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Barcelona stole the headlines in the Clasico against Real Madrid this weekend, but there were also impressive wins for Atletico Madrid – who are a point behind the Catalans at the top.
Elsewhere Sevilla survived a late scare from Osasuna to pick up three points, Rayo Vallecano were smashed 3-0 at home to Real Valladolid and Espanyol were dealt the same score line on their trip to Levante.
Finally, Granada ended Elche’s mini-unbeaten run, while Athletic Bilbao travel to form side Getafe on Monday night.
Here are some of the weekend’s most intriguing stats.
Barca less phased by possession
It’s a results business, as we all know, and Barcelona continue to produce in that respect. Saturday’s 2-1 win over Real Madrid was their 11th victory in all competitions this season; they’ve drawn their other four matches.
However it’s the losing of their focus on keeping the ball that was once again obvious in their Clasico success.
When they won 4-0 against Rayo Vallecano they were prepared to let the home side have the ball in areas considered not dangerous. By the end of that game Rayo had more possession than Barca – the first side to do so in five years.
At Camp Nou this weekend, Gerardo Martino’s men ended the match with 54% possession. And while that still represents the lion’s share, it is down on the amount they usually boast.
Still, it was enough to earn their first Clasico win in five matches. What’s better? Three points or 70 percent possession?
Atletico Madrid are title contenders
Diego Simeone continues to play down his team’s chances of competing with Barcelona and Real Madrid off the pitch, but his players continue to play up their chances of getting involved in a title race on the pitch.
On Sunday night they beat Real Betis 5-0; it could have been 10 though.
David Villa found his shooting boots after a baron-spell, while Diego Costa eventually scored after squandering numerous chances.
But it was young Oliver Torres’ goal that most caught the imagination.
And not because he’s a prodigious young talent, which he is, but because it came after just 13 seconds, making him the fastest ever goal scorer in Atletico Madrid’s history.
Atletico Madrid are title contenders
In efforts tantamount to those of Cristiano Ronaldo, Giovanni dos Santos ended Villarreal’s 4-1 win over their Valencian rivals Valencia with eight shots and two goals.
He also scooped the man of the match award with a Squawka Performance Score of 155.
It wasn’t just in front of goal were the Mexican was a threat either. Four of his five crosses were perfect, while he completed both of his attempted take-ons as well.
Dos Santos’ display is a symbol of the Yellow Submarine’s early season form: fast, exciting and with an end product.
They end week 10 sitting in the Champions League places.
Gio dos Santos is man of the weekend
Jagoba Arrasate continues to rotate his Real Sociedad side as he seeks to compete in La Liga and the Champions League – unfortunately the latter seems to have slipped away already.
On Saturday he named Jose Angel as his left-back, and the 24-year-old put in a scintillating display which did not disappoint.
The most startling of his stats was that he completed 10 out of 10 clearances as La Real held out for a clean sheet in their 3-0 win over bottom club Almeria.
However the most satisfying of his stats are the ones that really matter: one goal, one assist. He also completed all five of his crosses too.
Antoine Griezmann was pretty good also; the Frenchman bagged a brace before leaving the Anoeta pitch to a standing ovation.
There’s that saying about London buses which is definitely overused in terms of football imagery, but is definitely apt to describe Celta Vigo this past weekend.
Luis Enrique’s side had scored once in their previous five league outings, eight all season and were without a win since week two.
Then they headed down to Malaga on Saturday afternoon and they couldn’t stop scoring.
Fifteen shots rained in on Willy Caballero’s goal – who had been in inspired form the week before at Real Madrid – with five, yes five, finding the back of the net.
Alex Lopez helped himself to a brace, while Augusto Fernandez, Nolito and Charles to completed the scoring.
You wait all this time for a goal, the five come along at once.
