Cristiano Ronaldo bagged two penalties in Valencia as Los Blancos continued their free-scoring form with a 1-4 hammering of the hosts in the big La Liga match.
But hey, you’ll still get gigantic betting odds on Real to catch Barca at the top after the leaders won again with a second-half comeback against Alaves. Meanwhile in the other La Liga football games this weekend, there were convincing wins for Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, and live betting drama as Getafe denied Sevilla in the dying moments.
Valencia 1-4 Real Madrid
Two first-half penalties—coolly converted by Ronaldo—put Real in charge at the Mestalla, but they didn’t have it all their own way once Santi Mina halved the deficit early in the second half. Marcelo settled Los Blancos’ worries on 84 minutes before Toni Kroos made it a resounding win five minutes later.
Barcelona 2-1 Alaves
Philippe Coutinho made his first start for Barca but the big news in the opening half was John Guidetti’s opener for Alaves on 23 minutes. Luis Suarez preserved Barcelona’s unbeaten record with a well-worked goal on 72 minutes, and then Lionel Messi sent the Camp Nou wild on 82. The lead remains at 11 points.
Atletico Madrid 3-0 Las Palmas
Atletico are solidly in second place after a comfortable win over struggling Las Palmas. The visitors held out until the break but second-half strikes from Antoine Griezmann, Fernando Torres and Thomas Partey sent them back to the Canaries empty-handed.
Sevilla 1-1 Getafe
A last-gasp strike by Angel Rodriguez gave Getafe a point at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium after Luis Muriel looked to have won the game for the sixth-placed hosts on 72 minutes. The in-form Rodriguez took a pass from Juan Cala and drove the ball home on 93 minutes to lift his team to ninth.
Villarreal 4-2 Real Sociedad
Four first-half goals blew Real Sociedad away as the Yellow Submarine moved to within three points of third-placed Valencia. Victor Ruiz, Pablo Fornals, Carlos Bacca and Samuel Castillejo were all on target for the hosts while Diego Llorente and Willian Jose made it respectable for the visitors.
Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Eibar
The points were shared in the weekend’s opener after Kike Garcia smashed home an equaliser for the visitors on 73 minutes. Athletic looked on for a win and the chance to leapfrog Eibar after Aritz Aduriz had given them a half-time lead, but the hosts failed to capitalise.
Malaga 0-0 Girona
Malaga stay bottom after taking a point in a hard-fought match at home to Girona. But it could have been worse for the hosts after Gonzalo Castro received his marching orders for a second yellow, and the visitors’ came close through ten-goal Cristhian Stuani.
Leganes 3-2 RCD Espanyol
Take a bow Mario Hermoso! The Espanyol star scored two own goals and then once in the right end to take centre stage in this five-goal thriller. Grateful Leganes moved four points clear of Espanyol and up to 11th, a single point behind Eibar in seventh.
Deportivo La Coruna 2-2 Levante
Depor threw away a two-goal lead and a vital two points after dominating the first half of this relegation six-pointer, though they were weakened by the dismissal of Celso Borges. Ivi Lopez took advantage with two late goals, the equaliser a 25-yard screamer.
Celta Vigo host Real Betis tomorrow
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