Barcelona are alone at the top of the 2026/27 LaLiga table after a spectacular Matchweek 4, while Real Madrid suffered their first defeat and Atlético Madrid were beaten heavily by Athletic Club.
The fourth round of LaLiga produced 21 goals from the eight completed matches, including Barcelona’s 5-0 demolition of Valencia, Alavés’ 5-2 victory over Osasuna and a stunning 3-0 Athletic Club win against Atlético Madrid.
Defending champions Barcelona remain the only team with a 100 per cent record. Hansi Flick’s side now have 12 points from four matches, with 17 goals scored and only two conceded.
The biggest surprise is Deportivo Alavés, who climbed to second after crushing Osasuna 5-2. They have collected 10 points from four matches and remain unbeaten.
Real Madrid dropped to third after losing 1-0 to Real Betis, while Deportivo La Coruña moved into fifth after their 3-2 comeback victory over Villarreal.
LaLiga Matchday 4 Results
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Real Betis vs Real Madrid | 1-0 |
| Athletic Club vs Atlético Madrid | 3-0 |
| Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander | 3-2 |
| Villarreal vs Deportivo La Coruña | 2-3 |
| Valencia vs Barcelona | 0-5 |
| Alavés vs Osasuna | 5-2 |
| Málaga vs Levante | 0-0 |
| Espanyol vs Sevilla | 1-1 |
| Getafe vs Celta | Monday, September 7 |
| Elche vs Real Sociedad | Monday, September 7 |
The first eight fixtures have been completed, while Getafe-Celta and Elche-Real Sociedad remain the final Matchday 4 games.
Real Betis 1-0 Real Madrid: Parrott Ends Madrid’s Perfect Start
Goal: Troy Parrott 81′
Real Madrid suffered their first defeat of the new LaLiga season after substitute Troy Parrott scored the decisive goal for Real Betis.
The result was particularly painful for José Mourinho because Madrid dominated much of the statistical battle.
Real Madrid enjoyed 58% possession, had 20 shots, eight on target and 10 corners. Betis managed 10 shots and five on target. Madrid’s expected-goals figure was also significantly higher, around 2.9 compared with 0.8 for Betis.
Yet Madrid could not find the goal.
Mbappé’s missed penalty
The decisive late twist came in stoppage time when Kylian Mbappé saw his penalty saved by Álvaro Valles.
Mbappé’s failure from 12 yards completed a frustrating night for Madrid, who also had a late equaliser ruled out for offside.
Mourinho’s reaction
Mourinho argued that Real Madrid had done enough to get something from the match, pointing to the team’s control, chances and attacking pressure. His frustration centred on the lack of finishing rather than a lack of opportunities.
Player reaction and standout performers
Arda Güler was one of Madrid’s strongest players, creating chances and controlling parts of the attacking game. Dean Huijsen also impressed defensively.
For Betis, Troy Parrott was the hero after coming off the bench to score the winner.
What the result means
Real Madrid remain on nine points from four matches, but the defeat allows Barcelona to move three points clear.
For Betis, the victory lifts them to nine points and confirms that they are capable of competing with the strongest teams in the division.
Athletic Club 3-0 Atlético Madrid: Nico Williams Leads San Mamés Rout
Goals: Nico Williams 46′, Robert Navarro 48′, Oihan Sancet 90′
One of Matchday 4’s biggest shocks came at San Mamés, where Athletic Club destroyed Atlético Madrid 3-0.
The match was goalless at half-time, but Athletic needed barely two minutes after the restart to change everything.
Nico Williams opened the scoring in the 46th minute before Robert Navarro doubled Athletic’s advantage two minutes later.
Oihan Sancet completed the victory in the 90th minute.
The statistics
Atlético actually dominated possession:
Athletic Club: 38% possession, 11 shots, four on target
Atlético Madrid: 62% possession, 15 shots, five on target
Corners: Athletic 3, Atlético 8
The difference was efficiency. Athletic had the better attacking moments despite spending considerably less time with the ball.
Player reaction
Nico Williams was named the standout player, providing the spark that transformed the match immediately after half-time.
For Atlético, Pablo Barrios was among the more positive performers in an otherwise disappointing afternoon.
Terzić and Simeone under the spotlight
Athletic coach Nuri Şahin’s successor-era project under Edin Terzić received a major boost from the win, particularly because his team remained compact and dangerous without dominating possession.
For Atlético and Diego Simeone, the performance raises familiar questions about defensive concentration, squad balance and how effectively the team’s attacking talent is being integrated.
What it means
Atlético remain on seven points, but the defeat drops them behind the early pace-setters.
Athletic move to six points and have given themselves renewed momentum after a difficult start.
Rayo Vallecano 3-2 Racing Santander: Camello Double Rescues Rayo
Goals: Sergio Canales 4′, Pablo García 28′ – Andrei Rațiu 17′, Sergio Camello 43′, 47′
Rayo Vallecano produced an entertaining comeback to defeat Racing Santander 3-2.
Racing took the lead through veteran Sergio Canales, before Andrei Rațiu equalised.
Pablo García restored Racing’s advantage, but Sergio Camello then took over, scoring twice around half-time to complete Rayo’s comeback.
Match statistics
Rayo: 49% possession, 16 shots, 10 on target
Racing: 51% possession, nine shots, four on target
Corners: Rayo 9, Racing 6
xG: Rayo 1.35, Racing 0.56
The numbers show that Rayo were much more dangerous despite almost equal possession.
Beñat San José’s reaction
Rayo manager Beñat San José described the victory as very important and praised the team’s football and Camello’s contribution.
He also continued to discuss the club’s temporary move away from Vallecas, saying returning to their home ground remains highly important to the team.
Sergio Camello’s impact
Camello was the clear match winner and received a standout 8.9 rating in one statistical database.
He now has five goals and is quickly becoming one of the major early-season stories in LaLiga.
What it means
Rayo finally recorded their first win of the campaign.
Racing leave disappointed after twice taking the lead but remain competitive in the early season.
Villarreal 2-3 Deportivo La Coruña: Late Aubameyang Winner Stuns Villarreal
Goals: Nicolas Pépé 19′, Luismi Cruz 43′, Adama Traoré own goal 76′, Zakaria Eddahchouri 79′, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 88′
Deportivo La Coruña produced one of the weekend’s most impressive away wins by beating Villarreal 3-2.
Villarreal had more possession and created more chances, but Deportivo were more efficient.
Match statistics
Villarreal: 62% possession, 17 shots, five on target
Deportivo: 38% possession, eight shots, three on target
Corners: Villarreal 7, Deportivo 1
xG: Villarreal 1.63, Deportivo 0.87
The decisive moment came in the 88th minute when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winner.
What it means
Deportivo move onto eight points from four games, remaining unbeaten and climbing into fifth place.
For Villarreal, the defeat is a major disappointment because they dominated territory and possession but still failed to protect a home advantage.
Valencia 0-5 Barcelona: Yamal and Fermín Destroy Valencia
Goals: Lamine Yamal 6′, Fermín López 22′, Raphinha 50′, Pedri 79′, Lamine Yamal 84′
Barcelona delivered the most emphatic performance of Matchday 4 by dismantling Valencia 5-0 at Mestalla.
Lamine Yamal opened the scoring after six minutes before Fermín López doubled the advantage.
Raphinha made it 3-0 five minutes after half-time, Pedri added a fourth and Yamal completed his brace late on.
Barcelona’s remarkable statistics
The champions dominated almost every aspect of the game.
Barcelona: 73% possession, 25 shots, 10 on target
Valencia: 27% possession, three shots, two on target
Corners: Barcelona 4, Valencia 1
xG: Barcelona 3.70, Valencia 0.51
Barcelona now have 17 goals in four matches while conceding just two.
Hansi Flick’s reaction
Flick praised the team’s control, creativity and energy, describing the performance as the kind of football he wants from his team.
He was particularly impressed by Fermín López and also highlighted the influence of Rodri, who made his first LaLiga start for Barcelona.
Fermin and Yamal shine
Fermín produced one goal and two assists, while Yamal scored twice.
Raphinha and Pedri also found the net as Barcelona’s attacking unit continued its extraordinary start.
Valencia’s reaction
Valencia coach Carlos Corberán accepted that Barcelona were superior from beginning to end.
He admitted that the result leaves the club hurt but insisted the team is not broken.
Forward Arnaut Danjuma was similarly blunt, saying there are different ways to lose and that Valencia must change their response.
What it means
Barcelona are now three points clear at the top and are the only team yet to drop a point.
Valencia, meanwhile, remain bottom on one point with just one goal scored and nine conceded.
Alavés 5-2 Osasuna: Lucas Boyé Hat-Trick Sends Alavés Second
Goals: Lucas Boyé 27′, 51′, 68′; Mariano Díaz 36′, Pablo Ibáñez 90′ – Ante Budimir 46′, 64′ penalty
Alavés produced another major statement by beating Osasuna 5-2.
The hero was Lucas Boyé, who scored a sensational hat-trick.
Mariano Díaz also scored, while Pablo Ibáñez added a late fifth.
Osasuna briefly appeared capable of launching a comeback after Ante Budimir scored twice, but Alavés quickly regained control.
Statistics
Possession was perfectly balanced at 50%-50%.
Alavés had 12 shots and seven on target, while Osasuna managed seven shots and five on target.
Osasuna reaction
Osasuna described it as their first defeat of the season, despite Budimir’s two goals.
The club also acknowledged that defensive errors and Alavés’ clinical finishing were decisive.
What it means
Alavés climb to 10 points, two behind Barcelona and one ahead of Real Madrid.
They are becoming the early surprise package of the season.
Osasuna remain in the upper reaches of the table on seven points, despite the heavy defeat.
Málaga 0-0 Levante: Goalkeepers Take Centre Stage
Málaga and Levante produced a dramatic goalless draw despite several major opportunities.
The biggest moment came early when Málaga’s Chupete saw his penalty saved by Matt Ryan.
He scored from the rebound, but the goal was disallowed because of a foul before the penalty sequence.
Match statistics
Málaga: 63% possession, 10 shots, three on target
Levante: 37% possession, 11 shots, three on target
xG: Málaga 1.48, Levante 0.81
Corners: Málaga 6, Levante 4
Ryan was rated the standout player after making several important saves.
What it means
The draw leaves Levante on five points, while Málaga remain in the bottom three with two points.
For Málaga, the positive is that they created enough opportunities to win; the problem remains converting them.
Espanyol 1-1 Sevilla: Late Marcos Fernández Header Rescues Point
Goals: Lucas Stassin 85′ – Marcos Fernández 90+8′
Sevilla looked to have secured victory at the RCDE Stadium after Lucas Stassin scored five minutes from time.
But Espanyol produced one final push.
Marcos Fernández headed home in the eighth minute of stoppage time to rescue a point.
The match also saw Sevilla defender Arouna Sangante sent off in the 56th minute, leaving Sevilla to play more than 30 minutes with 10 men.
Match statistics
Espanyol: 56% possession, 12 shots, three on target
Sevilla: 44% possession, six shots, three on target
Corners: Espanyol 0, Sevilla 4
xG: Espanyol 1.51, Sevilla 0.44
Player reaction
Sevilla defender Juan Iglesias said the sending-off was unfair and praised his team for maintaining its character despite being reduced to 10 men.
What it means
Sevilla move to seven points after four matches.
Espanyol’s late equaliser gives them four points and could prove valuable later in the season.
LaLiga Table After the Completed Matchday 4 Games
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | +15 | 12 |
| 2 | Alavés | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 10 |
| 3 | Real Madrid | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 9 |
| 4 | Real Betis | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
| 5 | Deportivo | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 8 |
| 6 | Sevilla | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 7 |
| 7 | Atlético Madrid | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 7 |
| 8 | Osasuna | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 7 |
| 9 | Athletic Club | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 6 |
| 10 | Levante | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 11 | Espanyol | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 4 |
| 12 | Racing Santander | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 4 |
| 13 | Rayo Vallecano | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 4 |
| 14 | Real Sociedad | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 4 |
| 15 | Getafe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 3 |
| 16 | Celta Vigo | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 2 |
| 17 | Villarreal | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 2 |
| 18 | Málaga | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 2 |
| 19 | Elche | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 1 |
| 20 | Valencia | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | -8 | 1 |
Barcelona are top on 12 points, while Alavés are the surprise second-placed team on 10. Real Madrid and Betis have nine points each. The two Monday fixtures will alter the bottom and mid-table positions once completed.
Who Are the Early LaLiga Leaders?
Barcelona — the team to beat
Four wins from four, 17 goals scored and only two conceded.
Barcelona’s attacking football has been the defining feature of the opening month.
Yamal, Fermín and Raphinha are already establishing themselves as one of Europe’s most dangerous attacking combinations.
Alavés — the surprise package
Three victories and one draw have put Alavés second.
The 5-2 destruction of Osasuna may be the moment the rest of the league starts taking them seriously.
Real Madrid — first warning sign
Madrid have only one defeat, but the Betis game exposed a worrying issue: creating chances is not the same as finishing them.
Mourinho’s team generated approximately 3.0 xG and 20 shots but left Seville empty-handed.
Early Golden Boot Race
The Matchday 4 results have also reshaped the scoring charts.
Lucas Boyé made the biggest move with his hat-trick against Osasuna.
Lamine Yamal scored twice against Valencia and continues to be one of Barcelona’s most dangerous attacking players.
Sergio Camello also scored twice for Rayo and now has five goals in the competition.
Fermín López, meanwhile, added another goal and two assists to his extraordinary opening weeks.
Biggest Winners of Matchday 4
Barcelona: Four wins from four and the best attack in the league.
Alavés: Second place and still unbeaten.
Deportivo: A huge away victory takes them to fifth.
Rayo Vallecano: Their first victory of the season.
Athletic Club: A 3-0 demolition of Atlético Madrid.
Real Betis: A famous win against Real Madrid.
Biggest Concerns
Valencia: One point and nine goals conceded.
Real Madrid: Seven big chances missed against Betis according to match statistics.
Villarreal: Two points after four matches despite having strong possession numbers.
Málaga: Still without a victory.
Atlético Madrid: A 3-0 defeat raises questions ahead of a demanding European schedule.
Matchday 4 Numbers That Matter
21 — goals in the eight completed matches.
17 — Barcelona goals scored in four league games.
15 — Barcelona’s goal difference.
10 — Alavés points after four matches.
5 — Lucas Boyé’s goals this season.
5 — Sergio Camello’s goals this season.
4 — Barcelona wins from four.
3 — goals scored by Boyé against Osasuna.
3 — goals scored by Athletic against Atlético Madrid.
1 — Valencia point after four matches.
Monday’s Remaining Matchday 4 Fixtures
Two fixtures complete Matchday 4 on Monday, September 7:
Getafe vs Celta Vigo
Kick-off: 19:00 CET
Getafe enter the match with three points, while Celta have two. Both teams need victory to move away from the lower half of the table.
Elche vs Real Sociedad
Kick-off: 21:30 CET
Elche are looking for their first win after collecting one point from three matches, while Real Sociedad have four points from three.
Because these matches have not yet been played at the time of publication, there are no legitimate post-match statistics, manager reactions or final results to report yet.
Final Verdict: Barcelona Send an Early Warning to the League
Four games into the 2026/27 LaLiga season, the picture is becoming clearer.
Barcelona are the early benchmark.
Hansi Flick’s team have scored at least four goals in three of their four league matches and have already established a three-point lead at the top.
But perhaps the most interesting storyline is behind them.
Alavés are second, unbeaten and full of confidence. Real Madrid remain close despite their defeat to Betis. Deportivo have started strongly, while Athletic Club have announced themselves with a statement victory over Atlético.
At the other end, Valencia’s crisis is deepening, Málaga are still looking for their first win and Villarreal have made a difficult start.
And with two Matchday 4 games still to come on Monday, the LaLiga table could change again before the round is officially complete.
The 2026/27 title race may be young, but Barcelona have already made their intentions clear.
