The 2016-17 campaign has not gone as expected or as hoped for any of Spain's big three clubs - Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid. Atlético got off to a rough start, starting out the season with a string of ties, Real Madrid has ended its past four matches domestic and European in a draw and Barcelona just lost its second match already.

Atleti has managed to climb back atop the table, drawing even at 15 points with Real Madrid and ahead based on goal differential, although the big shocker this weekend was Barça losing to Celta Vigo. Traveling to Galicia Sunday, they dropped three points thanks in part to sloppiness and mental errors.

Despite Gerard Pique scoring twice and another from Neymar, Barcelona retreats back to Catalonia with their heads hanging after a 4-3 loss. Jeremy Mathieu helped the home side by scoring an own goal although it was goal keepers Marc-Andre ter Stegen's inexplicable error that allowed Celta Vigo to win the match. ter Stegen passed the ball instead of booting it downfield and it was intercepted by Pablo Hernandez who then beat ter Stegen to score the winning goal.

The loss moves them down to fourth, as Sevilla leapfrogged them to take third after beating Alaves (who beat also beat Barcelona last month) 2-1 on Satuday.

Real Madrid was looking to get back to their winning ways as they hosted Eibar at the Santiago Bernabeu. Eibar had different ambitions however, scoring the first goal only six minutes into the match thanks to a header from Fran Rico. Gareth Bale then pulled Madrid level heading in Cristiano Ronaldo's cross 11 minutes later. After that there was not much action, as those served as the only goals of the day, and the score stood 1-1 at full time.

Many are starting to panic on Madrid's north side, but don't count Zinedine Zidane as one of them. Of course he's not going to ever say anything different, but immediately after the match he insisted now is not the time to panic. However Madrid's defense had dipped in form compared to last year, it may be time to get Pepe in there more to pair with Sergio Ramos. Raphael Varane has had his moments, and he's hardly to blame. But Ramos is the captain, and it does not look like he will be the one relegated to the bench if need be.

Photo: Flickr/El Renzo