Spanish League Round Up Week 9

Alexis vs. Sevilla / PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
Atlético Madrid kept pace with Barça at the top of the table with a 3-1 win over bottom club Osasuna, whilst Málaga dropped two points at Espanyol in this weekend’s La Liga action

Falcao on target again

Falcao notched up his tenth goal of the La Liga season as Simeone’s team brushed aside Osasuna 3-1, with Miranda and ex-Osasuna idol Raul Garcia getting the first two for the hosts,  who stay level on 25 points with Barça. The win was Atlético’s 22nd consecutive game without defeat. Málaga have also made a great start to their season – both domestically and in Europe- but they were unable to break the deadlock on Saturday against Espanyol, who were grateful for just their sixth point of the season, with trips to Seville and Real Sociedad before the potential six pointer at home to Osasuna. Third from bottom Deportivo stay a point ahead of Pochettino’s team after they held on for a point in Balaidos against Celta after the hosts had been reduced to ten men soon after the break when defender Cabral was shown red.

Madrid knock five past Mallorca

Real Madrid stay fourth after a 0-5 thumping of Mallorca – Ronaldo and Higuain both scoring twice- whilst Betis are a point behind them after beating Valencia 1-0 thanks to an early goal from the aptly named Salva Sevilla and a stellar performance from keeper Adrian. Levante are sixth and after their 3-1 win over Granada, with two goals from Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins, they now have the second best home record in La Liga, with four wins and just one draw.

Míchel laments Zaragoza defeat

“Football is treating us too harshly” according to Sevilla boss Míchel after his side went down 2-1 in Zaragoza, who chalked up their second home win of the season and lifted themselves into the top half of the table, just two points behind Sevilla in seventh. Getafe sit between Zaragoza and Sevilla, following their 1-2 win at San Mamés, as Bilbao crashed to their fifth defeat of the campaign and stay firmly entangled in the relegation dog fight.  Bilbao’s fellow Basques Real Sociedad took their first away point of the season in an entertaining Monday night draw at Valladolid with Griezman getting both the visitors’ goals.