La Liga (Spanish League) Prediction Thread 2025/26

[jostorres]

At least for once,  there's a manager that knows Jude Bellingham is not an attacking midfielder. He was experimented on by Carlo Ancelotti and it worked that season doesn't mean he's an attacking midfielder. Arda fits in well but he's far from a great creative player, I mean not as a productive attacking midfielder should play. He doesn't lose the ball too much, it's has to do with the pressing structure and players who are not fit or capable enough for Real Madrid. Arda Güler is not Xabi Alonso's footballer.

I still believe the best for Real Madrid would be put Jude on midfield, ahead of the defense of course, but at centre midfield, and put Arda as attacking midfield. His duo with Mbappe was great, Arda kept on feeding the ball and he got the love for it and it worked great for them.

Plus, if they do that now, next year they will have Nico Paz back from Como and that would work great for them too, it would really help them a ton and could get it done somehow. That way if Arda doesn't work out great, they could put Nico there.

[Princess Leah]

From top 3, the first team to play their match this weekend is Barcelona... They are going to be away against Espanyol tomorrow night. Espanyol are one of the attracting teams with a good level of form recently (5 wins in a row).

However they haven't been able to do much against Barcelona in most of their matches. Not even a win that I remember in a long while. But if they don't get a red card like Villarreal did against Barcelona then the match can be more interesting at least.

They have been excellent in their last 5 La Liga games making it 5 league wins in their last 5 games but they lost in the Copa Del Rey against a second division team Baleares which makes it 1 loss and 5 wins in last 6 games in all competitions.
Espanyol is a strong team currently performing well winning against even strong teams but it seems Barcelona have a much better form right now. Barcelona have not lost a game in the league since losing to Real Madrid, it's an incredible form.

Based on past meetings, Barcelona have mostly dominates and currently they have a better form but Espanyol won't be as easy as they think even with their form, Espanyol being the home team gives them advantage to play better and even if Barcelona end up winning they won't win easy.

I really respect Barcelona a lot, I heard a news that they asked Lewandowski not to score more goals cause they're not capable of paying Bayern Munich it he scored more goals and they even had lots of injuries and were unable to sign some of the prefer players this summer yet they still won the league, it's amazing.

 Barcelona have been impressive this season also and it's worth giving them praises cause at some point, most of their key players were injured yet they still managed to top the league till now and gave their core rival, Real Madrid a high standard to meet up this season, i really respect Barcelona. Although I can't conclude that they'll easily win Espanyol but im rooting out for them to win that game.

[Egii Nna]

From top 3, the first team to play their match this weekend is Barcelona... They are going to be away against Espanyol tomorrow night. Espanyol are one of the attracting teams with a good level of form recently (5 wins in a row).

However they haven't been able to do much against Barcelona in most of their matches. Not even a win that I remember in a long while. But if they don't get a red card like Villarreal did against Barcelona then the match can be more interesting at least.

With a red card or not, Espanyol will not be able to do anything tangible in that game, because the last time I can recall Barcelona losing a game was against Chelsea. Since then, I don’t think they have lost any game anymore, which means even this game will be a win for Barcelona. Espanyol should just go to the pitch, accept defeat, and come back, because that straight win record will be broken tomorrow. I also have no doubt about that, because that is what will end up happening.

[verdinio]

Yes, arda is currently clearly lacking in experience, so it's natural that his performance is currently inconsistent. Because, as far as I know, this is the only season that Arda has been given sufficient playing time by the Real Madrid coach. Because in the previous season, when Real Madrid was still coached by Ancelotti,Arda rarely got playing time. So perhaps because of that, when Arda got a lot of playing time this season, he was a little overwhelmed and couldn't maintain his maximum performance.

But I also agree that if Arda had more experience, he would certainly be able to show better performance. So, the steps taken by Xabi are indeed very appropriate, because by giving him playing time but sometimes resting him, it will make Arda think and correctt himself. And that will clearly make Arda develop even more.

He is definitely a player who still has to find his perfect form and like every player it takes time for him to reach a very high level of football, and it is not easy for anyone but it is a step that all top level players have to take, especially if you play for Real Madrid.

[Rockson1]

I really respect Barcelona a lot, I heard a news that they asked Lewandowski not to score more goals cause they're not capable of paying Bayern Munich it he scored more goals and they even had lots of injuries and were unable to sign some of the prefer players this summer yet they still won the league, it's amazing.

 Barcelona have been impressive this season also and it's worth giving them praises cause at some point, most of their key players were injured yet they still managed to top the league till now and gave their core rival, Real Madrid a high standard to meet up this season, i really respect Barcelona. Although I can't conclude that they'll easily win Espanyol but im rooting out for them to win that game.

Are you for real on this, that is so sympathetic, Barcelona is going through a lot but they are doing all they can to stand on their fit, a team I never expected to top their league this season but here they are at the top, even if is just with few points, it is nice, what you narrated now makes me feel some how, this shows how bad their financial state is.
I do not think that Barcelona will miss a point as they are going to face Espanyol, although we can say but I strongly believe that they will win that match, Barcelona is one of those teams that can actually withstand some situation, they will not want to drop from that top and they will do everything to remain there.

[katanic97]

Arda Guler is only 20 years old, and it’s normal that he doesn't have much experience yet, and to some extent it’s normal that he feels pressure from many sides. Xabi trusts him, and i think Arda can be consistent at Real Madrid - or better said, he can become one of Real Madrid’s key players. His performances, not only for Real but also for the national team, are good. His form isn’t always consistently high, but that’s something that can be improved over the years. As long as Xabi is there, Arda Guler will be at Real Madrid too

He needs more playing time to become experienced… Otherwise, he will continue to be average, or close to it if not average. I’m not sure how the current Madrid setup can give him that though,the pressure is high, and the need to get points in every game remains constant.

It might have been better if he were loaned out, but then a replacement could take his place completel and he might lose his relevance at Real Madrid. He’s in a tight situation..If Real Madrid eventually signs a new midfielder, then it would be better for him to go on loan to another club, fmv.

I don’t know if you’re familiar with Nico Paz. He’s a Real Madrid academy product who went on loan to Como under Fabregas. There, he is a key player and generally runs the team. Arda Guler’s situation is different , despite all the pressure, Xabi trusts him, and i’m sure he will improve if he keeps working hard. Maybe a loan is the better solution, but it’s a double edged sword. What if he doesn’t fit into the team? What if he doesn’t develop? It’s hard to say, but i believe things will work out for him here

[Altryist]

With a red card or not, Espanyol will not be able to do anything tangible in that game, because the last time I can recall Barcelona losing a game was against Chelsea. Since then, I don’t think they have lost any game anymore, which means even this game will be a win for Barcelona. Espanyol should just go to the pitch, accept defeat, and come back, because that straight win record will be broken tomorrow. I also have no doubt about that, because that is what will end up happening.

I agree that Espanyol is not a difficult opponent for Barcelona, historically it has worked out that Barcelona beat them quite easily, despite the fact that this will be a derby. I think Barcelona will take their three points in this match. As for Real, even though they will be playing at home this round, their opponent will be Betis, which is a more difficult challenge. But for Real Madrid there won't be any matches in which they can feel comfortable now, they need to win every game if they still expect to be able to compete with Barcelona.

[Slow death]

From top 3, the first team to play their match this weekend is Barcelona... They are going to be away against Espanyol tomorrow night. Espanyol are one of the attracting teams with a good level of form recently (5 wins in a row).

However they haven't been able to do much against Barcelona in most of their matches. Not even a win that I remember in a long while. But if they don't get a red card like Villarreal did against Barcelona then the match can be more interesting at least.

Espanyol is a team that has surprised me a lot this season. They managed to be in 5th place even halfway through the season, which is a good achievement because they aren't fighting to get out of the relegation zone, they aren't just playing to stay in unimportant places. They are fighting for a position that would give them access to European competitions, which would give them more money if they qualify. But unfortunately, their weakness is when they play against top 4 opponents. They only managed to beat Atlético Madrid, but that was in the first games of the round when Atlético Madrid wasn't doing well. They lost against Real Madrid and also lost against Villarreal.

[changaa]

Yes, I know Xabi has a lot of faith in Arda, but that's not enough to boost his development without the support of enough playing time. Xabi Alonso should treat Arda the same way Ronald Koeman treated Pedri at Barcelona, now that Pedri has become Barcelona mainstay and plays the role of general in midfield. As a promising young talent in the Real Madrid squad, Xabi must shape Arda into a key player in the first team, he is also a valuable asset for Real Madrid because he has the ability to control the ball, a clear vision of the game and extraordinary tactical intelligence despite his young age.

Xabi Alonso is trying to manage all the players he has in the best possible way and when they are all so strong it is difficult to have a clear vision of who to deploy on the pitch at the expense of another player who could be very strong and make you win the match, i understand that like every coach he has his protégés but Arda must be unlocked

[Cryptoprincess101]

From top 3, the first team to play their match this weekend is Barcelona... They are going to be away against Espanyol tomorrow night. Espanyol are one of the attracting teams with a good level of form recently (5 wins in a row).

However they haven't been able to do much against Barcelona in most of their matches. Not even a win that I remember in a long while. But if they don't get a red card like Villarreal did against Barcelona then the match can be more interesting at least.

Espanyol has been in a winning streak lately but the teams they met were basically average teams they could easily win and not big teams but for the fact that they lost against Real Madrid when they met earlier this season means that meeting Barcelona is going to end their 5 games unbeaten run. Barcelona is more careful now and they are avoiding anything that will cause them to allow Real Madrid to close the gap again so they will definitely strive to win and still maintain the lead by 4 points. Whether Espanyol gets a red card or not it won't stop Barcelona from destroying them.

[Jewan420]

I agree that Espanyol is not a difficult opponent for Barcelona, historically it has worked out that Barcelona beat them quite easily, despite the fact that this will be a derby. I think Barcelona will take their three points in this match. As for Real, even though they will be playing at home this round, their opponent will be Betis, which is a more difficult challenge. But for Real Madrid there won't be any matches in which they can feel comfortable now, they need to win every game if they still expect to be able to compete with Barcelona.

I don't see Barcelona as a big threat against Espanyol, but sometimes they go against expectations. Barcelona are now back on track and have become a very strong team after the return of injured players. So there is no match in La Liga where they are not favourites to win. The match will not be easy for Barcelona's only rival in La Liga, Real Madrid. Real Betis are a relatively strong team and every match seems risky when Real Madrid are at their worst. However, Real Madrid are more likely to win at home.

[Jegileman]

With a red card or not, Espanyol will not be able to do anything tangible in that game, because the last time I can recall Barcelona losing a game was against Chelsea. Since then, I don’t think they have lost any game anymore, which means even this game will be a win for Barcelona. Espanyol should just go to the pitch, accept defeat, and come back, because that straight win record will be broken tomorrow. I also have no doubt about that, because that is what will end up happening.

Espanyol has been on a very good form lately, and with their coming game against Barcelona, I know this game is going to be a very tough one. I know that it will be very hard for them to get a win again Barcelona but a draw is possible for them if they play hard. They are actually in good form but playing against a team like Barcelona who are also in good form and currently occupying the top of the table, it makes it very difficult for them to defeat them. A red card will only boost the winning chances of Barcelona and even if it was Barcelona that got the red card, it will not automatically mean that Espanyol will have an edge to prevail against Barcelona in that game also.

[Dzwaafu11]

I agree that Espanyol is not a difficult opponent for Barcelona, historically it has worked out that Barcelona beat them quite easily, despite the fact that this will be a derby. I think Barcelona will take their three points in this match. As for Real, even though they will be playing at home this round, their opponent will be Betis, which is a more difficult challenge. But for Real Madrid there won't be any matches in which they can feel comfortable now, they need to win every game if they still expect to be able to compete with Barcelona.

I don't see Barcelona as a big threat against Espanyol, but sometimes they go against expectations. Barcelona are now back on track and have become a very strong team after the return of injured players. So there is no match in La Liga where they are not favourites to win. The match will not be easy for Barcelona's only rival in La Liga, Real Madrid. Real Betis are a relatively strong team and every match seems risky when Real Madrid are at their worst. However, Real Madrid are more likely to win at home.

Currently Barcelona won’t stress themselves much to win against any team in the  La Liga, the only team I think Barcelona should always get ready and prepare well while playing is 3 teams behind them in the league table, anyother team Barcelona is stronger than. I don’t know if luck, because that can also happen, football is full of surprises anything can happen.

As for Real Madrid, anytime they are playing against Barcelona, whether they’re playing at home, Barcelona is the one playing at home the game is always a tough one, because these two clubs don’t gree for each other, both always want to do everything to win. Right now that they are the two clubs we are expecting to win the league title, the competition will get more competitive and more exciting,  Since both are doing well.

[red4slash]

A blunt attack line and a defense that is easy to penetrate are problems that they still cannot solve so far.
Although for the size of an ordinary club it is not too bad but a little different when the situation is faced for Sociedad because after all they have always been one of the dark horse club that are always troublesome and the current conditions are very much different even this is their worst season in the last 5 seasons.
Facing Atletico they will play as home but their home game record is also currently not too good so this will still be very difficult it seems for them.

Let's say that changing coaches midway through the season is a very high risk that may not bring results, but we could instead witness a revolutionary change that, to our complete surprise, could lead to the desired change?
Who can say?
Of course it's not simple, but nothing is impossible.

As I said, it's a gamble because the situation could be 50/50 with a new coach who could make the situation better or worse.

We've seen this a lot and Sociedad are taking the same risk but it's not a guarantee because at the moment they're in a difficult situation. With the old coach they couldn't do much and now they're replacing him with a new one where chemistry has to be built quickly, but they also have to maximize their chances even though it's not like before when they were in a good position now they just need to get out of the current zone.

If this is effective then it could be a brilliant decision but if the situation gets worse they could be relegated after all this time in La Liga.

[Stablexcoin]

I don't see Barcelona as a big threat against Espanyol, but sometimes they go against expectations. Barcelona are now back on track and have become a very strong team after the return of injured players. So there is no match in La Liga where they are not favourites to win. The match will not be easy for Barcelona's only rival in La Liga, Real Madrid. Real Betis are a relatively strong team and every match seems risky when Real Madrid are at their worst. However, Real Madrid are more likely to win at home.

Do you mean the opposite or serious? How is Barcelona not a big threat to Espanyol. Barcelona is the biggest threat to any La Liga team, a club that is able to give Real Madrid the toughest time, a Champions League contender and this team is currently topping the La Liga table, how are they no match against Espanyol. I will take the statement to be flipped backwards, Espanyol needs their best performance to win the game, Barcelona only needs a normal effort to win the match.

[Furious 7]

La Liga matchday kicks off again today and the first match is Rayo against Getafe.
There wasn't much to see in this match as the first half was quite monotonous except for maybe the one goal scored by Jorge de Frutos in first half stoppage time.

The game was too much in the center of the pitch and the ball just swirled there. For an opening game I found it a bit boring but with both clubs still struggling for form and needing 3 points it wasn't too bad but I expected the game to be better in terms of tension as the target was a win.
Rayo now have the benefit of a one-goal lead which means their supporters are bound to go crazy in the second half but it could be a problem for Getade if they can't develop an attacking pattern in the second half.

[Adams0001]

I don't see Barcelona as a big threat against Espanyol, but sometimes they go against expectations. Barcelona are now back on track and have become a very strong team after the return of injured players. So there is no match in La Liga where they are not favourites to win. The match will not be easy for Barcelona's only rival in La Liga, Real Madrid. Real Betis are a relatively strong team and every match seems risky when Real Madrid are at their worst. However, Real Madrid are more likely to win at home.

When I so Espanyol previous matches I see they have be wining matches back to back in the league competition and I think they will stress Barcelona in the pitch, but I know that Barcelona will do anything possible to get the wining games because they are the clubs that is topping the league currently and they won't like to lose any point currently in the competition. But let see if Espanyol can stop Barcelona from receiving three point in the match.

 Madrid are missing Mbappe and there match against Real Betis this weekend can be something different because they don't really have goal scorer apart from Mbappe, vini Jr always lose many chances when playing in the pitch so I don't really know who can score for madrid this weekend except Rodrigo or Bellingham, because that is the key players that I trust when facing goal keeper.

[Antotena]

I really respect Barcelona a lot, I heard a news that they asked Lewandowski not to score more goals cause they're not capable of paying Bayern Munich it he scored more goals and they even had lots of injuries and were unable to sign some of the prefer players this summer yet they still won the league, it's amazing.

 Barcelona have been impressive this season also and it's worth giving them praises cause at some point, most of their key players were injured yet they still managed to top the league till now and gave their core rival, Real Madrid a high standard to meet up this season, i really respect Barcelona. Although I can't conclude that they'll easily win Espanyol but im rooting out for them to win that game.

I saw the same thing while watching Kombo video on TikTok. I was flabbergasted by that news if Barcelona could stood so low because they were trying to avoid making payments to Bayern. If they know they don't have the money to fulfill Lewandowski responsibility they take from Bayern, they shouldn't have bring the young man to the club but I think they were desperate but broke, they don't have the money to pay up the liabilities from other club.

There was even one time that I heard Lewandowski salary was cut off, they begged him to accept lower pay and then settle him the rest money later. I don't know how true this is for the season but I can tell you that Barcelona are not in good shape like they portray for the club, everything is wrong about the club and the management. Even when they say they are out of debt and paid all the money they owe past players and present, I didn't believe it.