During the second international break of the season, we thought it was an opportune moment to examine the statistics and intriguing details from the first two months of the La Liga campaign. From remarkable beginnings that set new records to clubs attempting to make up lost ground, and young talents making a significant impact, to a veteran player returning to his roots, continue reading to uncover the insights that narrate the story of the current season.
1. Jude Bellingham for Real Madrid
Jude Bellingham’s performance at Real Madrid in La Liga has been nothing short of extraordinary. He’s found the back of the net eight times in his first eight league games for the club, a feat that no Madrid player has achieved in this century. Bellingham’s versatility and change in playing style, moving closer to a number 10 role, have allowed him to match the eight league goals he scored throughout the entire 2022-23 season with Borussia Dortmund.
Comparatively, even the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo only managed seven goals in his first eight La Liga matches for Madrid. The only player this century to achieve eight goals in fewer games than Bellingham is Robert Lewandowski, who accomplished this with nine goals in just six games for Barcelona. Bellingham’s impact is truly remarkable.
2. Lamine Yamal for Barcelona
Lamine Yamal, at the age of 16 years and 38 days on August 20th, achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the youngest player to start a La Liga game in the 21st century when he was named in Barcelona’s lineup against Cádiz.
But that’s just the beginning of his incredible journey. This Barça prodigy not only broke the record previously held by Fabrice Olinga (16 years, 112 days) from 2012 when he started against Cádiz but also set a few other records. At the age of 16 years and 45 days, he provided the assist for Gavi’s goal in the 4-3 victory over Villarreal, making him the youngest player this century to register an assist in La Liga. Furthermore, on October 8th, he scored a goal in the 2-2 draw with Granada, becoming the youngest goalscorer in La Liga in the 21st century at just 16 years and 87 days.
Lamine Yamal’s emergence from La Masia is a testament to the treasure trove of talent at Barcelona, and he’s an exciting addition to the team as a winger.
3. Assane Diao for Real Betis
On October 1st, at the age of 18 years and 24 days, Assane Diao of Real Betis achieved a significant milestone. He became the youngest player to score in each of his first two La Liga starts in the 21st century, surpassing the previous record held by Markel Susaeta (19 years and 275 days) in 2007 for Athletic Bilbao.
Lamine Yamal is not the only young talent making waves in La Liga. Assane Diao, who was born in Senegal but represents Spain at the youth level, has made a breakthrough into the first team at Benito Villamarín this season. His raw technical skills have been impressive, drawing the attention of clubs like Liverpool.
Despite having only played three times in La Liga, Diao has already netted a couple of goals in his first two starts. His first goal was a stunning long-range strike against Granada, and the second was a well-placed close-range finish in the match against Valencia. At just 18 years old, he’s a player worth keeping an eye on for the future.
4. Girona
Girona made history during Matchday 8 when they found themselves at the top of La Liga for the first time ever. As they entered the international break, they had accumulated an impressive 22 points after nine games, which is their highest point total at this stage of a top-flight season.
Their current campaign is truly remarkable. Not only are they playing attractive and entertaining football, but they’ve also discovered a potential superstar in Sávio, often referred to as Savinho. Despite losing their top position to Real Madrid with a 3-0 defeat just before the international break, Girona still sits in second place, just one point ahead of Barcelona.
It’s worth noting that of the last 12 teams to have amassed 22 points at this stage of a La Liga season, only one team, Sevilla in the 2014-15 season, failed to finish the campaign in the top three. Girona, a club that had never been in the top flight before the 2017-18 season, seems to be on a path that could lead them to European competitions.
5. Atletico Madrid
At the close of August, Atlético Madrid achieved a historic milestone by securing their biggest away victory in La Liga history when they dismantled Rayo Vallecano with a resounding 7-0 victory in Vallecas.
While they might not be commanding the same level of attention as Real Madrid, Barcelona, or even Girona, Atlético Madrid has quietly embarked on a very promising start to the 2023-24 season. The standout moment thus far was their dominant triumph against Rayo, marking the heaviest home defeat ever suffered by Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
Atlético currently holds the fourth position in La Liga, trailing Barcelona by just two points but with a game in hand. They have also clinched victories in each of their last five matches in all competitions, underlining their solid form.
6. Sergio Ramos for Sevilla
Sergio Ramos has made a noteworthy return to Sevilla after leaving the club in 2005 to join Real Madrid. Remarkably, there were 18 years and 20 days between his last appearance in his first spell at Sevilla and his second debut.
Ramos, who came through the youth ranks during a prosperous period for Sevilla’s academy, went on to have an incredibly successful career with Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. He established himself as arguably one of the greatest defenders in the history of the sport.
His relationship with his hometown club Sevilla and their supporters has been complex over the years, ranging from challenging times to moments of toxicity. Nonetheless, he made a somewhat surprising return to his roots after departing from Paris Saint-Germain, aiming to mend those relationships.
Since his return, Ramos has featured in four matches. Sevilla managed to secure a victory in one of those games, but he had the misfortune of scoring an own goal against Barcelona last month, which ultimately sealed a 1-0 victory in favor of the Catalans.
7. Sevilla
Sevilla has encountered a challenging start to the 2023-24 La Liga season. They suffered three consecutive losses at the beginning of the campaign, a first in the club’s history. Furthermore, they’ve accumulated their third-worst points total after eight matches.
While they have managed to gather eight points in total, only in two previous seasons, specifically in 2002-03 with seven points and 2022-23 with six points, have they had fewer points after eight games.
Additionally, this season marked the first time since 2016-17 that Sevilla failed to secure a victory in any of their first three away league games. Their coach, José Luis Mendilibar, lost his job following a disappointing start, particularly after a 2-2 home draw with Rayo Vallecano. This decision came despite his achievements in steering the team clear of relegation and defying expectations by winning the UEFA Europa League in the previous season.
To lead the team forward, the club has appointed Diego Alonso, a former Valencia and Atlético forward, who most recently served as Uruguay’s coach at the 2022 World Cup.
8. Almeria
Almería has faced a challenging start to the 2023-24 La Liga season, as they have yet to secure a victory in their first nine matches. Of the last 10 teams that went winless in their first nine games during a season, only two managed to avoid relegation.
This season has been a peculiar one for Almería, and they might rightfully believe that their current position in the La Liga table doesn’t reflect their performance accurately. Nevertheless, they currently find themselves at the bottom of the table and appear destined for a relegation battle.
In terms of historical precedent, Almería is the 11th team since the 2011-12 season to endure such an inauspicious start to the season. Of the previous 10 teams with this kind of start, eight were ultimately relegated. However, Almería was one of the two teams that managed to recover, finishing the 2013-14 campaign just one point above the bottom three.
When examining their expected points based on expected goals (xG) and expected goals against (xG against) from their matches this season, Almería should theoretically be placed nine positions higher in the league table. This suggests that, in terms of performance, they’ve been somewhat unlucky. Celta Vigo and Deportivo Alavés might share a similar sentiment when analyzing their performances this season.
9. Bryan Zaragoza for Granada
Bryan Zaragoza has been a standout performer in La Liga this season, already notching five goals. Remarkably, only one player has scored more in the first nine games of a season for a promoted team as far back as Opta’s available data goes, which is since the 2001-02 season.
The 22-year-old, known for his talent and agility as a young winger, has made an exciting and successful transition to the top flight of Spanish football. His recent performance against Barcelona where he scored twice in a 2-2 draw stands out. The first goal was a powerful finish across Marc-André ter Stegen, and the second was a cleverly poked finish after skillfully maneuvering past Jules Koundé.
As a result of his impressive displays, Zaragoza received a late call-up to Spain’s senior national team, and he made his debut in a 2-0 Euro 2024 qualifying win over Scotland. His five goals this season are a notable achievement, with only Mate Bilić (scoring six goals) for Sporting Gijón in the 2008-09 season surpassing that total for a promoted club in the first nine matchdays since 2001-02.
10. La Liga’s Prolonged Matches and Limited Ball-in-Play Time in 2023-24 Season
In the 2023-24 season, La Liga matches have the longest average duration among the top five European leagues. However, they also have the lowest percentage of ball-in-play time compared to the other elite competitions.
The concept of ball-in-play time has gained significant attention in recent years, particularly this season, with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) introducing new directives aimed at reducing time-wasting. The goal is to maximize the actual time dedicated to football within the regulation 90 minutes, minimizing delays like waiting for goal-kicks or throw-ins.
As a result, matches are lasting longer than ever before, and La Liga games have the longest average duration among the top five leagues. However, this doesn’t necessarily translate to La Liga fans getting the most active football action for their viewing experience. In fact, in the 2023-24 season, La Liga has the lowest ball-in-play percentage among the top five leagues, with just 53.5% of the match being active play on average.
