Headlines

  • Monday 2 November 2009

    La Liga Round 9: Barca slip up

    Deportivo La Coruna 1-1 Sporting Gijon
    Espanyol 1-1 Valladolid
    Malaga 0-1 Valencia
    Mallorca 1-0 Racing Santander
    Real Zaragoza 2-1 Almeria
    Villarreal 5-0 Tenerife
    Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Atletico Madrid
    Osasuna 1-1 Barcelona
    Real Madrid 2 -0 Getafe
    Xerez 0-2 Sevilla

    So they are fallible after all. After losing to Rubin Kazan a couple of weeks ago, another chink in Pep Guardiola's previously invincible side was found by Osasuna. Seydou Keita had given the Catalan visitors the lead, only for Gerard Pique to score in his own net after Rafa Marquez (liability alert) had given the ball away carelessly. Real Madrid gratefully accepted this opening as two Gonzalo Higuain goals in three minutes gave them a relatively convincing victory over Getafe. Honestly, I don't know why Higuain doesn't start more for El Real - he's clearly good enough. But then, this is Real Madrid, the club who people are talking about this week for wanting to sack Manuel Pellegrini. Its not such an absurd suggestion - people have been fired at the Bernabau for less - and if they beat AC Milan this week he's probably safe for now.

    Sevilla stayed a point ahead of Valencia in third position after a less than convincing victory at second-bottom Xerex. Alvaro Negredo scored a great goal and Luis Fabiano added some gloss; Sevilla look a strong side this year. Perotti and Navas on the wings look brilliant, and they're going great guns in the Champions League (not a tough group, mind). Valencia stay fourth after their victory over Malaga, who stay bottom with a worrying return of just four points. The ongoing, and highly amusing, catastrophe at Atletico Madrid continues inspite of the managerial change; Quique Sanchez Flores watched his side showcase their general incompetence this week at Athletic Bilbao, who ended their run of five matches without a win thanks to a first half goal from long-standing Rafa Benitez target Javi Martinez.

    Elsewhere, Mallorca leapfrogged Deportivo into fifth after the former beat relegation certainties Racing and the latter was held at home by Sporting Gijon (who took 6000 fans along the coast to the Riazor - a top effort). Its four defeats in five for Tenerife who were on the receiving end of a thumping from a rampant Villarreal, who look finally to have turned the corner recording their second straight league win with goals from Giuseppe Rossi, Llorente, Cani and Pires. Things aren't entirely rosy though; if Santi Cazorla's back injury is as bad as feared, Ernesto Valverde's job will be made considerably harder. Espanyol and Valladolid drew and Zaragoza edged a tight game at home to Almeria.

    No comments: