La Liga Matchday 22: Fornals carries Betis, Nico Williams faces injury layoff, and Lamine's back in business
Diving into the tactical nuances beyond the scorelines in La Liga's Matchday 22, including standout performances, worrying trends, and key moments that shaped the weekend's action.
La Liga’s 22nd matchday delivered far more depth than the scorelines might suggest, with everything from drab stalemates to pulsating encounters painting a clearer picture of where teams stand as the season progresses.
The Snooze-fest Files
Getafe and Celta played out exactly the sort of match you’d expect when Getafe are at home - competitive, intense, and utterly dreadful to watch. “A horrible match,” according to the analysts, with neither side creating much in either box. Meanwhile, Espanyol’s 2026 form continues to be absolutely diabolical, with just a single point collected since the new year. The Martínez-Boyé partnership remains their only realistic hope of avoiding the drop.
Atletico’s Away Day Blues
Atletico Madrid delivered another forgettable performance on the road, where they’ve now collected just 14 points from a possible 33. The second half against Real Sociedad was particularly poor as they were thoroughly dominated. Julián Álvarez failed to deliver again in what’s becoming a worrying pattern for Simeone’s men.
Injury Concerns and Standout Performers
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Nico Williams is facing 6-8 weeks on the sidelines - a massive blow for Athletic Club at a crucial stage of the season. The decision to rest him appears sensible after he was clearly struggling through pain.
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Pablo Fornals continues to be Betis’ talisman, scoring the crucial goal that keeps them in the European race despite being substituted at half-time with ongoing physical issues.
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Real Madrid secured three points but delivered a performance that raised serious questions. Passive, predictable and overly reliant on individual brilliance - what one analyst called “an empty victory.”
The Lamine Yamal Show
Barcelona’s teenage sensation is back to his devastating best. He absolutely terrorized John Donald, creating eight key passes and three big chances while scoring once himself.
As one pundit put it, “Lamine knows he’s back… We’re seeing a stratospheric level from Barcelona’s number 10.”
Meanwhile, in the Basque derby, Unai Simón produced a masterclass in goal for Athletic against Real Sociedad, whose attacking duo of Guedes and Oyarzabal were sublime in transition but couldn’t find the breakthrough their play deserved.