Real Madrid Looks to Keep Perfect Start Against Malaga, Sevilla-Atletico Closes Out LaLiga Weekend, and Messi's Inter Miami Must Win

There's a weekend slate with something for everyone, and this time there's no need to pick just one: between LaLiga, the Premier League, Liga MX and MLS, the soccer menu is fully stocked. Real Madrid and Barcelona have already found their rhythm in Spain, America and Chivas are on the move in Liga MX, and in the United States one question just won't go away: is Lionel Messi's Inter Miami finally about to wake up?

Real Madrid Looks for the Perfect Step

Real Madrid hosts Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu for Matchday 3 of LaLiga on Sunday, kicking off at 9:00 a.m. Mexico time and 11:00 a.m. ET. Jose Mourinho's side comes in flying high after thrashing Real Sociedad, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat trick in midweek and already looking like the top candidate for the league's scoring title. Malaga, meanwhile, opened the season with plenty of question marks: they fell to Atletico and drew at home against newly promoted Deportivo La Coruna, so on paper this looks like a manageable trip for the Madrid side.

The other marquee matchup of Saturday is set in Sevilla, where the home side hosts Atletico Madrid at 1:30 p.m. Mexico time (3:30 p.m. ET). Sevilla arrives having won its first two matches, against Athletic Club and Rayo Vallecano, which has fans excited after several seasons of relegation battles. Atletico, still caught up in the saga surrounding Julian Alvarez's injury, has one win and one draw so far this season; with Diego Simeone on the bench, expect a tight match with few clear-cut chances.

Chivas and America Look to Keep Rolling

In Liga MX, Chivas travels to face Pachuca on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Mexico time (7:00 p.m. ET) for Matchday 6. Gabriel Milito's Guadalajara side had an uneven start to the Apertura, but a lopsided win over Tijuana last time out gave the fan base a boost of confidence. Pachuca, with three losses, one win and one draw through its first five matches, isn't exactly hitting its stride.

Later on, America hosts Puebla at 7:05 p.m. Mexico time (9:05 p.m. ET). Guillermo Almada's Eagles sit atop the overall standings and have already booked a spot in the League Cup semifinals, making them clear favorites against a Puebla side that, despite sitting fifth in the table with three wins, doesn't look like a real threat to America's dominance.

Miami Needs a Win, No Excuses

Inter Miami hosts Montreal on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Mexico time (7:30 p.m. ET) in a match that's starting to carry more weight than usual. Messi's team has gone four matches without a win in MLS, and counting the League Cup elimination, that streak stretches to five without a victory in any competition. The skid has already stirred up talk around the coaching staff, to the point that another bad result could open the door to a managerial change. The good news is that the opponent, Montreal, sits 14th in the Eastern Conference, and Miami remains second in the standings despite its slump, so home field advantage and Messi starting should be enough to stop the bleeding.

Barcelona, Arsenal and the Rest of Europe

Barcelona wraps up its weekend on Monday against Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou, at 1:30 p.m. Mexico time (3:30 p.m. ET). Hansi Flick's team doesn't have a true center forward on the roster, but it has shown enough firepower and versatility that it hasn't needed a traditional number nine to start this LaLiga campaign.

In England, Unai Emery's Aston Villa hosts Arsenal, also on Monday at 1:30 p.m. Mexico time. Emery's side is coming off a rough outing, a 4-0 loss to Brighton on opening weekend. Arsenal, on the other hand, started with a win over Coventry and will be looking to prove it remains the top contender to defend its Premier League title.