After a brief winter break, LaLiga has returned! Though it was only an 11-day pause, the festivities surrounding Christmas and New Year’s have made it feel longer. Let’s update you on the 2025-26 season as it prepares to kick back into action.
The reigning champions, Barcelona, entered the break as Spain’s “Christmas champions,” holding a four-point advantage atop the league table, despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to their rivals, Real Madrid, in the first Clásico of the season back in October.
While Real Madrid transformed the Bernabéu into a winter wonderland for the holidays, the atmosphere has not been ideal for the team, with ongoing concerns regarding coach Xabi Alonso’s future following a series of disappointing results. However, their star striker Kylian Mbappé, in exceptional form, provides hope for a turnaround in their fortunes.
– Comparing Alonso’s Start to Other Coaches in Real Madrid History
– Midseason Evaluations: Barça Dominates, Is There a Title Race?
– Who Emerged as the Top Goalscorer in 2025: Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Haaland, or Kane?
Atlético Madrid and Villarreal complete the top four as we approach the halfway mark of the season, and both squads are capable of challenging for a top-two finish before the campaign concludes.
So what lies ahead for the remainder of the LaLiga season? Let ESPN correspondents Sam Marsden and Alex Kirkland bring you up to date. Don’t forget, you can watch every match live on ESPN+ (U.S. only).
Title Race: Can Madrid Surpass Barça?
The odds appear slim at the moment. Barça’s four-point lead, coupled with the return of key players such as Raphinha and Pedri, strengthens their position significantly. Under coach Hansi Flick, they recorded eight consecutive LaLiga wins leading up to the break, making it hard to envision Barça faltering enough for Madrid to catch up.
Should Madrid find a way to equalize, it may hinge on Barça’s defensive vulnerabilities. No team in the top seven has conceded more goals than Barça, yet with offensive talents like Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, and Ferran Torres, they can often make up for it.
Injuries, along with outcomes in the Champions League and Copa del Rey, where matches and team priorities in March will influence their campaigns, will also play a crucial role.
Madrid is acutely aware of how rapidly circumstances may shift. Their victory over Barça in October briefly placed them five points ahead, yet their form has been inconsistent since, with Alonso’s position constantly scrutinized in spite of any match wins. This creates a challenging atmosphere at the club.
Nonetheless, with Mbappé delivering a league-leading 18 goals this season, Madrid remains a formidable competitor, boasting a talented squad capable of overcoming most opponents in LaLiga. Should they regain their momentum, they could very well apply significant pressure on Barça. — Sam Marsden
European Spots: Is Villarreal Now the Third-Best Team in Spain?
Not quite—let’s not get ahead of ourselves! Atlético Madrid holds the third position as we exit the Christmas break, having established themselves in the top three for 12 of the past 13 seasons, which earns them that recognition. Any claims for Villarreal to surpass them must be substantiated with solid arguments.
That being said, Villarreal has some strong points: they sit just two points behind Atlético and have two games in hand, with their next match set against Alavés while Atlético competes in the Supercopa. Both teams have won 11 games and lost 3. Villarreal leads the league in defensive prowess, having conceded the fewest goals (15, compared to Atlético’s 16), albeit over fewer matches, and their goals allowed per game is 0.9, matching Madrid and Atlético while outpacing Barça’s 1.1.
Villarreal’s weakness lies in their attack, where they’ve only netted 31 goals (in contrast to Barça’s 51, Madrid’s 36, and Atlético’s 33). Their expected goals total is even lower, at 27.15 (against Atlético’s 29.63). The club’s top scorers, Alberto Moleiro (6), Tajon Buchanan (5), and Gerard Moreno (4), cannot comparably compete with the elite scorers in the league. Moreover, in the Champions League, they managed just one point from six matches, tying with bottom-placed Kairat Almaty, and were recently knocked out of the Copa del Rey by a weakened second-tier team, Racing Santander.
In terms of their match-ups against LaLiga’s best, Villarreal recorded defeats: losing 2-0 to Atlético in September, 3-1 to Real Madrid in October, and 2-0 at Barça in December. When facing stronger opponents, they have consistently fallen short. Currently, they’re positioned fourth rather than third. However, keep an eye on Espanyol, who stand as surprising fifth-place candidates, showcasing impressive form under coach Manolo González, leading by five points over sixth-placed Real Betis, who are in turn five points ahead of both Celta Vigo and Athletic Club. — Alex Kirkland
Relegation Battle: Will Girona or Valencia Avoid the Drop Again?
Once playing in the Champions League at this point last season, Girona and Valencia find themselves embroiled in a struggle for LaLiga survival as 2026 approaches.
Girona has shown promise in moments, such as a draw against Real Madrid, but their inconsistency prevails. They are finalizing an agreement to loan Claudio Echeverri from Manchester City, potentially enhancing their attacking options, as they have scored merely 15 goals in 17 matches this season.
Valencia appeared to turn a corner under coach Carlos Corberán last season but finds itself once again hanging near the relegation zone, having scored only 16 goals across 17 matches and being winless in four attempts. Looking at their current squad starkly contrasts with past Valencia squads that regularly contended for European spots.
The fate of either club may hinge on the performance of others above them. With Real Oviedo and Levante looking increasingly relegated, only one spot may remain for the drop. Consequently, teams like Elche in ninth with 22 points down to Real Sociedad in 16th with 17 points could all potentially be at risk.
With 15 and 16 points, Girona and Valencia remain close to safety. They can still catch up to teams like Mallorca and Alavés with determination. It’s still early to panic. — SM
2:14
Kylian Mbappé’s injury poses complications for Real Madrid’s next matches.
Gab Marcotti discusses Mbappé’s recent knee injury, expected to sideline him for at least three weeks.
Top Scorer: Can Anyone Challenge Mbappé?
With an impressive tally of 18 goals in just as many league matches, Mbappé is dominating the scoring charts this season. Despite a recent knee sprain announced on Wednesday, he seems poised to secure the Pichichi award for LaLiga’s top scorer.
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres has solidified his role as the primary center forward, netting 11 goals so far, while Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi follows with nine goals. Lewandowski has scored eight, and Atlético’s Julián Álvarez rounds out the contenders with seven alongside Raphinha, Yamal, and Betis’ Cucho Hernández. However, after a promising start, Álvarez has only found the net once in his last 11 league outings. Are any of these players truly likely to catch up to Mbappé?
In addition to leading goals, Mbappé also has the highest non-penalty goals (13), top non-penalty xG (11), most shots taken (82), and most shots on target (33). Despite often operating within a challenging Real Madrid setup, he remains unstoppable. Should the team find their rhythm, his scoring output could conceivably increase. Ultimately, he currently stands as the only real candidate for the Pichichi. — Kirkland
What Else to Watch This Season?
Real Sociedad will be an intriguing team to follow in the latter part of the season. The Basque side has recently appointed American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, formerly of VfB Stuttgart and TSG Hoffenheim, aiming to turn their fortunes around after parting ways with Sergio Francisco, whose handling of a talented squad fell short of expectations. Matarazzo’s goal will be to maximize the potential of players like Takefusa Kubo, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Brais Méndez to help elevate the team’s standing. Observing Matarazzo’s impact will be fascinating as the season unfolds. — SM
Additionally, keep an eye on two mid-table sides separated by just a point: Athletic Club and Elche. After finishing fourth last season alongside Villarreal, qualifying for the Champions League, Athletic has faced a stark decline. Their nine losses rank among the highest, and they have scored a mere 16 goals, placing them in 14th position. Their goals allowed (24) isn’t up to their usual defensive standards either, ranking them 13th. Although creating opportunities (with a solid xG of 24.54), they struggle to convert. Top scorers Nico Williams and Robert Navarro have managed only three goals each.
As for Elche, listen to coach Eder Sarabia: “Do you think we’re in one of the best moments in Elche’s history? I think so.” Their stunning 4-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano before Christmas capped off an incredible year for them, with a successful promotion and seamless adaptation to life in the top division. Only Barcelona and Real Madrid have enjoyed more possession or posted higher pass completion rates (averaging 57.8% possession and 86.9% pass success). In the final third, Elche’s precision rises even higher, matching or outperforming many established teams. They are thrilling to watch—don’t miss them this season! — Kirkland
Title Predictions
The dynamics in LaLiga can shift rapidly, as evidenced by Madrid’s triumphant Clásico victory over Barcelona in October. However, I believe Barça will navigate to a second consecutive title under Flick. Despite injuries and not always displaying their peak form, they currently enjoy a four-point buffer atop the table. If they maintain fitness, the championship is theirs to lose. — SM
While Real Madrid may improve under Alonso’s leadership in the latter half of the season, there’s no evident indication of this yet. Even should Alonso be replaced, there’s no certainty that the results will improve. Therefore, I would favor Barça to claim the title, given their Christmas four-point lead and a more coherent (albeit imperfect) style of play. — AK
LaLiga Title Odds (via DraftKings)
Barcelona: -200
Real Madrid: +170
Atlético Madrid: +3,300
Villarreal: +8,000