.

Real Betis have not lost their first game of the season in any of the last four campaigns in LaLiga (W3 D1), since a 1-2 loss against Real Valladolid in August 2019. On the other hand, Girona have just lost just one of their top-flight openers (D3 L1): 0-1 against Valencia in August 2022.

Real Betis are winless in their last three LaLiga games (D2 L1), failing to score in the last two. The last time they went three consecutive games without scoring in the top-flight was in May 2022 (G3 D2 L1).

Girona have won five of their last seven LaLiga games (D1 L1), with this run including their biggest ever win in the competition: 7-0 against Granada in their final league match of 2023-24.

Real Betis’ Chimy Ávila, who could play his 100th game as a starter in LaLiga, scored the first of his three braces in the competition against Girona in February 2019 (for Huesca).

Girona’s Portu has scored four goals in 14 games against Real Betis in LaLiga; only against Celta de Vigo has he scored more in the competition (five in 14 matches).

In this game against Girona, Manuel Pellegrini (197) will equal Ferenc Szusza (198) as the manager with the third-most games for Real Betis in all competitions, with only Lorenzo Serra Ferrer (263) and Pepe Mel (202) overseeing more.

After losing his first four games against Real Betis in LaLiga between 2018 and 2023, Girona manager Míchel Sánchez has not lost any of his last two games against them in the top-flight (W1 D1).

RC CELTA DE VIGO – DEPORTIVO ALAVÉS

Celta de Vigo have just lost one of their last seven games against Alavés in LaLiga (W5 D1), although it was the most recent one: 0-3 in April this year. The Basque side have won consecutive games against Celta in the competition just once in the 21st century (W2 in 2018).

Alavés have won just one of their 15 visits to face Celta de Vigo in LaLiga (D4 L10). Among the sides they have faced 10 times away from home in the top-flight, only against Athletic Club (5.6 per cent - G18 W1 D3 L14) do they have a lower win per centage than against Celta (6.7 per cent - G15 W1 D4 L10).

Celta de Vigo have just lost one of their last six home games on Friday in LaLiga (W3 D2), 0-1 against Real Madrid in August 2023. Meanwhile, Alavés have won each of their last two away games played on that day in the competition.

Alavés have lost their first game of the season in each of their last three seasons in LaLiga; their worst run in such matches in the competition.

Celta de Vigo have failed to win their first game of the season in LaLiga in each of their last eight seasons (D3 L5), since a 2-1 win against Levante in August 2015.

Celta de Vigo have not lost any of their last six home games in LaLiga (W4 D2) and could go seven in a row without losing for the first time since October 2018 (G15 W6 D9).

Alavés have just lost one of their last seven games in LaLiga (W4 D2), 0-5 against Real Madrid last May, while they’ve collected points in two of their last three away matches in the competition (W1 D1 L1).

Celta de Vigo’s Iago Aspas has been involved in 11 goals in 13 games against Alavés in LaLiga (7 goals, 4 assists), but failed to do score or assist in each of his last two. The forward has never gone three consecutive games without being involved in a goal against them in the top-flight.

Alavés’ Jon Guridi, who scored in his last game against Celta de Vigo in LaLiga last April, has played more games in the top-flight against them without losing than against any other team (G5 W4 D1).

Alavés manager Luis García has never won in his four visits to Balaídos in LaLiga (D2 L2), with his side both scoring and conceding on all four trips.

UD LAS PALMAS – SEVILLA FC

Sevilla have won each of their last seven matches against Las Palmas in LaLiga; only against Atlético de Madrid (8 between 1987 and 2018) have the Canaries suffered more consecutive defeats in the competition, and only against Levante (8 between 2004 and 2011) have Sevilla won more top-flight matches in a row.

Las Palmas have not won any of their last 14 games in LaLiga (D5 L9). Since the start of last February, the Canaries are the team with the fewest points won in the competition (9 – G16 W1 D6 L9).

Las Palmas have not won any of their last seven games against Andalusian sides in LaLiga (D4 L3), their worst winless run in the competition against these teams.

Sevilla have lost their first away game of the season in their last two campaigns in LaLiga, after winning each of the previous five such matches in the competition.

Sevilla have lost their last four games in LaLiga, but have managed to collect points in six of their last nine away matches in the competition (W3 D3 L3).

Las Palmas have not lost any of their last three games played on a Friday in LaLiga (W2 D1), while Sevilla have not won any of the last eight played that day in the competition (D4 L4), losing each of the last three.

Sevilla’s Dodi Lukébakio has scored in each of the two games he played against Las Palmas in LaLiga (two goals); one of only two sides, along with Almería, against whom he has scored in two different matches in the competition.

Las Palmas’ Jaime Mata has been involved in two goals in four home games against Sevilla in LaLiga (one goal, one assist), both as a Getafe player.

Luis Carrión will make his debut in LaLiga as Las Palmas manager. The last non-interim manager to win his debut in the top-flight for the club was Fernando Vázquez in August 2001.

In LaLiga last season, Las Palmas under García Pimienta (current Sevilla’s manager) were 9th at the end of 2023 with 25 points, but had the second-worst record in 2024 with 15 points. They also conceded the third-most goals in the competition in that period (32, only fewer than Granada 39 and Almería 33).

CLUB ATLÉTICO OSASUNA – CD LEGANÉS

After losing their first game against Leganés in LaLiga (0-2 in November 2016), Osasuna have won their three most recent against them in the competition.

Osasuna have won each of their last four games at home against Leganés in all competitions, including both in LaLiga, since a 1-2 loss in February 2000 in the Spanish Segunda División.

Since their last promotion to the top-flight in 2019, Osasuna have not lost any of their five season openers (W4 D1), including a win over Leganés in 2019/20 (1-0).

After winning the first game of the season in their first two campaigns in LaLiga, Leganés have lost that game in each of their last two seasons in the top-flight.

Osasuna have not lost any of their last four games in LaLiga (W1 D3), after losing each of their previous four. The last time they went on a five-game unbeaten streak in the competition was in October 2021 (W3 D2).

Leganés have not lost any of their last three away games in LaLiga (W2 D1), and have never previously gone four in a row without losing on the road in the competition.

Osasuna’s Ante Budimir, who registered his best goalscoring season in LaLiga last term (17 in 33 games), is looking for his 50th win in the competition (G157 W49 D38 L70).

Leganés’ Javier Avilés has just scored one goal in his LaLiga career (nine games), although that came against Osasuna at El Sadar in June 2020.

Osasuna manager Vicente Moreno has won just one of his six games in all competitions against Leganés (D2 L3), although it was the most recent one: 2-1 for Espanyol in the Spanish Segunda División in April 2021.

Only one of the four managers Leganés have had in LaLiga lost their first game in charge (W2 D1): Mauricio Pellegrino in August 2018 (1-2 v Athletic Club).

VALENCIA CF – FC BARCELONA

Barcelona have lost just one of their last 16 games against Valencia in LaLiga (W10 D5), 0-2 in January 2020, and have gone unbeaten in the last eight (W6 D2).

After two consecutive wins between 2006 and 2007, Valencia have won just one of their last 17 matches at home against Barcelona in LaLiga (D8 L8): 2-0 in January 2020.

Barcelona have won 89 of their 178 matches against Valencia (D46 L43); only against Espanyol (G176 W102 D40 L34) and Athletic Club (G186 W94 D32 L60) have they won more games in the competition (also 89 against Real Sociedad and Sevilla).

Valencia have won their first game of the season in each of the last four campaigns in LaLiga, and just once have they won their season opener in more consecutive campaigns (seven between 1945 and 1951).

Barcelona drew nil-nil in their first game of the season in the last two campaigns: v Rayo Vallecano in 2022 and Getafe in 2023. If they play out another goalless draw this season, they will become in the first team to do so in three consecutive campaigns in the top-flight.

Valencia have not won any of their last seven games in LaLiga (D2 L5), their longest winless run under Rubén Baraja.

Valencia have scored three of their last six goals against Barcelona in LaLiga from outside the box; this after their previous 34 goals in the competition were all from inside the box.

Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski has scored four goals in three games against Valencia in LaLiga, his joint-highest tally against a single opponent in the competition (also four against Celta de Vigo and Elche).

Barcelona are one of the three sides that Valencia manager Rubén Baraja has faced three times in LaLiga without winning (D1 L2), along with Mallorca (D2 L1) and Real Betis (D1 L2).

Hansi Flick is the third German manager to take charge of Barcelona in LaLiga, after Hennes Weisweiler and Udo Lattek. The previous two made their competition debut with a victory.

REAL SOCIEDAD – RAYO VALLECANO

After three consecutive defeats between 2013 and 2015, Real Sociedad have not lost any of their last 11 meetings with Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga (W5 D6).

Rayo Vallecano have failed to score in each of their last three visits to teams from the Basque Country in LaLiga (D1 L2), and on only one occasion have they gone four games without scoring in away games against such opponents in the competition (G4 L4 between 1978 and 1980).

Real Sociedad have lost four of their last eight home games in LaLiga (W3 D1), having lost just one of their previous 20 home league games (W11 D8).

Rayo Vallecano have gone six straight games without scoring away from home in LaLiga (D2 L4), and only once in their history have they gone seven in a row (D1 L6 in 1978).

Real Sociedad have only won their opening game of a LaLiga campaign in one of their last five seasons in the top-flight (D3 L1), 1-0 against Cádiz in August 2022.

Rayo Vallecano have only won their opening game of a LaLiga campaign in one of their last six seasons in the top-flight (D3 L2), doing so last season against Almería in August 2023 (2-0).

Real Sociedad's Mikel Oyarzabal has been involved in five goals in six starts against Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga (four goals and one assist) - overall, he has only faced Osasuna more times without suffering defeat in the competition (G10 W7 D3) than he has against the side from Vallecas (G8 W4 D4).

Rayo Vallecano's Adri Embarba has been involved in six goals in 12 games against Real Sociedad in LaLiga (three goals and three assists), his highest tally against the same opponent in the top-flight.

In 14 LaLiga matches under Íñigo Pérez, Rayo Vallecano have only scored in five games (eight goals). Since he took charge of the team on 14 February, no team in the big five European leagues have failed to score in more matches (nine, level with Las Palmas).

Only against Cádiz (G8 W6 D2) and Mallorca (G8 W7 D1) has Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil managed more games in LaLiga without losing than against Rayo Vallecano (G7 W3 D4).  

RCD MALLORCA – REAL MADRID CF

Mallorca have lost their last two games against Real Madrid in LaLiga without scoring a goal, and have not gone three or more without scoring against Los Blancos in the competition since 1998 (G4 D2 L2).

Real Madrid have lost on two of their last four visits to Mallorca in LaLiga (W2), after having lost in just one of their previous 12 away games against the Balearics in the competition (W8 D3).

Mallorca have not lost their first game of the season in LaLiga in any of their last eight campaigns (W4 D4), since a 3-0 defeat in Valencia in August 2008, while Real Madrid have not lost their first game in the last 15 seasons (W11 D4), since a 2-1 loss at Deportivo La Coruna in August 2008.

Mallorca have not lost any of their last four LaLiga matches (W2 D2), and can equal their longest unbeaten run in the top-flight within the last decade (G5 W2 D3 in December 2023).

Real Madrid have not lost any of their last 32 games in LaLiga (W24 D8), their best unbeaten run in their entire history in the competition, surpassing the previous one achieved between May 1988 and April 1989 with Leo Beenhakker as coach (G30 W21 D9).

Excluding own goals, Mallorca have scored five if their last eight goals against Real Madrid in LaLiga via headers, including two of their last three at home versus Los Blancos in the competition.

Real Madrid's Vinícius Junior has failed to score or assist in his last three games against Mallorca in LaLiga, having done so in each of the previous four against the Balearics in the competition (three goals and one assist).

Mallorca's Sergi Darder finished last season scoring in two of his last three LaLiga games, with those his only two goals for Mallorca, and the same as in his previous 43 games in the competition.

New RCD Mallorca manager Jagoba Arrasate has won just one if 13 LaLiga matches against Real Madrid (D3 L9): a 4-2 win with Real Sociedad in August 2014, with Carlo Ancelotti as opponent manager.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has won five of his six meetings with Mallorca in LaLiga, only losing in one of his three visits at Mallorca in the competition (1-0 in February 2023).

VILLARREAL CF - CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID

Atlético de Madrid have won their last two games against Villarreal in LaLiga and could win three games in a row against the Yellows in the competition for only the second time in history, having done so between 2011 and 2012.

After three consecutive wins between 2015 and 2018, Villarreal have failed to win any of their last six home games in LaLiga against Atlético de Madrid (D4 L2), conceding exactly two goals in each of the last four.

Villarreal have won four of their last six home games in LaLiga (D1 L1), one more than in their previous 14 home games in the competition (W3 D5 L6).

Atlético de Madrid have gone 14 consecutive seasons without a defeat on the first matchday (W8 D6), with their last such loss being in 2009 v Málaga (0-3). They’ve won their opening game in each of the last five LaLiga campaigns.

Villarreal have only won their LaLiga season opener in one of their last nine campaigns in the competition (D5 L3), 3-0 at Valladolid in August 2022.

Atlético de Madrid have won each of their last seven LaLiga matches on a Monday, including a victory over Villarreal (1-2 in April 2024). Meanwhile, the side from Castellón have lost two of their last four played on this day in the top-flight (L2).

Villarreal's Gerard Moreno has been involved in each of his team’s last four goals against Atlético de Madrid in LaLiga (two goals and two assists).

Atlético de Madrid's Antoine Griezmann has been involved in six goals in his last six visits to face Villarreal at La Cerámica (four goals and two assists).

Villarreal manager Marcelino Garcia Toral has avoided defeat in five of his last six home games versus Atletico Madrid in LaLiga (W3 D2), although did lose the last of those, 1-2 with his current club last April.

Atletico de Madrid manager Diego Pablo Simeone has nine wins in 24 meetings with Villarreal in LaLiga (D9 L6); the Yellows could become the 14th different opponent against whom the Argentine coach has recorded at least 10 wins in the competition.

REAL VALLADOLID CF – RCD ESPANYOL

Real Valladolid have won three of their last four games against Espanyol in LaLiga (1D), just one fewer than in their previous 20 top-flight games against Los Pericos (W4 D8 L8).

Real Valladolid have not lost any of their last 10 LaLiga home games against Espanyol (W5 D5), their longest unbeaten run against the Catalan side in the competition.

This will be the 16th time in LaLiga history that two newly-promoted sides have met on the opening day, with a record of 10 wins for the home side, three draws and two away wins in the 15 previous meetings.

Espanyol have scored in each of their last 14 away games in LaLiga (19 goals in total); the second-longest scoring current away run in the competition, after Real Madrid (20).

Real Valladolid drew their last two LaLiga matches 0-0 in the 2022/23 campaign, and only twice previously they have gone more than two consecutive games with a goalless draw: three in March 1991 and four in May-August 1998.

Real Valladolid have lost four of their last five LaLiga matches played on a Monday (W1), although those four defeats were away, while Espanyol have lost their last four matches played on this day in the competition.

Real Valladolid's Eray Cömert has scored just one goal in 31 LaLiga appearances (for Valencia), although that was against Espanyol in October 2022 at the Stage Front Stadium - he could become the first Swiss player to play a game for Valladolid in the top-flight.

If he scores, Javi Puado will overtake Raúl de Tomás and Cayetanó Ré to join the top 20 scorers in Espanyol's history in all competitions (currently 45).

Espanyol manager Manolo González is set to make his LaLiga managerial debut; the last non-interim coach (David Gallego's first spell was an interim) to win his first game in the competition for the Catalonian side was Constantin Galca in December 2015.

Real Valladolid manager Paulo Pezzolano is winless in his three meetings with Espanyol in all competitions (D1 L2); the opponent he has faced most in the Spanish football without a win.

 

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