La Liga Roundup: Getafe Shock Celta, Espanyol Stun Atletico, Athletic Edge Sevilla
Synopsis
The first Sunday of the 2025/26 La Liga season saw Getafe defeat Celta Vigo 2-0, Athletic Club win a 3-2 thriller against Sevilla, and Espanyol complete a dramatic 2-1 comeback against Atletico Madrid.
The first Sunday of the 2025/26 La Liga campaign delivered drama and excitement, featuring three memorable matches across Spain.
Getafe Ruin Celta Vigo’s Return to Europe (Celta Vigo 0-2 Getafe)
Fresh from their European qualification last season, Celta Vigo stumbled out of the gate at home against Getafe. After a cagey opening half, Getafe broke the deadlock soon after the interval—Christantus Uche broke free from midfield and calmly set up Adrian Liso, who scored on his debut. Uche then turned from provider to scorer, racing past the Celta defense in the 72nd minute and finishing smartly past Ionuț Radu to seal all three points for Getafe.
Athletic Club Edge Five-Goal Thriller Against Sevilla (Athletic Club 3-2 Sevilla)
In Bilbao, Athletic Club kicked off their season with a nail-biting win over Sevilla. Nico Williams opened the scoring from the penalty spot and celebrated with the fans after opting to stay at San Mames. The winger soon created the second, delivering a deflected cross that Maroan Sannadi finished from close range. Sevilla pulled themselves back into contention after halftime—Dodi Lukebakio scored on the hour, and Lucien Agoume struck an equalizer. But the home crowd’s nerves were settled late as Robert Navarro netted a decisive winner for Athletic.
Espanyol Stun Atletico Madrid With Late Turnaround (Espanyol 2-1 Atletico Madrid)
Atletico Madrid’s revamped squad, under Diego Simeone, were dealt a shock in Barcelona by Espanyol’s late surge. Early on, both teams traded chances with Jan Oblak and Marko Dmitrovic producing fine saves to keep the match level. The visitors appeared to have the game under control after a brilliant free-kick put Atletico ahead before halftime. However, Espanyol refused to surrender—Miguel Rubio poked home an equalizer, and with the clock winding down, Pere Milla soared to head in a dramatic winner, handing Espanyol a thrilling comeback victory.