La Liga Fixtures 2015: Schedule, Live Stream and Week 6 Predictions
Barcelona's shock thrashing to Celta Vigo has fired up the new La Liga campaign, as the Camp Nou giants became the first of the top guns to stutter.
The Blaugrana were put to the sword at the home of the Sky Blues, losing 4-1 on Wednesday night, providing Lionel Messi and his team-mates with a stark lesson of how hard it will be to retain the title this term.
Barca host Las Palmas on Saturday, and coach Luis Enrique will be looking for an immediate reaction to their defeat.
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Real Madrid lead the table on goal difference, level on points with Celta and Villarreal, and they play Malaga at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
Read on for full scheduling details ahead of the weekend's action in the Spanish top flight, along with live streaming information, full predictions and a look at the headline matches.
Live streaming available in the UK via Sky Go and in the U.S. via beIN Sports Connect.
| Sept. 25 | 7:30 p.m./2:30 p.m. | Valencia vs. Granada | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 2-2 |
| Sept. 26 | 3 p.m./10 a.m. | Barcelona vs. Las Palmas | beIN Sports Connect | 5-1 |
| 5:15 p.m./12:15 p.m. | Real Madrid vs. Malaga | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 3-0 | |
| 7:30 p.m./2:30 p.m. | Sevilla vs. Rayo Vallecano | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 0-1 | |
| 7:30 p.m./2:30 p.m. | Villarreal vs. Atletico Madrid | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 1-1 | |
| 9.05 p.m./4.05 p.m. | Eibar vs. Celta Vigo | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 1-2 | |
| Sept. 27 | 11 a.m./6 a.m. | Sporting Gijon vs. Real Betis | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 3-2 |
| 3 p.m./10 a.m. | Deportivo La Coruna vs. Espanyol | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 1-1 | |
| 5:15 p.m./12:15 p.m. | Getafe vs. Levante | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 1-2 | |
| 7:30 p.m./2:30 p.m. | Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Bilbao | Sky Go/beIN Sports Connect | 0-1 |
Barcelona vs. Las Palmas
The first defeat of a league season is always hard for fans to swallow, but when you are a supporter of Barcelona, you do not expect to see your side capitulate in such a manner.
Barca started last season in heavy weather, with the squad appearing unhappy and lacking motivation, but Messi and co. went on to repeat their finest campaign, winning a historic treble.
However, the 4-1 defeat to a rampant Celta has forced the team to take a look in the mirror and re-evaluate what they want from the new season.
The manner of the defeat was the most shocking element: Celta were more hungry than the champions, and it showed throughout the 90 minutes of play.
SB Nation shared why Barca were in so much trouble on Wednesday night, as Davi Alves proved defending and marking are not his strongest points:
Journalist Sid Lowe commented on the fallout after the match, defending the position of under-fire Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen:
Barca have deep-rooted problems in defence, and even while winning the Champions League last season, they have never looked like a defensive force. This point cannot be fully addressed by Enrique until the next transfer window, but expect the Blaugrana to fight fire with fire.
The Camp Nou side's best form of defence is attack, and they will be looking for a cricket score in their game on Saturday. Las Palmas will be aware the beast is wounded, making them more dangerous than usual—a frightening prospect.
It should be a regulation win for the champions, with Las Palmas lacking the depth of resistance needed to deal with Barca's stellar attack. Luis Suarez was poor against Celta, and he will be looking to bounce back from that performance.
The visitors are scoring a goal per game on average, according to Sky Sports, and they are likely to keep this ratio up. However, Barcelona will be in the mood to punish Las Palmas and will romp to victory.
Prediction: Barcelona 5-1 Las Palmas.
Real Madrid vs. Malaga
Los Blancos have started the season in almost a quiet slumber, with new manager Rafael Benitez shutting the door to opponents before allowing his flair players off the leash.
Under Benitez, Madrid have conceded just once in La Liga, and they look a much tighter unit at the back than they did under former boss Carlo Ancelotti.
However, the question remains about how long the Galacticos can keep this up. They are a team that must entertain its public, and one thing Real certainly are not at present is exciting.
Malaga are in a bad moment, mired in the relegation zone as they look to get their motor running. But they are likely to get no joy in the Spanish capital, with Benitez's rearguard rock solid.
Both Madrid and Barca are in transition at the moment, but this cannot go on for long. Benitez will soon feel the pressure to play a more attractive brand of football, but he is one of the most stubborn coaches in Europe; he will stick to his principles until the end of his tenure.
Enrique's issue is slightly different. Motivation is the problem for his Barcelona team, and they haven't looked right since their pre-season efforts.
There is only a point separating the two giants of Spanish football, so fans will not be jumping ship just yet, but it looks like this season will be more of a chess match than a battle of attacking football.
Prediction: Real Madrid 3-0 Malaga.
