La Liga Roundup: Real Madrid Go Top As Atlético Stumble

‎Matchday 24 of La Liga was packed with drama, controversy, surprises, and season-defining results.

‎From Real Madrid’s rise back to the summit to Atlético Madrid’s shocking defeat in front of a half-empty stadium, Spanish football delivered yet another unforgettable weekend.

‎Vinícius Leads as Madrid Go Top

‎Despite missing key stars Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid produced one of its most complete performances of the season.

‎Vinícius Júnior was decisive, scoring two penalties after being fouled twice in the box by Jon Aramburu. His composure and confidence guided Madrid through a match that demanded leadership.

‎Gonzalo García opened the scoring early with a delicate touch to a precise cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold, though he later missed several chances that could have made the scoreline even more dominant.

‎Real Sociedad briefly threatened when Mikel Oyarzabal equalized from the spot after Dean Huijsen’s foul, but Madrid quickly regained control.

‎Valverde restored Madrid’s lead with a powerful low drive from the edge of the box his first goal of the season before Vinícius added his second penalty after the break. The return of club captain Dani Carvajal marked another highlight, as he stepped onto the pitch for his first league appearance since October.

‎With this victory, Real Madrid moved two points above FC Barcelona, who travel to face Girona on Monday.

‎Borja Iglesias Delivers Late Drama

‎In Barcelona, Celta Vigo striker Borja Iglesias lived through an emotional rollercoaster. He saw a well-taken goal disallowed by VAR after a long check for offside, leaving him visibly frustrated.

‎Those frustrations deepened when Espanyol substitutes combined brilliantly in the 86th minute, with Ramón Terrats setting up Tyrhys Dolan to seemingly seal the victory for Espanyol. But Iglesias refused to surrender the narrative.

‎In stoppage time, Pablo Durán’s clever backheel played him through, and he calmly slotted home the equalizer.

‎The 2–2 draw leaves Espanyol in sixth place, with Celta just one point behind in seventh, reflecting the tight nature of the mid-table battle.

‎A Hard-Fought Upset in Madrid

‎Over in the capital, Getafe secured one of the weekend’s surprise results with a gritty 2–1 win over Villarreal.

‎The match was defined by intensity rather than elegance, with Getafe defending deep, absorbing pressure, and taking their chances clinically when they arrived. Villarreal pushed hard late on but lacked the precision needed to overturn the deficit.

‎A Chaotic Night for the Hosts

‎An eventful clash unfolded between Sevilla and Alavés, ending 1–1 after Sevilla were reduced to 10 men in the 16th minute.

‎Juanlu received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge, and the setback defined the rest of the evening.

‎Tensions escalated further when Sevilla coach Matías Almeyda was sent off late in the game after angrily confronting the referee. Despite the numerical disadvantage and the emotional volatility on the touchline, Sevilla held on for a point that may prove valuable in their fight to stabilize their season.

‎Rayo Vallecano vs Atlético Madrid

‎Perhaps the most remarkable story of the weekend came at Butarque Stadium home of Leganés where Rayo Vallecano hosted Atlético Madrid. The match was moved because Rayo’s own pitch at Vallecas was deemed unplayable after the grass had to be completely replaced.

‎Only about 5,300 fans attended, as many Rayo supporters protested outside their true home ground, demanding the resignation of club president Martín Presa.

‎Inside the stadium, however, Rayo delivered one of their greatest performances in years.

‎Fran Pérez gave them the lead shortly before halftime, and Óscar Valentín doubled it moments later. Nobel Mendy’s strike in the second half sealed a 3–0 victory that stunned Atlético Madrid, who were coming off a 4–0 demolition of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey.

‎After the match, coach Diego Simeone rejected goalkeeper Jan Oblak’s suggestion that rotating the squad had been a mistake. Regardless, the defeat leaves Atlético fourth in the table and 15 points behind Real Madrid.

‎It was Rayo’s first win over Atlético since 2013, snapping a 19-game drought and lifting them out of the relegation zone.

‎Athletic Bilbao vs Oviedo

In another spirited display, Athletic Bilbao overturned a halftime deficit to beat Real Oviedo 2–1. Lyas Chaira gave Oviedo an early lead, but Athletic responded through Mikel Jauregizar and Oihan Sancet in the second half.

‎The win keeps Athletic firmly positioned in the top half as they continue pushing for European qualification.

‎Derby Victory Brings Relief

‎The Valencia derby delivered a much-needed boost for Valencia CF, who defeated Levante UD 2–0 away from home. Largie Ramazani and Umar Sadiq found the net, ending Valencia’s three-game losing streak and lifting the club out of the relegation zone.

‎Levante, meanwhile, remains deep in trouble, sitting 19th with only one win in their last six league matches.