The most recent week of La Liga, offered a dominant display from Barcelona, and Lionel Messi landmark 400th goal. Their main rivals, Real Madrid, struggled, but eventually won their away match to Real Betis. Here are the talking points in this La Liga fantasy football competition.
You might find it hard to identify the Champions League holders, merely from reading the stats of the game between Real Madrid and Real Betis. That is because the world-class club from this confrontation, struggled with 26% possession, and numerous fouls that signaled the overarching feeling of panic for another significant loss.
Real Madrid did win, somewhat luckily, with Dani Ceballos scoring the winner in the 88th minute. There were murmurs of discontent, however, as Isco was once again left on the bench for entirety of the match. The narrow victory sees the European champions move to fourth place.
Barcelona, on other hand. left few chances their opponents, Eibar. The Catalans outpowered their opponents from the opening stages, creating chances and controlling the midfield. The biggest cause for celebration was, perhaps, the opening goal as it came, rather customarily, from the boot of Lionel Messi, who has now amassed 400 goals in La Liga.
Messi then added a second to his tally m before Luis Suarez rounded up the scoring. Barcelona maintain their 10 point distance to Real Madrid, but it is Atletico that remains on their heels, merely five points away.
FULL-TIME: There's the whistle! Two goals from @LuisSuarez9 and one from #Messi give Barça the W!
FINAL: Barça 3 – 0 Eibar (Suárez 19', 59'; Messi 53') pic.twitter.com/KiQiU54YOK
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 13, 2019
Atletico got an impressive fight out of Levante. The evenly fought match was, eventually, decided through a penalty, in the second half, taken by fan favorite Antoine Griezmann. Diego Simeone’s side are enjoying the relative anonymity they have been given this season, and will be looking to overtake Barcelone should the chance present itself later in the year.
Elsewhere, Sevilla have squandered three important points that see them draw level to Real Madrid in the standings. Athletic Bilbao’s Inaki Williams scored a double to gift his side an important, home victory. There was, indeed, a higher level of control of the game from Sevilla, but fans will be fearful that the team will struggle in the second part of the season, as has been the case before with this team.
Fans already registered to the free FootballCoin competition covering Spain, will have to wait for the match between Real Sociedad and Espanyol to be over, before heading over to the ranking page to consult which tactics and choices have been the best.
Eduard Bănulescu
