Sadiq, Chukwueze & a blockbuster weekend as last season’s top 6 face off

The teams who finished inside the top six last term face off against each other this game week led by champions Real Madrid who welcome fifth-placed side Real Betis to the Bernabéu.

Sixth-placed Real Sociedad, who just signed Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq, hosts third-placed Atlético Madrid and fourth-placed Sevilla FC play at home to runners-up FC Barcelona. 

Even beyond those mouth-watering matches, there are several tasty battles to whet your appetite starting with RC Celta at home to Cádiz CF on Friday night.

The visitors remain the only side yet to collect a point this LaLiga Santander season. It won’t get any easier in Galicia, as Iago Aspas is in great form and has scored in all three matches.

Super Saturday begins with a historic game, as RCD Mallorca take on Girona FC, the first time these clubs are meeting in the top division of Spanish football. 

Then, fireworks can be expected on this blockbuster Saturday, starting with Real Madrid vs Real Betis, a duel between the only two sides who still have 100 per cent records going into Matchday 4.

They can’t both keep up their winning runs, so it’ll be fascinating to watch these sides go head to head, led by the two oldest coaches of the competition in Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini.

Next, Super Eagles and Real Sociedad's new striker, Sadiq, could make his debut for La Real vs Atlético de Madrid after his deadline move from the newly promoted club, Almeria.

Also, the home fans will be excited to see the Nigerian star and another new signing, Alexander Sørloth make his re-debut.

For the capital city side, this is another difficult away trip, but they’ll be full of confidence after Antoine Griezmann’s goal saw them grind out a 0-1 victory at another of LaLiga Santander’s most atmospheric stadiums, Mestalla, on Monday. 

Sevilla welcomes a Robert Lewandowski-led Barcelona, which is always one of the most entertaining fixtures of any LaLiga Santander season.

Sevilla may have had a frustrating start to the new campaign and they remain winless, but they always make it tough for Barça, who have won on just two of their past seven visits to the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.

This will also be a big night for Jules Koundé as he returns to the stadium he called home last season just a few weeks after he departed Seville.

Four fixtures follow on Sunday, the first one sees CA Osasuna take on Rayo Vallecano. Both these teams will be looking to get back on track after suffering their first defeats of the season last weekend.

Next, Athletic Club host RCD Espanyol, with Ernesto Valverde taking on one of his former clubs and with the Bilbao crowd excited to see Ander Herrera make a re-debut for Los Leones.

Villarreal CF and Samuel Chukwueze will play their first ‘home’ game of the season, taking on Elche CF at Levante UD’s Estadi Ciutat de València, their temporary home ground while work is carried out on their stadium.

The final match of Sunday is also taking place in the city of Valencia, as Valencia CF face Getafe CF at Mestalla, a match that is always packed full of passion. 

The 10th and final fixture of the matchday then comes on Monday, as two of the newly promoted sides battle for what could be precious points come to the end of the season.

It’s Real Valladolid vs UD Almería and, after these two clubs finished level on points at the top of LaLiga SmartBank last season, this next meeting should be a very evenly matched one and a fun way to conclude Matchday 4.