Atletico vs Malaga: Shocking H2H Stats Decoded Before Kickoff
La Liga Table After the First Weekend: A Simple Guide
What Is This Table?
Imagine a scoreboard for a whole league of soccer teams. This table shows how all 20 teams in La Liga (Spain’s top soccer league) are doing after the first few games of the season.
Think of it like a classroom leaderboard – but instead of test scores, we track wins, goals, and points!
How to Read the Table (ELI5 Version)
| Column | What It Means |
|---|---|
| P (Played) | How many games the team has played so far |
| W (Won) | Games they won (3 points each!) |
| D (Drawn) | Games that ended in a tie (1 point each) |
| L (Lost) | Games they lost (0 points) |
| GF (Goals For) | How many goals they scored |
| GA (Goals Against) | How many goals they let in |
| GD (Goal Difference) | GF minus GA – like a "goal score" |
| Pts (Points) | Total points (Win=3, Draw=1, Loss=0) |
Important: Teams are ranked by Points first, then Goal Difference if points are tied.
The Current Standings – Broken Down
Top of the Table (3 Points Each)
These teams won their first game and kept a clean sheet (didn’t concede):
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Espanyol | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | Alavés | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 3 | Sevilla | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
Fun Fact: Espanyol and Alavés both won 3-0! Sevilla won 2-1.
Middle Pack (1 Point Each)
These teams drew their first game (tied):
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Racing Santander | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Villarreal | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Deportivo La Coruña | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Elche | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Atlético Madrid | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Málaga | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Note: Atlético Madrid and Málaga played a 0-0 draw – no goals at all!
Haven’t Played Yet (0 Points)
These 8 teams haven’t played their first match yet:
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Athletic Bilbao | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Barcelona | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Celta Vigo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Osasuna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Real Betis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Real Madrid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Real Sociedad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Valencia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Why haven’t they played? Sometimes big teams (like Barcelona & Real Madrid) play later due to European competitions or scheduling.
Bottom of the Table (0 Points, 1 Loss Each)
These teams lost their first game:
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Rayo Vallecano | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 19 | Levante | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| 20 | Getafe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
Quick Summary Stats
- Total games played so far: 9 out of 20 teams have played
- Total goals scored in played games: 13 goals
- Biggest wins: Espanyol & Alavés (3-0)
- Only goalless draw: Atlético Madrid vs Málaga (0-0)
- Teams yet to play: 8 teams (including Barcelona & Real Madrid!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are Barcelona and Real Madrid at the bottom with 0 points?
A: They haven’t played their first game yet! The table sorts by points, so teams with 0 points and 0 games played appear below teams who have played and drawn (1 point).
Q: What happens next?
A: The remaining 8 teams will play their first matches soon. The table will change a lot after every weekend!
Q: Why is Espanyol #1 and Alavés #2 if they both have 3 points and +3 goal difference?
A: When teams are completely tied (points, goal difference, goals scored), leagues use tiebreakers like alphabetical order, head-to-head, or fair play points. Here, Espanyol is listed first.
Q: What does "Form" mean in the last column?
A: It shows the last 6 results (oldest first). W = Win, D = Draw, L = Loss. Most teams only have 1 result so far!
Q: Can a team with 0 points still win the league?
A: Absolutely! It’s only game 1. There are 37 more games to play. Last season’s champions often drop points early.
Key Takeaways
- It’s very early – only 9 teams have played!
- Espanyol & Alavés look strong with 3-0 wins
- Big teams (Barça, Real Madrid) haven’t kicked off yet
- Goal difference matters – it’s the tiebreaker
- Everything changes after the next round of games
Remember: A league is a marathon, not a sprint. This table will look completely different in a month!
Data sourced from BBC Sport La Liga table. Standings reflect matches played as of the first weekend.