| Match | Date | UK (BST) | CEST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 9 October | |||
| Málaga vs Espanyol | 9 Oct | 8:00pm | 9:00pm |
| Saturday 10 October | |||
| Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Club | 10 Oct | 1:00pm | 2:00pm |
| Deportivo Alavés vs Atlético Madrid | 10 Oct | 3:15pm | 4:15pm |
| Barcelona vs Getafe | 10 Oct | 5:30pm | 6:30pm |
| Real Madrid vs Villarreal | 10 Oct | 8:00pm | 9:00pm |
| Sunday 11 October | |||
| Elche vs Celta Vigo | 11 Oct | 1:00pm | 2:00pm |
| Real Sociedad vs Deportivo A Coruña | 11 Oct | 3:15pm | 4:15pm |
| Real Betis vs Osasuna | 11 Oct | 5:30pm | 6:30pm |
| Racing Santander vs Valencia | 11 Oct | 8:00pm | 9:00pm |
| Monday 12 October | |||
| Levante vs Sevilla | 12 Oct | 8:00pm | 9:00pm |
Real Madrid vs Villarreal
🕗 Saturday 8:00pm UK (9:00pm CEST) — Match of the day- The story: Saturday night at the Bernabéu, confirmed by the club's official October schedule as Matchday 8. Madrid sit fourth after seven games — five wins, two defeats, 18 scored and eight conceded — while Villarreal arrive ninth on eight points, having conceded in each of their last seven outings.
- Talking point: this is a serious test. Madrid beat Villarreal 3–1 at this same ground last October and 2–0 the year before, but the Yellow Submarine carry real attacking threat — and Madrid host Roma in the Champions League just four days later, so rotation risk is genuine.
- Key battle: Madrid's front line against a Villarreal defence that keeps conceding — the hosts will want the game wrapped up early so they can manage legs ahead of Europe.
Deportivo Alavés vs Atlético Madrid
🕒 Saturday 3:15pm UK (4:15pm CEST)- The story: a classic Simeone away day — Alavés at Mendizorrotza, one of Spain's toughest road trips. Recent head-to-head meetings heavily favour Atlético, who have won 11 of the last 18 against Alavés to the hosts' two.
- Talking point: pre-weekend reports flagged fitness doubts around Julián Álvarez (muscle problem) and Pablo Barrios, with Alexander Sørloth only recently back in training — while Alavés are without Facundo Garcés and Mikel Rodríguez through long-term knee injuries. Squad depth could decide this one.
- Key battle: Alavés's physical, high-energy home game against Atlético's set-piece power — expect a stop-start, one-goal-in-it kind of afternoon.
Barcelona vs Getafe
🕠 Saturday 5:30pm UK (6:30pm CEST)- The story: the leaders' weekend test at the Camp Nou — Barça's free-flowing attack against Getafe's famously organised low block. This is the game the champions cannot afford to sleepwalk through, with El Clásico on the horizon later this month.
- Talking point: Getafe are built to frustrate the big sides — if Barça don't score in the first 25 minutes, the crowd gets restless and the visitors grow in belief.
- Key battle: Barça's wide play stretching Getafe's compact lines — the first goal changes everything in this fixture.
Málaga vs Espanyol
🕗 Friday 8:00pm UK (9:00pm CEST)- The story: the weekend opens at La Rosaleda, where promoted Málaga are still hunting their first La Liga win of the season — just three points from five matches, with only two goals scored.
- Talking point: Espanyol have started far better, with seven points from six games and nine goals scored. Málaga's blunt attack is the worry; if the visitors score first, the home crowd could turn anxious fast.
- Key battle: Málaga's desperation and home energy against Espanyol's superior firepower — this is the promoted side's best shot at three points.
Rest of Matchday 8 — our predictions
Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Club (Sat 1:00pm UK): a lively Vallecas opener — Rayo's intensity at home against Athletic's quality. Our prediction: Rayo 1–2 Athletic.
Elche vs Celta Vigo (Sun 1:00pm UK): two sides who love the ball, neither loving defending. Our prediction: Elche 1–1 Celta.
Real Sociedad vs Deportivo A Coruña (Sun 3:15pm UK): La Real are strong at the Reale Arena; the promoted visitors will work hard but come up short. Our prediction: Real Sociedad 2–0 Deportivo A Coruña.
Real Betis vs Osasuna (Sun 5:30pm UK): Betis's attacking flair against Osasuna's stubbornness — expect goals and late drama at La Cartuja. Our prediction: Betis 2–1 Osasuna.
Racing Santander vs Valencia (Sun 8:00pm UK): the promoted hosts smell an opportunity, but Valencia's experience in tight games should tell. Our prediction: Racing 1–1 Valencia.
Levante vs Sevilla (Mon 8:00pm UK): Monday night in Valencia — Sevilla's squad depth should edge a Monday-night grind. Our prediction: Levante 1–2 Sevilla.
How to follow legally
Watch through your country's official La Liga broadcast partner — LaLigaTV in the UK, Movistar LaLiga and Orange TV in Spain, DAZN in select markets — and catch highlights on the clubs' official channels. For always-legal free sports viewing options, see our Sports Live TV page — and track every kick with live scores, auto-refreshed every 60 seconds.
All fixtures, dates and kickoff times sourced from ESPN's La Liga scoreboard API; league positions and head-to-head notes from published season coverage. Predictions are editorial opinion for entertainment only — football is gloriously unpredictable, and that's why we love it.