Barcelona's storm exposes Mourinho's charm: a full analysis of the first seven rounds in La Liga | Goal.com

Veröffentlicht am 20 Sep 2026 | Lesezeit: 3 Minuten

Seven rounds into La Liga, the drama and the tactical shifts have already reshaped the competition.

Barcelona sit top and untouchable. A ferocious attack and a flawless start have carried them clear, while anxiety grips Real Madrid after a string of shaky displays and heavy points losses, particularly on the road.

Down at the other end, the season has been no gentler. The survival scrap ignited early among the bottom clubs, who find themselves locked in a complicated fight to escape the drop with tight margins and awkward fixtures.

Barcelona have delivered a historic opening. Seven games, seven wins, 21 points, and a devastating attacking force to match.

The Blaugrana haven't simply taken the three points every week. They have racked up 31 goals through a run of wide-margin displays, the biggest of them a crushing 7-2 demolition of Racing Santander.

Tactical stability and relentless high pressing sit behind it all. The approach has confounded every rival and left opposition defences unable to stem Barça's varied attacking tide.

Real Madrid, by contrast, are wobbling. Technical instability has defined their start to the campaign.

They have managed some big wins at home and narrow ones away, such as the hard-fought 3-2 at Elche. But the real problem lies in their displays away from the Santiago Bernabeu, which keep raising question marks.

Building play has become a struggle. The team lacks tactical solutions and defensive solidity against sides built on high organisation.

Los Merengues tasted a bitter defeat in the capital derby against Atletico Madrid, then stumbled against Real Betis and dropped precious points. They now trail leaders Barcelona by a full six points in fourth, and questions about the current system are mounting.

Jose Mourinho stayed calm at first. Since the start of his second era with Real Madrid this season, the coach tried to keep media pressure off his players.

Then the derby happened. The harsh result against Atletico triggered the volcano of anger in the Portuguese, summoning the rebel Mourinho persona that has followed him throughout his career.

In the post-match press conference, Mourinho tore into the referees and the video technology officials. He used images and clips to lay out what he called impactful errors that changed the course of the derby and denied his team their rights.

His team, he insisted, had suffered clear injustice that directly shaped the match and the final result. He fired off fiery messages along the way, dragging in the Negreira case and other controversial files.

Refereeing controversy has dominated the headlines through these first seven rounds.

Most of the arguments have swirled around video assistant decisions.

The latest flashpoint came in the derby against Atletico, where Real Madrid demanded the dismissal of Atletico players in the first half and got nothing.

Other fixtures have stoked the fire too. Real Madrid's other games, Barcelona's clash with Sevilla, even mid-table matches all produced refereeing calls that sparked huge debate.

Down at the foot of the table, the fight for survival is already taking shape. Several clubs with weak resources are bleeding points week after week.

Wins have proved impossible to come by. The bottom clubs are struggling badly to improve their results and pull clear of the danger zones.

Malaga prop up the table on just 3 points, from 3 draws and 4 defeats. Above them come Valencia on 4, Elche and Levante on 5, then Racing, Espanyol and Celta Vigo on 7.

Barcelona's attack is living through a golden era. Brazil forward Raphinha is enjoying his best goalscoring spell, firing hat-tricks and threading decisive passes, alongside the gifted Lamine Yamal, who keeps making the difference with his skill and key passes. Behind them, newcomers and squad rivals such as Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon and Gabriel Jesus stand ready.

Real Madrid's front line tells a different story. Vinicius Junior has slumped in effectiveness with poor positioning, while Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham swing between standout individual games and others where their impact vanishes completely. Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler and new arrival Diomande, meanwhile, have yet to find the path to brilliance.

Seven rounds in, the race for the La Liga scoring crown is well and truly alight.

Brazil forward Raphinha leads the way on 12 goals. Rayo Vallecano's Sergio Camello follows, alongside Kylian Mbappe and Yamal on 7 apiece.

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