LaLiga opening weekend: Five talking points from the first games of 2026-27

Deportivo Alaves vs Getafe kicked off the 2026- 27 season, and in true Getafe fashion, a foul was committed within the first 30 seconds, with four yellow cards and a red before half-time.

This was just the beginning of a chaotic opening weekend, and there was a lot to dissect from each of the games.

With Alaves struggling to break down a 10-man Getafe and an excellent David Soria, eyebrows were raised as Quique Sanchez Flores turned to forgotten man Mariano Diaz as a substitute.

The striker last scored in LaLiga in May 2022, and many could be forgiven for thinking he had retired.

However, the one-time heir to Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a performance so hilariously spectacular that Graham Hunter could do nothing but laugh as the Alaves striker scored with a long-range effort, in between setting up two goals for his teammates.

A big win for Alaves, and the spark that could be the start of a remarkable comeback for a player written off by so many.

Sevilla could have gone 2-0 down to Rayo Vallecano within the first 10 minutes of their clash. Instead, they won 2-1 in the dying minutes.

Very little seems to have changed for Rayo on the pitch, despite the chaos off it. They played on the front foot, attacked with purpose, but could not finish the chances offered to them.

Randy Nteka's miss early on felt like a big moment, as did a softly disallowed goal for Isi Palazon after an alleged foul in build-up.

To make things worse for Rayo, the two goals they conceded at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan both came from the penalty spot. The first was a straightforward call, but the second was hugely debatable.

Robbie Ure enjoyed a productive debut as he won the decisive penalty, but many think it should not have been awarded. Several camera angles made it apparent that there was no contact at all from Florian Lejuene, and all signs pointed towards the decision being reversed.

However, one angle showed contact, and ultimately the penalty was allowed to stand. Having watched it again and again, I think the wrong call was made.

There is contact, but it is minimal. Ure is already going down as the contact is made. If referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea had not initially awarded the penalty, VAR would not have recommended that he give one.

A frustrating decision for Rayo, and one which could be significant for both teams in the table: Sevilla snatched three difficult points and Rayo came away empty-handed from a team who will likely battle them towards the bottom end of the table.

14 years after their last stint in LaLiga, Racing Santander are back, and they've already shown why they will be a lot of fun.

El Sardinero was bouncing, and with the greatest of respect to Girona and Mallorca, it was a different level of atmosphere from what they provided before their relegation last season.

Villarreal were the first victims of this, and despite a bright start, they found themselves 2-0 down in 34 minutes: to a penalty and a screamer.

There was a lot of uncertainty in possession, and goalkeeper Luiz Junior added fuel to the fire with some calamitous moments as he rushed off his goal line.

However, the Yellow Submarine also showed their quality going forward, with two outstanding goals from Pape Gueye and Nicolas Pepe, picking up from where they left off at the end of last season.

The second half was a lot calmer, but both teams had opportunities to find the winner. At the end, both were content with the result: Racing had taken points off a Champions League side, and Villarreal had rescued something from the jaws of defeat.

More detailed analysis will follow here, but one thing is clear: Racing at El Sardinero are going to be a problem for anyone playing away there.

Villarreal's midfield rebuild has been a hotly discussed topic at Estadio de la Cerámica all summer. The departures of Dani Parejo and Thomas Partey left them short in numbers and experience, with it expected that a new arrival would arrive.

However, after a failed move for Luis Milla, and interest in Antonio Blanco and Azzedine Ounahi, Villarreal have stuck with their current options and promoted Carlos Macia and Alassane Diatta to the first team.

The lack of control at El Sardinero proved why Villarreal need another option. Macia came on in the second half and was tidy in possession, but they were still carved open repeatedly.

It was Inigo Perez's first game in charge, and while it was clear to see that Villarreal would aim to play higher and press more intensely, there were some adjustment issues.

"We needed to be better in our build-up play and pressing," Perez stated after the game.

Midfield was an issue against more intense sides in the Champions League last season, and the same problems were on display at Racing. It is clear that more legs are needed in the middle, if Villarreal are to maintain control against this type of opposition.

Levante were second-best all over the pitch as they were convincingly beaten by Espanyol. Weak at the back, dominated in midfield and indecisive upfront.

It was a poor evening for Luis Castro's side, but there was one historical silver lining.

Academy defender Marc Santos came on for his LaLiga debut. Why is this significant, you ask?

He's just 15 years old.

Santos became the third-youngest player in LaLiga history as he replaced Ivan Romero, and it may not be the last time we see him this season.

With Levante struggling to register all of their players, they may need to turn to their academy out of necessity.

Carlos Espi saved them from relegation last season, with the academy at La Granota again proving to be useful, and it may need to play a similar role again this season as Castro faces another tough campaign near the bottom of the table.