A roundup of all of Saturday’s action in Spain’s top flight…
[ MORE: Serie A: Cristiano Ronaldo still scoreless, but Juventus still perfect ]
Real Madrid 4-1 Leganes
Julen Lopetegui’s Real Madrid improved to a perfect 3-for-3 record on the season with a mostly comfortable victory over Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Gareth Bale scored his third goal in as many games to put Los Blancos ahead after just 17 minutes before Guido Carillo converted from the penalty spot to pull the visitors back to level terms in the 24th. The score would remain 1-1 until halftime, but not much longer than that.
Karim Benzema bagged a 13-minute brace — heading home the first in the 48th minute, and finishing off a clever one-two with Luka Modric in the 61st — that would prove to be the difference on the day. Sergio Ramos added the fourth, from the penalty spot, in the 66th minute.
Video review was required to confirm Benzema’s first goal, and while it’s a bit of a buzzkill with regard to post-goal celebrations, Ramos feels it’s a necessary sacrifice for the good of the game.
“It is true that the goal celebration is somewhat muted (after the wait), but I have always said that I am in favor of , because it was a goal that had been disallowed,” he said after the game. “I am sure that one day it will be our turn to be on the other end of things, but it is positive.”
Celta Vigo 2-0 Atletico Madrid
Saturday wasn’t so joyous for the other half of Madrid, as 10-man Atleti suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Celta. The game was well and truly in hand before Stefan Savic’s 70th-minute red card, though, as Maxi Gomez and Iago Aspas hit Los Rojiblancos for a goal each during the first seven minutes of the second half.
Atleti boss Diego Simeone doesn’t see the result as a reason to panic, but more of a wake-up call so early in the season. He also shoulders the blame for his side’s poor start to the second half.
“It is a good wake-up call. Above all for me,” he said after the game. “I am responsible for our start to the second half because the second half depends a lot on what the manager says at halftime.”
Sunday’s La Liga schedule
Levante vs. Valencia — 6 a.m. ET
Alaves vs. Espanyol — 10:15 a.m. ET
Barcelona vs. Huesca — 12:30 p.m. ET
Real Betis vs. Sevilla — 2:45 p.m. ET
