Real Madrid stay two points behind leaders Barcelona after a comfortable 3-1 win over Eibar on Sunday. Madrid have decided to play all of their games to the end of the season in their B team stadium, and they started well, Kroos firing them into the lead in only the fourth minute. Sergio Ramos combined with Benzema and Hazard on the half hour mark, and soon afterwards Marcelo netted the third with a shot from the edge of the area. After the break Bigas got one back without knowing too much about it, a shot from De Blasis deflecting off his back under the legs of Courtois, but that was about it. Real Sociedad stay fourth after they drew 1-1 with neighbours Osasuna, Adrián López putting the visitors in front from the penalty spot on the half hour mark (hand ball by Le Normand), and Oyarzabal making it all square after Willian José set him up after the restart. And Atlético Madrid remain in sixth place after they too drew 1-1 at Athletic Bilbao earlier in the day, a strike by Diego Costa with Koke’s assist quickly cancelling out the opener from Muniain, who turned in a cross from Yuri shortly before the interval. (14.06.20)
Barcelona extended their lead at the top of the table to five points after beating Mallorca 0-4 in the last match on Saturday. Vidal headed in a Jordi Alba cross with only two minutes gone, and Braithwaite got his first goal for his new club with a volley shortly before the break. With ten minutes to go Messi put Jordi Alba through for the third, and with the game in injury time Messi wrapped things up after substitute Luis Suárez set him up. Mallorca stay down in the bottom three, still two points ahead of Leganés, who lost 1-2 to Valladolid. A mistake by Awaziem let in Unal to open the scoring in only the second minute, and Alcaraz fired in a second before Oscar Rodríguez got one back with a late penalty. Bottom club Espanyol are now level with Leganés after they beat Alavés 2-0 in the early kick-off, Barnardo and Wu Lei getting the goals either side of the break after visiting keeper Pacheco was sent off for handling the ball outside of the area. And Celta are only a point above the drop zone after they lost 0-1 to Villarreal, Manu Trigueros drilling in the only goal right at the end to take his side up to eighth. (13.06.20)
Two matches on Friday evening, Getafe staying in fifth place after losing 2-1 to Granada. Timor put the visitors ahead in the twentieth minute with a shot from outside of the area, but Djené deflected a Machís free kick into his own net midway through the second half, and soon afterwards Carlos Fernández beat Soria at the second attempt to give the Andalusians the three points. Later in the evening city rivals Valencia and Levante drew 1-1, Melero saving a point for the visitors with a last-gasp penalty after Vezo was brought down in the area by Diakhaby. By then they were down to ten men after Roger was sent off, and Rodrigo appeared to have won it for the hosts when he turned in Gayà’s cross in the ninetieth minute. (12.06.20)
We’re back! La Liga returned with the Andaluz derby, Sevilla beating city neighbours Betis 2-0 on Thursday night to consolidate third place in the league. Both goals came soon after the break, Ocampos converting a penalty after Bartra was adjudged to have fouled De Jong in the area, and then setting up Fernando for the second following a corner. Games have been scheduled for virtually every day for the next five weeks. (11.06.20)