LaLiga Hypermotion Matchday 3 Preview: Unbeaten Clash at Heliodoro, First Andalusian Derby and Leadership on the Line

What's up, folks? Matchday three and LaLiga Hypermotion is already firing on all cylinders: we kick off tonight at the Heliodoro with the biggest match of the weekend — nothing less than the league leaders hosting Sporting —, Saturday sees the top spot decided at Montilivi, Sunday brings the first Andalusian derby of the season and Monday closes out with the two unbeaten sides making the least noise. And since the postponed Girona-Córdoba from MD2 was already made up midweek (2-1 to the Caliphate at El Arcángel), this matchday we're finally all playing with the same hand dealt. Here's my preview of tonight's blockbuster in video, and below we go day by day.

🔴⚪ Friday: the two unbeaten sides, head to head on the island

Tenerife — Real Sporting de Gijón · 21:00

🌋 The match of the matchday, and it hits us square in the chest. Cervera's Tenerife are the only side with a perfect record alongside Las Palmas: they raided Ipurua (1-3) and flattened Almería at home (1-0) on their return to top-flight football. Opposite them, an unbeaten Sporting (4 from 6, clean sheets intact) facing their first away trip of the season riding high from the Burgos masterclass… and with the infirmary overflowing: Gaspar Campos suffered a hamstring relapse on Wednesday and doesn't travel, and Guillamón and Ferrari are out too. It hurts twice with Gaspi because the historical stat was written by him: this is Sporting's 30th league visit to the Heliodoro (the first island clash dates back to 66/67), the record reads 12 Tenerife wins, 10 draws and 7 Sporting victories… and on the last visit we won 1-2 with a goal from him, plus one from Queipo. Del Cerro Grande refereeing, 26 degrees expected and an electric atmosphere of the old school. Larcamón to repeat Sunday's recipe — no five-man defence nonsense, please — and let's pull off the heist. 📺 And remember: away matches we react LIVE and exclusively on my Kick channel — tonight, preview and match there. Free and ad-free.

📅 Saturday: the league lead is on the line at night

Sabadell — Almería · 17:00

Sabadell play their first home game since returning to Second Division, and what a debut: the Almería side in urgent need of points, fresh off dismantling Eldense like champions and left empty-handed at the Heliodoro. The harlequins stay unbeaten and keep not scoring (0-0 and 0-0): at some point that defensive wall will need a goal to break the curse. Without Thalys (serving match three of four) or Gui Guedes on the Almería flank.

Leganés — Eldense · 19:00 and Albacete — Real Oviedo · 19:00

Leganés won at the Tartiere with ten men for 70 minutes, but the red card to Raúl Fernández costs the keeper dear — he's the only suspended player of the entire matchday — so who gets between the sticks against an Eldense still hunting a win? And at Belmonte, it's a survival match with just three matchdays gone: Albacete are on zero points and with an injury list that's terrifying (Obeng, Puertas, Higinio, Valverde…), while Oviedo bossed Leganés and still have zero goals and one point. Whoever wins this, breathes easy; whoever loses starts hearing warning bells.

Girona — Las Palmas · 21:30

The co-leaders visit Montilivi fresh off two perfect matchdays and looking sharp. Girona, meanwhile, arrive bruised from that 2-1 at El Arcángel on Wednesday and without Portu or David López: one point from nine for a squad built to go up. Heads up, Las Palmas have a bursting infirmary too (six out). If the Islanders raid Montilivi and Tenerife win Friday… both islands could be running the show in Segunda, what a script.

📅 Sunday: derby day

FC Andorra — Eibar · 17:00 and Cádiz — Valladolid · 19:00

Andorra are the league's top scorers (7 goals) and also one of the leakiest: with Le Normand and Gael Alonso out for months, their matches are guaranteed fireworks — and Eibar, with their right flank in the infirmary, arrive running on fumes. At Carranza (yes, I'll keep calling it Carranza), a clash of teams that don't know how to win: Cádiz have two draws and Valladolid are among the few on zero points and zero goals. One of these fallen giants has to wake up now.

Mallorca — Ceuta · 19:00

Mallorca stalled at Los Cármenes and host the basement side: Ceuta have conceded 7 goals in two matches and need points like they need air. On paper, the most one-sided match of the weekend — which is exactly when Segunda slaps you in the face.

Córdoba — Granada · 21:30

The first Andalusian derby of the season, and it arrives with heat: both come off wins — Córdoba demolished Girona on Wednesday in the rescheduled and Granada beat Mallorca — and both are chasing back-to-back wins. El Arcángel on a Sunday night, regional rivalry and two in-form sides: this screams blockbuster with more spice than the table suggests.

📅 Monday: unbeaten sides wrap up at Balaídos

Celta Fortuna — Castellón · 21:30

The final act stars two unbeaten sides making less noise than they deserve: Fortuna, who opened at home with a screamer and 4 points in their first Second Division season, and a Castellón who still haven't conceded a single goal and were only denied more by a dodgy penalty. A battle of styles between the most audacious academy side and the most solid side of the start. Keep your eyes peeled.

The bottom line on MD3: four unbeaten sides facing off in two matches (Tenerife-Sporting and Fortuna-Castellón), a league lead that could end up entirely Canarian, the season's first derby at El Arcángel, three teams still without a goal (Oviedo, Valladolid and Sabadell) and just one suspended player across the entire matchday — Leganés' keeper. Friday to Monday, all kickoff times confirmed. PUXA. 🔴⚪

🚑 All 22 teams' injury lists, cross-checked and updated today, in Injuries and suspensions · 📊 How the standings looked after MD2 · 📅 All matches with live stats on the MD3 page · 💚 Tenerife-Sporting, live commentary tonight on kick.com/elopi23.