Real Madrid beat Atlético at home in derby as Barça are held in Bilbao
REAL MADRID’s improved form under Santiago Solari continued with a 3-1 derby win over ATLÉTICO MADRID at the Wanda Metropolitano. Casemiro got Los Blancos off to the perfect start on 15 minutes with a spectacular scissor-kick, only for Diego Simeone’s men to equalise 10 minutes later when Antoine Griezmann beat Thibaut Courtois after being set up by Ángel Correa. However, Real were back in front two minutes before the break through a Sergio Ramos penalty, VAR ruling that José Giménez had tripped Vinicius inside the box. Álvaro Morata thought he had levelled matters with a sensational chip over Courtois, but his effort was ruled out for offside by VAR. A bad-tempered second half saw several yellow cards brandished, before substitute Gareth Bale increased the advantage for the visitors in the 74th minute with a left-footed shot. Any hopes of an Atlético comeback were dashed moments later as Thomas Partey picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Toni Kroos as Real saw out the rest of the game for a fifth successive league triumph.
BARCELONA missed the opportunity to extend their lead at the top after they were held to a goalless draw at ATHLETIC BILBAO. The Basques were the better team throughout and could have gone ahead after 17 minutes when Markel Susaeta’s effort was brilliantly palmed away by Marc-André ter Stegen. Even so, Barca themselves came close to scoring when Lionel Messi saw a superb lob from distance beat goalkeeper Iago Herrerín but bounce off the top of the crossbar. Ter Stegen was again the saviour in the second half with a string of fine saves, although Barcelona felt they should have been awarded a penalty in stoppage time for a foul on Nelson Semedo. Los Leones had Óscar de Marcos dismissed for a second bookable offence just before the final whistle but held on to claim a deserved point.
VILLARREAL did their survival hopes little good in a disappointing 0-0 draw away to REAL VALLADOLID. In a best forgotten match of few clear opportunities, the result means the Yellow Submarine are now 10 games without a win, while Valladolid have won just once in their last eight outings.
HUESCA are beginning to believe in a great relegation escape after recording a second successive win with a 2-0 victory at GIRONA. The visitors from Aragon went ahead after 35 minutes when ‘Chimy’ Ávila found the bottom corner, before the same player doubled the lead five minutes later with a close-range finish. Girona had Bernardo Espinosa sent off for a second yellow card midway through the second half, and the nearest they came to finding a breakthrough was when Juanpe hit the woodwork.
ESPANYOL came from behind late on to beat RAYO VALLECANO 2-1 in an entertaining game at the RCDE Stadium. Abdoulaye Ba headed home the first goal of the evening just after the half-hour mark to give Rayo a half-time lead, yet the Catalans were allowed back into the contest in the 72nd minute as Borja Iglesias converted from the penalty spot following a foul on winger Wu Lei. A share of the spoils looked the most likely outcome until Sergi Darder, who had previously had two goals disallowed, claimed all three points for Espanyol in stoppage time with an unstoppable volley.
Surprise team GETAFE pushed themselves into the fight for the Champions League places with a 3-1 home win over struggling CELTA VIGO. The visitors took the lead with just two minutes on the clock courtesy of a Nestor Araujo header, but Getafe got back on level terms as Jaime Mata scored from the spot after a foul inside the area by Maxi Gómez, who received a second yellow card for his indiscretion. The Madrid outfit made them pay in the second period as Jorge Molina tapped home and Mata notched his second of the night after a howler from Celta goalkeeper Rubén.
LEGANÉS made it two wins in a row by beating REAL BETIS 3-0 at Butarque thanks to a hat-trick from Youssef EnNesyri. The Moroccan striker got the Madrid side on their way after 22 minutes, his shot flying into the net with a slight deflection off Antonio Barragan, and doubled his account 10 minutes after the break as he got on the end of Óscar Rodríguez’s low cross. Leganés dominated throughout and En-Nesyri made sure of the win in the 66th minute with a finish into the bottom corner. The Andalusians misery was complete with 10 minutes remaining as Javi García received a straight red card.
SEVILLA rescued a point against EIBAR in a 2-2 draw at the Sánchez Pizjuán despite being down to 10 men. Eibar went ahead on 22 minutes through Fabián Orellana and increased the lead midway through the second period when Charles nodded home. Sevilla’s hopes of getting back into the contest looked to have ended when Ever Banega was sent off after 85 minutes, yet an unlikely turnaround was complete as Wissam Ben Yedder finished off a ball from Pablo Sarabia and then Sarabia himself converted a Quincy Promes cross.
VALENCIA registered a thirteenth draw of the season as the were held to a 0-0 stalemate by REAL SOCIEDAD at Mestalla. The visitors started the game well and looked most likely to score, although any clear-cut chances were at a premium. Valencia came back into it late on but, despite the introduction of the rested Rodrigo, were unable to find a way through a solid La Real defence and had to be content with a point.
A Victor Laguardia header and a late Jony goal earned ALAVÉS a 2-0 home victory over LEVANTE. Jonathan Calleri hit the post early on for Alavés but they eventually found a way through after 23 minutes, Laguardia heading in Jony’s corner. Jony himself got on the scoresheet in added time when he beat Aitor Fernández after a mistake by Cheick Doukare to move Alavés up to sixth.