Tag: La Liga

MALLORCA: 10-man Mallorca had to overcome the number disadvantage for the final 20 minutes to hold Osasuna for a goalless draw in the mid-table clash in the ongoing La Liga.

Osasuna finished in ninth place and Mallorca in 11th after the stalemate, which lacked clear scoring opportunities until the last minutes.

The goalless draw against Mallorca meant Osasuna failed to score in their last four La Liga fixtures.

The visitors had the upper hand in the closing minutes and added time of the fixture and they did threaten but goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic made back-to-back saves to deny Moncayola and Abde.

Earlier, Mallorca’s defender was given a straight red card for fouling Osasuna’s Ruben Garcia in the 69th minute, who only had to beat the goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, following their goalless stalemate against Mallorca, Osasuna will turn their focus back to Copa del Rey clash at Athletic Bilbao, leading 1-0 after the first leg.

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MADRID: La Liga’s bottom club Elche sacked coach Pablo Machin on Monday after a 2-0 defeat at Real Sociedad left the team 14 points from safety.

Former Sevilla and Espanyol boss Machin leaves just months after joining last November with Elche already in the relegation zone.

“Pablo Machin will not continue as coach of the first team,” the club said in a statement.

Elche only ended their wait for a first league victory of the season last month after failing to win any of their opening 19 games.

Machin’s side had taken four points from their two previous matches before Sunday’s loss to Sociedad.

He is the third coach to be sacked by Elche this term, following the dismissals of Francisco Rodriguez and Jorge Almiron.

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BARCELONA: Franck Kessie scored a stoppage-time winner as Barcelona snatched a 2-1 Clasico win over Real Madrid on Sunday at Camp Nou and moved 12 points clear of the arch-rivals at the top of La Liga.

The thrilling victory strengthened Barca’s chances to win the title for the first time since 2019 as Madrid’s hopes to defend the championship had been effectively dented with only 12 games of the season left.

The visitors took the early lead through a freak own goal from Ronald Arujo in the ninth minute but Barcelona rebounded strongly when Sergi Roberto struck the equalizer on the stroke of half-time.

Both teams created chances in the second half and Marco Asensio tucked home for Real but ht effort was ruled for offside after a long VAR check.

Instead, Alejandro Balde set up Kessie in the second minute of additional time who sent the ball past goalkeeper Rudiger into the bottom left corner.

The intensity from the crowd was phenomenal as Kessie wrapped up Barcelona’s 100th win against arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Earlier, Getafe beat Sevilla 2-0 as they jumped past the opponents to 13th place in the standings.

Meanwhile, Villareal wreaked havoc on Osasuna as they sealed a commanding 3-0 win thanks to a brace from Jose Luis Morales and Samuel Chukwueze’s early goal.

Real Sociedad came out on top against Elche with a 2-0 win after Takefusa Kubo and Ander Barrenetxea hit goals each.

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MADRID: Antoine Griezmann, Yannick Carrasco and Thomas Lemar scored goals to give Atletico Madrid a commanding 3-0 win over Valencia on Saturday and extend their unbeaten run in La Liga to 10 games. 

The home side at Metropolitano Stadium dominated the opponents completely and registered its third consecutive win in the Spanish League.

Griezmann opened the scoring in the first half, slotting home from a close range before Carrose doubled the lead after the break.

Substitute Lemar wrapped up Atletico’s win in the 67th minute, finishing eloquently from Alvaro Morata’s cross as Diego Simeone’s side produced another contest on high note.

Following the victory, Atletico jumped to 51 points and strengthened their claim on third place in the standing, six points ahead of fourth-placed Real Sociedad, who face Elche on Sunday.

However, Valencia are left on the edge of the relegation zone, equal on 26 points with Almeria and Getafe.

Earlier, Celta Vigo breezed past Espanyol 3-1 as goals from Gabri Viega, Iago Aspas and Carles Perez took the side to 10th place.

Almeria held Cadiz to a 1-1 draw after Gonzalo Merelo scored the equalizer on a penalty deep into the stoppage time.

Rayo Vallecano ended on a 2-2 draw against Girona.

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GIRONA: Alvaro Morata scored a late winner to help Atletico Madrid beat Girona 1-0 on Monday to tighten their claim on third place in the La Liga standings.

Atletico now move to 48 points, three ahead of fouth-placed Real Sociedad, which drew 1-1 against Mallorca on Sunday. Girona, however, are in 12th place with 30 points, four points above the relegation zone.

Leader Barcelona top the standing on 65 points, nine points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Attleico had a fortunate day at Montilivi as they snatched the win in stoppage time following some tense moments when substitute Morata’s effort was initially disallowed but after a VAR check, the visitors were finally handed the lead.

The Spanish striker registered his 10th goal of the season with that last-gasp strike

Atletico Madrid next host relegation-threatened Valencia on Saturday, while Girona face Rayo Vallecano in an away game.

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BARCELONA: Barcelona claimed a fortunate 1-0 away win over Athletic Club on Sunday, thanks to Raphina’s stand-alone goal which powered them nine points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. 

Amid a dramatic week off the field, the former champions found a moment of cherish with a narrow 1-0 victory over hosts Athletic Club that propelled them nine points clear of arch-rivals Madrid despite their resounding 3-1 win over Espanyol.

The visitors started off strongly in a crucial clash which almost paid them in terms of an early lead but Ferran Torres’ strike passed just wide of the left post.

The hosts then looked to turn things around as Williams sneaked through a bunch of Barcelona defenders and managed to create the shooting pace only for his side-footed effort to be tipped wide by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Garcia then stole a header from the subsequent corner and it appeared to have dodged Ter Stegen all along, but the ball thud back off the crossbar.

With the first half coming to its closure, Raphinha buried the ball into the nets which, however, was initially deemed offside.

After a VAR check, however, it was determined that there was no offside amid the passage of play and thus the Brazilian’s goal was termed legal.

Barcelona’s star player Robert Lewandowski then had a vital chance to double his side’s lead in the 55th minute but the Polish striker botched it wide.

Both sides then made desperate efforts in the closing minutes of the game but failed. Athletic Club’s Gorka Guruzeta and Yuri Berchiche came close to firing the equaliser for their side but the visitors, somehow, managed to hang on.

In another La Liga fixture on Sunday, Valencia stunned eighth-placed Osasuna 1-0 to escape the relegation zone, just ahead of Getafe on goal difference.

Later, Mallorca held fourth-placed Real Sociedad for a 1-1 draw while Villarreal and Real Betis drew an alike outcome from their clash.

Furthermore, in another Sunday fixture, Sevilla recovered to claim a 2-1 victory over Almeria, who failed to escape the relegation zone, sitting in 19th place.

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MADRID: Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao and Marco Asensio made strikes as Real Madrid fought back after conceding an early goal to beat Espanyol 3-1 at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.

Second-placed Real Madrid cut leader Barcelona’s advantage to six points at the La Liga top and maintained their thin chances to defend the title by moving up to 56 points.

Barcelona, however, have a chance to regain nine points lead when they face Atheltic Club on Sunday.

Espanyol, who remain 13th, took the lead early on as Joselu smacked the ball into the top corner past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois following Ruben Sanchez’s cross in the 8th minute.

Madrid made a forceful response to the poor start as Eduardo Camavinga had a shot on target before Vincus stepped up with his masterful skills to pierce into the box, evading two defenders and firing in the leveller in the 22nd minute.

The 22-year-old registered his 19th goal this season in all competitions and moved ahead of Karim Benzema as the club’s top scorer this season.

Pushed back to their own area, Espanyol had no answer to Militao’s thunderous header through Aurelien Tchouameni’s cross six minutes before halftime.

Madrid kept the pressure on the opponents after the break with Rodrygo nearly scoring on a free kick but the ball deflected off the crossbar.

Asensio wrapped up the win for Madrid in the added time as he produced a superb finish with his left foot after a brilliant sprint from Nacho.

In another La Liga fixture on Saturday, Celta Vigo thrashed Rayo Vallecano 3-0 thanks to Iago Aspas’ brace.

Later, Valencia prevailed at home as they beat Osasuna 1-0.

Earlier Elche held Valladolid to a 1-1 draw through Tete Morente’s leveller deep into the stoppage time.

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BARCELONA: Barcelona claimed a narrow 1-0 win over Valencia on Sunday, thanks to Raphina’s stand-alone goal, and moved nine points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. 

Reigning champions Real, however, stumbled at Benito Villamarín later on and ended the frustrating week with a nil-nil draw against Real Betis.

Barcelona, who defeated the arch-rivals at home in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday, bagged three more points and cemented their claim on the La Liga title as they top the standings with 62 points after 24 games.

The home side at Camp Nou started strongly, led by Raphinha, who missed a couple of early chances before heading the ball over the goalkeeper off a superb long pass by midfielder Sergio Busquets in the 15th minute.

But, in the second half, Ferran Torres missed a penalty and Ronald Araujo was sent off to leave the hosts battling tooth and nail to maintain the lead.

At Seville, holders Madrid dominated the proceedings but could not find a way to break the deadlock against the threatening Betis.

Karim Benzema’s effort from a free-kick was disallowed while Betis goalkeeper Claudio Bravo made a string of fine saves to deny the French forward and Vinicius Junior.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was also put to test in the second half by Betis but made two superb stops while the game intensified.

In another Sunday’s La Liga fixture, Valladolid cruised past Espanyol 2-1 on the back of Ivan Sanchez and Alvaro Aguado’s goal in each half.

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MADRID: Dutch forward Memphis Depay got off the mark with two goals for Atletico Madrid as the side thrashed Sevilla 6-1 in La Liga on Saturday. 

Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco also scored goals each before Alvaro Morata had a brace in the win that marked manager Diego Simeone’s record 613th game as coach.

Atletico seized the opportunity to go third in the standing with 45 points after Real Sociedad drew at home 0-0 against 14th-placed Cadiz on Friday.

Sociedad now sit fourth on 44 points, while holders Real Madrid are second on 52 points with leaders Barcelona seven points ahead of them, both with a game in hand.

Sevilla end up 16th with 25 points, only one point clear of the relegation zone, after consecutive defeats in the last three games.

Atletico dominated the visitors completely throughout the game to record Simone’s 359th win as the club’s manager compared to  Luis Aragones’ 308.

Playing his first game for Atletico since he transferred from Barcelona in January, Depay received a long pass from the French forward Griezmann and slotted past the goalkeeper to open the scoring in the 23rd minute.

The Dutch striker doubled the lead three minutes later with another assist from Giezmann.

Sevilla retaliated through Youssef En Nesyri, who was quick enough to beat goalkeeper Jan Oblak inside the box from close range and made it 2-1 in the 39th minute.

Atletico, however, unleashed a more vigorous attack in the second half with Griezmann regaining the two-goal cushion for his side eight minutes after the break.

Carrasco extended Atletico’s lead in the 69th minute, before Ivan Rakitic missed a penalty, hitting the post from the spot.

Substitute Morata delivered the final blows to a hopeless Sevilla, who had Pape Alassane Gueye sent off in the 81st minute.

Earlier Mallorca beat Elche thanks to Lucas Boye’s late winner two minutes before time while Villarreal dominated Almeria 2-0 to go sixth on the table.

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SAN SEBASTIAN: Real Sociedad fired dry in the goalless draw against Cadiz and were unable to consolidate the third spot in the La Liga standings.

After failing to secure three vital points against 14th-placed Cadiz, the Sociedad left room for Atletico Madrid to go past them in the latter’s next fixture.

The Basques had the upper hand in the dry contest but their tenacious opponents, three points above the relegation zone, hung on for a crucial point.

Consequently, the Sociedad, who held the third position since November, are in trouble of falling behind Atletico Madrid if they beat Sevilla on Saturday.

The hosts dominated possession at the Reale Arena, and Carlos Fernandez came close before the break with a shot that sailed narrowly wide.

Cadiz almost cut the deadlock when Roger Marti went around goalkeeper Alex Remiro but hit the post from a tight angle.

Both sides then settled for a goalless draw after an 11-minute stoppage time.

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