News Archive

First division – day 33

No problems for Real Madrid on Sunday, a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao, with a hat-trick from the on-form Benzema, consolidating their third spot. The fight for the fourth Champions League spot looks like being between three sides though, with Getafe now two points clear of Sevilla and Valencia after a surprising 3-0 win over the Andalusians. Mata and Molina both converted first half penalties, the second resulting a red card for Escudero, and Molina added a third after the restart before Djené was also sent off later on. Valencia stay in touch however after they beat Betis 1-2 later in the evening, Guedes scoring two either side of the break, and Lo Celso converting a late penalty for the hosts, who are now losing touch with the European places. Lower down the table, Villarreal put aside their Europa League defeat with a 2-1 victory over Leganés which takes them four points clear of the drop zone. Bacca and Ekambi put them two up after the break before El Zhar got a late consolation for the visitors from the penalty spot. And Levante are now two points below Villarreal after they drew 2-2 against Espanyol, Borja Iglesias and Marc Roca twice giving the Catalans the lead, but Rubén Vezo and Rubén Rochina pegging them back both times. All of that left Valladolid back in the relegation spots together with Rayo and Huesca, the three teams that were promoted last season. (21.04.19)

Barcelona just need six points from their next five games to be league champions after a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad on Saturday evening! Lenglet headed Valverde’s side in front from from Dembélé’s corner on the stroke of half time, and although Juanmi levelled the scores after the break, Jordi Alba restored the lead just two minutes later. Barça stay nine points clear of Atlético Madrid, who beat Eibar 0-1 earlier in the afternoon. They left it late though, Lemar getting the winner from Koke’s cross with just five minutes remaining. The other two games involved sides in the lower reaches of the table, bottom two Rayo Vallecano and Huesca doing themselves no favours after a 0-0 draw left them both well adrift of the rest. De Tomás did get the ball in the net for the locals only for the strike to be ruled out for a borderline offside, but Etxeita missed a good chance to win it for the visitors in injury time. Above them though only three points separate five teams after Celta beat Girona 2-1 in the early kick-off. The Galicians started the day in the bottom three, but Boufal ensured the three points for them after a strike by Portu had cancelled out Iago Aspas’s first half opener. It was a fifth defeat in a row for the Catalans, and they drop a point below their hosts in the rankings. (20.04.19)

The Friday night game between Alavés and Valladolid ended in a 2-2 draw, a result which didn’t really help either club in their respective objectives, the former to get back into the European spots, and the latter to avoid the drop. Guidetti charged down a lazy clearance from keeper Yoel to open the scoring early on, and Jony put the locals two up with a wide free kick a few minutes later. A Joaquín header and a Ünal penalty saved a point for the visitors however, and they move out of the relegation zone, above Celta on head-to-head goal difference, pending the rest of the weekend fixtures. (19.04.19)