Alaves, Sevilla triumph as new La Liga season begins

The inaugural matches of the 2026/2027 La Liga season commenced with Alaves and Sevilla securing crucial victories. At Vitoria, Alaves emerged triumphant with a 3-0 win over defending champions Getafe. Kiko Femenia's dismissive red card in the first half significantly hindered Getafe, who would go on to concede twice, first through Nahuel Tenaglia's 73rd-minute goal and then Mariano Diaz's decisive second strike in stoppage time.

Mikel Rodriguez sealed the victory with a third goal in added time. Meanwhile, Sevilla faced a challenging start against Rayo Vallecano, losing 2-1. After a defensive blunder allowed Alvaro Garcia to score early, Sevilla rallied in the second half, with Jon Guridi equalizing from the penalty spot. Kike Salas conceded a second red card late in the match, but Robbie Ure's late penalty allowed Sevilla to emerge victorious.

Other notable fixtures included Villarreal's encounter with promoted side Racing Santander and Atletico Madrid's home game against Malaga. Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, and champions Barcelona were not on the pitch on the opening day, with their matches scheduled for the following weekend.