LaLiga: Real Madrid hit Depor for seven, Barcelona score five but Valencia and Atletico lose their heads

The LaLiga title race appears to be a foregone conclusion but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop any time soon. Two of the top scoring teams division clashed as Barcelona travelled south to face off against Real Betis. Could Messi produce yet more magic? Elsewhere Valencia were playing Las Palmas for the FOURTH time already this season. Atletico Madrid welcomed tough nuts to crack Girona while Real Madrid were hosting Deportivo.

THE WINNERS

Real Madrid awake from their slumber

If Real Madrid could take their pick of any side in LaLiga to face in order to break a poor run of form, Deportivo de La Coruña would be near the top of that list. Playing at the Santiago Bernabeu, too, seems to add something special to this fixture for Los Blancos. In the previous three seasons they’ve beaten Deportivo 8-2, 6-2 and 5-0. It must be a game their opponents must dread. Could this weekend be any different?

The answer was an emphatic no.

Deportivo, to their credit, did threaten to pile yet more misery on Zinedine Zidane’s year by taking the lead. The Santiago Bernabeu was collectively whistling until they were blue in the face when Adrian Lopez tapped in the opener. It’s hard to tell whether the whistles were for the referee – believing Dani Carvajal was fouled – or towards the team for yet another defensive lapse. Either way, it wasn’t how Zidane wanted his afternoon to go.

To his – and his team’s credit – the response was positive. There was no inquest, bowing of heads or finger pointing. The side rallied and were quickly back on level terms through Nacho Fernandez. The Spanish international is one of the most underrated players in LaLiga and right now is probably the team’s best centre back. Just before half-time, Gareth Bale made it 2-1.

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The emergence of Bale can only be good news for Real Madrid, and maybe even his strike partner too. Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t finish the game due to a large cut on his head but did get himself on the scoresheet twice. This was after Bale had doubled his tally and Luka Modric got in on the act. After Cristiano went off, Nacho got his second soon after.

A switch to 4-3-3 worked wonders. The only question now is: why did it take so long for Zidane to realise this?

Barcelona keeping rolling everyone over – with the help of Messi

There’s something in the water up in Barcelona these past few weeks. Ernesto Valverde is putting together yet another team you feel could go on to dominate for a while yet. Maybe the gut punch of seeing rivals Real Madrid’s lifting the key trophies in football hurt a lot of this Barcelona squad. A squad which, for the most part, has been the same for a few years now. Whatever it was, the beast is well and truly awake.

You can’t find any more superlatives to describe Lionel Messi. What he does on the pitch remains mesmerising. Rival fans can’t help but applaud as he leaves another marker questioning his will to live. His close touch control, his movement, those little bursts of speed just leave a trail of destruction. As if he was the greatest warrior of all time and his opponents just throw their sword to the floor and ask for a quick, painless death. You can’t stop Messi but only hope he has an off day. There’s about two every season. That’s how small your window of opportunity is.

Alongside Messi there are many players who are coming into fine form. Ivan Rakitic and Sergi Roberto are two players who have seen their futures discussed a lot in the last 12 months but both are key squad members now. Above them, but below Messi, is the return of Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan ended 2017 in horrible form but is like a man possessed in 2018. Lethal in front of goal, sure, but he’s also displaying an awareness of those around him again.

It ended 5-0 but could’ve easily been more.

Levante’s hero returns – and scores

A key reason behind Levante’s promotion to LaLiga last season was the form of their striker Roger Marti. It feels like it’s been a long road to redemption for the striker.

After failing to score a single LaLiga goal in 2015, he was sent out on loan to Real Valladolid in January 2016. Instead of feeling upset by the decision, Roger saw this as an opportunity to revitalise his career and banged in 9 goals in 18 matches.

With Levante in the Segunda Division by the start of the 16/17 season, Roger was quickly back in the fold. He repaid that faith with a fine 22-goal haul. Levante’s lone striker was the toast of the town. He was now ready to banish the ghosts of LaLiga past and find his shooting boots at Spain’s top table. This was until fate dealt a cruel blow. In a preseason match against Almeria, Roger tore his cruciate knee ligament. Disaster.

The journey to recovery was a long one and he’s been watching his teammates put on some fine displays. However in the last seven matches Levante have only scored once and they need greater firepower if they are to remain in this division. Against Villarreal, already 2-0 down, Roger made his long awaited return. With the last kick of the game he converted the penalty to get off the mark in LaLiga. Overcome with emotion, he broke down in tears on the pitch, in relief more than anything. He is the one man who could rescue Levante’s season – but he’s already their hero.

THE LOSERS

Gabriel Paulista’s moment of madness costs Valencia dearly

When things aren’t going how you’d like, people react in different ways. One option is to have a big cry, letting out all those frustrations before reaching a stable norm. Another method is to spend time working out why these things happen and what can be put in place to stop them from occurring again. For others, and I include Gabriel Paulista in this, is losing your cool and blaming everyone but yourself.

After giving away a penalty, Paulista was consumed by rage. On first look the penalty decision given against him appeared harsh. The ball came at him from about a yard away and those calls always appear to be 50/50 for referees. However, when you slow the action down, there’s a clear movement from Paulista which brings his elbow towards the ball’s trajectory. Whenever you move your arm towards the ball, even if it’s instinctively, you can’t complain if the decision doesn’t go your way.

Paulista saw the situation differently. In the heat of the moment it’s difficult to manage your frustration, we can all relate to that. However the decision to continue berating of the official even after he was cautioned was ridiculous. Without their usual captain, Dani Parejo, no one thought it’d be a good idea to drag Paulista away. The referee’s patience soon ran out and he was given a second yellow card.

Those moments are inexcusable. Paulista is 27, he should know better. In the end his unprofessionalism cost his side a chance of getting back into the match with 11-men. He has since apologised to the fans for his actions.

Atletico Madrid’s late lapses are threatening to become a problem

There’s a newfound optimism at Atletico Madrid following the arrival of Diego Costa. The loveable rogue is perhaps the most ‘Diego Simeone player’ in world football. Undoubtedly talented but with a tinge of madness and a dash of playacting, Costa is someone you either love or hate.

This wave of optimism following Costa’s arrival has even rubbed off on strike partner Antoine Griezmann. The Frenchman spent the first half of the season below par but is showing signs of his best form again now.

The duo combined for Atletico’s opening goal when Costa bravely beat Girona’s Yassine “Bono” Bounou to the ball, nodding it down for Griezmann to finish off. The Atletico of old would have killed the game off, like a python squeezing its prey. You can try to escape – a 1-0 loss – but with each attack, the grip gets firmer. At least that’s how it used to be.

After letting a 1-0 lead slip midweek against Sevilla, Atletico suffered the same fate against Girona. There was a lack of urgency, as if they were only going through the motions, and you simply can’t afford to do that. If Girona were in Atletico’s grip, it wasn’t a tight one, and they wriggled away with a deserved share of the spoils.

It’s those lapses in concentration which mean they are out of the Champions League and the LaLiga title race. Atletico remain a work in progress.

Real Sociedad remain in a slump

During the summer Eusebio was one of the names on Barcelona’s shortlist to take over from Luis Enrique. But much like Marco Silva, who left Watford this weekend, your stock can drop just as quickly as it can rise. The pressure is on Real Sociedad to turn around a horrible run of form which has seen them win just once in their last nine matches.

The feeling amongst supporters is that they need a change in manager. They believe the team has hit a wall working under Eusebio. A defeat to Celta Vigo, when they were leading 1-0, is just another example of how this side is struggling to discover its identity.

Will Eusebio have the time to turn it around? Or will La Real, like Watford, cut their losses and look for a fresh face to lead them forward?