The Spanish soccer record champions Real Madrid are still at the top of the table in La Liga.
On matchday 20, the team around ex-national player Toni Kroos won against Valencia 4-1 (1-0) and temporarily increased their lead at the top of the table to Sevilla FC to eight points.
Top scorer Karim Benzema set the course for victory with his 300th competitive goal for Real with a penalty shortly before the break (43rd). Vinicius Junior (52nd, 61st) followed up for the superior Madrilenians before Benzema (88th) met again.
Valencia’s Goncalo Guedes turned the margin of a foul penalty, which Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had saved, to a consolation goal (76.).
FC Barcelona fail at FC Granada
Previously, cup winners FC Barcelona had to be content with a 1: 1 (0: 0) at FC Granada.
With 32 points, the team of national goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen occupies sixth place in the table and missed the preliminary jump to third place.
Ex-Gladbacher Luuk de Jong (57th) made it 1-0 for Barca. Barcelona’s Gavi saw the yellow-red card (80th). Antonio Puertas (90th) marked the equalizer.
Xavi criticizes “stupid ball losses”
“We had to be patient to hold the ball and play into the opposing half, but unfortunately we lost the ball stupidly,” said coach Xavi: “We should have made everything clear before we were sent off.”
After all, Barca have been unbeaten in the championship for five games. The Catalans were missing a total of nine players due to injuries or corona infections.
The actors affected by COVID-19 also included the Spanish international Ferran Torres, who was signed by Manchester City for 55 million euros.
Three days earlier, Barcelona had celebrated a hard-fought 2-1 win at third division Linares Deportivo in the King’s Cup and reached the round of 16.
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