Barcelona’s five‑goal thrashing and Atletico’s tense draw set the tone for La Liga’s opening weekend

Barcelona opened their La Liga campaign with a 5-0 victory over Elche at the Martinez Valero stadium, while Atletico Madrid managed a 2-2 draw with Villarreal despite a red card for defender Robin Le Normand.

Barcelona’s dominant opening

New manager Hansi Flick fielded several regulars on the bench as his side settled after the World Cup. Teen winger Lamine Yamal started on the right but was a quiet presence, yet the team’s overall performance left little doubt of their intent.

Five goals against this team is good, Elche play fantastic football, we are really happy that we won 5-0, three points, this is a fantastic start for us.

Brazilian forward Raphinha, now the number nine after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, opened the scoring from the penalty spot after being fouled by Victor Chust. Karim Adeyemi added a second before the break, finishing a pass from Raphinha.

In the second half, former Newcastle United winger Gordon (substituted on) supplied Raphinha for his second goal and set up Lopez for the fourth. A late strike from Lopez sealed the win, prompting the striker to say he was “excited to start the season well”. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia kept a clean sheet despite the high line occasionally showing its usual frailty.

Atletico Madrid’s uneasy draw

At the Metropolitano stadium, Giuliano Simeone gave his side the lead with a long‑range effort before the hour mark. Gerard Moreno equalised from the spot after a clumsy challenge on Tajon Buchanan, and Georges Mikautadze later restored Villarreal’s advantage from a penalty after a shove on him by Le Normand.

Coach Diego Simeone introduced Julian Alvarez as a second‑half substitute, prompting a chorus of boos from the home crowd. The Argentine forward walked out of the tunnel alone after the final whistle, reflecting the tension surrounding his future at the club.

Goalkeeper Jan Oblak defended the team’s position, stating the squad must stay united while Alvarez remains in the squad. Alex Baena later set up Giuliano for a late goal that secured the draw.

Elsewhere, Getafe edged Racing Santander 1-0 thanks to a late strike from Enes Unal.

What’s next

Barcelona will look to build on their attacking display as they chase the title, while Elche must tighten up defensively to avoid a relegation battle. Atletico Madrid faces a crucial period of squad management, needing to resolve fan discontent over Alvarez and maintain points in upcoming fixtures. The early results hint at a tightly contested season where early momentum could prove decisive.