What a weekend full of La Liga highlights.
There was Barcelona threatening to roll back the years, Real Madrid persevering and getting the result that mattered, and Mallorca giving themselves some serious wriggle room.
It all began on Friday evening with Getafe seeing off rock bottom Levante and ended on Monday night as Athletic Bilbao edging out Espanyol.
But there’s only one place to start.
Smiles return to Xavi and Catalonia
I suggested renewed impetus could make the clash between Barcelona and defending champions Atletico Madrid a cracker.
And, sure enough, the match duly delivered a flurry of La Liga 2022 highlights.
Only one of the new signings for both sides made the starting XI – Adama Traore marking the occasion with an assist – and the contest was all but over by the time most of the new faces came off the bench.
But the excitement that new recruits can bring was evident throughout the 90 minutes as both sides yearned for a better day.
It would be a stretch to suggest that Barcelona are back – it would be absurd, in fact – but this victory was their first against Atletico in five meetings, lifting them above Simeone’s side and into a Champions League place they have not looked like occupying all season.
Yannick Carrasco scored early on but, before the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds had time to switch, Barca hit back with three first-half goals.
With a combined age over 70, the full-backs combined for an immediate leveller as Dani Alves chipped a gorgeous ball into the path of Jordi Alba and his connection was equally impressive.
A header from Gavi gave them the lead and then, just before the break, Ronald Araújo smashed in the third.
When the hosts added a fourth soon after the restart, the contest was over.
It was also a special moment for Alves who fired in a shot after neat work from Gavi, 21 years his junior, and the Nou Camp rejoiced as the Brazilian embraced his manager Xavi – a teammate last time he was here.
Luis Suarez, who scored 198 goals during six years for Barcelona, reduced the arrears but, even after Alves saw red with little over 20 minutes later, Barca seemed unlikely to relinquish their advantage.
To cap off Atletico’s misery, new signing Daniel Wass picked up a knee injury after coming on and the club has confirmed he suffered a grade two sprain of his right internal lateral knee ligament.
Could Yellow Submarine make Champions League surge?
Europa League holders Villarreal could well hope so after a result which brings them right back in the mix for a top four berth.
Their victory at third-placed Real Betis, coupled with other results, has certainly opened up the race.
Manuel Pellegrini has done a commendable job for Betis. Since taking over as head coach in the summer of 2020, the Chilean tactician has taken Los Verdiblancos to new heights.
This was their chance to settle a score after an Arnaut Danjuma double sealed a 2-0 victory for Villarreal in October.
Unai Emery’s men repeated the victory though with late goals in each half from Pau Torres and Etienne Capoue to boost confidence. A busy month awaits with Real Madrid up next domestically, soon to be followed by Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Mallorca show character in six-pointer
It would have been easy for Mallorca to feel sorry for themselves after missing out on a place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals just days earlier.
But instead, a goal from Vedat Muriqi on his La Liga debut settled their relegation six-pointer against Cadiz.
Just two points separated the newly promoted side from the relegation zone with Cadiz directly below them, inside the bottom three.
It briefly looked as though Cadiz might leapfrog the Balearic side to safety after Ruben Alcaraz put them ahead.
Yet Mallorca put together an impressive comeback to take all three points and put distance between themselves and the drop zone.
Salva Sevilla scored from the spot to level the scores, and Muriqi, on loan from Lazio, netted the winner with a penalty of his own with just over 20 minutes remaining.
After a miserable few seasons, Mallorca are well on their way to securing their top-flight safety.
Madrid make it count
After second-place Sevilla were held a day earlier, this was Real’s chance to restore their six-point lead at the summit – and they did just that.
Without four players, including top scorer Karim Benzema, they struggled at times to break Granada down.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men were also without the suspended Vinicius Jr, the league’s joint-second top scorer with 12 goals (behind Benzema’s 17), Casemiro and Lucas Vazquez (stomach bugs).
However, as if to show their depth, Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale were on the bench and Marco Asensio netted the only goal with 17 minutes remaining to end the visitors’ stubborn resistance.
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