La Liga Roundup – Week 26

It was truly a weekend of stars and out of this world play.  On Sunday,  every game had at least 3 goals scored. Let’s begin with the drama at the top of the table as Barcelona ended their 2-game losing skid with an important 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao.  Sergi Busquets scored his 1st goal of the season and the return of Andres Iniesta boosted the Catalans when he drew a penalty that Messi calmly finished.

In the Madrid derby, Atlético managed to end Real’s 10-game winning streak with a tough 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu.  Dutch striker Klass Jan Huntelaar equalized for Real in the 57th minute as Los Merengues were pushed by Los Colchoneros in a match that could have ended badly for Real fans as Iker Casillas made big saves to perserve a point.  The result means that Real now sit 6 points behind 1st place Barcelona.

Malaga and Deportivo La Coruna kept their hopes for 4th place and a Champions League spot alive with entertaining high scoring affairs.  Malaga went on the road and beat Getafe 2-1 with their leading scorer Moroccan forward Nabil Baha scoring the eventual game winner in the 47th minute.  Malaga now faces the murderous gauntlet of  Sevilla, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Villarreal in succession for a stretch that will make or break their European hopes.

As for Spain’s West Coast team, Deportivo got 4 goals in a 17 minute stretch in the 2nd half to beat Racing Santander 5-3 at the Riazor.  Deportivo are now unbeaten in their last 6 matches and have a favorable stretch of Sporting Gijón, Betis, Espanyol, and Atlético Madrid which could vault Depor into that lucrative  Champions League spot.

Here are the results from Week 26:

Saturday, March 7

Barcelona 2 – 0 Athletic Bilbao
BAR: Busquets (17′) & Messi (pen 31′)

Real Madrid 1 – 1 Atlético Madrid
RMA: Huntelaar (57′)
ATM: Forlán (38′)

Villarreal 1 – 0 Espanyol
VIL: Fuentes (20′)

Sunday, March 8

Deportivo 5 – 3 Racing
DEP: Juan Rodríguez (25′), Riki (50′ & 59′), Lafita (58′), Verdú (67′)
RAC: Pereira (1′), Zigic (32′), Berrocal (79′)

Mallorca 3 – 3 Real Betis
MAL: Castro (71′ & 81′), Webó (74′)
BET: González (26′), Mehmet Aurelio (29′), Arzu (68′)

Numancia 2 – 1 Valencia
NUM: Aranda (41′) & Barkero (52′)
VAL: Vicente (9′)

Osasuna 1 – 2 Sporting
OSA: Nekounam (pen 28′)
SPG: Barral (7′) & Castro (18′)

Recreativo 2 – 3 Valladolid
REC: Colunga (pen 25′) & Camuñas (87′)
VLD: Sesma (7′), Goitom (21′ & 48′)

Sevilla 2 – 1 Almeria
SEV: Kanouté (5′) & Renato (62′)
ALM: Negredo (pen 70′)

Getafe 1 – 2 Malaga
GET: Contra (74′)
MAL: Eliseu (30′) & Baha (47′)