A perfect Saturday for the two giants of Spanish soccer. FC Barcelona routed Getafe 3-0 at Spotify Camp Nou, and Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu in matches corresponding to Matchday 8 of La Liga.
Barça’s performance is already historic. Hansi Flick’s team sealed the victory with goals from Anthony Gordon in the 2nd minute, Gabriel Jesus in the 30th minute, and Jules Koundé in the 73rd minute—the latter coming off an assist from Lamine Yamal. The victory leaves the Culés with 24 points out of a possible 24—the best league start in the club’s history—and with nine wins in nine official matches this season, including the Champions League.
The match had several notable aspects. Gordon opened his scoring account as a Barça player—he had just scored three goals for England during the international break—and Gabriel Jesus started in place of the injured Raphinha. Flick also rotated his lineup with an eye toward what’s ahead: neither Pedri, Cubarsí, nor Fermín started, and even so, Barça dominated with 83% possession.
On the other side, Madrid secured a hard-fought victory. Los Blancos beat Villarreal 1-0 at the Bernabéu. The only goal was scored by Diomande—his first since joining the club—following a through ball from Valverde; the assistant referee initially ruled it offside, but VAR overturned the decision, and the goal stood.
The closing minutes were dramatic. Vinícius was shown a red card in the final minutes, and Madrid had to hold on with one man down against a Villarreal side that kept pushing for the equalizer until the final whistle. Three crucial points for Madrid, who remain hot on the heels of the league leader.
The schedule adds some spice to what’s coming up: FC Barcelona faces away matches against Galatasaray, Betis, and PSG before the Clásico on October 25 against Real Madrid. The Catalans head into that match as unbeatable leaders; Real Madrid, as a challenger that knows how to endure and win. LaLiga is more alive than ever.
