New strength of La Liga: Osasuna Club sets out to conquer the top

Sevilla will host Valencia at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán on Friday, September 11, 2026, in a key LaLiga 2026/2027 fixture. Both sides enter Matchday 5 looking to build momentum early in the campaign, with Sevilla currently sitting in mid-table after an inconsistent start and Valencia searching for their first win of the season. The Andalusian outfit will be eager to capitalize on home advantage, while Los Che hope to end their seven-match winless run across all competitions.

Sevilla come into this clash off the back of a 1-1 away draw against Espanyol, preceded by a 1-3 home defeat to Atlético Madrid and an impressive 1-3 victory away at Athletic Bilbao. Valencia, meanwhile, have endured a torrid spell, most recently suffering a 0-5 drubbing at home to Barcelona and a 3-1 reverse away to Deportivo A Coruña. The visitors have not tasted victory in seven attempts and have managed just two goals in their last five matches, while Sevilla have scored eight but failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last five outings.

Athletic Club welcome Elche CF to San Mamés on Saturday, 12 September 2026 (kick-off 18:30 local time) for a LaLiga 2026/27 fixture that pits two sides heading in very different directions. The Lions have bounced back impressively under new coach Edin Terzić, most recently thrashing Atlético Madrid 3-0 at San Mamés on 5 September, a result that lifted them to 10th place with six points from four rounds. That dominant home display followed a disciplined 0-2 away victory over Celta Vigo, sandwiching a narrow 2-0 defeat at Barcelona. Elche, meanwhile, prop up the bottom reaches of the table in 19th with a single point, their winless start including a home defeat to Real Sociedad 2-3 on 7 September and a 3-2 reverse at newly promoted Racing Santander.

Terdzic's Athletic squad for 2026/27 blends proven Basque talent with fresh energy. Unai Simón remains the trusted last line of defence, shielded by a back line featuring Aymeric Laporte, Aitor Paredes, Yeray Álvarez and Yuri Berchiche, though Daniel Vivian (hamstring), Unai Egiluz (knee) and Peio Canales (muscle) are currently sidelined. The engine room is powered by Oihan Sancet, Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Beñat Prados and Mikel Jauregizar, while the Williams brothers, Nico and captain Iñaki, headline a dangerous attack alongside Robert Navarro, Gorka Guruzeta, Álex Berenguer and Álvaro Djaló. Nico Williams opened his season's account against Atlético, with Navarro and Sancet also on the scoresheet that day.

Osasuna welcome Espanyol to Estadio El Sadar on Saturday, 12 September 2026, for a LaLiga matchday 5 clash that pits two of the division's most evenly matched sides against one another. The hosts have made a solid if unspectacular start to the 2026/27 campaign under Alessio Lisci, bouncing back from their heavy 5-2 defeat at Alavés last weekend — where Ante Budimir scored twice in a losing cause — after opening the season with back-to-back victories. Those wins came via a 2-1 triumph at Celta Vigo, sealed by a Budimir penalty after Kike Barja's equaliser, and a tight 1-0 home success over Getafe, with Budimir again converting from the spot. The Croatian veteran has been the heartbeat of this Osasuna side, and his partnership with the creative trio of Rubén García, Moi Gómez and Aimar Oroz behind him gives Los Rojillos a reliable attacking platform built on the midfield steel of Lucas Torró and Jon Moncayola.

Espanyol, meanwhile, have endured a rockier opening month under Manolo González. The Catalan side thrashed Levante 3-0 on the opening day with a Roberto Fernández brace, but since then they have collected only one point from three matches. They fell 1-2 at home to José Mourinho's Real Madrid despite a fine display from goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović, lost 2-1 at Real Sociedad, and then salvaged a dramatic 1-1 draw against Sevilla last time out when Marcos Fernández struck a 98th-minute equaliser against ten men. That late point could prove a turning point, but the 2-1 reverse in San Sebastián exposed defensive frailties that Lisci's men will look to exploit. Espanyol's 2026/27 squad has been reshaped with loan signings Vanja Drkušić from Zenit and Unai Núñez from Celta Vigo bolstering the backline, while the injury list remains a concern: captain Javi Puado is still recovering from ACL surgery and is not expected back before December, and veteran striker Kike García is out for three to four months following hamstring surgery, leaving Roberto Fernández, Tyrhys Dolan and Alex Calatrava to carry the attacking load.

Racing Santander welcome high-flying Deportivo Alavés to Estadio El Sardinero on 12 September 2026, in one of the most intriguing fixtures of LaLiga Matchday 5. The newly promoted hosts sit 12th with four points from their opening four games, while Quique Sánchez Flores' Alavés arrive in stunning form, sitting 2nd in the table with ten points and an unbeaten record of three wins and a draw. The two sides already met this summer in a friendly that ended 1-1 before Alavés prevailed on penalties, so both teams know each other well heading into this league encounter.

Recent form tells the story of two contrasting starts to the 2026/2027 season. Racing have been involved in goal-filled contests, falling to a narrow 3-2 defeat at Rayo Vallecano last weekend after edging Elche 3-2 at home on matchday two. Alavés, meanwhile, have been one of the surprise packages of the campaign, hammering Osasuna 5-2 at Mendizorrotza on matchday four and grinding out a hard-fought 1-1 draw away at Rayo in August, showcasing both attacking firepower and defensive resilience.

Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, 12 September 2026 (21:00 CEST) in a LaLiga EA SPORTS matchday 5 clash that pits third-placed Madrid, on 9 points from four games, against a Rayo side sitting 13th with just four points. Los Blancos will be eager to bounce back immediately after suffering their first league defeat of the José Mourinho era, while the visitors arrive in the capital after a dramatic comeback win. The most recent league meeting between these two sides came in February 2026, when Madrid edged a hard-fought contest 2-1 at the Bernabéu.

Mourinho's rebuilt 2026/27 squad has made an electric start, with summer arrivals Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konaté, Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries, Carlos Espí and club-record signing Yan Diomande all settling in quickly, while Vinícius Júnior committed his future to the club by signing a new deal until 2032. Kylian Mbappé has already netted four league goals this season, including a hat-trick in the 4-1 rout of Real Sociedad. Madrid's perfect start was halted last weekend, however, when they fell 1-0 at Real Betis, but they responded in style previously with a dominant 4-0 home win over Málaga.

Celta Vigo host Malaga at the Estadio Abanca Balaídos on Sunday, 13 September 2026, in a LaLiga 2026/27 early-season clash between two sides still searching for their first win. Both teams sit level on 2 points in the bottom half of the table — Celta 17th and Malaga 18th — making this a genuine six-pointer at the wrong end of the standings. Celta come into the game after a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Getafe and a goalless 0-0 stalemate away to Real Sociedad, while their only home league results so far were defeats, including a 0-2 loss to Athletic Club, leaving Claudio Giráldez's men with just one goal scored in four rounds.

Malaga's return to the top flight has been equally difficult, with Sergio Pellicer's side winless after conceding nine goals in their opening four matches. The Andalusians were thrashed 0-4 at the Santiago Bernabéu, held Deportivo La Coruña to a draw at La Rosaleda, and most recently played out a goalless 0-0 draw against Levante despite dominating possession with 62.6%. A long injury list — including Adrián Niño, Diego Murillo, Fernando Calero, Moussa Diarra, Aarón Ochoa and Julen Lobete — has badly weakened their defensive and attacking depth, and their expected-goals numbers are among the worst in the division.

Getafe host Deportivo de A Coruna at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Sunday 13 September 2026 in a LaLiga meeting between Jose Bordalas’s compact Madrid side and Antonio Hidalgo’s newly promoted Galicians. Getafe’s early league picture is built on fine margins: a 1-1 home draw with Celta Vigo and a 1-0 win over Racing Santander show a team that is hard to beat when the game becomes slow, physical and decided by set pieces. Deportivo’s return to the top flight has been more explosive, with Hidalgo’s side beating Valencia 3-1 at Riazor and then winning 2-3 at Villarreal even after Adama Traore’s bizarre debut own goal, a result that announced Depor as more than a survival project.

The 2026/2027 Getafe squad remains recognisably Bordalas: David Soria and Jiri Letacek in goal; Djene, Kiko Femenia, Zaid Romero, Johan Mojica, Saba Sazonov, Abdel Abqar, Sebastian Boselli and Andres Garcia across the back; Nemanja Gudelj, Orel Mangala, Mario Martin, Ramon Terrats and Francho Serrano in midfield; and Enes Unal, Martin Satriano, Borja Mayoral, Christantus Uche, Ivan Azon and Juanmi competing for goals. Deportivo’s rebuilt group mixes promotion heroes with top-flight experience: Leo Roman, German Parreno and Alvaro Fernandez in goal; Jose Maria Gimenez, Lucas Noubi, Bright Ede, Arnau Comas, Dani Barcia, Miguel Loureiro, Angelino, Giacomo Quagliata, Ximo Navarro and Adria Altimira in defence; Marc Casado, Lorenzo Amatucci, captain Diego Villares, Riki Rodriguez, Mario Soriano, Jonathan Asp Jensen and Teun Gijselhart through midfield; and Yeremay Hernandez, David Mella, Luismi Cruz, Adama Traore, Bil Nsongo, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Zakaria Eddahchouri in attack.

Levante will host Barcelona at the Estadi Ciutat de València on Sunday, 13 September 2026, with the LaLiga Matchday 5 contest kicking off at 16:15 CEST. Levante have collected five points from four matches after drawing 0-0 at Málaga and beating Real Betis 5-2. Barcelona have won all four league games, producing a 0-5 victory at Valencia and a 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, scoring 17 goals and conceding only two. Levante captain Roger Brugué has promised that his side will attack without fear, although Barcelona must first manage their UEFA Champions League opener away to Feyenoord on 10 September.

Levante’s 2026/2027 squad is built around Mathew Ryan in goal, Aïssa Mandi, Adrián De La Fuente, Manu Sánchez, Nacho Pérez and Jeremy Toljan in defence, Enzo Bardeli, Oriol Rey, Jon Olasagasti, Hugo Sotelo and Thiago Fernández in midfield, and Roger Brugué, Iván Romero and Petar Ratkov in attack. Barcelona’s reshaped 2026/2027 group features Joan García; Jules Koundé, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Gerard Martín, Xavi Espart, João Cancelo and Alejandro Balde; Pedri, Rodri, Fermín López, Dani Olmo, Gavi and Marc Bernal; plus Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus and Hamza Abdelkarim. Barcelona’s summer additions have supplied additional pace, creativity and attacking depth as Hansi Flick attempts to defend the Spanish championship.

Real Sociedad welcome Atlético Madrid to the Reale Arena on Sunday 13 September 2026 (21:00 CEST) for a mouth-watering LaLiga matchday 5 clash between two of Spain's most tactically disciplined sides. Pellegrino Matarazzo's men have bounced back from a rocky start to the 2026/27 campaign and head into this one full of confidence after a dramatic 2-3 away win at Elche, a result that lifted the Txuri-Urdin to ninth place with seven points from five matches. Atlético Madrid, meanwhile, sit sixth on the same tally but with a game in hand, though Diego Simeone's side arrive in San Sebastián licking their wounds from a humbling 3-0 defeat at San Mamés last weekend, where a late Julián Álvarez penalty miss summed up a frustrating afternoon in Bilbao.

For the 2026/27 season, Matarazzo has a refreshed Real Sociedad squad blending homegrown talent with smart summer business. Álex Remiro remains first choice in goal despite a recent shoulder and collarbone scare, protected by a back line featuring Igor Zubeldia, Jon Aramburu, Sergio Gómez and new loan signing Mamadou Sarr, the Senegal international who arrived from Chelsea to add physicality, while Héctor Fort was signed from Barcelona's ranks on 29 August. In midfield, Luka Sučić, Carlos Soler, Beñat Turrientes and Yangel Herrera compete for places, with Pablo Marín still sidelined by injury and Arsen Zakharyan doubtful. Up front, captain Mikel Oyarzabal remains the creative focal point after two assists against Espanyol, supported by Orri Óskarsson, Ander Barrenetxea, Takefusa Kubo and Gonçalo Guedes. La Real's recent home form shows why they will fancy this one: a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Celta Vigo followed a 2-1 win over Espanyol in which Óskarsson and Barrenetxea both found the net.

Villarreal vs Betis arrives in LaLiga on 14 September 2026 with the Yellow Submarine under pressure after a chaotic start: they pushed Borussia Dortmund all the way in the Champions League opener before falling 3-2, but the domestic picture is still the bigger concern for Iñigo Pérez’s 2026/2027 group.

The league trend is the worry for the home side, because Villarreal’s attacking names are creating enough to compete yet not enough to turn draws into wins, with the 2-3 home defeat to Deportivo leaving them needing a cleaner defensive performance even with Gulácsi, Saliba, Mouriño, Renato Veiga, Sergi Cardona, Santi Comesaña, Pape Gueye, Tajon Buchanan, Georges Mikautadze, Nicolás Pépé and Gerard Moreno in the squad conversation.