News Archive

First division – day 33

Real Madrid move four points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona after a 1-0 victory over neighbours Getafe on Thursday evening! They left it late though against a physical opponent, Sergio Ramos getting the only goal from the penalty spot after Olivera tripped Carvajal in the area with ten minutes to go. Elsewhere Real Sociedad put an end to their poor recent run after coming from behind to beat bottom club Espanyol 2-1, Willian José and Isak getting the goals in the second half after David López had headed the Catalans into the lead in the tenth minute. The win takes the Basque side back up to seventh, now two points clear of their neighbours Athletic Bilbao. Osasuna can’t be ruled out of the running for the European places though after a 0-2 victory at local rivals Eibar, Rubén García scoring a goal in each half to leave the home side still only six points above the drop zone. (02.07.20)

Villarreal have been the most on-form team since the lockdown, and they moved up to fifth after a 0-2 win at Betis on Wednesday. Gerard Moreno did the damage, converting an early penalty after Bartra brought down Bacca in the area, then adding a second before the break to make it 16 points from the last six games for his side. Athletic Bilbao are also doing well recently, and they are up to seventh pending the rest of the mid-week games after beating Valencia 0-2. Raúl García got both the goals before the interval, the first from a Williams cross and the second with a shot from outside of the area, to take the Basque side above their hosts in the table. It was a bad start for Valencia’s caretaker coach Voro, and to top it all he also lost Gayà and Rodrigo for the rest of the season after both were injured. Granada are still only two points below Athletic though after they won 0-2 at Alavés, and they are one of several sides in with a chance of the European spots. Antoñin got the opener midway through the first half after Roberto saved from Puertas, and Soldado made it two on a quick counter-attack soon after the restart. Alavés drop to sixteenth, a point below Valladolid, who drew 0-0 against Levante in the last match of the evening. (01.07.20)

Barcelona’s title challenge is fading after they could only draw 2-2 against third-placed Atlético Madrid on Saturday night, a second draw in a row leaving them still a point below Real Madrid, who play tomorrow. Diego Costa deflected the ball into his own net after Busquets headed on a Messi corner in the twelfth minute, and then saw his penalty saved by Ter Stegen after Vidal brought down Carrasco soon afterwards. The referee ordered a retake however, which Saúl tucked away, and although Messi restored the lead from the spot after Felipe fouled Semedo shortly after the restart, Saúl levelled it once again with a third penalty after Semedo tripped Carrasco on the hour mark. Earlier in the evening fourth-placed Sevilla finally got back to winning ways with a 0-3 victory at next to bottom club Leganés, Oliver Torres netting twice before the break and Munir adding the third late on. And Mallorca kept their slim hopes of salvation alive with a 5-1 win against Celta, a Budimir penalty and strikes by Cucho Hernández and Pozo putting the islanders three up by the interval. Iago Aspas got one back from the penalty spot after the restart, but Budimir and Salva Sevilla added two more to close to within five points of their opponents in the table. (30.06.20)