Yet another amazing record set this weekend, although for once it wasn’t Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo who made it, but Luis Suárez! The Uruguayan striker notched up four goals in a single match for the second time in a row, something which (apart from the odd school playground) has we believe never been achieved before. Two of those against the latest victims Sporting were of course penalties, and Neymar converted a third spot kick for Barcelona, with Messi also on the scoresheet in a 6-0 victory. For the record Barça have been awarded 19 penalties this season (not all of them converted!?!), which is another Liga record. Suárez leaps three ahead of Ronaldo for the league’s “Pichichi” race, the Real Madrid superstar currently out injured after trying an acrobatic overhead kick midweek. In his absence (and that of Benzema), Bale stepped up to the plate, helping himself to a brace in an epic comeback at Rayo which keeps the Merengues in the title race. Atlético also won though thanks to a Correa strike against Málaga to stay level with Barça in the table, and this year it could all be decided on the last weekend.

Nobody can catch the big three now, but fourth place is still up for grabs, Celta closing the gap on Villarreal to four points after a 2-1 win against Granada on Monday evening. Iago Aspas got both the goals for the Galicians, including a penalty, with El-Arabi temporarily equalizing for the visitors. Sevilla now won’t be able to overtake Villarreal, but (as cup finalists as well) they are all but mathematically assured a Europa League place for next season after beating city rivals Betis 2-0, with strikes from Gameiro and Coke. Valencia’s chances of a return to Europe have effectively gone however after they could only draw 2-2 at Getafe, Dani Parejo and Paco Alcácer the scorers for the Ches. Curiously both played for Getafe in the past, and their goals may be instrumental in taking the Madrid based team down to the second division. (26.04.16)

Pichichi League Cup Europe Total (Penalties)
Luis Suárez (Barcelona) 34 5 14 53 (4)
Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 31 0 16 47 (8)
Messi (Barcelona) 25 6 9 40 (4)
Aduríz (Athletic Bilbao) 17 6 10 33 (3)
Neymar (Barcelona) 23 3 3 29 (6)
Griezmann (Atlético) 20 3 6 29 (2)
Benzema (Real Madrid) 23 0 4 27 (0)
Gameiro (Sevilla) 16 3 6 25 (6)
Bakambu (Villarreal) 12 1 9 22 (0)
Bale (Real Madrid) 18 0 0 18 (0)
Borja Bastón (Eibar) 17 1 0 18 (2)
Iago Aspas (Celta) 14 4 0 18 (1)
Rubén Castro (Betis) 17 0 0 17 (2)
Lucas Pérez (Deportivo) 16 0 0 16 (1)
El-Arabi (Granada) 14 1 0 15 (6)
Alcácer (Valencia) 13 2 0 15 (2)
Agirretxe (Real Sociedad) 13 0 0 13 (0)
Williams (Athletic) 8 3 2 13 (0)
Guidetti (Celta) 7 5 0 12 (2)
Negredo (Valencia) 5 5 2 12 (2)
Nolito (Celta) 11 0 0 11 (1)
Javi Guerra (Rayo) 11 0 0 11 (0)
Sanabria (Sporting) 11 0 0 11 (1)
Parejo (Valencia) 8 1 2 11 (3)
Charles (Málaga) 10 0 0 10 (0)
Fernando Torres (Atlético) 9 0 1 10 (0)