News Archive

First division – day 24

Real Madrid’s lead at the top has been cut to one point after they could only draw 2-2 with struggling Celta on Sunday night. The Galicians had not taken a single point from the Bernabeu stadium in 14 years, but Smolov put them ahead early on with his first goal for his new club. A Kroos strike and a Ramos penalty after keeper Rubén brought down Hazard turned the scoreline around after the break, but substitutes Denis Suárez and Santi Mina combined for the striker to make it all square near the end. Celta’s draw and Mallorca’s win meant that the bottom four teams all picked up points this weekend, Leganés drawing 0-0 with Betis, and Espanyol sharing the spoils in a 2-2 draw at Sevilla earlier in the day. Ocampos opened the scoring for the locals early on, but strikes either side of the break by Embarba (with a controversial free kick) and Wu Lei gave the Catalans the lead before Suso made it all square with ten minutes to go. That left Sevilla out of the Champions League spots, still in fifth place, and Athletic Bilbao also lost ground on the teams above them after they lost 0-1 to neighbours Osasuna, Oier getting the goal to take the Pamplona based side level with their hosts in the table. Athletic have not won in the league now for nine games, although they are putting their hopes on the cup this season. (16.02.20)

Barcelona moved up level with leaders Real Madrid pending their game on Sunday after a 2-1 victory over third placed Getafe on Saturday afternoon. Messi set up Griezmann for the opener with just over half an hour on the clock, and Sergi Roberto added a second from Junior’s cross soon afterwards. However Angel (currently being mooted as replacement for the injured Dembélé) volleyed one back after the restart, and only a couple of good saves by Ter Stegen prevented the visitors from coming away with a point. Villarreal are now sixth after they beat regional neighbours Levante 2-1, Moi Gómez getting the winner after a Borja Mayoral strike cancelled out Gerard Moreno’s opener. And Granada are now back to ninth after a 2-1 win over Valladolid, Guardiola putting the visitors in front after the break, but Antonio Puertas levelling it with ten minutes to go, and Carlos Fernández getting the second in the sixth and final minute of time added on. Further down the table, Mallorca move out of the bottom three after beating Alavés 1-0 in the early kick-off, Cucho Hernández getting the only goal midway through the second half. And elsewhere, Sunday’s game between Eibar and Real Sociedad has been called off due to air pollution safety concerns following a landslide and a fire at a nearby landfill. (15.02.20)

With both teams playing in the Champions League midweek, the match between Valencia and Atlético Madrid was brought forward to Friday night. In the end though the points were shared in a 2-2 draw, Llorente and Thomas twice giving the visitors the lead before the break, but Gabriel Paulista and Kondogbia pegging them back both times. (14.02.20)