Spanish football is back in the new year, with Rayo Vallecano hosting Getafe in the first LaLiga match of 2026. There is also a big Catalan derby to look forward to this weekend.
Here is our predicted LaLiga schedule for matchday 18. All launch times are based on Spanish local time. Players in bold they are those considered to have a very high probability of starting (80% or more).
LaLiga predicted how to play – Matchday 18
Friday 2 January 2026
21:00 – Rayo Vallecano vs Getafe
Rayo Vallecano predicted the program
Batalla – ChavarriaPhilip, The Lejeune, Ratiu – ValentineU. Lopez – A. GarciaDiaz, The Palazon – Camello (4-2-3-1)
Getafe predicted the plan
Soria – Rico, Djene, Duarte, The IglesiasFemenia – Martin, The Arambarri, Stand up – EyeSancris (5-3-2)
Saturday 3 January 2026
14:00 – Celta Vigo vs Valencia
Celta Vigo predicted the program
Radu – Alonso, A starM. Fernandez – Mingueza, Moriba, Beltran, Rueda – Zaragoza, Swedberg – Iglesias (3-4-2-1)
Valencia predicted the plan
Agirrezabala – GrindCope, Tarrega, Correia – Almeida, PepperUgrinic, Rioja – Beltran, Wait (4-4-2)
16:15 – Osasuna vs Athletic Club
Osasuna predicted the plan
Herrera – Galan, Catena, Herrando, Rosier – Moncayola, Torro – Ruben Garcia, Oroz, Muñoz – Budimir (4-2-3-1)
The Athletic Club predicted the qualifiers
Simon – Boiro, Vivian, ParedesGorosabel – Jauregizar, Ruiz de Galarreta – N. WilliamsSancet, I. Williams – Guruzeta (4-2-3-1)
18:30 – Elche vs Villarreal
Elche predicted the plan
Pena – The Bigas, AffengruberChust – Valera, Phoebe, Aguado, Nuñez, josan – MirA. Rodriguez (3-5-2)
Villarreal predicted the plan
Junior – Cardona, MarinFoyth, Mourinho – Moleiro, ComesañaParejo, Pepe – A. Perez, Mikautadze (4-4-2)
21:00 – Espanyol vs Barcelona
Espanyol predicted the schedule
Dmitrovic – Romero, Cabrera, Calero, El Hilali – Lozano, Exposito, Gonzalez de Zarate – Milla, R. Fernandez, Dolan (4-3-3)
Barcelona predicted qualification
J. Garcia – Balde, Martin, Cubans, Kounde – Peter, E. Garcia – RaphFermin, Yamal – Ferran (4-2-3-1)
Sunday 4 January 2026
14:00 – Sevilla vs Levante
Sevilla predicted the plan
Vlachodimos – Oso, Salas, Gudelj, Azpilicueta, Carmona – Agoume, Mendy, Sow – Alexis, Romero (5-3-2)
Levante predicted the program
Ryan – Pampin, MorenoDe la Fuente, Toljan – Rey, Vencedor, Arriaga – P. Martinez, Romero, C. Alvarez (4-3-3)
16:15 – Real Madrid vs Real Betis
Real Madrid predicted qualification
Courtois – The CarrerasHuijsen, Rudiger, Valverde – Guler, Tchouameni – Vinicius, Bellingham, Rodrygo – G. Garcia (4-2-3-1)
Real Betis predicted the schedule
Valles-Rodriguez, Nathan, BartraBellerin – RocaDeossa – Ruibal, FornalsAnthony – C. Hernandez (4-2-3-1)
18:30 – Mallorca vs Girona
Mallorca predicted the program
Roman – Mojica, Raillo, The Valjent, Maffeo – S. Costamorlanes – VirgilDarder, Joseph – Muriqi (4-2-3-1)
Girona predicted the program
Gazzaniga – Moreno, The blind, ReisFrances – Martin, Witsel, A. Martinez – Gil, Vanat, Tsygankov (4-3-3)
18:30 – Alaves vs Real Oviedo
Alaves predicted the program
Severa – Youssef, Pacheco, Tenaglia, Jonny – Ibanez, Blanco – Rebbach, D. Suarez, Vicente – T. Martinez (4-2-3-1)
Real Oviedo predicted the schedule
Escandell – Alhassane, Bailly, The CostasAhijado – ColombattoSibo – Chaira, Reina, Brekalo – Viñas (4-2-3-1)
21:00 – Real Sociedad vs Atletico Madrid
Real Sociedad predicted the schedule
Remiro – Muñoz, MartinCaleta-Car, Aramburu – Soler, Turrientes – Guedes, B. Mendez, To them – Oyarzabal (4-2-3-1)
Atletico Madrid predicted qualification
Oblak – Ruggeri, HanckoPublic, Llorente – Baena, Barrios, Everything, Simeone – Sorry, Alvarez (4-4-2)
Mark is a freelance football writer based in Madrid, and editor of LaLigaExpert.com. He has been linking LaLiga and European football since 2014.
