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Real Madrid tasted their first defeat of the season in all competitions on Tuesday in the Champions League, losing 1-0 to Liverpool. Just three days later, they dropped points in La Liga against Rayo Vallecano. Xabi Alonso’s men were held to a goalless draw on Sunday in Vallecas after a colourless performance. With this result, their grip on the La Liga summit loosened as arch-rivals Barcelona can move within reach again with a win away at Celta Vigo. Los Blancos attempted a total of 21 shots with 54 percent possession but managed only five on target, while Rayo registered only two on target from 13 attempts. Arda Güler tested Batalla early with a 3rd-minute strike from outside the box. In the 20th minute, Andrei Ratiu missed a golden chance for Rayo, shooting straight at Thibaut Courtois despite having an unmarked teammate in front of goal. Two minutes later, Vinicius Junior’s dipping effort was kept out by Batalla’s sharp reflexes. Raul Asensio then failed to convert a close-range header in the 23rd minute. Neither side produced notable chances afterward in the first half. The tempo increased after the break. Jorge de Frutos’ shot went wide from a tight angle in the 50th minute, while Güler missed by inches three minutes later. In the 55th, Jude Bellingham’s near-post effort was denied by Batalla again. Real kept pressing but struggled to create clear openings inside the box. Fede Valverde’s 69th-minute long-range strike was pushed away by Batalla, and Éder Militão’s 87th-minute header was also gathered by the Rayo keeper. Güler’s final attempt in added time deflected wide. With the draw, Real Madrid still remain top with 31 points from 12 matches. Villarreal sit second with 26 from 12, while defending champions Barcelona are third with 25 from 11. They will play against Celta Vigo with an eye to narrowing the gap at the top.

Ultimately, it was not about who returned to Anfield but what returned. An in-form Real Madrid team came to the Reds’ home after a year, but left with a similar outcome due to the same man—Alexis Mac Allister. Mac Allister had opened the scoring last November in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over the Spanish giants. This time, his goal was again the only difference, although Xabi Alonso’s team entered the pitch in strong recent form against a Liverpool side experiencing a turbulent period. With this, the Reds handed the Madrid giants their first defeat in the UCL this season. Liverpool defeated Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday night. Alexis Mac Allister scored the decisive goal in the 61st minute, sending the stadium into euphoria. Although Liverpool were behind in possession for most of the match, they outclassed Los Blancos in attacking play. Out of 17 shots, they managed nine on target, while Real Madrid registered only two shots on goal from eight attempts. Luis Diaz both hero and villain against PSG as Bayern extend winning streak to 16 Despite suffering six defeats in their last eight matches across all competitions, Liverpool saw a dramatic shift in momentum right after kickoff. Xabi Alonso’s team were a distant second. Star players such as Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior were largely confined to the margins throughout the game. Only Thibaut Courtois’ commanding display prevented the home side from securing a more emphatic victory. For almost an hour, it seemed that Liverpool’s ghost from the 2022 Champions League final, Courtois, would haunt them again. The Belgian goalkeeper appeared to be a wall in front of the goal, denying Liverpool’s chances one after another like a superhuman. Courtois’ resistance was finally broken after Bellingham picked up a yellow card for fouling Ryan Gravenberch on the right. Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso termed that incident after the match “Real’s biggest failing on the night,” as it proved costly for the 15-time UCL holders. In the 61st minute, Szoboszlai delivered a powerful set piece into the box that connected perfectly with Mac Allister. The Argentine midfielder finally broke through the wall, his powerful header slipping between Courtois’ gloves and into the net, sending the packed Anfield crowd into celebration.

Barcelona returned to winning ways after a frustrating 2-1 defeat in El Clásico last week, securing a 3-1 victory over Elche on Sunday. The win brought Barcelona within five points of arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of the table. The Catalans went ahead with two quick goals from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres in the 9th and 12th minutes respectively. Rafa Mir pulled one back for Elche three minutes before halftime, before Marcus Rashford sealed the victory for the Blaugrana in the 61st minute. Injury-plagued Barcelona had struggled to show character at the Santiago Bernabéu last week, but this time Hansi Flick’s men responded in style. Their intent to return to form was evident from the opening whistle, as they dominated the early stages. In the ninth minute, Alejandro Balde intercepted a misplaced pass in midfield and sent a precise through ball into the penalty area. Yamal controlled it between two defenders and fired a powerful shot past the goalkeeper to give Barcelona the lead. Barely two minutes later, Barcelona doubled their advantage. From the left flank, Fermín López’s low cross found unmarked Ferran Torres inside the six-yard box, and the winger calmly slotted home with his right foot. It was Ferran’s 50th goal wearing the Barca shirt. López, who had scored Barcelona’s only goal against Real Madrid the previous week, almost found the net again in the 33rd minute with a curling long-range effort that was superbly pushed away by the Elche goalkeeper. After spending most of the first half defending, Elche pulled one back in the 42nd minute with their first meaningful attack. Álvaro Núñez led a counter-attack and set up Rafa Mir, who drove into the box unchallenged and finished clinically into the far corner.

Kylian Mbappé struck twice as Real Madrid crushed Valencia 4-0 in their La Liga clash at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night, extending their dominant run under Xabi Alonso. Vinícius Júnior missed a first-half penalty, but the Brazilian’s miss barely mattered on a night when his teammates dazzled. Jude Bellingham and Álvaro Carreras also found the net as Los Blancos continued their fine form in both attack and defense. Real were in complete control throughout the game, enjoying nearly 65 percent possession and firing 21 shots, 11 of which were on target. Valencia never came close to challenging Real, managing just four attempts, with only one troubling the goalkeeper. The result strengthened Real’s position at the top of the table with 30 points from 11 matches, including 10 victories. In another fixture of the day, Villarreal thumped Rayo Vallecano 4-0 to climb to second place with 23 points from 11 games, overtaking Barcelona. The Catalan giants, with one match in hand, slipped to third with 22 points. Real’s aggressive start paid off in the 19th minute when César Tárrega handled the ball inside the box. Mbappé, who missed a spot kick against Barcelona last week, made no mistake this time to give his team the lead and register a goal in his eighth consecutive La Liga appearance.

Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has apologised to the club’s fans for his emotional reaction after being substituted during the team’s 2–1 El Clásico victory over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday. The 25-year-old Brazilian was taken off in the 72nd minute by coach Xabi Alonso and replaced by compatriot Rodrygo. As he left the pitch, Vinícius appeared visibly frustrated—gesticulating and shouting before heading straight into the dressing room. His behaviour drew mixed reactions across the football world, with some criticising the forward’s conduct and others defending his passion. Reports also suggested that relations between Alonso and Vinícius had deteriorated. The pair were expected to meet privately on Wednesday as the squad resumed training after a two-day break. Following the meeting, Vinícius took to social media to issue a public apology. “Today I want to apologise to all Madrid fans for my reaction to being substituted in El Clásico,” he wrote on X. “Just as I did in person during today’s training session, I also want to apologise again to my teammates, the club, and the president. “Sometimes my passion gets the better of me; I always want to win and help my team. My competitive nature stems from the love I feel for this club and everything it represents. “I promise to keep fighting every second for the good of Real Madrid, as I have done since day one.” Vinícius has scored five goals and provided four assists in LaLiga this season, as his form improved over the last month. However, reports indicate that Alonso is not a strong admirer of the player, having left last year’s Ballon d’Or runner-up out of the starting lineup three times so far this campaign. Contract talks with the club have also reportedly stalled, with his current deal running until 2027. Meanwhile, ESPN reported that Real Madrid has decided not to impose any punishment or suspension over the player’s discourteous behaviour.

Barcelona entered the first El Clasico of the season having beaten their arch-rivals in all four meetings last season, but they fell apart at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, suffering a 2-1 defeat against a fired-up Real Madrid side. From the opening whistle, Real Madrid’s hunger for victory was evident. Xabi Alonso’s men played with high intensity and purpose, while Hansi Flick’s Barcelona lacked the drive and sharpness needed to challenge Madrid on their home turf. In truth, the visitors were fortunate to avoid a heavier defeat. Barcelona were also missing the guidance of their head coach, as Hansi Flick served a one-match suspension following a red card in their previous game. Their woes were compounded by injuries to key players including Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, Gavi, Andreas Christensen, and goalkeeper Joan García. Madrid began the match on the front foot, pressing aggressively and creating early danger. They earned a penalty inside the opening five minutes, but it was denied after a VAR review. Moments later, Kylian Mbappé found the net with a stunning long-range strike in the 12th minute, but VAR again ruled the effort out for offside. Bayern break record, extend perfect run against 10-man Gladbach Despite the early setbacks, Real Madrid continued to dominate a disjointed Barcelona side. Their persistence paid off in the 22nd minute when Jude Bellingham split the defense with a precise through ball, allowing Mbappé to fire home a legitimate opener. Barcelona found a response in the 38th minute through Fermin, who capitalized on a superb build-up led by Marcus Rashford. However, Madrid restored their lead just five minutes later. Vinícius Jr. drove down the left flank and delivered a pinpoint cross, which Bellingham guided into the net from a clever pass by Éder Militão. Los Blancos went into halftime with a 2-1 advantage, and it could easily have been more. Barcelona struggled to cope with Madrid’s pressing. Barca’s young winger Lamine Yamal managed to touch the ball just once inside the opposition box during the first half. Early in the second half, Real Madrid were awarded another penalty after Eric García handled the ball with hand inside the box while attempting to block Bellingham. However, Wojciech Szczęsny denied Mbappé’s spot kick, keeping Barcelona in the competition. Sunderland stun Chelsea with stoppage time winner to go second in EPL Madrid thought they had extended their lead in the 68th minute when Bellingham finished off a swift counterattack, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Barcelona improved after the break, showing more energy and control in possession. Despite dominating the ball for long spells, they lacked pace and precision in the final third, failing to break through Madrid’s disciplined defense. So, Bellingham’s second goal remained the difference as Real Madrid fans left the stadium with a wide smile. With the win, Real Madrid moved five points clear at the top of the La Liga table, leading with 27 points from 10 matches. Barcelona remain second with 22 points.  

Kylian Mbappe’s second-half strike secured Real Madrid a hard-fought 1–0 victory over nine-man Getafe on Sunday night, restoring Los Blancos to the top of La Liga after a dramatic clash at the Coliseum. The match turned chaotic in the final quarter-hour when Getafe saw two players sent off within seven minutes. Substitute Allan Nyom was dismissed less than a minute after coming on for elbowing Vinicius Junior. Shortly after, Mbappe broke the deadlock, finishing clinically through the goalkeeper’s gloves after racing onto a precise through ball from Arda Güler. Getafe’s woes deepened in the 84th minute when Álex Sáncris picked up a second yellow card and was also sent off. Real Madrid were far from their fluent best in the first half, struggling to convert possession into clear chances. They grew stronger after halftime, ultimately producing 23 attempts on goal — 10 on target — while limiting Getafe to just one shot on goal. Mbappe had several early opportunities, including an angled strike in the 8th minute and a long-range shot moments later, both denied by the Getafe keeper. David Alaba also came close with a curling free-kick just before halftime. Manchester United stun Liverpool at Anfield Manager Xabi Alonso’s introduction of Vinicius Junior in the second half added energy to the attack, and the breakthrough finally arrived after Nyom’s reckless foul left Getafe a man short. Despite being reduced to nine men, the hosts nearly stole a late equalizer when Abou Kamara found space in stoppage time, but Thibaut Courtois came off his line to make a crucial save and preserve Madrid’s lead. With eight wins from nine matches, Real Madrid climbed back to the top of the table with 24 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who sit on 22. The two giants will face off next Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu in the season’s first El Clásico — a match that could prove pivotal in the title race.

A nightmare week for Barcelona continued with a crushing 4-1 defeat away to Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium on Sunday, as the reigning  Spanish champions lost their chance to reclaim the top spot in the La Liga table from arch-rivals Real Madrid. Sevilla dominated from the outset, taking a two-goal lead in the first half and adding two more late in the second. Barcelona had hinted at a comeback when they pulled one back right before halftime, but a series of missed opportunities left them frustrated. Just three days earlier, the Catalan had suffered their first defeat of the season — to PSG in the Champions League. Now, their unbeaten La Liga run has also come to an end in Seville. Barca coach Hansi Flick was forced to rotate his squad heavily for this match, with key players such as Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Fermin Lopez, Gavi, and goalkeeper Joan Garcia sidelined due to injuries. Sevilla immediately showcased their strength after kickoff, and the visitors suffered an early setback just 13 minutes into the match. Barça captain Ronald Araújo fouled Sevilla’s Isaac Romero two minutes earlier — an incident initially overlooked by the referee. However, following a VAR review, the decision was overturned and a penalty awarded. Former Barcelona forward Alexis Sánchez stepped up, sending Wojciech Szczęsny the wrong way to give Sevilla the lead. Sevilla continued to press aggressively, and Romero could have had a hat-trick had he finished several of his promising chances. During this spell, Szczęsny was kept extremely busy, making crucial saves to prevent further damage. In the 36th minute, however, the Polish keeper was helpless, as Sevilla launched a swift counterattack. This time, Romero found the back of the net, and doubled his team’s advantage. Barcelona created a couple of clear opportunities just before the halftime, but Marcus Rashford failed to capitalize despite facing the goalkeeper one-on-one, while Robert Lewandowski’s acrobatic attempt narrowly missed the target. In added time, the Catalans finally pulled one back through a brilliant combination between Pedri and Rashford. Pedri sent a long, flying pass to the opposite direction, just outside the box, and Rashford finished it off with a superb first-time strike.  

Barcelona secured a vital 2-1 comeback victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday at home, to climb above arch-rivals Real Madrid and claim the top spot in La Liga. Hansi Flick’s side controlled the match from the outset, dominating the opening half-hour with over 85 percent possession and registering multiple shots on target. However, against the run of play, the hosts were stunned in the 31st minute when Álvaro Odriozola finished a pass from Ander Barrenetxea, giving the visitors a shock 1-0 lead. The defending champions’ immediate pressure was immense. After goalkeeper Álex Remiro brilliantly intervened to prevent an Igor Zubeldia own goal, Barcelona finally found their equalizer in the 43rd minute. French defender Jules Kounde rose to head home a corner delivered by Marcus Rashford, sending the teams into the break tied at 1-1. Goals galore as Atletico stuns Real Madrid in fiery derby clash The decisive moment came early in the second half, driven by a strategic substitution. Coach Flick introduced 18-year-old forward Lamine Yamal for fellow teenager Roony Bardghji in the 58th minute, and Yamal immediately impacted the game. He burst into the box, shrugged off a challenge, and delivered a superb cross, which veteran striker Robert Lewandowski routinely headed home. Although that appeared to be the winning goal later, the battle continued until the final whistle. Barcelona had another goal from Lamine Yamal ruled out for a marginal offside, and in the 84th minute, both sides spurned golden chances within seconds. Takefusa Kubo rattled the crossbar for Sociedad before Lewandowski immediately hit the bar at the other end on a counter-attack. With this hard-fought victory, Barcelona extends their unbeaten start to the season. They now lead the league standings with 19 points from six wins and one draw in seven matches, moving one point ahead of Real Madrid, who drop to second after a shocking 5-2 derby defeat at Metropolitano a night earlier. Bad news for Barcelona: Gavi and Fermin sidelined with Injuries Next up, Barcelona will host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday. Real Madrid will visit Kazakhstan to face Kairat Almaty on Tuesday. Real Sociedad, not in European competition this season, will host Rayo Vallecano on October 5 in their next league match.

In a match defined by fierce rivalry between two of Madrid’s biggest clubs, Atletico Madrid delivered a statement win, handing Real Madrid their first defeat of the season with a resounding 5-2 victory at the Riyad Air Metropolitano. The win not only solidified Atletico’s dominance in the Madrid derby but also extended their unbeaten run against their rivals to six consecutive league meetings. The tension was palpable from the opening whistle. Atletico struck early through a Robin Le Normand header in the 14th minute, continuing their streak of scoring first in every league match this season. However, Real Madrid, who had been an impenetrable force this season, quickly found their footing. Kylian Mbappe and Arda Güler turned the game on its head with two quick goals, giving Real a 2-1 lead. For a moment, it seemed as though Los Blancos would maintain their perfect record. But Atletico refused to back down. Just before halftime, a towering header from Alexander Sørloth leveled the score at 2-2. The second half, however, belonged entirely to Diego Simeone’s men. The turning point came early when Julián Álvarez converted a penalty, restoring Atletico’s lead. Minutes later, the Argentine forward sealed his brace with a stunning curled free kick that left Thibaut Courtois helpless. As Real struggled to find a way back into the game, failing to record a single shot on target after halftime, Antoine Griezmann capped off the night with a final goal in extra time, completing the rout. Harry Kane hits 100 goals in 104 games as Bayern thrash Werder Bremen The loss raises serious questions for Real Madrid, who had conceded only three goals in their opening six matches, leaked five in one night. Though they edged possession, Alonso’s side managed just two shots on target, compared to Atletico’s seven. Despite the defeat, Real still provisionally sits at the top of the league table with 18 points, but their lead is now tenuous, as they are just two points ahead of Barcelona, who have a game in hand. Atletico climbed to fourth on 12 points from the same seven matches.