Madrid ease to win over Celta, Real Sociedad beat Rayo

Barcelona (Spain) (AFP) – Marco Asensio and Eder Militao struck for Real Madrid in a comfortable 2-0 win over Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday, bringing the champions within eight points of leaders Barcelona. Although Madrid's hopes of overhauling Xavi Hernandez's side are slim at best, coach Carlo Ancelotti insisted his team needed to keep …

Liga leaders Barca drop more points, Atletico beat Almeria

Barcelona (AFP) – A subdued Barcelona could not break down Getafe in a 0-0 draw on Sunday, dropping more points but still sitting 11 clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Third-place Atletico Madrid beat Almeria 2-1 at home with Antoine Griezmann netting a brace as he continued his sparkling form. Barcelona's Polish …

Liga leaders Barca drop more points in Getafe draw

Getafe (Spain) (AFP) – A subdued Barcelona were held to a 0-0 draw at Getafe on Sunday, leaving them 11 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Champions Madrid beat Cadiz on Saturday to cut back Barcelona's lead, and with nine games remaining it seems highly unlikely they will catch Barcelona -- …

Inaki double earns Athletic Basque derby win over Real Sociedad

Barcelona (AFP) – Inaki Williams scored twice as Athletic Bilbao beat Real Sociedad 2-0 in La Liga's Basque derby on Saturday. La Real had the chance to tighten their grip on fourth place after Villarreal stumbled to a 2-1 home defeat by relegation-battling Real Valladolid, but fell short at a fiery San Mames. Athletic Bilbao's Spanish …

Lewandowski hits brace in Barca cruise, Sevilla earn crucial win

Elche (Spain) (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski struck twice as Barcelona moved 15 points clear at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 4-0 win at Elche on Saturday. Earlier Lucas Ocampos and Youssef En-Nesyri struck to earn new Sevilla coach Jose Luis Mendilibar a crucial 2-0 victory over relegation rivals Cadiz in his first game …

Griezmann-inspired Atletico crush sinking Valencia

Barcelona (AFP) – Antoine Griezmann pulled the strings for Atletico Madrid as they shredded Ruben Baraja's helpless Valencia 3-0 in La Liga on Saturday. The French forward opened the scoring for the hosts at the Metropolitano and continued his own superb form with another fine display at the heart of Diego Simeone's side. Atletico Madrid's French …

Barca can virtually clinch Liga title in decisive Clasico

Barcelona (AFP) – Xavi Hernandez and his Barcelona side can take a decisive step towards winning La Liga on Sunday -- where a Clasico victory over Real Madrid would send them 12 points clear of the champions. The Catalans have not won the Spanish title since Ernesto Valverde was at the helm in 2019 and expanding …

Morata strikes late as Atletico beat Girona

Girona (Spain) (AFP) – Alvaro Morata snatched a 94th minute winner to earn Atletico Madrid a 1-0 victory at Girona on Monday and tighten their hold on third place in La Liga. After La Real, fourth, drew at Mallorca on Sunday, Atletico moved three points clear of the Basque side with their last-gasp victory at Montilivi. …

Real Sociedad dip continues with draw at Mallorca

Palma (Spain) (AFP) – Real Sociedad stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Real Mallorca on Sunday in La Liga, with their bid to finish in the top four losing steam at an alarming rate. The Basque side have just one win in their last nine matches across all competitions and were frustrated by hosts Mallorca, 10th. …

Madrid cut Liga gap on Barca with Espanyol comeback

Madrid (AFP) – Vinicius Junior scored a fine solo goal as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Espanyol 3-1 and cut Barcelona's lead to six points at the top of La Liga on Saturday. Ruben Baraja's Valencia scraped a fraught 1-0 win over Osasuna to climb out of the relegation zone thanks to Justin Kluivert's …

Diego Simeone sets new Atletico record of 613 matches at helm

Madrid (AFP) – Diego Simeone set a new record as Atletico Madrid coach on Saturday, taking charge of his 613th game at the club against Sevilla in La Liga at the Metropolitano Stadium. The Argentine, 54, overtook the late club legend Luis Aragones on 612, and, accompanied by his own children, was handed a commemorative shirt …

Real stumble past Osasuna before Liverpool Champions League trip

Madrid (AFP) – Fede Valverde and Marco Asensio scored as Real Madrid struggled to beat Osasuna 2-0 in La Liga on Saturday, just three days before they head to Liverpool in the Champions League. Uruguay midfielder Valverde and Spain winger Asensio netted in the final quarter of an hour in Pamplona to cut Barcelona's advantage to …

Real Sociedad close in on Madrid with win at Espanyol

Cornellà de Llobregat (Spain) (AFP) – Real Sociedad cut the gap on second-place Real Madrid to three points with a 3-2 win at Espanyol in La Liga on Monday. The champions have played a game fewer and host Elche on Wednesday, with Real Sociedad third, hot on their tail, although they were left holding on at …

Pedri guides Barca past Villarreal to 11-point Liga lead

Barcelona (AFP) – Pedri's strike earned Barcelona a battling 1-0 win over Villarreal on Sunday to move 11 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. The champions, who won the Club World Cup on Saturday, face Elche in midweek to try and bite back into the growing gap. Barcelona midfielder Pedri …

Benzema wins Ballon d’Or as Putellas retains women’s prize

Paris (AFP) – Karim Benzema was rewarded for his remarkable success with Real Madrid by winning the Ballon d'Or at a star-studded ceremony in Paris on Monday, while Spain's Alexia Putellas retained the women's prize. Benzema, who is the first French winner of the most prestigious individual prize in football since Zinedine Zidane in 1998, scored …