The second matchday of the La Liga 2024/25 season delivered plenty of thrilling moments as the league’s top teams competed fiercely for early bragging rights over the weekend. Below are the comprehensive results and key highlights from the first two days of action.
Yamal Stars in Barcelona’s 2-1 Triumph Over Athletic Club
Barcelona’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal, opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a stunning deflected shot, putting his team ahead against Athletic Club. The visitors, however, managed to draw level in the 42nd minute when Oihan Sancet successfully converted a penalty following a foul by Pau Cubarsi on Alex Berenguer inside the box.
Barcelona’s savior arrived in the form of striker Robert Lewandowski, who expertly netted a rebound to secure a 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao. The decisive goal came in the 75th minute after Pedri’s cross was deflected by Padilla, presenting an opportunity for the Polish striker.
Barcelona now shares the top spot in the La Liga standings with Celta Vigo, both having amassed six points. In contrast, Athletic Club finds themselves in 15th place with only a single point from two matches.
Despite their win, Barcelona continues to grapple with injuries to key players such as Gavi, Ronald Araujo, and Frenkie De Jong. Additionally, new recruit Dani Olmo has yet to join the team.
Barcelona’s next match will be against Rayo Vallecano in Week 3, while Athletic Club will face Valencia.
Villarreal Clinches Victory Over Sevilla With Last-Minute Perez Goal
In a captivating Friday night clash, Villarreal secured a dramatic 2-1 win over Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. The game seemed destined for a draw until Ayoze Perez scored in the 95th minute, earning Villarreal their first victory of the season.
Arnaut Danjuma wasted no time, scoring in the sixth minute to give Villa an early 1-0 advantage. Sevilla had a chance to equalize quickly through Juanlu Sanchez, but his goal was disallowed for offside. Nevertheless, Sevilla managed to equalize just before the break, with Dodi Lukebakio scoring to make it 1-1 at halftime.
Despite both teams’ relentless efforts in the second half, the game remained deadlocked. It was only in the dying moments that ex-Newcastle United player Ayoze Perez broke the stalemate, securing a victory for Villarreal that thrilled the home supporters.
This result propels Villarreal to the middle of the La Liga standings, while Sevilla finds itself struggling near the bottom. The pressure continues to mount on Sevilla’s coach Garcia Pimienta after losing three of their first four league games, extending back to the previous season.
Celta Vigo Triumphs Over Valencia 3-1
Celta Vigo turned the game around, coming from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over Valencia, making it two wins in two matches at the start of the new La Liga season.
Diego Lopez put Valencia in front in the 14th minute with a header. However, Oscar Mingueza quickly brought Celta level, volleying in a cross from Iago Aspas less than ten minutes later.
Aspas then found the net himself, giving Celta the lead just five minutes afterward. Fran Beltran sealed the win with a stunning curling effort, making it 3-1 and ensuring the points for Celta. This was Beltran’s first goal in four years and only his seventh in nearly a decade in La Liga.
While Celta sits comfortably near the top of the table alongside Barcelona, Valencia’s season has begun poorly, with two defeats leaving them at the bottom of the league.
They will aim to bounce back in their upcoming match against Athletic Club, who likewise haven’t enjoyed the strongest start.
Check out our La Liga predictions page to find more info about the upcoming matches.
