Laliga Matchday 5 did more than produce 29 goals across 10 matches. It created the first clear gap at the top, confirmed Real Betis as an early contender, gave Real Madrid an immediate response to defeat and extended Deportivo La Coruña’s unbeaten return to the top flight.
Barcelona finished the round with a perfect 15 points from five matches after beating Levante 4-2. Real Madrid and Real Betis are both on 12 points, while Atlético Madrid, Sevilla and Alavés are on 10. Deportivo remain unbeaten on nine points.
Rather than simply repeating the scorelines already covered in our daily reports, this Laliga Matchday 5 highlights review focuses on what actually changed because of the round: the title-race picture, momentum swings, standout players, emerging concerns and the biggest trends worth carrying into Matchday 6.
Laliga Matchday 5 Results
Matchday 5 was played from September 11 to September 14, 2026. Seven matches produced a winner and three finished level.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 11 | Sevilla vs Valencia | 1-0 |
| Sep 12 | Racing Santander vs Alavés | 2-1 |
| Sep 12 | Osasuna vs Espanyol | 0-2 |
| Sep 12 | Athletic Club vs Elche | 1-1 |
| Sep 12 | Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano | 4-1 |
| Sep 13 | Celta Vigo vs Málaga | 1-1 |
| Sep 13 | Levante vs Barcelona | 2-4 |
| Sep 13 | Getafe vs Deportivo La Coruña | 1-1 |
| Sep 13 | Real Sociedad vs Atlético Madrid | 0-3 |
| Sep 14 | Villarreal vs Real Betis | 1-2 |
For the match-by-match detail, see our result reports from September 11, September 12, September 13 and September 14.
Seven Things Matchday 5 Changed
1. Barcelona Have Created the First Real Gap at the Top
Barcelona’s 4-2 win at Levante made them the only team to reach 15 points from five matches. That matters more than the perfect record alone: the champions now have a three-point advantage over Real Madrid and Real Betis.
The victory was not completely comfortable. Barcelona led 3-0 through Xavi Espart and a Lamine Yamal brace, but Levante scored twice late to make it 3-2 before Karim Adeyemi settled the match in stoppage time.
The early title race therefore has its first visible separation. Barcelona have been perfect, but the way Levante pushed them late also showed that the leaders are not untouchable.
2. Real Madrid Recovered Immediately — but Still Lost Ground Across Two Rounds
Real Madrid answered their Matchday 4 defeat to Betis with a convincing 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, while Álvaro Carreras and Jude Bellingham were also on target.
The response was exactly what Madrid needed, but the wider picture remains important. Barcelona won again, so Madrid still ended Matchday 5 three points behind the leaders.
Mbappé and Yamal both scored twice during the round, keeping their individual scoring battle closely tied to the title-race narrative. Follow the season-long comparison in our Lamine Yamal vs Mbappé Laliga goals tracker.
3. Real Betis Turned One Big Win Into a Genuine Early-Season Run
Beating Real Madrid in Matchday 4 could have been treated as a one-off statement. Winning again at Villarreal made the Betis story harder to dismiss.
Betis fell behind to Gerard Moreno, then changed the match in four minutes: Cucho Hernández equalised in the 39th minute before Natan scored in the 43rd. Álvaro Valles and the defence protected the 2-1 advantage after halftime.
The result moved Betis to 12 points from five matches, level with Real Madrid and only three behind Barcelona. More importantly, it showed a second way to win: after protecting a narrow lead against Madrid, Betis successfully came from behind away at Villarreal.
4. Atlético Madrid’s 3-0 Win Was Much More Dramatic Than the Scoreline Suggests
A 3-0 away win can look routine in a results list. Atlético’s victory at Real Sociedad was anything but routine.
The match was still 0-0 in the 83rd minute. Then Alejandro Grimaldo converted an 84th-minute penalty, Jonathan David scored in the 90th and Giuliano Simeone added a third in the 90+5th minute.
All three goals arrived in the final stages, turning a tight contest into one of the widest winning margins of the round. For Atlético, it was an important recovery from their 3-0 loss at Athletic Club in Matchday 4 and moved them to 10 points.
5. Deportivo’s Unbeaten Start Is Becoming More Than a Promotion Story
Deportivo did not win at Getafe, but their 1-1 draw preserved one of the season’s most interesting early records: the promoted club remain unbeaten after five matches and have nine points.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the equaliser in the 78th minute, meaning he has found the net in each of Deportivo’s first five league games of the season. That puts his start in rare historical company and gives Deportivo a reliable source of goals while they adjust to the top flight.
Read the full context in our feature on Aubameyang’s historic Laliga scoring start with Deportivo.
6. Racing Santander Ended Alavés’ Unbeaten Start and Changed the Surprise-Team Conversation
Alavés entered Matchday 5 unbeaten and coming off a 5-2 win over Osasuna, but Racing Santander stopped that momentum with a 2-1 comeback victory.
Ville Koski gave Alavés the lead, only for Yassir Zabiri to score twice for Racing. The hosts then had to protect the advantage after André Almeida was sent off in the 89th minute.
Alavés remain on 10 points and still have an excellent early-season position, but the result showed how quickly the surprise-team narrative can shift. Racing, meanwhile, moved to seven points and earned one of their most significant wins since returning to Laliga.
7. The Pressure Is Already Building for the Winless Teams
Matchday 5 also sharpened the contrast at the other end of the table. Villarreal lost again and remain on two points from five matches, while Valencia stayed on one point after losing 1-0 at Sevilla.
Celta and Málaga drew 1-1, meaning both are still searching for a first league victory. The season is still young, but the first five rounds have already created a meaningful gap between clubs building momentum and those still trying to establish it.
That makes the next set of fixtures more than routine early-season games. For several teams, Matchday 6 will already feel like a chance to prevent a difficult start from becoming a longer-term problem.
Biggest Matchday 5 Performers
- Lamine Yamal — Barcelona: Two goals in the 4-2 win at Levante as Barcelona moved to 15 points from five matches.
- Kylian Mbappé — Real Madrid: Two goals in the 4-1 win over Rayo, including the opener from the penalty spot and a stoppage-time second.
- Yassir Zabiri — Racing Santander: Scored twice to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win over previously unbeaten Alavés.
- Roberto Fernández — Espanyol: Two goals inside the opening 17 minutes decided the 2-0 win at Osasuna.
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — Deportivo: Scored again to preserve Deportivo’s unbeaten start and extend his own scoring run to five league matches.
- Natan — Real Betis: Scored the decisive goal at Villarreal after Betis had fallen behind, helping his side finish the round on 12 points.
For our rolling match-by-match selection, see the Laliga Player of the Match page.
Matchday 5 by the Numbers
- 29 goals were scored across the 10 matches.
- 7 matches produced a winner, while three ended in draws.
- Four players scored twice: Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Yassir Zabiri and Roberto Fernández.
- Barcelona collected 15 points from a possible 15 through the opening five league matches.
- Three Atlético Madrid goals arrived from the 84th minute onward in their 3-0 win at Real Sociedad.
- Two teams won after conceding first: Racing Santander against Alavés and Real Betis at Villarreal.
- Deportivo remained unbeaten after five matches, with Aubameyang scoring in all five.
Every Matchday 5 Result in One Sentence
Sevilla 1-0 Valencia
Juan Iglesias’ 81st-minute header gave Sevilla the win after David Otorbi had earlier hit the woodwork for Valencia.
Racing Santander 2-1 Alavés
Yassir Zabiri scored twice as Racing came from behind and then survived a late red card to end Alavés’ unbeaten start.
Osasuna 0-2 Espanyol
Roberto Fernández scored in the third and 17th minutes as Espanyol took control early and kept a clean sheet at El Sadar.
Athletic Club 1-1 Elche
Facundo Buonanotte put Elche ahead from the penalty spot before substitute Iñaki Williams equalised for Athletic in the 79th minute.
Real Madrid 4-1 Rayo Vallecano
Mbappé scored twice, with Álvaro Carreras and Jude Bellingham also on target, as Madrid responded emphatically to their Matchday 4 defeat.
Celta Vigo 1-1 Málaga
Ferran Jutglà gave Celta the lead before Adrián Niño’s 83rd-minute header earned Málaga a point.
Levante 2-4 Barcelona
Barcelona survived a late Levante fightback after a Yamal brace, with Adeyemi’s 90+3rd-minute goal finally securing a fifth straight league win.
Getafe 1-1 Deportivo
Ramón Terrats put Getafe ahead, but Aubameyang equalised to keep Deportivo unbeaten and continue his five-game scoring streak.
Real Sociedad 0-3 Atlético Madrid
Atlético scored all three goals after the 83rd minute through Grimaldo, Jonathan David and Giuliano Simeone.
Villarreal 1-2 Real Betis
Betis overturned Gerard Moreno’s opener before halftime through Cucho Hernández and Natan, then defended the lead to move onto 12 points.
Who Won and Lost Momentum in Matchday 5?
Biggest Momentum Gains
Barcelona strengthened their control of first place, Betis backed up the Real Madrid win with another important away victory, and Atlético produced the strongest possible late response to their Matchday 4 defeat.
Deportivo also deserve to be included despite drawing. Remaining unbeaten after five matches as a promoted side is already a meaningful achievement, especially with Aubameyang scoring every week.
Biggest Momentum Losses
Alavés lost their unbeaten record, while Villarreal and Valencia remain under pressure after another round without a win. The concern for both is no longer just one bad result; it is the growing gap between their start and the pace being set above them.
What Matchday 5 Sets Up Next
The immediate question going into the next round is whether Barcelona can keep converting their perfect start into a sustained lead. Real Madrid have shown they can respond, while Betis now have enough results to be treated as part of the early top-three conversation rather than a short-term surprise.
Atlético’s late surge in San Sebastián keeps them within range, and Deportivo’s unbeaten return adds another unexpected team to the upper half of the early table.
At the other end, Villarreal, Valencia, Celta and Málaga need wins to stop the opening weeks from defining their season too early.
Check the latest Laliga standings for the current table and our Laliga schedule for the next confirmed fixtures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sevilla beat Valencia 1-0, Racing Santander beat Alavés 2-1, Espanyol beat Osasuna 2-0, Athletic Club drew 1-1 with Elche, Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 4-1, Celta drew 1-1 with Málaga, Barcelona beat Levante 4-2, Getafe drew 1-1 with Deportivo, Atlético Madrid beat Real Sociedad 3-0 and Real Betis beat Villarreal 2-1.
Barcelona finished Matchday 5 with 15 points from five matches. Real Madrid and Real Betis are both on 12 points.
29 goals were scored across the 10 Matchday 5 fixtures.
No player scored a hat-trick. Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Yassir Zabiri and Roberto Fernández each scored twice during the round.
Yes. Aubameyang scored Deportivo’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Getafe, extending his scoring run to each of Deportivo’s first five Laliga matches of the season.
Atlético Madrid’s 3-0 away victory over Real Sociedad produced the biggest winning margin, although all three goals came from the 84th minute onward.
Continue the 2026/27 Laliga Matchday Series
- Laliga Matchday 5 Preview: Fixtures, Kick-Off Times & Key Matches
- Laliga Matchday 4 Highlights
- Laliga Results Yesterday
- Latest Laliga Standings
- Laliga Schedule 2026/27
- Laliga Matches Upcoming Today
Updated September 15, 2026: Matchday 5 is complete. Results, scorers and key events were cross-checked against the completed daily result reports and current league result sources.
