La Liga Daily Report - 2026-08-29

Atlético Madrid moved to seven points from three La Liga matches with a 3-1 victory over Sevilla on Saturday. Julián Álvarez was not included in the squad, having missed most of the week’s training, while Atlético had insisted on Thursday that he would not be sold to Barcelona. In his absence, Álex Baena scored twice and Ademola Lookman added another as Diego Simeone’s side established a 3-0 half-time lead. Miguel Sierra pulled one back for Sevilla midway through the second half, but Atlético secured an unbeaten start and inflicted Sevilla’s first defeat of the season.

Álvarez’s omission added another chapter to a transfer dispute that has dominated Atlético’s summer. Barcelona remain his preferred destination according to reports, although Atlético are unwilling to sell to a direct La Liga rival, while Arsenal have also been linked with a late move. Simeone sought to keep the focus on the player’s welfare and football, describing the situation as “a personal process” and saying Álvarez was “an extraordinary player”. Baena’s first start of the season was rewarded with two goals, giving Atlético a convincing result while uncertainty over their leading forward continued.

Levante ended Real Betis’ unbeaten start to the La Liga season by winning 5-2 at Estadi Ciutat de València on Saturday. The match was level at 2-2 at half-time after Adrián de la Fuente and Enzo Bardeli scored for the hosts, with Marc Bartra and Rodrigo Riquelme replying for Betis. Levante then took control after the interval, with Roger Brugué scoring twice during a decisive second-half display. The result halted Betis’ consecutive victories over Valencia and Real Sociedad, which had given Manuel Pellegrini’s team maximum points from its opening two fixtures.

The scale of the defeat represented a sharp change in momentum for Betis, who had looked among the early pace-setters. Levante’s ability to recover from a chaotic first half and produce a ruthless second-half performance turned an open contest into a one-sided finish. For Pellegrini, the result provides an early test of how his side responds to adversity after its confident opening fortnight. Levante, meanwhile, secured a major early-season statement against a team that had arrived with a perfect record and left with its defensive weaknesses exposed.

Real Madrid have agreed a deal to sign 19-year-old midfielder Sergio Martínez from newly promoted Racing Santander, according to reports on Saturday. The fee was put at around €3 million, with Martínez expected to sign a contract running until June 2030. His move follows a rapid rise through Racing’s academy and first team, including a La Liga debut against Villarreal in which he scored a notable goal. The agreement adds another young Spanish prospect to Madrid’s recruitment strategy and gives the club long-term control of a player who attracted attention from several top-flight sides.

Martínez is expected to join Real Madrid Castilla initially, allowing him to continue his development in the club’s reserve structure rather than immediately competing for a senior midfield place. That pathway reflects the club’s approach of securing promising talent before it becomes more expensive or unavailable. Racing will lose a player developed within its academy, while Madrid have moved quickly after his breakthrough at senior level. The reported agreement also underlines the importance of the domestic market to Madrid’s succession planning in midfield.

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho backed Kylian Mbappé to win this year’s Ballon d’Or before Sunday’s La Liga match against Málaga. Mourinho argued that the award should recognise the world’s best individual player rather than automatically favouring someone who won the World Cup or Champions League. Mbappé became the leading scorer in World Cup history during France’s title-winning campaign, taking his tournament total to 22 goals, one ahead of Lionel Messi. He was also reported to have finished last season as the leading scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup.

Mourinho said the award should reflect lasting individual impact and singled out Mbappé’s achievements during the summer. The forward is among the leading candidates despite not winning a major club trophy, with Harry Kane, Rodri, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also identified as rivals. The manager’s intervention placed one of his own players at the centre of the debate, while also challenging the traditional emphasis on collective silverware. Mbappé’s three goals in Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad had strengthened his early case.

José Mourinho said Real Madrid would face a difficult situation when the first international break of the 2026-27 season lasts three weeks. Speaking before Sunday’s home meeting with Málaga, the Madrid manager said he was particularly concerned about players who travelled with their national teams but received little or no match time. The revised schedule will create a longer gap across late September and early October, with the traditional October international break scrapped. Mourinho said the extended absence of his squad members would limit his ability to work with the full group during a significant part of the campaign.

The concern is less about players who are selected to play regularly and more about those who return without meaningful minutes, according to Mourinho. Madrid must therefore plan training and preparation around differing workloads while some first-team players are away. The change creates an unusual early-season management challenge for clubs across La Liga, but Mourinho’s comments highlighted the particular difficulty of maintaining rhythm and squad cohesion during an extended interruption. His immediate focus remained Málaga, although the international calendar was already influencing Madrid’s planning.

La Liga has formally reported five incidents from Barcelona’s home match against Athletic Club following chants aimed at Spain, the National Police and Atlético Madrid, according to reports on Saturday. The matter has been referred to the RFEF’s Competition Committee and the Anti-Violence Commission, which will assess whether any punishable behaviour occurred. The match was also marked by a protest from sections of Barcelona’s support, with pro-independence flags visible throughout Spotify Camp Nou after the Assemblea Nacional Catalana announced plans to distribute 10,000 esteladas.

The stadium protest followed controversy from the previous weekend, when police intervened with a young Barcelona supporter carrying an estelada during the match at Elche. That dispute shaped the atmosphere before the Athletic fixture and gave the chants a wider political context. The referral now places responsibility with the relevant football and disciplinary bodies, while Barcelona face the prospect of further scrutiny over conduct in the stands. The case also adds an off-field issue to a club whose campaign had begun with victories over Elche and Athletic.