Barça move 11 points clear after Costa sees red in top-of-the-table clash
BARCELONA went 11 points clear at the top of the table following a 2-0 win over ATLÉTICO MADRID as the top two clashed at the Camp Nou. Atleti had Diego Costa sent off in the opening halfhour for hurling abuse at referee Jesús Gil Manzano, yet with keeper Jan Oblak producing a string of fine saves to deny Barca it appeared Diego Simeone’s 10 men were set for at least a point. But with five minutes remaining Luis Suárez curled in a low shot from long range to finally beat the Slovenian stopper. And the game was within the next 60 seconds as Lionel Messi cut inside the area to fire past Oblak for his 33rd goal of the season.
REAL MADRID needed to come from behind to beat EIBAR 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu with Karim Benzema scoring a brace for Zinedine Zidane’s team. The recently appointed Zidane saw his side go behind six minutes before half-time as Marc Cardona lifted the ball over Keylor Navas from close range, but Benzema levelled things after 59 minutes when heading in Marco Asensio’s cross. And the Frenchman got the winner 10 minutes from time with another header, this time from a Toni Kroos assist, before almost claiming his hat-trick with an attempt that hit the woodwork.
Struggling RAYO VALLECANO earned a welcome three points in their battle against relegation with a surprise 2-0 home win over VALENCIA. Raúl de Tomás got the Madrid side on their way after half-an-hour when getting on the end of an Adrián Embarba pass, yet Los Che should have restored parity after the break but Geoffrey Kondogbia was unable to divert a Denis Cheryshev cross-shot into the net. Rayo finally clinched victory on 89 minutes as Mario Suárez produced a bullet header to leave Neto in the Valencia goal with no chance.
Surprise package GETAFE remain in fourth after beating ATHLETIC BILBAO 1-0 at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. A keenly-fought contest was finally settled in the 78th minute when substitute Ángel Rodríguez raced clear of the Bilbao defence and slotted the ball past keeper Iago Herrerín. The result leaves Getafe one point clear of Sevilla with Valencia also in contention for a Champions League spot, while Athletic are still in the race for a Europa League place.
ESPANYOL left it late to take all three points following a 2-1 win in the Catalan derby at GIRONA. Sergi Darder gave the visitors the lead on the hour mark when finding the bottom corner from the edge of the area, only for Cristhian Stuani to equalise from the penalty spot after Roberto Rosales had handled. But Espanyol hit back in stoppage time as Darder’s shot from distance came back off a post and went in off the back of Girona stopper Bono.
ALAVÉS’ Champions League aspirations suffered a blow as LEGANÉS forced a fortunate last-gasp leveller to earn a point in a 1-1 draw at Mendizorroza. Alavés went ahead in the 18th minute courtesy of a Jonathan Calleri penalty following a clumsy foul by Unai Bustinza. It appeared enough for the Vitoria side to claim victory, but the equaliser arrived deep into added time as Jonathan Silva’s cross sailed over the head of goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco.
CELTA VIGO’s hopes of avoiding the drop were boosted as Iago Aspas scored twice in a 3-1 home win over REAL SOCIEDAD. In driving torrential rain, La Real took the lead through a Willian José penalty on 31 minutes with VAR ruling Lucas Olaza had fouled Mikel Oyarzabal. However, the Galicians were awarded a penalty of their own five minutes after the break, goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli bringing down Aspas and the striker getting up to send him the wrong way from the resulting spot-kick. The visitors were then reduced to 10 men after Willian José was dismissed for an elbow on Okay Yokuslu, and it proved costly as Aspas headed in his second 12 minutes later. The win was sealed late on as Maxi Gómez fired past Rulli from inside the box.
REAL BETIS beat VILLARREAL 2-1 at the Benito Villamarín to leave the Yellow Submarine rooted in the relegation places. Giovani Lo Celso netted the opener for the Andalusians after 11 minutes with a superb chip over Sergio Asenjo. Nonetheless, Villarreal hit back almost immediately with Ramiro Funes Mori heading home Santi Cazorla’s corner. Yet Betis managed to regain the lead in the 63rd minute, Lo Celso once again on target as he found the back of the net with a right-foot shot. Villarreal had the opportunity to have snatched a vital point from the penalty spot two minutes from time when defender Marc Bartra handled, but former Arsenal man Santi Cazorla hit his penalty straight at goalkeeper Pau López.
LEVANTE and HUESCA had to settle for a share of the spoils in an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Ciutat de Valencia. Roger gave Levante the lead in the 19th minute after good work by José Luis Morales, yet it was not until midway through the second half that the game sprang to life with three goals in seven minutes. Enric Gallego equalised for bottom club Huesca from a set-piece move, only for Morales to put the hosts back in front two minutes later from the penalty spot after he had been fouled. But Huesca grabbed another leveller a few minutes later, this time from another set-piece converted by Chimy Ávila.
SEVILLA kept up their bid for a Champions League place with a 2-0 success away to REAL VALLADOLID. Even so, they had to wait until the 84th minute to find a breakthrough, Roque Mesa scoring from outside the box with a powerful shot before Munir El Haddadi ensured victory in stoppage time after being set up by youngster Bryan Gil. On a sad note, Sevilla boss Joaquín Caparrós revealed in his post-match press conference that he is battling leukemia but is determined to carry on as the club’s coach.