However, from early season coaching changes to high-profile contract renewals, the top flight of Spanish football still threw up lots of big news stories.

Here is all you need to know about what was happening in La Liga during the international break.

Benzema, the first La Liga Player of the Month

The winner of the La Liga Player of the Month award has been announced for September, with Karim Benzema taking home the first prize of the 21/22 season. The Frenchman netted six goals in just four appearances in the month, earning him this honour for the fourth time in his career.

Five LaLiga Santander players nominated for the Ballon d’Or

France Football this week announced the 30 candidates to win the 2021 Ballon d’Or and there are five LaLiga Santander players in contention. Karim Benzema and Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Atlético Luis Suárez (Atletico de Madrid), Gerard Moreno (Villarreal CF) and Barcelona’s teenage sensation Pedri have all been nominated, while Lionel Messi is also a leading candidate thanks in large part to his performances while he was a Barcelona player.

Quique Sánchez Flores returns to Getafe

Getafe have found a replacement for outgoing coach Michel, with Quique Sánchez Flores returning to the club he previously coached in 2004/05 and in 2014/15. The Spaniard will be hoping it’s third time lucky at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez as he looks to pull the Azulones off the bottom of the table and to safety.

Levante hire Javier Pereira until the end of the season

Another club looking for a new coach during the international break was Levante UD and they too have found their man, with Javier Pereira hired to the end of the season with the option for an automatic renewal if relegation is avoided. Pereira was most recently coaching Henan Songshan Longmen in China, and knows Levante well having been an assistant coach at the club in the past.

Villarreal bring in defensive reinforcements

The transfer window may have been closed for several weeks, but free agent acquisitions are still an option. Villarreal have made the mot of this option, bringing in former PSG and Tottenham right-back Serge Aurier. The Ivory Coast captain will boost the defensive options available to coach Unai Emery as the Yellow Submarine compete on all fronts in 2021/22.

Yuri commits his future to Athletic Club

Yuri Berchiche and Athletic Club finalised a contract extension this week, with the left-back committing to the Basque club until 2024. The defender joined from PSG in 2018 and has impressed throughout his time in Bilbao, so both parties had been working on a renewal for some time. Now it is official and means Athletic Club have a top-tier left-back for the foreseeable future.

A new deal at Rayo Vallecano for Óscar Valentín

Óscar Valentín has been a key part of Rayo Vallecano’s impressive start to the 2021/22 season and the midfielder has now signed a new contract with the capital city club, with his new deal running until 2025. After working hard to make it to the top tier, Valentín has fit in perfectly in LaLiga Santander and will keep fighting to keep Rayo in Spain’s top division.

A five-year contract for Valencia’s Thierry Correia

Another LaLiga Santander player to put pen to paper on a new contract during the international break was Valencia’s Thierry Correia. The right-back has had a good start to the new season and has signed a deal that will run until 2026. That is a lengthy commitment between two parties who see a bright future ahead.

Gavi becomes Spain’s youngest ever debutant

At 17 years and 62 days, Barcelona’s Gavi became the youngest ever debutant for the Spanish national team when he started the Nations League semi-final against Italy on Wednesday night. The teenager put in an excellent performance, before keeping his place in the starting line-up for Sunday’s final and once again standing out in La Roja’s midfield. Undoubtedly, a future star.