Messi gets a hat-trick, but Real Madrid get three of their own and stay a point clear with a game in hand. Meanwhile, Elche get a win to move out of the relegation zone, and Malaga fall to Sevilla, leaving the latter in 4th place and hot on the heals of Athletico Madrid.
Let’s get to the games:
Cordoba (1) – Eibar (1)
Coming in with two straight victories, Cordoba was only able to secure a draw as Eibar fought back after a quick opener. Florin Andone took only 10 seconds to chest down a long ball forward from Federico Cartabia and flick the ball into the net. 10 minutes after the break, Campabadal received a second yellow for a foul on Eneko Boveda and was sent off for Cordoba. Eibar, however, had one of their own, Piovaccari, dismissed soon after on a hard foul on Andone. It took until the 71st minute for Eibar to respond, as a ball swung in from the right was headed in by Arruabarrena from 6-yards out to secure the draw despite Corboda’s increased efforts up until the final whistle.
Real Sociedad (0) – Rayo Vallecano (1)
While David Moyes is known throughout the world as the former Manchester United manager, it was Manucho, a former United striker that currently plays at Rayo who was the most important to the result of this game. Sociedad played well through most of the game, presenting several serious chances in the first half. The hosts continued to play well in the second half – but were unable to truly scare Rayo, who responded with a dagger late in the game. With nine minutes remaining, Roberto Trashorras sent a corner in and Manucho rose to glance the ball into the far post, giving the visitors the goal and the win. The goal was his second in as many starts, and inflicted the first home defeat on Moyes and Sociedad this season.
Valencia (3) – Almeria (2)
Alvaro Negredo is having an exciting season so far, and coming off the bench to provide the decisive goal in a defeat of his former side will surely rank as a memorable moment for this year. Eleven minutes in, Valencia’s Dani Parejo played a ball out wide to Antonio Barragan who crossed back in and Parejo finished at the near post. Almeria answered two minutes later when Wellington Silva skipped down the left wing and crossed into Tomer Hemed who poked home the equalizer. Valencia struck again just before the half-hour mark when Paco Alcacer squared to Rodrigo Moreno who finished into an empty net. Almeria equalized yet again just five minutes later, when Hemed got his brace with a headed deflection that landed in the top corner after glancing off of Andre Gomes’ head. Valencia came out in the second half and were far more aggressive, leading to the introduction of Negrado with 30 minutes remaining. The substitution paid dividends when a Jose Luis Gaya cross was powerfully headed into the net by Negredo, giving Valencia the three points they were looking for.
Villarreal (2) – Athletic Bilbao (0)
Villarreal kept pace with Valencia and kept Athletic within 3 steps of the relegation zone with a comfortable 2-0 win. In the 42nd minute, Denis Cheryshev displayed individual strength and skill in a brilliant move that finished with a rifled shot into net. Athletic seemed to take the goal in stride, failing to provide any remarkable offensive interest in an equalizer. The hosts got a second goal eight minutes before the final whistle with a penalty on Oscar De Marcos’ handball. Bruno Soriano stepped up and calmly finished to insure the win.
Espanyol (1) – Celta Vigo (0)
Celta offered little in the way of offense and paid the price with a late goal that garnered them the three points. In the final minute of regulation, Felipe Caicedo slotted home a goal from just beyond the 6-yard box, and Celta’s frantic efforts to equalize in stoppage time were held off. Caicedo also scored two late goals in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals midweek, and has been an important member of the team this season. Espanyol move up to ninth with the win, while Celta fall two points back in 11th.
Getafe (0) – Real Madrid (3)
Goals have seemed to come in bunches for Madrid this season, and today was no exception. Starting in the 63rd minute, Ronaldo, Isco, and James combined to bring Benzema into space where he beat two defenders before pulling the ball back for Ronaldo to slot home. Four minutes later, James’ cross into the box was effortlessly finished by Gareth Bale, making it 2-0. James led the chance for the final goal as well, crossing from the left into the run of Ronaldo, who headed home his 28th league goal of the season. With the win, Real stay one point ahead of Barcelona with a game in hand.
Athletico Madrid (2) – Granada (0)
Athletic kept pace with Real Madrid and Barcelona, with whom they have a midweek Copa clash, on a comfortable 2-0 win at home. In the 33rd minute, Diego Godin was fouled by Abdoul Sissoko in the box and Mario Mandzukic finished form the spot with a right-footed shot into the top right corner. It took until the 88th minute for Athletico to get their second of the day, when a Arda Turin cross fell to Raul Garcia in the center of the box which was finished beautifully into the bottom-left corner. Athletic managed 12 shots on the day to Granada’s three, and fully controlled the game throughout.
Deportivo La Coruña (0) – Barcelona (4)
Lionel Messi again created controversy with his words this week, but his feet seemed to do all the talking on the pitch as his hat-trick gave Barca the lift they needed. Ivan Rakitic proved quite the provider starting in the 11th minute. Rakatic sent an over-the-top through-ball into space and Messi ran under and headed in the first goal from 15 feet out. In the 27th minute, Messi started the move with a switch to Neymar. The Brazilian looked to set-up Suarez directly in front of goal, but the ball glanced off his stomach and fell to Messi who chipped home the second goal. Just after the hour mark, Messi completed the hat-trick, with Rakitic again providing the ball to Messi who swung around the defense in his characteristic right to left manner and finished strongly into the left side netting. The home squad was finished when Alberto Lopo tried to clear a cross from Dani Alves with seven minutes remaining. Lopo slammed the ball off of a teammates back and watched it trickle into the net for the fourth goal in a game that featured only a few real chances from the home squad.
Elche (1) – Levante (0)
This battle between teams fighting for safety was marked by the early decision leaving Levante with 10 men. Referee Carlos Velasco Carballo showed red to Levante’s David Navarro six minutes in to the game for a strike to the face of Sergio Pelegrin. Elche were able to take advantage just a few minutes later when Aaron Niguez curled a beautiful cross in to the box and Jonathan rose to rose to head the ball into the far corner. Elche looked to put the game away with a second goal in the 19th minute when a foul by Loukas Vyntra gave them a penalty, but the spot-kick was missed. With 20 minutes to go, Levante were handed a way back into the game through a penalty of their own. Elche’s Damian Surez fouled Casadesus but Ruben’s spot-kick was blocked by keeper Przemyslaw Tyton to preserve the win for Elche, who move out of the drop zone into 16th.
Sevilla FC (2) – Malaga (0)
Sevilla moved back into fourth place with a game against Madrid in hand, following their 2-0 victory at home over 7th place Malaga. Nine minutes before the half-time whistle, loan Deulofeu took on three defenders and crossed in for Carlos Bacca who controlled and dropped the ball into the bottom-left of goal past the diving keeper. Denis Suarez, a second half substitute, took on the defense and picked out Bacca on the edge of the box. Barca returned the ball into the run of Suarez who slotted home the second goal to insure victory for the home side.