Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid maintained their dominance at the summit of La Liga with a commanding 4-0 win over Valencia, powered once again by Kylian Mbappe’s brilliance. Barcelona returned to winning ways against Elche to stay in touch, while Atletico Madrid and Villarreal both cruised to convincing victories to keep themselves in the mix.
At the other end of the table, Athletic Club’s alarming dip in form continued as pressure mounts on Ernesto Valverde, and Elche’s early-season dream start is beginning to fade after another defeat.
With the top four sides all picking up wins and the mid-table battle intensifying, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the major talking points from Matchday 11 of the 2025/26 La Liga season.
Real Madrid secured a comfortable 4-0 win over Valencia at the weekend to ensure they remain five points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga. It was yet another impressive performance for Xabi Alonso’s team, and Kylian Mbappe was once again the star of the show with two goals.
The French international, who was recently handed the 2024/25 Golden Boot, has picked up from where he left off last season. The Frenchman bagged a total of 44 goals in all competitions last season, and he seems all set to surpass that tally this time around.
The 26-year-old already has 18 goals this term in just 14 outings, 13 of which have come in La Liga. He has only failed to score in one league game so far. Given the kind of run the French international has been in, it is fair to say Mbappe is the one driving Real Madrid’s title pursuit.
The defeat to Real Madrid was a massive blow for Barcelona. Not only did the Catalan giants lose to their biggest rivals, it also helped the team in white establish a five-point lead at the top of the table. Barcelona were heading into Matchday 11 of La Liga under a lot of pressure.
The Blaugrana were desperate to return to winning ways, as they did not want Los Blancos to extend their lead at the top. Hansi Flick’s team dominated proceedings and secured a 3-1 win over Elche to keep hold of the second spot on the points table. The biggest boost for them was the fact that Lamine Yamal once again found the back of the net.
The Spanish international has been struggling with a pelvic issue, and it is clearly hampering his game this term. However, the 18-year-old still managed to bag an impressive goal quite early in the game, and it will surely give him and Hansi Flick a lot of confidence going forward.
While Atletico Madrid tend to be involved in the La Liga title race every now and then, on the majority of the occasions, it is Real Madrid and Barcelona who actually battle it out to be the best in Spain. However, this time around, it could actually be a battle between four clubs.
Not only did Real Madrid and Barcelona win this weekend, but Atletico Madrid (4th) and Villarreal (3rd) also managed to secure all three points. The Yellow Submarine smashed Rayo Vallecano 4-0. They dominated the proceedings, created a lot of chances and made it count.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid secured a comfortable 3-0 win over Sevilla. While they did have some problems in the first team, the Madrid-based giants did get the job done towards the backend of the second half. While Los Blancos have a comfortable lead at the top of the table, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are also in the mix.
A team that lost six games last season and secured a fourth-placed finish in La Liga has already faced defeat five times this term. While it is not yet the end of the world, the pressure is certainly mounting on Athletic Club.
Following their 3-2 defeat at the hands of Real Sociedad, where Jon Gorrotxategi bagged an injury-time winner, the Basque outfit now find themselves 11th on the points table with just 14 points in 11 outings.
Ernesto Valverde’s men have failed to win any of their last three La Liga outings, and the defeat in the Basque derby certainly hasn’t helped their cause. If the former Barcelona manager fails to figure out a way to return to winning ways, his place could come under the scanner.
Elche were off to a flying start upon their return to the Spanish top flight. Los Franjiverdes were unbeaten in their first seven La Liga outings, and they were looking set for a top-half finish.
However, things have not been that great for the newly promoted outfit in recent weeks. Elche have failed to win any of their last four league outings, losing three of those fixtures.
While the 3-1 scoreline against Barcelona suggests it was a rough day at the office for Elche, they did put up a strong fight. Having been on a winless streak, the promoted outfit will be eager to get things back on track. They have slipped down to ninth on the table, but all has not been lost just yet.
