Euro Bites: Upsets galore, BBC strike gold & teams stuck in limbo

THE WINNERS

Sporting Gijon stun a labouring Atletico

Another chapter was written in the ‘La Liga is Boring and Uncompetitive’ handbook as Atletico Madrid, Champions League quarter-finalists and on a four-match winning streak domestically, were beaten by a Sporting Gijon side on a four-match losing streak. And what’s even more surprising is that the result wasn’t even a fluke - Sporting fully deserved their win.

Every time a big side loses that old adage of them being tired crops up. Tottenham’s Eric Dier said earlier this week, “I don’t think there’s any excuse to be tired. All I do is play football every day. I’m not doing anything else so there’s no reason for me to be tired.” It’s worth noting that Tottenham have played 46 games this season, two more than Atletico (44).

Sporting deserve all the credit as they took advantage of an uncharacteristically lethargic display from Simeone’s charges and could easily have lowered their heads when Antoine Griezmann put the visitors ahead after half an hour. Instead they took the game to their opponents and dare I say it, out Atletico’ed Atletico?

Antonio Sanabria rifled in a freekick – not as elegant as the one Griezmann scored but equally as significant – before Carlos Castro sealed the comeback in the 89th minute. Castro showed a great deal of character as only minutes earlier he’d missed a near identical chance, smashing his effort off the bar. Second time lucky, though and what a vital win that could turn out to be.

Espanyol pick up another three points and are almost out of danger

It wasn’t a good weekend for the team with the English spelling of Atletico either as Athletic Club were beaten by Espanyol, another team fighting for survival. They too were forced to come from a goal down to stun their more illustrious opponents.

There were a host of changes in Athletic’s line-up as Sabin Merino, Gorka Elustondo, Beñat and Raul Garcia all weren’t in the XI. Eraso needed two bites at the cherry to finally get Los Leones in front after Pau Lopez had saved his initial effort. It felt like a routine win was on the cards, that was, until Felipe Caicedo came on for the disappointing Marco Asensio.

The big forward didn’t have a hand in Papakouli Diop’s thumping header from a corner to level things up but the winning goal was all about him. Gerard Moreno’s cross was knocked into the air with Caicedo’s right foot, catching Aymeric Laporte cold, before he powered forward and smashed it across goal with his left. It was a wonderful goal for a striker that spent most of January being shipped around England, looking for a buyer. He might have just kept Espanyol in La Liga.

At the Bernabeu, it continues to rain goals

Last week the boys from Madrid ended up in the losers’ section despite beating Las Palmas - in fairness, they were awful. However with the attacking trident that is the BBC restored to the starting line-up, they helped to paper over some of the cracks. Well, them and Keylor Navas that is. The Costa Rican continues to show why Real Madrid needn’t buy a new fax machine this summer.

Now despite leading the scoring charts Cristiano Ronaldo has found himself being criticised a lot this year, mostly with good reason. No one is complaining about his goal return but more so his performances and influence in the most important games so far. He’s struggled and I think even he’d admit that privately. There was a tiny ‘cry for help’ after the Madrid derby defeat, asking for the return of his famous sideman: Karim Benzema (who started vs Atleti but wasn’t fit) and Gareth Bale.

Perhaps it’s the added competition that pushes him on but the Portuguese powerhouse looks a lot more like his former self when surrounded by those two. Benzema is the ideal number nine for this Real side as he’s a rare breed, an unselfish poacher. Bale and Cristiano are the glitz and glamour but Karim is the glue which holds it all together. He took his tally up to 20 for the season with a fine finish from the Welshman’s cross.

Cristiano missed a penalty before bundling in Real’s second but admittedly it wasn’t his best performance in Madrid. It was, however, a good night for Gareth Bale as he became the highest scoring Brit in the history of La Liga when he tapped in his 43rd goal for Real Madrid. Jese added the final touch to the scoreline with a clinical fourth.

Sevilla had chances but failed to take them and when they thought they had, Navas was equal to it. He saved Kevin Gameiro’s penalty and countless other efforts as a defence without Pepe and Sergio Ramos failed to keep it tight despite going great guns at the other end of the pitch.

Honourable mentions: Las Palmas - three consecutive victories away from home against sides from the Spanish mainland. Absolutely fantastic achievement. Deportivo - their long wait for a win in 2016 is finally over. Villarreal - never gave up against Barcelona and thoroughly deserved a draw at El Madrigal.

THE LOSERS

Valencia cave in at the end – again

At the current rate I might have to rename this section after Gary Neville. The Englishman continued his campaign to become a less popular coach than Nuno Espirito Santos with another late horror show that leaves Valencia tentatively hovering over the relegation places.

There was a spell after half time when Valencia played some nice stuff and looked like they might have a chance but once again the side crumbled and ended up with nothing. I know Neville is a big fan of Mauricio Pochettino’s style but you get the impression this current Valencia side aren’t capable of matching it. They look spent at around the 75th minute mark most games. It reminds me of that Simpsons episode when Homer becomes a professional boxer. You know, the one where he lets his opponent continuously hit him because he knows they’ll tire before they can knock him out?

Staying an extra few days won’t make any difference in the fan’s eyes as they’ve all seen enough. The media keep saying that Valencia won’t be relegated but it’s hard to see where their confidence is coming from. They’ve lost three matches in a row at home after previously going over a year undefeated at the Mestalla. Las Palmas, Sevilla, Barcelona, Villarreal and Real Madrid still to come – squeaky bum time?

Real Sociedad stuck in limbo, going nowhere fast

It isn’t the first team this has happened to but Real Sociedad are guilty of being stuck in limbo and teams with more to play for are taking advantage. After getting themselves out of a real mess near the bottom of the table they find themselves in the weird position of not likely to make the European places but equally as unlikely to be relegated. Limbo.

Eusebio Sacristán saw his side go on an unbeaten run from the end of January until the beginning of March. Four wins and a draw was enough to ease fears of relegation but a subsequent three losses in their last four matches has seen them drift away. The visiting and in-form Las Palmas couldn’t believe their luck as they waltzed to an easy victory at a half-empty Anoeta.

The handling of the Carlos Vela saga and rumours of Basque neighbours Athletic wanting to sign Iñigo Martinez has left a sour taste in most fan’s mouths. It’s all gone a bit flat at Real who have a similar run of fixtures to Valencia. Just ask Getafe what trouble you can get in to if you’re stuck on autopilot for too long.

Getafe can’t even beat a side with nothing to play for

Speaking of which, how gloomy is it looking for Getafe and Fran Escriba? It’s been a fall from grace that even Steve Brookstein would be proud of. In the middle of January they looked safe as houses after beating Espanyol 3-1 at home, a third victory on the spin and unbeaten in seven. Bliss.

They then lost the next seven before drawing against Sevilla. Perhaps that would stop the rot but they visited the Camp Nou afterwards and lost 6-0. Eight losses in nine games. Not only is that relegation form but it’s the form of a side which has no place in the division.

At the weekend the visitors were Eibar, another team in ‘limbo’, who had just one victory in their last nine matches (seven defeats, two draws). If ever there was a time for Getafe to get back on the winning trail, this was it. Emiliano Velázquez put them ahead after seven minutes. Alvaro Vazquez then hit the post in the second half as fans began to dream of a revival but they were dealt a cruel, cruel blow.

Eibar threw everyone forward and in the final minute up stepped Borja Baston, one of the stars of the season, to backheel in a deserved equaliser. They almost snatched all three points at the death but Vicente Guaita made sure that it was honours even between the two worst form sides in the league.

Honourable mentions: Sevilla - such a nightmare away from home. Another loss, this time at the hands of Real Madrid. Levante - Rossi’s moment of magic not enough as they slipped to defeat when so many of those around them picked up points. Real Betis - after such a good run of form it was a bit of a limp performance against Malaga from Betis, who rarely threatened.