News Archive

First division – day 16

The big two are now three points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand after third placed Sevilla were held to a 1-1 draw by Osasuna on Sunday evening. Munir fired the Andalusians into an early lead, but Adrián set up Chimy Ávila to level it on the stroke of half time, and the hosts held on despite having Oier sent off on the hour mark. Real Sociedad stay four points behind Sevilla in fourth spot after they drew 0-0 at Valladolid, keepers Masip and Remiro the best on the park there, and Getafe are now level on points with the Basque team after a 0-1 win at Eibar, substitute Angel getting the only goal midway through the second half to hand their opponents a fourth defeat in a row. Athletic Bilbao drop to sixth though after they lost 3-2 at Betis, Joaquín scoring a rapid hat-trick in the first twenty minutes before a Williams penalty and a strike by Yuri put the visitors back in the game. And Leganés got their first win under new coach Javier Aguirre after beating fellow strugglers Celta, Oscar scoring twice before the break and Kevin adding a third before Araujo and Aspas got two back for the Galicians. (08.12.19)

Barcelona and Real Madrid kept up their push for this season’s league title, both winning on Saturday to stay neck-and-neck at the top of the table. Real Madrid were first up, and they clocked up a comfortable 2-0 victory over Barça’s city neighbours, Espanyol. Benzema set up Varane for the opener shortly before the break, and then scored the second himself after an assist from Valverde, a red card for Mendy coming too late to change the result. Later in the evening though, Barcelona matched their arch rivals with a 5.2 win over Mallorca, Griezmann running on to a long Ter Stegen goal kick to start things off early on, and Messi adding two more before Luis Suárez scored what could be the goal of the season with an impressive back-heel shot. Budimir scored twice either side of the break to keep the islanders in the game, but Messi completed yet another hat-trick to put the result beyond doubt. Valencia are up to seventh after they came back from two goals down to win 2-4 at city rivals Levante, Roger scoring twice for the locals but then putting through his own net on the stroke of half time, and Gameiro netting twice around the hour mark before Ferran wrapped things up. Elsewhere Granada returned to winning ways with a 3-0 win against Alavés (who ended with nine men after Wakaso and Laguardia were sent off), Carlos Fernández, Soldado (from the penalty spot) and Yangel getting the goals for the Andalusians after the interval to take the Andalusians back up to within two points of the European places. (07.12.19)

Villarreal and Atlético Madrid played out a 0-0 draw on Friday evening, a result which left the visitors still in sixth place, and their hosts seven points below them in twelfth. Plans to hold the game in Miami were scrapped after other clubs lodged a protest, but that was probably for the best as there were no goals to entertain the fans, keepers Asenjo and Oblak on good form, and Chukwueze and Joao Felix in particular failing to convert chances. (06.12.19)