Barcelona Hit Five, Real Madrid Cruise as Perfect Starts Set Up Early Title Race
Barcelona responded to Real Madrid’s 4-0 demolition of Málaga with a 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano as Spain’s big two finished Matchday 3 with perfect records, while Atlético Madrid, Alavés and Osasuna kept themselves firmly in the early-season conversation.
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The opening weeks of the 2026/27 La Liga season are already beginning to produce a familiar battle at the top.
Barcelona brought Matchday 3 to a spectacular conclusion on Monday night, recovering from an early setback to beat Rayo Vallecano 5-2 at the Spotify Camp Nou and join Real Madrid on nine points from three matches.
The result completed a goal-filled round in which Real Madrid thrashed Málaga 4-0, Atlético Madrid recorded an impressive 3-1 victory away to Sevilla and Levante produced perhaps the shock result of the weekend by dismantling Real Betis 5-2.
With three rounds played, Barcelona and Real Madrid have both taken maximum points, while Atlético Madrid, Alavés and Osasuna sit immediately behind them on seven points.
Barcelona 5-2 Rayo Vallecano: Raphinha and Lamine turn on the style
Barcelona were made to work considerably harder than the final scoreline suggests.
Rayo stunned the Camp Nou when Sergio Camello opened the scoring after just 11 minutes, finishing a counterattack to give the visitors an unexpected lead.
Barcelona's response was emphatic.
Raphinha equalised in the 18th minute before Lamine Yamal completed the turnaround just two minutes later with a superb left-footed finish.
Barça dominated the remainder of the first half but went into the interval only 2-1 ahead despite recording 73% possession and 17 attempts.
Florian Lejeune's own goal extended the advantage shortly after halftime, but Rayo refused to disappear. Camello struck again in the 58th minute to make it 3-2 and briefly reopen the contest.
Raphinha eventually restored Barcelona's two-goal cushion in the 70th minute after an assist from Anthony Gordon before Lamine completed his brace in the 89th minute to make it 5-2.
Raphinha's double took him to five league goals and the top of the early La Liga scoring chart, while Gordon registered his third assist in Barcelona's opening three league matches.
For Hansi Flick, the result maintained Barcelona's 100% start: three matches, three victories and nine points.
Real Madrid 4-0 Málaga: Mourinho's Madrid remain perfect
Real Madrid had thrown down the gauntlet 24 hours earlier with a commanding 4-0 victory over newly promoted Málaga at the Santiago Bernabéu.
José Mourinho made five changes to his starting XI, but there was little disruption to Madrid's rhythm.
Jude Bellingham produced a brilliant individual effort to open the scoring before an own goal from Málaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero doubled Madrid's advantage.
Kylian Mbappé then effectively killed the contest inside the opening half-hour, meeting an excellent Trent Alexander-Arnold delivery to make it 3-0.
Madrid eased off after establishing their commanding advantage, although Bellingham struck the post as he searched for another.
Arda Güler eventually supplied the fourth in stoppage time following a move involving Vinícius Júnior, completing another convincing performance from Mourinho's side.
Madrid have therefore taken nine points from their opening three matches, matching Barcelona's perfect start and ensuring the two giants have already separated themselves slightly from much of the field.
Sevilla 1-3 Atlético Madrid: Atleti keep pace
Atlético Madrid ensured the leading pair cannot afford to look too far ahead with an impressive 3-1 victory over Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.
The result took Atlético to seven points from their opening three matches and left them just two points behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.
For Diego Simeone's side, taking three points from one of the league's traditionally difficult away grounds represents an important early statement.
Atlético remain unbeaten and, after three matches, are firmly attached to the leading group.
Levante 5-2 Real Betis: The shock of the weekend
If there was one scoreline that demanded a second look, it came at the Ciutat de València.
Levante tore Real Betis apart 5-2 in one of Matchday 3's most entertaining encounters.
Levante led through Adrián de la Fuente and Enzo Bardeli, while Marc Bartra gave Betis hope before halftime.
The hosts then exploded after the break.
Roger Brugué scored twice and Jon Ander Olasagasti added another in stoppage time as Levante completed a five-goal performance. Rodrigo Riquelme scored Betis' other goal.
It was an extraordinary attacking display and easily one of the standout results of the young season.
Deportivo 3-1 Valencia: Nightmare start continues for Los Che
Deportivo La Coruña's encouraging return to the top flight continued with a 3-1 victory over Valencia at Riazor.
The newly promoted side remain unbeaten through their opening three games, while Valencia are moving in the opposite direction.
Valencia have collected only one point from their first three matches, losing twice, and finish the round hovering dangerously close to the relegation places.
For Deportivo, however, seven points from their opening three matches represents an excellent start to life back among Spain's elite.
Celta Vigo 0-2 Athletic Club: Bilbao finally get going
Athletic Club secured their first points of the campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Celta Vigo.
It was a badly needed result for Athletic after a difficult opening to the season.
Celta's struggles continued, with the Galician club left on just one point after three matches.
Real Sociedad 2-1 Espanyol
Real Sociedad collected another valuable victory by edging Espanyol 2-1.
The result helped Sociedad maintain a solid start to the campaign and added another home victory to a weekend dominated by decisive results rather than draws.
Alavés 1-0 Villarreal: Early surprise package emerges
Alavés are quietly becoming one of the stories of the opening weeks.
Lucas Boyé scored the only goal as Alavés defeated Villarreal 1-0, preserving their unbeaten start.
They have now collected seven points from three matches while conceding just once, putting them level with Atlético Madrid and Osasuna in the chasing pack.
For Villarreal, defeat at Mendizorroza represents an early setback against a side increasingly showing that its strong opening may be more than a temporary burst of form.
Racing Santander 3-2 Elche: Zahiri hat-trick lights up Friday
Matchday 3 began with fireworks.
Racing Santander defeated Elche 3-2 in a five-goal encounter, with Yassir Zahiri producing the individual performance of the game.
The Moroccan striker scored a remarkable first-half hat-trick inside 15 minutes to put Racing in control.
Elche responded with two quick second-half goals and turned what appeared a comfortable Racing victory into a tense finish, but the hosts held on for all three points.
Osasuna 1-0 Getafe
Before Barcelona took centre stage on Monday, Osasuna continued their excellent opening to the campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Getafe.
Ante Budimir scored immediately after halftime to settle the contest at El Sadar.
The victory moved Osasuna onto seven points from three matches, keeping them alongside Atlético Madrid and Alavés among the early challengers behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.