Barcelona Hit Five as Betis Stun Real Madrid and Alavés Rise to Second in La Liga

Barcelona have played four La Liga matches and scored 17 goals.

That is the clearest fact emerging from a weekend in Spain that also ended Real Madrid’s perfect start, pushed Deportivo Alavés into second place and delivered damaging defeats for Atlético Madrid and Villarreal.

Hansi Flick’s defending champions dismantled Valencia 5-0 at Mestalla on Sunday, with Lamine Yamal scoring twice, Fermín López producing a goal and two assists, and Raphinha and Pedri adding further punishment.

Barcelona now have 12 points from 12, a +15 goal difference and a two-point advantage over Alavés.

The shape of the chasing group changed before Barcelona even played.

Real Betis beat Real Madrid 1-0 on Friday after substitute Troy Parrott scored in the 81st minute and Álvaro Valles later saved Kylian Mbappé’s penalty. Athletic Club followed by defeating Atlético Madrid 3-0 at San Mamés. Deportivo La Coruña then came from behind twice to win 3-2 at Villarreal, while Rayo Vallecano finally earned their first victory by overcoming Racing Santander 3-2.

Sunday added another major result when Alavés beat Osasuna 5-2 behind a Lucas Boyé hat trick. Espanyol rescued a 1-1 draw against 10-man Sevilla deep into stoppage time, while Málaga and Levante produced the only goalless match of the eight fixtures played through Sunday.

Anyone who followed our first major La Liga weekend assessment will recognize how quickly several early narratives have changed. Barcelona have strengthened their position. Sevilla’s perfect start has disappeared. Real Madrid have suffered their first setback. Atlético have gone from resilience to a heavy defeat. Alavés and Deportivo have moved from interesting starts into genuine early-table stories.

Matchday 4 is not finished. Getafe host Celta Vigo and Elche face Real Sociedad on Monday, September 7. Those games can alter the middle and lower sections of the table, but they cannot change Barcelona’s position at the top after Sunday’s action.

La Liga Matchday 4 Through Sunday: Key Takeaways

• Barcelona are the only team with a perfect record, winning four from four and scoring 17 goals.
• Alavés are second with 10 points after beating Osasuna 5-2.
• Real Madrid lost for the first time as Real Betis won 1-0 at La Cartuja.
• Kylian Mbappé missed a late penalty that could have rescued Madrid.
• Athletic Club beat Atlético Madrid 3-0 with all three goals arriving after halftime.
• Deportivo remain unbeaten after turning a late deficit into a 3-2 win at Villarreal.
• Rayo Vallecano earned their first league victory after Sergio Camello scored twice against Racing Santander.
• Lucas Boyé scored a hat trick as Alavés overwhelmed previously unbeaten Osasuna.
• Valencia remain bottom with one point after conceding five at home to Barcelona.
• Two Matchday 4 fixtures remain on Monday: Getafe-Celta and Elche-Real Sociedad.

La Liga Results From Friday Through Sunday

The eight completed matches produced 28 goals. The full sequence can be checked through the official LaLiga results center, while positions are updated through the official LaLiga standings.

Valencia 0-5 Barcelona: Four Games, 17 Goals and No Sign of Slowing Down

Barcelona have now scored five goals in three of their first four league matches.

That sounds excessive because it is.

They opened with five against Elche, scored five more against Rayo Vallecano and repeated the number at Mestalla.

Lamine Yamal started Sunday’s scoring after only six minutes.

Fermín López added another in the 22nd before Raphinha made it 3-0 early in the second half.

Pedri scored the fourth in the 79th minute and Yamal completed the 5-0 result five minutes later.

The official LaLiga match center confirms Yamal’s brace and goals from Fermín, Raphinha and Pedri. Reuters also credited Fermín with two assists in addition to his goal. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Barcelona’s attack is producing different solutions

The temptation is to view the scoreline as another simple demonstration of individual quality.

The underlying strength is variety.

Yamal can create or finish from the right.

Raphinha attacks space aggressively enough to appear centrally when defenses shift toward Yamal.

Fermín provides vertical running from midfield.

Pedri supplies control without preventing himself from arriving near the penalty area.

Flick is therefore asking opponents to defend several different threats inside the same possession.

That problem was visible during Barcelona’s 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano. Rayo scored twice and forced Barcelona to respond, but once the champions accelerated again, the defensive structure could not contain both Yamal and Raphinha.

Valencia never reached that competitive stage.

Barcelona controlled the match before halftime and continued attacking after the result was effectively secure.

Fermín gives Flick something different from another creator

Fermín’s performance may have been the most complete of the afternoon.

One goal and two assists are obvious production.

His importance comes from how those actions are created.

Barcelona already possess players who want the ball to feet.

Fermín repeatedly runs beyond them.

That makes him difficult to track because defenders cannot simply protect the zones occupied by Yamal, Pedri and Raphinha. Someone must follow the runner.

If they do, another passing lane opens.

Yamal is functioning as an established superstar rather than a developing one

Yamal is still only 19.

Nothing about his current responsibility resembles the normal workload of a teenager.

Barcelona give him the ball when they need a match changed.

Spain did the same during the World Cup.

Our feature on how Yamal came of age during Spain’s 2026 World Cup triumph examined how quickly he moved from celebrated prospect into a player trusted with decisive attacking responsibility.

His club form is continuing that transition.

The wider Barcelona story also carries an obvious historical dimension, explored in our From Messi to Yamal feature.

The useful point in September 2026 is not comparison with Messi.

It is that Barcelona already organize a significant amount of their attack around Yamal without appearing overly dependent on him.

That combination is dangerous.

Valencia are already in trouble

Valencia have one point from four matches.

They have scored once and conceded nine.

The 5-0 result was not merely another defeat against a superior team. It exposed how little resistance Carlos Corberán’s side could produce once Barcelona found the first goal.

Mestalla has traditionally given Valencia protection during difficult seasons.

Sunday offered none.

The next matches matter because poor starts become psychologically heavier when a club begins carrying them from one fixture into another.

Real Betis 1-0 Real Madrid: Parrott Scores, Valles Saves and Madrid Lose Their Perfect Record

Real Madrid had won their first three league matches.

They had also scored 10 goals.

Real Betis did not allow any of that momentum to matter at La Cartuja.

The match remained goalless until the 81st minute, when Troy Parrott came from the bench and scored the decisive goal.

Madrid still received an opportunity to rescue the evening.

Kylian Mbappé stepped up for a late penalty.

Álvaro Valles saved it.

The official LaLiga match center confirms Parrott’s winner and Mbappé’s missed penalty. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Madrid’s first defeat exposes the difference between talent and control

José Mourinho has enough attacking quality to win matches that never become structurally comfortable.

Madrid showed that against Espanyol when Carlos Espí scored in the 90th minute.

They showed it repeatedly during preseason as well, including a narrow 1-0 Teresa Herrera victory over Deportivo in which Mourinho’s team struggled for long periods against a compact opponent.

Betis created the same type of difficulty and added one crucial difference.

They punished Madrid.

Mourinho’s rebuild contains extraordinary talent, but this remains a team integrating several major additions and changing the structure around established stars.

Bernardo Silva’s arrival gave Madrid another player capable of controlling space and tempo, something we explored after his official Real Madrid presentation.

Yan Diomande added explosive width in a move that formed another major part of the club’s expensive summer reconstruction.

Those pieces still need repetition together.

Mbappé’s penalty miss makes the result more painful

Madrid did enough late to create an escape route.

Mbappé could not use it.

Penalty misses happen to every elite forward. The significance comes from timing.

A converted penalty would have preserved Madrid’s unbeaten start and changed the emotional meaning of an otherwise uncomfortable performance.

Instead, they leave Matchday 4 three points behind Barcelona.

That gap remains small.

The important issue is that Flick’s team have given away nothing while Mourinho’s side have now experienced their first failed rescue.

Betis have nine points and a result that changes how their start should be viewed

Beating Real Madrid provides credibility that a routine early-season run cannot.

Manuel Pellegrini’s team have three wins from four matches and sit level with Madrid on nine points.

The result was built around defensive discipline, patience and the willingness to stay in the contest until the opportunity arrived.

That is exactly how teams outside the two traditional giants turn European qualification campaigns into something more ambitious.

Athletic Club 3-0 Atlético Madrid: San Mamés Delivers the Weekend’s Most Damaging Big-Team Defeat

The score was 0-0 at halftime.

Two minutes into the second half, Nico Williams scored.

Two minutes later, Robert Navarro made it 2-0.

Oihan Sancet added the third in the 90th minute.

Athletic had transformed a tight match into a heavy Atlético defeat through one devastating second-half sequence. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Atlético’s first defeat raises different questions from Madrid’s

Real Madrid lost by one goal after missing a penalty.

Atlético were beaten 3-0 and rarely looked capable of repairing the damage after Athletic took control.

That makes the result harder to dismiss.

Atlético entered the round with seven points from three games after following their opening draw against Villarreal with consecutive victories.

The San Mamés performance interrupted that progression abruptly.

Diego Simeone has enough experience to prevent one defeat becoming a crisis.

The concern lies in how quickly Atlético lost the match after halftime.

Elite teams can concede.

They cannot repeatedly allow one setback to become two before the game has stabilized.

Athletic needed this after an uneven opening

Athletic’s first weeks had already included a home defeat against Sevilla and a loss to Barcelona.

Beating Atlético 3-0 provides both points and emotional correction.

Nico Williams remains the obvious attacking reference, but Navarro’s involvement and Sancet’s late goal gave Ernesto Terzić multiple contributors.

That matters for a club expected to balance domestic ambitions with European football.

Alavés 5-2 Osasuna: Lucas Boyé Sends an Unbeaten Team Into Second Place

Alavés may be the most important story of the round that does not involve Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Lucas Boyé scored three times.

Mariano Díaz added another.

Pablo Ibáñez completed the scoring in stoppage time.

Ante Budimir scored both Osasuna goals, including one from the penalty spot.

The official match center lists Boyé’s goals in the 27th, 51st and 68th minutes, Mariano in the 36th and Ibáñez in the 90th. Budimir scored in the 46th and from the spot in the 64th. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Ten points changes the conversation around Alavés

Four games have produced three wins and a draw.

Alavés have scored 10 and conceded three.

They sit second.

None of that means Eduardo Coudet’s side suddenly belong in the title race.

It does mean the start deserves to be assessed on its own terms rather than treated as an early statistical accident.

Alavés have already shown they can defend close matches.

Against Osasuna, they showed they can win an open one.

Boyé’s hat trick changes the attacking picture particularly sharply. A side built primarily around defensive reliability becomes far more difficult to contain if its center forward starts converting at this rate.

Osasuna finally lose after an excellent opening

Osasuna entered the weekend unbeaten with seven points.

They leave still on seven after conceding five.

Budimir’s two goals offered resistance, but every attempt to recover was answered.

At 2-1 and then 3-2, Osasuna remained close enough to change the match.

Alavés kept scoring.

The challenge now is making sure one chaotic afternoon does not disturb what had been a strong opening month.

Villarreal 2-3 Deportivo: Aubameyang Turns a Homecoming Into Heartbreak

Villarreal returned to the renovated Estadio de la Cerámica and were 15 minutes away from celebrating with a victory.

Nicolas Pépé scored in the 19th minute.

Luismi Cruz equalized shortly before halftime.

An Adama Boiro own goal restored Villarreal’s advantage in the 76th.

Then Deportivo changed the match twice in nine minutes.

Zakaria Eddahchouri equalized in the 79th.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winner in the 88th.

Deportivo left with a 3-2 victory and preserved their unbeaten start. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Deportivo’s eight points carry more substance with every week

The promoted club have two wins and two draws.

They have scored eight goals.

They have now won away after trailing twice.

That matters because promoted teams often survive through organization while struggling to create enough goals.

Deportivo look capable of solving matches through attacking quality as well.

Aubameyang gives them experience that most promoted squads simply do not possess.

His influence is not limited to the winner. Deportivo’s attack carried more clarity once they had to chase the game.

Villarreal remain winless after four matches

The contrast is uncomfortable.

Villarreal have two points from four matches.

They have scored six goals, which shows that attacking production is not the primary problem.

Eight conceded tells more of the story.

Leading a promoted team at home in the 76th minute and losing 3-2 is precisely the type of result that places pressure on a project before the table becomes genuinely dangerous.

Rayo Vallecano 3-2 Racing Santander: Camello Turns Two Deficits Into Rayo’s First Win

Racing took the lead after four minutes through Sergio Canales.

Andrei Rațiu equalized.

Pablo García put Racing ahead again in the 28th minute.

Sergio Camello then took control.

He equalized shortly before halftime and scored again immediately after the restart, turning 2-1 down into a 3-2 lead.

That score survived to the end. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Rayo finally convert competitive football into three points

Rayo’s first three matches had produced only one point.

That record did not always reflect how competitive they had been.

Barcelona experienced that directly during the 5-2 match at Camp Nou, where Rayo twice forced the champions to respond before Barcelona eventually pulled away.

Against Racing, the pressure worked in the opposite direction.

Rayo conceded first twice and kept attacking.

Camello’s movement changed the match because Racing could not protect the space between midfield and defense once Rayo began playing faster around the penalty area.

Racing are learning how unforgiving La Liga margins can be

The promoted side have already demonstrated enough attacking threat to compete.

Seven goals from four matches support that conclusion.

They have also conceded eight.

The distinction is important.

Racing do not currently look overwhelmed by the quality of the division.

They look like a team whose defensive mistakes are being punished more consistently than they were at the lower level.

Espanyol 1-1 Sevilla: One Final Header Takes Two Points Away

Sevilla were seconds from leaving Barcelona with another away victory.

They were also playing with 10 men.

Espanyol continued attacking and finally found the equalizer in the 98th minute when Marcos Fernández headed home.

Reuters confirmed the late goal and Sevilla’s numerical disadvantage. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Sevilla’s seven points still represent a solid start

The draw ends any remaining sense of a perfect opening, but Sevilla have seven points from four matches.

That is still useful progress.

Their first two victories had already moved them into the early European discussion, something we highlighted in our opening La Liga weekend review.

Dropping two points in the 98th minute will hurt.

The larger trend remains positive unless late-game control becomes a repeated problem.

Espanyol salvage something from another difficult game

Espanyol have already faced Real Madrid and Sevilla at home.

They lost the first through a 90th-minute Carlos Espí winner.

This time, they created the late intervention themselves.

Four points from four matches is not a spectacular return.

How they earned Sunday’s point can still improve the mood around the squad.

Málaga 0-0 Levante: A Missed Penalty Keeps Málaga Waiting

The weekend’s only goalless match contained a major opportunity.

Chupe had the chance to give Málaga an early lead from the penalty spot.

He missed.

Neither team found another breakthrough.

The 0-0 result leaves Málaga without a victory, while Levante move to five points. Reuters confirmed the penalty miss and Málaga’s continued winless run. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Not losing matters, but Málaga need attacking evidence

Two points from four matches leave little margin for patience.

The clean sheet is useful.

Málaga’s larger concern is producing enough scoring threat to turn competitive matches into wins.

Promoted clubs usually cannot rely on drawing their way to safety.

Home fixtures have to become opportunities.

This one escaped.

Provisional La Liga Table Through Sunday

Important: Matchday 4 is not complete. Getafe-Celta and Elche-Real Sociedad are scheduled for Monday, September 7. The top positions below reflect the official standings after Sunday’s completed fixtures. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

Positions involving Getafe, Celta, Elche and Real Sociedad can change after Monday’s matches, which is why the table above emphasizes the confirmed Sunday picture rather than presenting an artificial full-round ranking.

Barcelona Have Created the First Real Title-Race Pressure

Four matches are not enough to decide La Liga.

Twelve points from twelve still change the environment around everyone else.

Barcelona have scored 17 goals and conceded two.

Real Madrid are three points behind.

Atlético are five behind.

Those gaps remain small enough to disappear in one or two rounds.

The important distinction lies in how the teams are arriving there.

Barcelona possess continuity.

Flick’s positional structure is established.

Yamal, Raphinha, Pedri and Fermín understand how their movements connect.

The squad has changed in places, including Ronald Araújo’s departure on loan, which we examined in our Barcelona-Liverpool Araújo analysis, but the attacking identity has survived those changes.

Madrid are still building around Mourinho’s new ideas and major recruitment.

The club protected one cornerstone when Vinícius Júnior signed through 2032, but preserving stars and creating a fully synchronized team remain separate challenges.

Barcelona currently look further along that process.

Alavés and Deportivo Are Changing the Early European Conversation

The most interesting developments beneath the title contenders are coming from two clubs few people expected to occupy second and fifth after four matches.

Alavés have 10 points.

Deportivo have eight.

Neither has lost.

The routes are different.

Alavés are beginning from defensive organization and increasingly adding goals.

Deportivo are playing with more attacking risk and have already shown they can recover when matches move against them.

Both will eventually encounter periods when results stop arriving this easily.

Their early points already have value because they create freedom.

A club expected to fight near the bottom can make more ambitious decisions when it is not immediately chasing the table.

Atlético and Villarreal Leave With the Most Uncomfortable Questions

Real Madrid lost, but Madrid still have nine points.

Their concern is refinement rather than immediate damage.

Atlético’s 3-0 defeat feels different because San Mamés exposed how quickly their structure can collapse once the match changes.

Villarreal face the larger table problem.

Four matches have produced no wins.

They have scored six goals, meaning the attacking side is functioning well enough to compete.

Conceding eight has erased much of that work.

The defeat against Deportivo is particularly painful because Villarreal were leading with 14 minutes remaining.

Monday Still Matters

Getafe host Celta Vigo before Elche face Real Sociedad.

The matches do not affect Barcelona’s lead, but they matter considerably lower down.

Getafe can move toward the upper half with a victory.

Celta are still searching for their first league win.

Elche need points after an extremely difficult opening sequence.

Real Sociedad have also endured an uneven start and have already played an advanced league fixture against Celta because of scheduling changes.

The complete scheduling picture can be checked through the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s official Primera División results.

What Comes Next in La Liga?

Matchday 5 begins on Friday, September 11 with Sevilla against Valencia.

Saturday brings Racing Santander-Alavés, Osasuna-Espanyol, Athletic Club-Elche and Real Madrid-Rayo Vallecano.

Sunday includes Celta-Málaga, Levante-Barcelona, Getafe-Deportivo and Real Sociedad-Atlético Madrid.

Villarreal then host Real Betis on Monday, September 14.

Several of those fixtures create direct tests of the weekend’s conclusions.

Barcelona visit Levante with the opportunity to reach 15 points.

Alavés take their unbeaten record to promoted Racing.

Madrid return home knowing another dropped point could give Barcelona meaningful early separation.

Atlético face a Real Sociedad team that also needs momentum.

Villarreal meet one of the league’s form teams while still searching for their first victory.

The Sports Encounter Verdict

Barcelona leave the weekend with the strongest result and the strongest position.

Seventeen goals in four matches would be impressive even if the opponents had offered little resistance.

Rayo did not.

Athletic did not.

Valencia tried to protect Mestalla through numbers behind the ball and were still dismantled.

Flick’s team currently possess the combination title rivals fear most: familiarity and attacking variety.

Real Madrid’s defeat does not undermine their championship credentials. It highlights the stage of development Mourinho’s team still occupy. Madrid are capable of winning through quality while the structure develops, but Betis showed that quality will not always provide the final escape.

Alavés deserve far more attention than an early table novelty normally receives. Ten points, 10 goals and an unbeaten record give their second-place position substance.

Deportivo deserve similar respect. Their comeback at Villarreal showed why promotion does not automatically mean survival football.

Athletic produced the most emphatic response of the weekend outside Barcelona. Atlético absorbed the most damaging defeat among the established contenders. Rayo finally converted strong attacking moments into a victory.

The table will move again after Monday.

The central fact will remain.

Barcelona have played four league matches and won all four.

Everyone else is already trying to catch them.

Follow continuing Spanish and European football coverage through The Sports Encounter Soccer section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who leads La Liga after Sunday’s Matchday 4 games?

Barcelona lead La Liga with 12 points from four matches. Deportivo Alavés are second with 10 points, while Real Madrid and Real Betis have nine.

What was Valencia vs Barcelona?

Barcelona beat Valencia 5-0 at Mestalla on September 6, 2026.

Who scored for Barcelona against Valencia?

Lamine Yamal scored twice. Fermín López, Raphinha and Pedri also scored.

How many goals have Barcelona scored this season?

Barcelona have scored 17 goals in their first four La Liga matches and conceded only two.

What happened in Real Betis vs Real Madrid?

Real Betis won 1-0 through Troy Parrott’s 81st-minute goal. Álvaro Valles later saved a Kylian Mbappé penalty.

Was Real Madrid’s defeat their first of the season?

Yes. Real Madrid had won their opening three league matches before losing to Betis.

What was Athletic Club vs Atlético Madrid?

Athletic Club won 3-0 at San Mamés through goals from Nico Williams, Robert Navarro and Oihan Sancet.

Who scored the Alavés hat trick against Osasuna?

Lucas Boyé scored three times as Alavés beat Osasuna 5-2.

Are Deportivo La Coruña unbeaten?

Yes. Deportivo have eight points from two wins and two draws after four La Liga matches.

What was Villarreal vs Deportivo?

Deportivo won 3-2 after Eddahchouri equalized in the 79th minute and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winner in the 88th.

Which La Liga Matchday 4 matches are still to be played?

Getafe vs Celta Vigo and Elche vs Real Sociedad are scheduled for Monday, September 7, 2026.