LaLiga Matchday 18 Roundup

Last Updated on January 5, 2026 1:11 pm by Erwin Noguera

LaLiga’s first matchday of 2026 saw Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two teams at the top of the table, pick up wins, while changes unfolded elsewhere.

Barcelona were made to work for it but ultimately claimed victory in the derby against Espanyol, winning 0-2 with two late goals. Real Madrid, meanwhile, had no trouble thrashing Real Betis 5–1, powered by a hat trick from Gonzalo García.

Atlético Madrid dropped out of third place after drawing 1–1 with Real Sociedad, a result compounded by Villarreal’s 1-3 win away at Elche.

In the relegation battle, Girona won a crucial matchup against Mallorca 2-1 to climb out of the drop zone, pushing Valencia into it after they suffered a heavy 4– 1 defeat to Celta.

At Gambyl Exchange, you can explore all the predictions for the LaLiga EA Sports, the final bets for this matchday, and the odds for each match.

LaLiga Matchday 18: Games

LaLiga Matchday 18: Celta vs. Valencia

Celta moved closer to the European qualification spots while pushing Valencia into the relegation zone after defeating them 4–1.

The match could have started in Valencia’s favor, but Pepelu’s penalty in the seventh minute struck the post. Borja Iglesias made no mistake later on, giving his side the lead in a similar fashion in the 33rd minute.

‘Panda’ Iglesias struck again in the 59th minute, this time simply tapping the ball in after a pass from Pablo Durán.

Valencia briefly got back into the match in the 70th minute when Pepelu took advantage of a poor clearance and fired a shot from outside the box to make it 2–1.

There were a few tense moments, but in the 83rd minute, Jones El-Abdellaoui won the ball in midfield, drove forward, and finished one-on-one with the goalkeeper to make it 3–1.

The final score was sealed by Hugo Álvarez in stoppage time (90+4’), with a low shot inside the box that tucked in off the post.

With the win, Celta move up to seventh place, just two points behind sixth-place Real Betis in the Conference League spots. Valencia, meanwhile, dropped to 18th with 16 points, falling into the relegation zone.

Result: Celta 4-1 Valencia

LaLiga Matchday 18: Espanyol vs. Barcelona

With a towering performance from Joan García and a brilliant display by Fermín López, Barcelona defeated Espanyol 0-2 in the Catalan derby to maintain their four-point lead at the top of the table.

The Barça goalkeeper, formerly of Espanyol, was the standout of the night, making six crucial saves. It was a difficult match for the visitors, who only managed to break through in the closing minutes.

The opener came in the 86th minute, when Fermín turned sharply, beat his marker with quality, and laid the ball off to Dani Olmo, who struck it first time with great class, leaving the opposing goalkeeper rooted in place with a beautiful finish.

The second goal arrived in the 90th minute, as Fermín broke down the right flank and cut the ball back for Robert Lewandowski, who finished superbly with a delicate chip over Marko Dmitrović.

With the win, Barcelona now sit on 49 points, four ahead of Real Madrid, while Espanyol remain fifth with 33 points.

Result: Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona

LaLiga Matchday 18: Real Madrid vs. Real Betis

On a night to remember for Gonzalo García, Real Madrid cruised to a 5–1 victory over Real Betis, keeping themselves firmly in the title race in LaLiga.

The 21-year-old striker recorded his first hat trick in the top flight, and it was the first time he had ever scored more than once in a single match. His opening goal came in the 20th minute, heading home from a Rodrygo free kick.

Early in the second half, in the 50th minute, Federico Valverde played a precise pass to García, who controlled it with his chest and fired a first-time, curling shot from outside the box to score a spectacular goal.

Another young talent, Raúl Asencio, made it 3–0 in the 56th minute with a header from a corner taken by Rodrygo.

Betis pulled one back in the 66th minute when Cucho Hernández received a pass from Aitor Ruibal, rounded Thibaut Courtois twice, and finished calmly to make it 3–1.

Gonzalo completed his hat trick in the 82nd minute with yet another brilliant finish, this time with a backheel after a cross from Arda Güler. The final 5–1 came in stoppage time, once again from a Valverde cross, this time finding Fran García, who arrived unmarked and scored his first league goal since May 11, 2024.

Real Madrid sit second with 45 points, four behind Barcelona, while Betis remain sixth with 28 points.

Result: Real Madrid 5-1 Real Betis

LaLiga Matchday 18: Real Sociedad vs. Atlético Madrid

Real Sociedad and Atlético Madrid were unable to separate themselves, settling for a 1–1 draw in a result that did little to help either side.

The Basque team was the better side, especially in the first half, creating several chances and believing they had taken the lead in the final play before halftime. However, Alexander Sørloth’s own goal was ruled out for offside.

Ironically, it was the Norwegian, formerly a Real Sociedad striker, who opened the scoring in the 50th minute with a header.

The visitors’ joy was short-lived, as just five minutes later Gonçalo Guedes received a pass from Takefusa Kubo and finished well to level the match at 1–1.

Both teams had opportunities to take the lead, but the game ended in a draw. Atlético Madrid dropped to fourth place with 38 points, while Real Sociedad sits 15th with 18 points.

Result: Real Sociedad 1-1 Atlético Madrid