Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Sergino Dest and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema all shone in La Liga game week 28.
A total of ten games were played in the Spanish top flight over the weekend, with Real Betis’s victory over Levante starting up the game week on Friday and ending with Barcelona demolishing Real Sociedad.
Here is a summary of top games played over the weekend.
Celta Vigo 1-3 Real Madrid
Karim Benzema scored twice and provided an assist as Real Madrid secured a 3-1 win at Celta Vigo on Saturday to close the gap in the La Liga title race. Marco Asensio grabbed a stoppage-time goal after Santi Mina put Celta back in the game with his header.
Benzema curled a shot into the bottom corner to give Madrid the lead in the 20th minute after being released by a fine piece of play from Toni Kroos, who danced past a defender before releasing a pass into the feet of his teammate.
Kroos was again involved for the second goal arriving on the half-hour mark, winning the ball back on the edge of the box and allowing Benzema to dribble across the box and score his eighth goal in six matches in all competitions.
Benzema crowned his exceptional display by sending in a cross to Asensio, who walked the ball over the line.
Real Madrid are now two points behind second placed Barcelona and six points off the table leaders, Atletico Madrid.
Real Valladolid 1-1 Sevilla
Goalkeeper Bono was Sevilla’s unlikely hero as they snatched a 1-1 draw at struggling Real Valladolid in La Liga on Saturday, thanks to his strike deep in stoppage time.
Chilean midfielder, Fabian Orellana put Valladolid in charge with a 44th minute penalty. It seemed like Valladolid were going to run away with their one goal lead until the dying minutes of the second half.
Sevilla’s goalkeeper, Bono showed composure to side-foot home a low cross from Jules Kounde after a goalmouth scramble following a corner, becoming the first keeper to score in open play in La Liga in more than a decade.
Sevilla stay at fourth position with 55 points from 28 matches.
Atletico 1-0 Deportivo Alaves
La Liga leaders, Atletico Madrid had to rely on an heroic late penalty save from goalkeeper Jan Oblak to earn a vital 1-0 victory at home to Alaves on Sunday and preserve their advantage in the title race.
Atletico went ahead in the 54th minute when Luis Suarez headed home a Kieran Trippier cross, making it his 500th career goal. Diego Simeone‘s side were happy to try to defend their lead and almost paid a heavy price when Stefan Savic was penalised for barging Luis Rioja in the penalty box in the 86th minute.
Oblak threw himself across goal to turn away Joselu‘s penalty with his left hand and preserve his side’s lead. Atletico lead the standings on 66 points with 10 games left, sitting four points clear of second-placed Barcelona.
Real Sociedad 1-6 Barcelona
Barcelona full back Sergino Dest and Lionel Messi each scored twice while Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele also netted goals as Barcelona thrashed Real Sociedad 6-1 in La Liga action on Sunday.
The win keeps Barca in the chase for the league title with 62 points, four points behind Atletico Madrid and two ahead of Real Madrid. The game also marked Messi’s 768th appearance for the Catalan (Barcelona) squad, breaking Xavi’s all-time mark.
La Liga Week 28 results
Real Betis 2:0 Levante
Atletico Bilbao 1:1 Eibar
Celta Vigo 1:1 Real Madrid
SD Huesca 0:0 Osasuna
Real Valladolid 1:1 Sevilla
Gatafe 1:1 Elche
Villareal 2:1 Cadiz
Valencia 2:1 Granada
Atletico Madrid 1:0 Deportivo Alaves
Real Sociedad 1:6 Barcelona.
