LaLiga in Full Swing: Emotions, Open-Access Derbies, and the Fight Against Racism

LaLiga 2025 continues with intensity on all fronts, both sporting and social. This weekend, key matches will be played that will define the season, while the competition returns to open-access television, and institutional commitment to eradicate racism in football is strengthened.

The Deportivo team resumes its league objective after an intense Copa del Rey campaign. Its coach, Antonio Hidalgo, highlighted in a press conference the importance of maintaining the competitive energy the team showed against a strong rival: “The energy from the Copa is something we must keep up in the League. We have to be solid, compact, and that should guide us to regain our strength.” Deportivo visits Almería this Saturday, a direct rival in the promotion race, in a crucial duel to avoid losing ground in the standings. Additionally, Hidalgo confirmed that Escudero has recovered and is available, though Ximo Navarro’s confidence will still be in question after his injury. The coach insisted that securing three points is vital to regain momentum and viewed the recent draw with Las Palmas as a positive result against a direct competitor.

The return of open-access football on Spanish television materializes this Friday, January 16, with the match Espanyol vs. Girona, which can be watched at 9:00 PM at the RCDE Stadium via Teledeporte, TVE’s thematic channel, and also for free on the DAZN platform without requiring a subscription. This regional derby arrives in a second half of the season where both teams are in good form, and an exciting match is expected. RTVE’s return to broadcasting First Division matches fulfills the Audiovisual Communication Law and marks a comeback after ten years without open-access LaLiga football on public television. This initiative aims to give the public broad access to significant competition matches, though distribution criteria and agreements mean it will not include games from some of the major clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona.

On the sporting front, one of the weekend’s main protagonists is Real Madrid, who host Levante at the Santiago Bernabéu this Saturday at 10:00 AM. The white team arrives after a resounding 5-1 victory over Real Betis and maintains a solid position in the table with 45 points, while Levante, who recently drew 1-1 with Espanyol, fights to distance itself from the relegation zone with 14 points. The clash is vital to reaffirm positions in the title race and the season’s stability. LaLiga uses a 20-team format, with promotions and relegations, and intense competition for the spots that qualify for European competitions, which this year grant up to seven places for Spanish teams.

However, not all the news in the competition is positive. Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior was once again the target of racist insults before and during his Copa del Rey match against Albacete at the Carlos Belmonte stadium. LaLiga explicitly condemned these acts with a firm message from its president, Javier Tebas: “From LaLiga, we condemn any racist insult. On and off the field, there is no place for those who hate. Vini, LaLiga is with you.” The episode included offensive chants and a banana being thrown from the stands during the local celebration, highlighting the urgent need for effective measures to eradicate xenophobia and racism from stadiums. The LALIGA VS initiative seeks to create safe spaces, combat the culture that normalizes such behaviors, and promote tolerance in football and society.

The sporting fervor, open-access derbies for fans, and the strengthening of social commitment against racism paint a picture of a LaLiga full of passion and engagement. The coming days will be decisive both for teams vying for major objectives and for consolidating the values that football must promote. Without a doubt, Spanish competition is making a strong impact on all fronts.