La Liga Daily Report - 2026-08-26

Kylian Mbappé scored his first goals of the season with a hat-trick as Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday. Vinícius Júnior also scored for José Mourinho’s side, who made it two wins from two in La Liga after opening the campaign with a 2-1 victory at Espanyol. Mbappé struck once before half-time and twice after the interval, while Jude Bellingham supplied two assists, including for Vinícius’s first goal of the season. The result marked Mourinho’s first competitive home match since returning to the Madrid dugout.

The scoreline gave Madrid an emphatic response after their narrow opening victory and placed Mbappé immediately at the centre of the early title conversation. Real Sociedad, who had begun with a 1-0 defeat at Real Betis, were unable to contain the hosts once the forward found his rhythm. There was some frustration from the Bernabéu crowd when the match was level at half-time, but Mourinho said afterwards that “A few boos won't hurt anyone, they actually make you grow.” Madrid now carry early momentum into the rest of the campaign, while Sociedad must recover from consecutive defeats.

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Real Betis began their La Liga campaign with a 1-0 victory over Valencia on Tuesday, with Pablo García scoring the only goal in the 83rd minute. The win gave Betis three points in their opening fixture and left Valencia empty-handed at Mestalla. Troy Parrott also made his Real Betis debut, entering as a second-half substitute and playing a part in the decisive move, according to Balls.ie. The Irish striker collected the ball in his own half and sold a dummy run, allowing García to move through and finish the attack.

The result was especially valuable for Betis because it came away from home and against a Valencia side that included 19-year-old Japanese midfielder Sato Ryunosuke for the full match, according to Sports Chosun. Sato, who joined from FC Tokyo for a reported €4 million, created an early opening with a shot that was saved. Betis will take confidence from their disciplined start and the involvement of their new forward, while Valencia must improve their attacking output after failing to score in their opener. Real Sociedad are next among Betis’s early opponents.

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Barcelona cancelled a planned ceremony honouring their Spain players who won the 2026 World Cup before Thursday’s home match against Athletic Club. The decision followed a confrontation between police and supporters displaying a Catalan independence flag before last weekend’s La Liga opener at Elche. Barcelona described the police actions as “disproportionate and violent”, while president Joan Laporta announced that the club would instead stage “a demonstration of the Catalan flag of independence”. The proposed tribute would have featured players including Lamine Yamal, new signing Rodri and Pau Cubarsí, who won the Golden Boy award.

Laporta said the board no longer considered the planned honouring ceremony appropriate for the current setting, despite it having been proposed by the Spanish Federation. The reversal makes the fixture against Athletic Club more politically charged than a routine first home match, with the club choosing to foreground its Catalan identity. It also reflects the lingering dispute over the events in Elche, where supporters accused police of attacking them. Barcelona’s decision means attention around the stadium will extend beyond the pitch when the Spanish champions make their home debut.

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Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said the club may have to continue without Julián Álvarez as Atlético Madrid resist selling the Argentina forward. The Spanish champions have pursued the 26-year-old, but Atlético have so far refused to agree to a transfer, according to Ahram Online. Álvarez missed training on Wednesday because of illness, while Spanish media reported that president Joan Laporta’s position was “Alvarez or nobody”. Flick declined to discuss the player specifically, saying Barcelona had made good additions and that the club also had to consider its future rather than only the immediate campaign.

Barcelona’s forward options changed significantly during the summer, with Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres reported to have left and Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi arriving as wide players. The club’s recognised centre-forward options therefore remain a central issue as it prepares for its first home league fixture against Athletic Club. Flick said he had “total confidence with the quality we have now”, but also acknowledged the tension between a coach wanting the best possible squad and the club’s longer-term financial planning. Unless Atlético change their stance, Barcelona’s attack may begin the season without the marquee striker they sought.

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Villarreal officially introduced Canadian midfielder Nathan Saliba at a press conference on Wednesday after signing him to a contract running through 2031. The Longueuil-born player joined the La Liga club with the stated ambition of moving closer to his dream of playing in the Champions League. Saliba will be part of a Canadian contingent at Villarreal alongside Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi. Speaking at his presentation, he said the move represented “a really, really good step” in his career and credited daily work and dedication to his development for helping him reach a top European league.

Saliba also said Buchanan and Oluwaseyi had given him positive impressions of the club, city and squad before his arrival. He described Villarreal as a group that likes to play football, setting an expectation that his adaptation will involve both competition for a place and integration into an established dressing room. The long contract gives the midfielder a substantial opportunity to develop in Spain, while his Champions League ambition matches Villarreal’s status as a club seeking to compete at the highest level. His next task is to translate that optimism into regular first-team involvement.

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Barcelona will introduce a Lilac Point at Spotify Camp Nou during Thursday’s La Liga match against Athletic Club. The service is intended to provide information, prevention and support in cases involving gender-based violence or LGBTI-phobic behaviour. The club said the point would remain available for every match at the stadium, regardless of competition. Its launch forms part of the protocol and guidelines promoted by La Liga to prevent and respond to discrimination, harassment and sexually inappropriate behaviour in professional football.

The initiative broadens matchday safeguarding beyond policing and stewarding by creating a dedicated support space for spectators who experience or witness abusive conduct. Barcelona said the aim was to ensure that everyone could enjoy football in a safe and respectful environment free from violence and discrimination. Making the Lilac Point a permanent feature gives the measure significance beyond the Athletic fixture, embedding it into the club’s regular stadium operations. It also places Barcelona within a league-wide framework designed to encourage prevention, detection and coordinated action at grounds.

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Barcelona announced a three-season sponsorship agreement with EGYPTAIR running through the 2028/29 campaign. The Egyptian airline became a club Global Partner and the Exclusive Official Airline for the men’s football first team, basketball team and handball team. Under the agreement, EGYPTAIR’s logo will also appear on the front of the handball team’s shirt during matches. The partnership forms part of the airline’s plans to expand its fleet and international route network, while Barcelona said it would help extend the club’s global reach and strengthen links with new markets.

The agreement adds another commercial relationship across several sections of the club rather than limiting the arrangement to the first-team football operation. Barcelona’s sponsorship director Marc Bruix described EGYPTAIR as a company with international aviation history and said the connection was a natural step for the club. For EGYPTAIR, the association provides visibility through one of sport’s most recognisable brands and access to audiences around multiple Barcelona teams. The deal therefore reflects the club’s continuing effort to build commercial ties beyond Spain while broadening the value of its sporting properties.

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