The LALIGA EA SPORTS title race is heating up, with Real Madrid and Girona FC out in front and level on 28 points following their victories last weekend. For Los Blancos, they triumphed in the first ELCLASICO of the season thanks to a Jude Bellingham brace and they return to the Bernabéu this weekend, while FC Barcelona will look to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they visit Real Sociedad.
Atlético de Madrid are also right in the mix in the title race. If they were to win their game in hand, they'd be level with the top two. Diego Simeone's charges have won six in a row in LALIGA EA SPORTS and play in the first of the Matchday 12 fixtures, when they pay a visit to UD Las Palmas. Atleti haven't played in Gran Canaria since 2017, but they have fond memories of that game as it was a 5-1 victory, with current players Koke and Ángel Correa amongst the goalscorers that day.
Joint-leaders Girona FC take to the field in the first of the Saturday fixtures, travelling to take on CA Osasuna as the Catalan outfit look to keep up their incredible start to the season. Playing away at El Sadar is always difficult, but there's something special about this Girona FC squad.
Real Betis vs RCD Mallorca follows, as the Andalusian side look to keep up their positive run. Now that Manuel Pellegrini is welcoming more and more players back from injury, the results have improved and Los Verdiblancos are unbeaten in six in LALIGA EA SPORTS.
The other team from the Andalusian capital, Sevilla FC, are in action next, as they play away in Vigo against RC Celta. The Galician outfit remain in the relegation zone and have taken just two points from six home matches so far. They'll look to give their fans something to cheer about on Saturday evening.
At 21:00 CET on Saturday night, all eyes will be on Real Sociedad vs FC Barcelona, a fixture that always produces dramatic storylines. These are two of the most attractive teams in all of Europe and they both need these three points, with FC Barcelona especially desperate to avoid suffering a second defeat of the season just one weekend after their first, which came in ELCLASICO. Robert Lewandowski, who scored after 45 seconds in this fixture last season, is even closer to 100 percent fitness for this weekend's game, so it'll be a fascinating one to watch.
Four more fixtures follow on Sunday and Deportivo Alavés vs UD Almería is the first up. Given that both these sides are currently in the bottom four, this can be considered a vitally important relegation six-pointer, even at this early stage in the season.
Mestalla hosts the next fixture, as Valencia CF take on Granada CF. Paco López, the coach of the latter and the former boss of Levante UD, was able to defeat Los Che in the last Valencian Derby he participated in. He'd love to conquer Valencia CF with his new team, who enter this matchday second-bottom.
Villarreal CF and Athletic Club will meet at the Estadio de la Cerámica and the Basques will travel east keen to make amends for their last meeting, when El Submarino Amarillo thrashed the team from Bilbao 5-1. Ernesto Valverde's side have improved a lot since then and will be confident that they can secure a much more positive result this Sunday.
The last of Sunday's games sees Real Madrid host neighbours Rayo Vallecano, who'll make the short trip across the Spanish capital. It'll be a special game for Fran García as he faces his former club, and the left-back will remember better than anyone that Rayo Vallecano defeated Carlo Ancelotti's side 3-2 last November.
There is more LALIGA EA SPORTS action in Spain's capital to round off the matchday, as Getafe CF and Cádiz CF do battle on Monday night. Los Azulones are the draw experts of the division, having drawn each one of their past five matches, and will certainly be hard to beat at the Coliseum.
