La Liga Matchday 4 Preview, September 4-7

After three matchdays, the table looks about as you would expect in early September. Some teams are already dreaming of the Champions League, some are trying on the role of the season's surprise package, while others are trying to convince everyone that their early problems will soon disappear.

The main feature of Matchday 4 is that several teams near the top face serious tests at once. Real Madrid travel to Seville, Atletico Madrid head to Bilbao, and Barcelona face a difficult trip to Mestalla. We are also continuing to watch the promoted sides. Deportivo have looked the liveliest so far, while Malaga and Racing are only just getting started.

Real Betis vs Real Madrid

This is the first genuinely serious test for Mourinho's team. Real Madrid currently look exactly as expected: less footballing romance, more control. It is not always pretty, but the points keep adding up.

Betis, meanwhile, look like a team that returned to the Champions League at exactly the right time. A good summer, solid squad depth and the sense that the Seville club are finally ready to compete on two fronts without panicking after every injury to a key player.

La Cartuja is one of those stadiums where the biggest clubs rarely feel completely comfortable. For Real Madrid, this is an excellent chance to show how far Jose Mourinho's project has come in the first month of the season.

Match link:

Real Betis vs Real Madrid

Athletic Bilbao vs Atletico Madrid

For Athletic, the season only really starts now. Their opening matchday was spoiled by a red card, the second brought Barcelona, and the third was difficult to assess. For now, there are more questions than answers around Edin Terzic's team.

Atletico do not look like a machine yet either. The effects of the summer international tournament, another squad rebuild and the constant search for the ideal attacking combination are still visible. Even so, Diego Simeone's side keep collecting points. This match could tell us far more about both teams' prospects than the first three matchdays combined.

Match link:

Athletic Bilbao vs Atletico Madrid

Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander

This is a fixture that could easily have taken place in the Segunda Division a couple of years ago. Now, however, full La Liga points are at stake. Racing have looked bold, at times reckless, and completely unwilling to acknowledge any gap in quality. Teams like this usually either become one of the stories of the season or find themselves heading back down in May.

Rayo have problems of their own. A new coach, constant discussion around the stadium and the feeling that the team still do not fully understand how they want to play. On the other hand, these are exactly the kind of matches in which the Madrid side traditionally feel most comfortable.

Match link:

Rayo Vallecano vs Racing Santander

Villarreal vs Deportivo

Villarreal are like a student who keeps promising to start studying on Monday. The potential is obvious and there are good spells, but consistency is still missing. The club allow opponents too much and regularly create problems for themselves.

Deportivo, meanwhile, continue to win over neutral supporters. Their return has been nowhere near as nervous as many expected. The Galicians are playing with plenty of courage and do not look out of place at this level. If Depor are still close to the European places after four matchdays, it will already be too late to call it a surprise.

Match link:

Villarreal vs Deportivo

Valencia vs Barcelona

Valencia are gradually becoming one of the most awkward teams in the league for any opponent. High intensity, physical power and less dependence on individual players are all becoming clear features of their game. Even so, they do not currently look like a club ready to make an unexpected push for Europe.

Barcelona are simply too convincing in attack. When Yamal, Raphinha and company are given space, stopping them becomes extremely difficult. The main question is whether the Bats can impose their game on the Catalans rather than the other way around.

Match link:

Valencia vs Barcelona

Alaves vs Osasuna

If someone had said a month ago that this would be a meeting between neighboring teams near the top of the table after three matchdays, they would probably have been told to wait for the season to start. Alaves are one of the biggest surprises so far. They look organized, difficult to play against and have no intention of being dragged into a relegation battle.

Osasuna also look comfortable under their new coach. The Navarre side have collected seven points from their opening three games while conceding only one goal. There is every chance this match will be much better than the fixture might suggest at first glance.

Match link:

Alaves vs Osasuna

Malaga vs Levante

Malaga made a good impression against Real Madrid and Atletico, but compliments alone are not enough. The time has come to start turning positive spells into points.

Levante look less convincing than they did a year ago. The team went through significant changes in the summer and are still searching for a new version of themselves. In any case, this is no longer a match about attractive football. It is a match about points.

Match link:

Malaga vs Levante

Espanyol vs Sevilla

Sevilla are once again doing what they do best: making everyone doubt them before the season starts, then somehow finding themselves close to the top end of the table. The squad still looks far from perfect, but the character has not disappeared. That is one of the main reasons the Andalusians are performing better than expected so far.

As for Espanyol, it often feels as though their game is about to fall apart. Then the next match arrives and things suddenly do not look quite so bad. The Catalans know how to squeeze the maximum out of a limited number of chances and regularly make life difficult for favorites.

Match link:

Espanyol vs Sevilla

Getafe vs Celta Vigo

Getafe continue to exist in their own football universe, where every attack is built through a battle and every throw-in looks like a small tactical event. It is not always attractive, but it is often effective.

Celta's season has been uneven. Claudio Giraldez's team play good football, but from time to time they create completely unnecessary problems for themselves. Iago Aspas's farewell season adds another storyline: the club legend has already announced that this year will be his last. If the visitors score early, the game could open up.

Match link:

Getafe vs Celta Vigo

Elche vs Real Sociedad

The round closes with two teams experiencing very different emotions. Elche have struggled to settle into the season, taking only one point from three matches. Real Sociedad have a different problem. The Basques have been living with talk of a crisis for too long and rarely respond to it with victories.

Since the Copa del Rey, Pellegrino Matarazzo's team have seemed unable to recover their previous confidence. That is why even a trip to a club fighting to stay up does not look like an easy assignment for the San Sebastian side right now.

Match link:

Elche vs Real Sociedad

Matchday 4 Summary

It is still too early to draw major conclusions after three matchdays, but the fourth could change some of the first impressions. Some teams have the chance to confirm their strong starts, while others must prove that their early setbacks really were temporary. It will be especially interesting to see whether Alaves and Osasuna can stay near the top, whether Deportivo continue to surprise and how convincingly the biggest clubs handle their first serious tests. The table is still tight, which means one good or bad week can quickly change the mood around several teams. To get ready for the Matchday 4 games of La Liga, check out top sports betting sites Spain for the latest betting options and insights.