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Depth and stamina for several LaLiga sides were tested this past weekend, as six needed to account for mid-week European fixtures ahead of Matchweek Five. Several matches featured high-scoring affairs, while the top of the table now sees two clubs level on the same amount of points.
The action began on Friday evening, as Real Sociedad earned an away victory at the Estadio El Alcoraz against Huesca. The home side will feel disappointed after being unable to take advantage of two red cards for La Real.
Saturday’s fixtures produced an attacking masterclass from Alavés, moving into the top four after a dominant 5-1 win at Rayo Vallecano. A wild encounter followed between Celta Vigo and Real Valladolid, splitting the points in a 3-3 draw. Eibar secured their second LaLiga victory of the 2018-19 campaign with a 1-0 result versus Leganés.
Atlético Madrid got their season headed back in the right direction with a 2-0 win at Getafe, arriving after a positive away showing against AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League. Espanyol gave a good account of themselves at the Estadio Bernabéu on Saturday evening, although a strike from Marco Asensio delivered all three points for Real Madrid in a 1-0 final scoreline.
Sunday’s games produced some eye-catching results, starting with Sevilla’s 6-2 thrashing of Levante. Villarreal and Valencia played to a 0-0 draw. Despite a slow start to the match, Real Betis rescued a point at home versus Athletic Club with an impressive second-half performance (2-2 final).
The last match of the weekend provided the most intense drama, as Girona earned a 2-2 draw at local rival Barcelona. Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 19th minute, but defender Clément Lenglet’s red card ultimately dug a deep hole for the home side. Barcelona and Real Madrid now sit atop the table on 13 points each through five league matches.
Clubs must now prepare for a busy week, as Matchweek Six gets underway Tuesday evening.
We highlight the top performers this past weekend in LaLiga.
Goalkeeper
GK - Jan Oblak - Atlético Madrid
He was not called upon often, but strong composure and excellent positioning helped Atlético Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak deliver the clean sheet at Getafe.
The 25-year-old recorded two saves and communicated effectively with his back-line throughout the game.
Defenders
LB - Nacho - Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid and manager Sergio González had difficulty containing Celta’s attack on Saturday, but Nacho was able to provide the service that brought a strong away result.
The left-back assisted on two of his squad’s three goals.
CB - Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid CF
Real Madrid controlled the majority of possession and created good chances versus Espanyol, and Sergio Ramos helped to keep things stable in the back.
Los Blancos’ captain was efficient in his tackling and pressured the opponent at the other end with two shots, although he made a small mistake which might have caused trouble for Real Madrid.
CB - Lucas Hernández - Atlético Madrid
With Diego Godín starting on the bench, Atlético Madrid defender Lucas Hernández filled in perfectly for Los Rojiblancos on the back-line.
The French international assisted in keeping the clean sheet and showcased excellent skill on the ball.
RB - Ximo Navarro - Deportivo Alavés
Alavés’ five-goal stunner at Rayo all began with a defender, as right-back Ximo Navarro opened the scoring in the eighth minute.
Arriving from Las Palmas on a free transfer this past summer, Navarro has certainly been a positive addition for manager Abelardo Fernández’s squad.
Midfielders
MF - Mikel Merino - Real Sociedad
One season in the Premier League with Newcastle United saw Mikel Merino return to Spain with Real Sociedad, and his form looks solid with his new side thus far.
The 22-year-old netted Friday’s winner at Huesca in the second half.
MF - Ibai Gómez - Deportivo Alavés
Alavés enjoyed strong contributions from the middle of the line-up this past weekend, and Ibai Gómez struck often. Along with fellow midfielder Jony Rodríguez, the Basque club was a force in the final third.
The former Athletic Club winger scored two goals against Rayo on Saturday. Gómez has three goals through five LaLiga games.
MF - Thomas Lemar - Atlético Madrid
After arriving at the Wanda Metropolitano amidst a serious amount of hype and facing massive expectations, Thomas Lemar truly delivered for Atlético Madrid.
The Frenchman scored his first goal for his new club, and another of his shots resulted in an own-goal at Getafe.
Forwards
FW - Wissam Ben Yedder - Sevilla FC
Sevilla and manager Pablo Machín cruised to a 5-1 home win in their Europa League opener against Standard Liège, and they were able to continue that attacking trend on Sunday afternoon at Levante thanks to Wissam Ben Yedder.
The French forward shined bright, as a hat-trick and an assist were too much for the opposition to handle.
FW - Cristhian Stuani - Girona FC
Following two goals versus Celta last week, Cristhian Stuani kept his sparkling form alive against the league leaders this past weekend.
Another brace for the Uruguayan international provided the goals for Girona in their 2-2 draw at Barcelona on Sunday evening.
FW - Iago Aspas - Celta Vigo
Celta Vigo fans will not be completely pleased with dropping points at home, but their front-line was once again dangerous.
Iago Aspas scored two goals and was a constant threat in the opposing half for Real Valladolid's defenders.
Manager
Diego Simeone - Atlético Madrid
Something seemed to be off with Atlético Madrid during the past few weeks, as a loss to Celta and a home draw versus Eibar saw the club drop from the top of the table early in the campaign. A potentially tricky meeting with Getafe could have caused trouble, but manager Diego Simeone had his team ready for the battle.
Utilising some squad rotation due to Champions League commitments earlier in the week, Atlético’s defense was solid and did well to limit Getafe’s scoring chances. Thomas Lemar was excellent, while Saúl Ñíguez continued to show immense quality in the middle. More will be expected of Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa up front in the near future, but the club is confident that the goals will arrive.
Atlético’s 2-0 victory keeps a remarkable record going for Simeone as well, as he has been nothing short of a nightmare for Getafe since taking over his current position. Los Colchoneros have dominated Getafe in their last 14 fixtures by an aggregate score of 28-0.
Although they stumbled a bit to start, the 2018-19 season can still be a special one for Atlético Madrid and Diego Simeone.
