Only one midweek game this week, Real Madrid’s first leg cup tie at Cultural Leonesa brought forward by a month and a half to free up time for them to participate in the Club World Cup in December. Zidane left Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema at home, but their young replacements took full advantage as they ran out 1-7 winners. There were two each for Marco Asensio and Morata, Asensio thereby setting a new record by scoring on his club debut in all four of the competitions he has taken part in, the European Super Cup, the league, the Champions League and now the Copa del Rey. And after an early own goal the other two scorers were Nacho and Mariano, the 17th and 18th players to get their names on the scoresheet for the club this season!

Madrid stay top of the table in the league as well after they beat Alavés 1-4 on Saturday, Ronaldo finally getting his season underway with his 38th hat-trick for the club, including the team’s first penalty of the season. Deyverson actually gave the locals the lead at first, but Morata came on to score his seventh of the season as well, which is putting the pressure on Benzema for the number nine spot. Barcelona meanwhile are up to second, although they struggled to beat an ultra-defensive Granada, Rafinha getting the only goal to take his side to within two points of the leaders. And Atlético are now third after a high scoring 4-2 victory over Málaga, Carrasco and Gameiro netting a brace each, Sandro one of the scorers for the visitors with an impressive free kick.

Sevilla drop to fourth however after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Sporting, Vietto’s early strike being cancelled out by Moi Gómez soon afterwards, and Villarreal are down to fifth after they lost for the first time this season at Eibar, Pedro León getting a late winner for the Basque side. Elsewhere Willian José was on target for Real Sociedad in a 0-2 win at Leganés on Friday which takes them up to sixth, and Las Palmas came back from three down to draw 3-3 against Celta, Boateng eventually netting the equalizer after Iago Aspas in particular had scored twice for the visitors. (01.11.16)

Pichichi League Cup Europe Total (Penalties)
Messi (Barcelona) 7 1 6 14 (2)
Luis Suárez (Barcelona) 7 1 2 10 (0)
Carrasco (Atlético) 5 0 2 7 (0)
Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 5 0 2 7 (1)
Morata (Real Madrid) 3 2 2 7 (0)
Griezmann (Atlético) 6 0 0 6 (0)
Iago Aspas (Celta) 6 0 0 6 (2)
Neymar (Barcelona) 4 0 2 6 (1)
Asensio (Real Madrid) 2 2 2 6 (0)
Aduríz (Athletic) 5 0 0 5 (1)
Gameiro (Atlético) 5 0 0 5 (1)
Rafinha (Barcelona) 5 0 0 5 (0)
Willian José (Real Soc) 5 0 0 5 (1)
Sansone (Villarreal) 5 0 0 5 (1)
Arda Turan (Barcelona) 2 2 1 5 (0)
Deyverson (Alavés) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Rubén Castro (Betis) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Pedro León (Eibar) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Moreno (Espanyol) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Boateng (Las Palmas) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Sandro (Málaga) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Sergio León (Osasuna) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Roberto Torres (Osasuna) 4 0 0 4 (2)
Benzema (Real Madrid) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Vietto (Sevilla) 4 0 0 4 (0)
Bale (Real Madrid) 3 0 1 4 (0)
Ben Yedder (Sevilla) 3 0 1 4 (0)
Alexandre Pato (Villarreal) 1 0 3 4 (0)