Athletic Bilbao are gradually getting their campaign back on track, and they end the weekend in eleventh spot after a 0-1 win at bottom club Huesca on Monday. Raúl García got the only goal ffrom the penalty spot after Diéguez fouled Iñigo Martínez in the area in the twentieth minute. (18.02.19)
Real Madrid’s push to get back into the title race took a serious set-back after they lost 1-2 to Girona in the Sunday mid-day game. Casemiro headed the locals in front from a Kroos free kick before the break, but Stuani levelled it from the penalty spot after Sergio Ramos (who was sent off late on) handled in the area, and Portu headed the winner a few minutes later. Madrid maintain their eight point lead over fourth placed Sevilla however after the Andalusians were beaten 3-0 by Villarreal later in the evening. An Alvaro header and a strike from Ekambi gave the hosts a first half lead, and Alfonso Pedraza rounded things off to give his team their first league win in almost three months. Alavés are now just a point below Sevilla after they drew 1-1 at Betis, Maripán equalising for them after Lo Celso had opened the scoring for the home side. Betis remain three points below their opponents, still a point above Valencia, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Espanyol. (17.02.19)
Barcelona extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points pending Real Madrid’s game on Sunday after a 1-0 victory over Valladolid on Saturday evening. Valverde rested key players for the upcoming Champions League tie, but an excellent Masip was only beaten by a Messi penalty after Piqué was fouled just before the break, and the ex Barça keeper saved a second Messi penalty after Kiko Olivas tripped Coutinho in the area with seven minutes to go. Atlético Madrid are back up to second spot after they beat neighbours Rayo Vallecano 0-1 earlier in the day. However that was thanks in part to some top class saves by Oblak, and the only goal came with a quarter of an hour to go when Griezmann’s shot took a deflection off a defender to wrong-foot Dimitrievski. Elsewhere Real Sociedad are up to seventh after a 3-0 win over Leganés, Oyarzabal scoring twice after the break, and Willian José heading the third after that. And Levante moved up safely to mid-table after beating Celta 1-4 in the early kick-off, Morales and Coke putting the visitors two up at the break. Morales made it three before Brais Méndez got one back from the penalty spot, and Borja Mayoral completed the scoring to leave the Galicians on the brink of the drop zone. (16.02.19)
Getafe missed out on a chance to move up into the Champions League spots after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Eibar on Friday evening. Strikes either side of half time by Mata and Foulquier appeared to have given them the victory, but in the last quarter of the game Charles converted a penalty and then took advantage of a poor back pass to save a point for the Basque side. (15.02.19)