Well, folks, if you’re looking for a team that’s kicked off the new Spanish League season with a bang, look no further than Athletic Bilbao. They’ve just chalked up their third straight win. On Sunday, they took down Betis, showing everyone they mean business. This hot start puts them right at the top of the league standings. It’s an impressive feat, joining Real Madrid as the early pace-setters.
This strong run is a big deal for Athletic Bilbao. It’s the first time since the 2009/10 season they’ve opened the campaign with three victories in a row. For Sporting fans, this is a clear signal. Athletic Bilbao is their upcoming opponent in the Champions League group stage. You can bet Sporting’s scouting reports are looking a lot more intense now.
Let’s talk about how they got that latest win. Against Betis, the scoring started with an own goal from Marc Bartra in the 60th minute. That’s never how you want to concede, but Bilbao took it. Then, Aitor Paredes added another goal in the 85th minute, sealing the deal. Betis did manage a late consolation goal, with Congolese player Cédric Bakambu scoring in the 90th minute plus seven seconds of added time. But it was too little, too late.
So, with that victory, Athletic Bilbao now has nine points. They sit alongside Real Madrid, who also have nine points. Real Madrid had a comeback win on Saturday, beating Mallorca 2-1 at home. These two teams are clearly setting the pace. But not everyone had such a smooth weekend. The reigning champions, Barcelona, and Villarreal both dropped points. They now find themselves a bit behind.
Villarreal was on the road against Celta de Vigo. They grabbed the lead thanks to a goal from Ivorian player Nicolas Pépé in the 53rd minute. However, Celta had other plans. Substitute Borja Iglesias found the equalizer in the 90th minute plus four seconds. Portugal’s international central defender, Renato Veiga, who is a new signing, had already entered the game for Villarreal by then.
A few hours later, Barcelona also stumbled. They dropped their first points of the season in the Spanish League. Lamine Yamal put the Catalan giants ahead with a penalty in the 40th minute. But then, Fran Pérez, who had just come into the game, tied it up for Rayo Vallecano in the 67th minute. This means Barcelona couldn’t repeat their flawless start from last season. They were champions back then, winning for the first time since 2022/23. An interesting side note: they still haven’t played a home game this season. There’s been a delay in getting the licenses for the newly renovated Camp Nou.
Villarreal and Barcelona now share seven points, sitting in third and fourth place. But they’re not alone in that group. Before the upcoming international break for national teams, Espanyol also joined them on seven points. Espanyol is in fifth place after beating Osasuna 1-0. Carlos Romero scored the only goal for them in the 52nd minute.
Looking at the mid-table, Osasuna is in 13th place with three points. Celta de Vigo is just behind them in 14th, also with three points. Rayo Vallecano has four points and sits in 10th. Betis is in eighth place with five points, having played one more game, just like Celta. The league table is certainly taking shape, and it’s looking pretty tight already.