How Did Barcelona Close the Gap on Real Madrid in La Liga Standings?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Lewandowski's hat-trick was crucial for Barcelona's victory.
- Barcelona's win tightens the La Liga title race.
- Real Madrid dropped points in their match against Rayo Vallecano.
- Several teams showed resilience in their matches, impacting league standings.
- The competition is heating up as the season progresses.
Madrid, Nov 10 (NationPress) Robert Lewandowski showcased his full recovery by scoring a stunning hat-trick as FC Barcelona triumphed 4-2 against Celta Vigo. The Polish striker netted a penalty in the ninth minute, quickly followed by a response from Sergio Carreira, who equalized just a minute later.
Borja Iglesias brought the score to 2-2 in the 41st minute, but Lamine Yamal regained the lead for Barcelona right before halftime with a remarkable individual effort.
Barcelona dominated the second half, and Lewandowski capped off his hat-trick by heading the ball in off the post from a corner, as reported by Xinhua.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid faced a setback, managing only a 0-0 draw against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, marking their second dropped points this season in La Liga.
Xabi Alonso's team struggled to create significant opportunities post their midweek Champions League loss to Liverpool, while Rayo effectively pressed to hinder the leaders and contain Kylian Mbappé.
Rayo's commendable performance was underscored as they had played a UEFA Conference League match just 65 hours before this game, significantly less time than Real Madrid.
In other matches, fifth-placed Betis drew 1-1 against Valencia. Cucho Hernandez’s 74th-minute goal was equalized by Luis Rioja eight minutes later, helping Valencia escape the relegation zone.
Mallorca secured a 1-0 victory at Getafe with a goal from Vedat Muriqi in the 14th minute.
Nico Williams shone for Athletic Club Bilbao with a spectacular winner against bottom-placed Oviedo, scoring after dazzling past three defenders.
Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Atletico Madrid defeated Levante 3-1, with an own goal from Matt Ryan's save setting the tone.
Gerard Moreno netted against his old club as Villarreal beat Espanyol 2-0, with Alberto Moleiro adding another goal after halftime.
Ruben Vargas converted a penalty to give Sevilla a 1-0 home win over Osasuna, ending a three-match losing streak.
Girona secured a 1-0 win over Alaves, with Viktor Tsygankov scoring from a Bryan Gil assist, while Elche and Real Sociedad concluded their match in a 1-1 draw on Friday.