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LaLiga 1 - Match Day 24
THERE was a real mixed-bag of results at the weekend in the Spanish top division, where the league leaders, FC Barcelona increased their lead at the top to nine points after their narrow 1-0 win, at home, to a struggling Valencia side. Raphinha (on 16 minutes) scored the only goal of the game and although Barcelona had to compete with a player less from the 59th minute (Araújo was red-carded), they held on to the three points.
Real Madrid on the other hand, continue to blow hot and cold. They drew (0-0) away at Real Betis in a game where both keepers were superb (as well as some poor finishing from Real Madrid). This draw, which I am sure they will consider to be two points dropped, means that Barcelona are now nine points ahead of their bitter rivals, with 62 points to Real Madrids´ 53. More worrying for Madrid is that they have now drawn their last two matches and look certain to hand the title to Barcelona, even with so many games still to play.
Atlético Madrid move up into third position with 45 points, after their 6-1 destruction of a Sevilla side that is having huge problems on and off the field, with their previous president and the club involved in a longstanding legal case. For Atlético, three wins and two draws in their last five matches means they are climbing the table and, should their city rivals Real continue with their patchy form, don't be surprised if they ‘nick’ that second place.
In fourth on 44 points, Real Sociedad are in the final Champions
League place, although they appear to be going through a dip in form. At the weekend they were held at home (0-0) by a Cádiz side who have been in the relegation zone all season, and with one win, two draws and two defeats from their last five matches, have been overtaken by Atlético Madrid.
Real Betis, after their 0-0 draw against Real Madrid, remain in fifth with 41 points. They are now four points above sixth placed Villarreal (37 points), who won 0-2 away at Almería. Rayo Vallecano are in seventh position with 35 points, after they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Athletic Bilbao (who despite the point, finished with 10 players on the pitch).
Osasuna (from Pamplona), are in eighth following their 0-0 draw at home to a Celta Vigo side who are going through a really good run at the moment. Osasuna are on 34 points, one more than Athletic Bilbao who are in ninth with 33 points.
Real Mallorca are in 10th position with 31 points, even though they were beaten at home to the bottom side Elche (0-1). There was not a lot to choose between these two sides on the day, but Elche did have the better chances. Although there were huge protests at the end against the referee, who disallowed a Mallorca equaliser deep into injury time after taking his time watching it on VAR.
Girona lost 3-2 away at Getafe and are now in 11th position with 30 points. Getafe went in at half-time 3-0 up before Girona almost snatched a point scoring twice in the second 45 minutes. Girona are one place above Celta Vigo, who have 28 points and are in 12th place. Espanyol and Valladolid (who played each other at the weekend) are in joint 13th position with both sides on 27 points, after Valladolid ran out 2-1 winners. Cádiz, who have recovered from their terrible start to the season, are in 15th place with 26 points after their excellent away draw at Real Sociedad. Two wins, a draw and one defeat from their last four matches played is certainly not relegation material. One place below Cádiz, in 16th position, are three sides who are all on 25 points - Getafe, Sevilla and Almería are too close to the relegation places and need a few wins quickly. But Getafe was the only one of these three to win at the weekend, as both Sevilla and Almería were beaten with Sevilla taking a real thumping away at Atlético. Sevilla have won once and drawn once but lost three of their last five games, whilst Almería have lost four and won just the one of their last five played. Amazingly, that one win came against the league leaders FC Barcelona.
The bottom two sides, Valencia and Elche, had contrasting results at the weekend. Valencia lost for the 13th time this season whilst Elche, who have looked better in their last few outings, actually won for the second time this season. Maybe, just maybe, could this be a turning point in their season?
Results for Match Day 24 (March 3-6)
Real Sociedad 0-0 Cádiz Getafe 3-2 Girona Almeria 0 - 2 Villarreal Real Mallorca 0-1 Elche Atlético Madrid 6-1 Sevilla Valladolid 2-1 Espanyol Barcelona 1-0 Valencia Rayo Vallecano 0-0 Athletic Bilbao
Real Betis 0-0 Real Madrid Osasuna 0-0 Celta Vigo
Fixtures for Match Day 25 (March 10-13)
Cádiz v Getafe
Real Madrid v Espanyol Elche v Valladolid
Celta Vigo v Rayo Vallecano Valencia v Osasuna
Real Mallorca v Real Sociedad Sevilla v Almería Villarreal v Real Betis Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona Girona v Atlético Madrid
LaLiga 2 - Match Day 30
Despite dropping points away at Andorra (0-0), Las Palmas stay at the top of the division with 57 points. Andorra, who played with a player less from the third minute onwards, did well to hang on for a point. But the points dropped means that Las Palmas have had their lead cut back to one point, as Eibar jump above Levante into second spot with 56 points, following their 0-1 win away at Tenerife. Levante, who dropped one place into third after they were beaten 3-0 away at Huesca, are on 54 points, the same amount of points as Granada who won 1-3 away at Burgos. Granada have the best current form at the moment, having won four and drawn one of their last five games.
Alavés are in fifth place after their defeat away at Villarreal B. They have 53 points and are one place above Albacete in sixth. Albacete won 2-1 at home against Sporting Gijón and have 50 points, with Burgos (45 points) in seventh place, following their home defeat to Granada. FC Cartagena are in eighth (44 points) following their 0-3 away win at struggling Málaga.
There are three clubs in joint ninth position on 40 points - Huesca (won 3-0), Leganés (0-1 defeat) and Villarreal B (won 1-0), are all in that midtable position which looks safe enough. However, there are so few points separating these clubs from the danger zone that they are certainly not safe yet.
Mirandés and Tenerife had very different results at the weekend. Mirandés won (1-0) and Tenerife lost (0-1), which means both clubs are level on 37 points and in joint 12th position. These two sides are just one place and one point above Racing Santander, Sporting Gijón and Andorra, who are, following the last round of matches, on 36 points in joint 14th place. Zaragoza and Oviedo, in joint 17th position, both have 35 points and are one position and six points above the relegation places. Only two points separate 12th position and 18th position in this group.
Looking at the four sides in the relegation places, Ponferradina have 29 points and are in 19th place. One place below them are Málaga with 25 points and four defeats from their last five played. Ibiza, who won for the first time in five, climbed off the foot of the table (on goal difference) into 21st position with 23 points. Ibiza are replaced at the foot of the table, also with 23 points, by CD Lugo who, after a good start to the season, have seen a staggering loss of form as they have picked up just two points from 15 points available. This week, despite getting a draw at home to Zaragoza, they parted company with the third manager of the season. It does not look good for them, unless the next manager performs a small miracle.
Results for Match Day 30 (March 3-6)
Andorra 0-0 Las Palmas Burgos 1-3 Granada Huesca 3-0 Levante Tenerife 0-1 Eibar Mirandés 1-0 Oviedo Leganés 0-1 Ibiza Albacete 2-1 Sporting Gijón Málaga 0-1 Racing Santander CD Lugo 0-0 Zaragoza Ponferradina 0-3 FC Cartagena
Villarreal B 1-0 Alavés
Fixtures for Match Day 31 (March 10-13)
Oviedo v Tenerife Eibar v Burgos Alavés v CD Lugo Ibiza v Villarreal B
Las Palmas v Málaga Zaragoza v Leganés Sporting Gijón v Mirandés Levante v Albacete FC Cartagena v Andorra Granada v Ponferradina Racing Santander v Huesca