With four matches in the bag, let’s take a look at the updated La Liga Power Rankings after Real Madrid won their fourth in a row and Atletico Madrid outlasted Villarreal in a marquee matchup.
Note that power rankings are weighed heavily on form, so this is a combination of predicted the best teams in the future and honoring the teams that have truly been the best through four games in the 2025/26 season so far.
6. Real Betis
One of two teams with five matches played in the La Liga season, Real Betis are only 10th in the table despite this advantage, because they’ve only won one game this season, which was a 1-0 victory over Deportivo Alaves.
So it’s been a disappointing start to the campaign for a perennial European side, and the Conference League Finalists are going to need more from the forwards surrounding Antony.
5. Villarreal
Villarreal had a great start to the season before laying an egg against another top-four contender in Atletico Madrid, falling 2-0 to the outside title contenders. The Yellow Submarine are a Champions League side now, and if they want to remain in the competition, they are going to have to raise their level against La Liga’s best teams.
4. Atletico Madrid
Currently in the bottom half of the La Liga table, Atletico Madrid finally made a statement of intent with their win over Villarreal this weekend, redeeming a winless start as Juventus acquisiton Nicolas Gonzalez blew up in his first start with the team.
Julian Alvarez has been the only star player on Atleti to live up to his billing, as Antoine Griezmann looks like a shell of his former self while Marcos Llorente, Koke, and other long-time La Liga stars of title teams past are also struggling to reach top form.
3. Athletic Club
One of the top four clubs last season, Athletic Club have one of the deepest squads in La Liga and were beating quality opponents before falling on Matchday 4 to underdogs Alaves, 1-0.
Athletic Club need to shake that result off pronto, but with an elite defense and star power in the attack with players like Nico Williams and Alex Berenguer, nobody is going to read too much into one bad loss.
2. Barcelona
Barcelona made a massive statement on Sunday night in La Liga, dropping six goals on Valencia. With Joan Garcia in goal, Barcelona look like an entirely different beast, and if they can weather this early storm of injuries, particularly Lamine Yamal’s, they can maintain this slim deficit with Real Madrid until Los Blancos eventually drop points.
After Real Madrid appointed Xabi Alonso to match another Bundesliga record-breaker’s wits in Hansi Flick of Barcelona, La Blaugrana have been served notice that things will be tougher this season, but, really, there’s not much to dislike about how they have been playing.
1. Real Madrid
Real Madrid are a team transformed under Alonso and hungrier than ever after being humiliated by Barcelona, Arsenal, and still others during a difficult and trophyless 2024/25 campaign.
Kylian Mbappe looks like the best player in the league right now, while Dean Huijsen looks like the best defender and Aurelien Tchouameni and Arda Guler the best deep/attacking playmaking duo. And as Franco Mastantuono continues to get reps and Jude Bellingham returns from injury, the Royal Whites are only going to get scarier.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.