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Match round-up - First Division, Day 11

Atlético Madrid kept up the pressure on Barcelona, a 1-2 victory at Granada on Thursday evening keeping them just one point behind the leaders. After a period of early pressure by the locals, Simeone's side took control, Miranda having a headed goal ruled out for offside and Adrián firing a shot wide before Mainz bundled over David Villa in the area, Diego Costa firing home the resulting spot kick. Costa had another effort saved after the restart, and with twelve minutes to go Villa was tripped again in the area by Murillo, the Spanish international striker converting the kick himself this time around. Only a good save by Roberto prevented Raúl García from making it three, but soon afterwards Filipe Luis got himself sent off for a second bookable offence, and with the game coming to an end Ighalo got on the end of Nyom's long cross to head one back for the locals, setting a nervous last couple of minutes for the visiting fans.

Fourth placed Villarreal lost ground on Real Madrid though after they were beaten 0-2 by Getafe. Ciprian Marica started things off early on after a misunderstanding between Musacchio and Asenjo, the Romanian striker nipping in between them to score as both left the ball for the other. Giovani fired a shot wide and Perbet saw another effort saved by Moyà a few minutes later, but the locals were left with ten men when Pablo Iñiguez brought down Ciprian as he advanced on goal some seven minutes before the interval. Both sides had chances in the second half, Diego Castro coming up against Asenjo when free on goal, and Uche shooting wide after Giovani set him up, but with the game in the second minute of time added on Pedro León passed through for Sarabia to lift a shot over the advancing keeper for his side's second. The win takes the Madrid based side to within a point of their hosts in the table.

Athletic Bilbao are now level with Villarreal after a 2-2 draw against Elche later in the evening, although they had to come back from two goals down to do so. Lombán headed the visitors in to the lead in only the sixth minute, and Fidel came close to a second when he fired a shot against the bar minutes later. Laporte headed a couple of chances wide and Toquero tested the Manu Herrera with an acrobatic overhead kick, but just a couple of minutes in to the second half the visitors went two up, Aarón Ñíguez turning a shot past Herrerín when the ball fell to him after Carles Gil was tackled on the edge of the area. Susaeta volleyed one back however from Muniain's long cross a few minutes later, and substitute Aduríz headed in Beñat's corner with twenty minute to go to keep up the Basque side's unbeaten record in their new stadium.

Levante meanwhile stay in seventh spot after they drew 0-0 at Betis, the result not enough to take the Andalusians out of the bottom three. Pepe Mel's side were up against it with only half an hour on the clock when Chica was sent off for a second bookable offence, but they could have taken the lead soon afterwards when Jorge Molina got the ball in the net only for referee Hernández Hernández to rule out the strike for a more than dubious offside. Ivanschitz saw his effort cleared off the line by Amaya though before the break, and Xumetra was closed down before he could get off a shot after the restart, and later in the second half Pedro Ríos had a penalty appeal turned down. With an hour gone however the referee limped off with an injury, and fourth official Pérez Pérez came on to award a penalty to the home side after Keylor Navas brought down Jorge Molina in the area, the keeper lucky to be let off with a booking. Navas kept out Molina's first spot kick though, and although Pérez ordered a retake, the keeper also saved the striker's second attempt. (31.10.13)

An incredible night in the Bernabeu stadium on Wednesday, a crushing 7-3 win by Real Madrid against Sevilla keeping Ancelotti's side six points behind leaders Barcelona. Gareth Bale was making his first start at his new home, and he gave the fans a glimpse of why Madrid paid so much for him, scoring the first two goals himself and having a hand in two more after the restart. Ronaldo made it three from the penalty spot (his military salute a reply to Sepp Blatter's insults earlier in the week), but Rakitic converted a second penalty soon afterwards, and a strike by Bacca narrowed the gap to one goal at the break. Bale crossed in for Ronaldo and Benzema to score two more after the restart however, and although Rakitic got another one back with an impressive shot from outside of the area, Ronaldo combined with Benzema to complete his hat-trick a few minutes later. Rakitic missed a chance of a hat-trick of his own when he fired a third penalty kick over the bar, and with Sevilla down to ten men, Benzema completed the scoring with his second of the evening with ten minutes to go.

Earlier in the evening Real Sociedad drew 2-2 at Valladolid to move a point above Sevilla in the table. Carlos Vela brushed the bar with a long shot and Larsson brought an early save out of Carlos Bravo, but with just over a quarter of an hour gone Griezmann picked up a return pass from Vela to open the scoring. Eight minutes in to the second half Griezmann got his second of the evening after Rueda gifted him the easiest of goals trying to clear a Seferovic cross, and only a good save from Mariño prevented Agirretxe from scoring a third. With a quarter of an hour to go however Larsson headed in an Omar Ramos cross to narrow the gap, and four minutes later Javi Guerra made it all square after picking up a return pass from Larsson. In the end though the locals came close to an epic turnaround when they were awarded a last minute penalty after Mikel González handled in the area, but Bravo guessed correctly and dived to his right to keep out Ebert's spot kick.

Troubles for Valencia as well, a 1-2 defeat at the hands of bottom club Almería switching the pressure from visiting coach Francisco to his opposite number Djukic. Still looking for their first win of the season, the away team started well, Suso bringing an early save out of Diego alves and Rodri heading a free kick just wide. Feghouli went close at the other end though, and with just over half an hour gone the Ches were awarded a hotly disputed penalty when Rodri was adjudged to have handled deliberately in the area, Jonas stepping up to fire home the spot kick. However early in the second half Torsiglieri headed the equalizer from Suso's corner, and a few minutes later Aleix Vidal ran through to score a second with a shot which took a deflection off Bernat. Canales headed against the bar and Feghouli saw his header on the rebound saved by Esteban, but that was all the locals could muster, and the white handkerchiefs were out at the final whistle in protest.

Almería are now only three points behind Rayo Vallecano, who drop in to the relegation zone after losing 3-1 at Osasuna. The Pamplona based side started the day in second to last spot, but with only a minute on the clock Oier headed them in to the lead from a Roberto Torres corner. Twelve minutes later Oriol Riera made it two, turning the ball in on the far post after Tito deflected a De las Cuevas cross in to his path, and Arbilla came close to a third when he headed another corner over the top. Andrés had to be at his best though to keep out Jonathan Viera and Iago Falqué either side of half time, but with just under an hour on the clock Roberto Torres latched on to a Loties pass to curl a shot in to the top corner of the net. Soon afterwards De las Cuevas got himself sent off for a tackle from behind on Embarba, and Gálvez got on the end of a Viera cross to get one back, but it was too late to prevent Paco Jémez's side from slipping below their opponents in the table. (30.10.13)

Another round of midweek league games this week, Barcelona throwing down the gauntlet to their nearest challengers with a 0-3 victory at Celta on Tuesday evening. Alexis started things off early on after Yoel could only push out a shot from Fàbregas, but the locals could well have equalized later in the first half, Valdés having to save from Charles and Rafinha, and Nolito having a strike ruled out for what the referee considered to be a previous foul by Charles. A couple of minutes after the restart though the visitors went further ahead, Yoel deflecting the ball in to his own net after a long shot by Fàbregas came back off the crossbar, and six minutes later Fàbregas finally got his own name on the scoresheet with a low shot after Messi set him up. After that only a string of excellent saves by Yoel prevented Messi from adding to the result, but Nolito did hit the bar with a free kick, and young substitute Santi Mina was thwarted at the last second by Montoya when free on goal late on.

Earlier in the evening Barcelona's city neighbours Espanyol were held to a 0-0 draw by Málaga. The visitors had the better chances in the first half, Santa Cruz and Eliseu both hitting the woodwork, but Córdoba had a header cleared off the line by a defender at the other end, and Caballero had to save from Simao. After the interval Casilla kept out Darder and Anderson, and Antunes fired a shot just wide, and Caballero responded with further saves from Stuani and Sergio García. A fair result in the end though, leaving the Catalans still a point off the European spots, and taking Bernd Schuster's side two points clear of the drop zone. Espanyol will be back in action on Friday night, when they visit the Nou Camp in the opening game of week twelve. (29.10.13)