Relegation Drama and Derbies Matchday 13 in LaLiga

LaLiga’s Matchday 13 brings back club football after the international break with high stakes, emotional clashes, and classic rivalries. The action begins Friday night at Mestalla, where Valencia CF hosts Levante UD in the first Valencia derby in more than three and a half years. Both teams sit near the bottom of the table, turning this local rivalry into a pressure test for two struggling squads in need of a turnaround.

The Derby del Turia is much more than a neighborhood rivalry. Valencia must take advantage of home support to climb out of danger, while newly promoted Levante is looking for its first-ever win at Mestalla and a momentum boost after an inconsistent start. With both sides level on points near the bottom, a tense match with minimal margin for error is expected.

Saturday kicks off with a balanced mid-table clash between Deportivo Alavés and RC Celta, two teams only a couple of points apart, each needing a string of positive results to move upward. Later, attention shifts to the Spotify Camp Nou, where FC Barcelona returns to their stadium following renovations to host Athletic Club. For Hansi Flick, it will be a milestone evening — his first official home match in a stadium undergoing modernization. Saturday continues with a compelling regional matchup between CA Osasuna and Real Sociedad, separated by only a short distance and both with European aspirations on the line. The day wraps up at the Estadio de la Cerámica, where Villarreal CF hosts RCD Mallorca. With Villarreal on a strong winning streak and sitting near the top of the table, this match serves as another chance to reinforce their top-tier ambitions.

Sunday opens at Carlos Tartiere with a must-win game for Real Oviedo against Rayo Vallecano. Oviedo sits at the very bottom and hasn’t won in five straight matches, turning this into a true final in front of their home supporters. Rayo, safely mid-table, may try to take advantage of Oviedo’s desperation to climb higher.

The spotlight then moves to Seville, where Real Betis faces Girona FC at La Cartuja. Betis aims to stay in the European places fight, while Girona looks to build on their pre-break win and continue separating themselves from relegation pressure.

Sunday’s high-tension evening continues with the Madrid derby between Getafe CF and Atlético de Madrid at the Coliseum. Getafe still remembers last season’s dramatic comeback victory — scoring in added time to earn their first league win against Atlético in many years. For Atlético, competing for the top positions, any slip-up away in a notoriously difficult stadium could damage their title push.

The night concludes with Real Madrid visiting Elche CF, a newly promoted side that has been surprisingly strong at home, still unbeaten at Martínez Valero. Madrid needs all three points to keep pace at the top and knows they face a disciplined opponent on their own turf.

Matchday 13 finally closes Monday in Barcelona, where RCD Espanyol hosts Sevilla FC in a game with European implications. Espanyol looks to break a long winless run against Sevilla and make a strong statement in the continental-qualification battle.