La Liga
La Liga Preview: Barcelona Aim For 12th Consecutive Victory At Real Sociedad As Real Madrid Look To Bounce Back Against Levante
La Liga returns this weekend with another round of crucial fixtures at both ends of the table.
Barcelona look unstoppable as they close in on a 12th straight victory in all competitions, while Real Madrid begin a new era under Álvaro Arbeloa after a turbulent start to 2026.
Elsewhere, Villarreal continue their unexpected title push, and the relegation scrap grows even tenser with Valencia and Getafe desperate for points.
Here is your full, in-depth weekend preview across Spain’s top flight.
Real Sociedad vs Barcelona
Barcelona arrives in San Sebastián flying higher than ever. Hansi Flick’s side have strung together 11 consecutive victories, including their recent Spanish Super Cup triumph over Real Madrid.
Now four points clear at the top of La Liga, the Catalans are determined to maintain their momentum.
Real Sociedad, meanwhile, continues to search for consistency. Pellegrino Matarazzo has steadied the ship with an unbeaten start, two wins and a draw, but La Real remain 11th after a mixed season.
Despite winning just three of nine home matches, they have shown signs of improvement, including a recent win at Getafe and a Copa del Rey quarter-final qualification.
Barcelona will rotate after midweek cup duty, with Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Fermín López, Raphinha, and others returning. João Cancelo, back on loan from Al-Hilal, could feature again.
Prediction: Real Sociedad 1–3 Barcelona
Blistering form gives Barca a slight edge, though it won’t be straightforward.
Getafe vs Valencia
Two teams in dire need of a result meet in Madrid. Getafe have lost five of their last six matches and remain one of the league’s lowest scorers with just 15 goals. Their home form has also been poor, adding extra pressure on this fixture.
Valencia’s situation is arguably worse. Los Che sit 18th, winless in La Liga for nearly two months, and have the second-worst away record in the division.
Their recent wins have come exclusively in the Copa del Rey, including Thursday’s victory over Burgos CF.
However, Hugo Duro returns from suspension to strengthen their attack, while José Gayà and Arnaut Danjuma are expected to start.
Prediction: Getafe 1–1 Valencia
Neither side has shown enough cutting edge to take all three points.
Arbeloa’s First Big Test
It has been a chaotic start to the year for Real Madrid. A loss to Barcelona in the Super Cup final was followed by Xabi Alonso’s shock departure.
New interim coach Álvaro Arbeloa then watched his side suffer a 3-2 Copa del Rey exit to Albacete, piling on the pressure ahead of this La Liga fixture.
Fortunately for Madrid, they return to the Bernabéu, where they have won eight of nine league matches this season. Major stars, including Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Federico Valverde, and Thibaut Courtois, are set to return to the XI after being rested.
Levante, despite sitting 19th, has quietly improved under new coach Luís Castro. They are unbeaten in three league matches and have shown more defensive structure.
But history and quality heavily favor Madrid, which has scored 10 goals in its last two meetings with Levante.
Prediction: Real Madrid 3–1 Levante
A must-win for Los Blancos, and they should deliver at home.
Real Betis vs Villarreal
Real Betis remain competitive in the Copa del Rey but have struggled in La Liga to start 2026, taking only one point from their last two games. Injuries to key players, including Isco and AFCON absences, have stretched their squad.
Villarreal, however, is one of the season’s biggest stories. Marcelino has them third in the league, eight points behind leaders Barcelona and right in the title race.
Their away form has been exceptional, and they come into the match fresh after a 3-1 win over Alavés last weekend.
Ayoze Pérez and Georges Mikautadze continue to form one of La Liga’s most effective attacking duos.
Prediction: Real Betis 1–2 Villarreal
Expect a competitive match, but Villarreal’s confidence and quality should prevail.
Mallorca vs Athletic Bilbao
Mallorca is sliding dangerously close to the relegation zone, winless since December and suffering back-to-back defeats to begin 2026. Their home form has been a rare bright spot, however, with only one defeat at Son Moix this season.
Athletic Bilbao is enduring a disappointing title defense push. Eighth in the table, they appear drained by heavy workloads across multiple competitions.
Their away form is poor, just eight points from nine games, and a 5-0 Super Cup loss to Barcelona exposed their vulnerabilities.
With several players still sidelined, including Laporte, Berenguer, and Prados, Ernesto Valverde must rely heavily on the Williams brothers and Gorka Guruzeta for a spark.
Prediction: Mallorca 1–1 Athletic Bilbao
Mallorca’s home resilience and Athletic’s inconsistency point to a shared result.
