Top 5 teams who have made surprisingly good starts to the season

#4 Deportivo Alaves

Alaves are ahead of both Madrid clubs in the table

Barcelona may have reclaimed top spot in LaLiga, but their closest challenges aren't Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid – it’s Deportivo Alaves, a much smaller club hailing from the Basque region.

Alaves finished 14th last season, a downgrade on their ninth placed finish the season before under Mauricio Pellegrino. With a tiny budget and a squad lacking a genuine superstar, they battled against relegation to consolidate their place in LaLiga.

A strong defensive organisation has been key to their early season success. They’ve scored 11 goals fewer than Barcelona but have conceded just eight so far. That strong defence has earned them unlikely victories, including a dramatic last-minute win over struggling Real Madrid.

Around two decades ago, Alaves were competing in the UEFA Cup final against Liverpool. Since then, they’ve fallen into Spain’s third tier and toiled in the lower divisions for several years. This current run at the top of the table may be short-lived, but their fans have been loving every minute of it.