Week 8 of La Liga and, whilst always compelling and often entertaining, none of the matches which followed the very first contest of the weekend could quite match its drama.
The La Liga 2022 highlights all began on Friday night at Osasuna, who went into their home clash with Valencia three points ahead of their opponents. What followed were three goals, three red cards, two missed penalties and a result which ensured Los Che leapfrogged the hosts in the process.
Fresh from a surprise draw at the home of the champions last weekend, Osasuna fell behind midway through the first half when Edinson Cavani slipped in Justin Kluivert to fire home his first goal in Spanish football.
That lead was extended nine minutes after the restart when Mouctar Diakhaby pounced on a loose ball to double the visitors’ advantage.
It was far from over though.
In the final 20 minutes, both home forward Chimy Avila and Cavani missed spot-kicks before Unai Garcia and Diakhaby were dismissed in the final minute.
There was still time for Darko Brasanac to pull one back in stoppage time but Valencia held out, although not until Ruben Pena then became the third player to be sent off in the 96th minute as Valencia finished with nine men.
Pena felt the frustration of his manager Gennaro Gattuso as the club’s bad-tempered start to the season continued. Diakhaby’s red card was their fourth so far this term with their last five league games involving eight red cards (on both sides).
While those two sides are in the upper reaches of the table, there’s a shock for those who regularly study the SBOTOP La Liga 2022 betting odds.
That’s because Sevilla have ended the weekend in the relegation zone. Their 1-1 home draw with Athletic Bilbao meant a draw for new head coach Jorge Sampaoli, who is beginning his second stint in charge at the club following the midweek sacking of Julen Lopetegui – little over two years after he guided them to Europa League glory.
Sampaoli enjoyed an ideal start at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan as Oliver Torres stabbed them ahead inside the first five minutes.
Yet, when Mikel Vesga smashed home a superb long-range leveller with 17 minutes remaining, it was hard to begrudge Bilbao a deserved equaliser as they stay third in the table.
That, of course, is behind Spanish football’s big two and it was Eder Militao’s early header which gave Real Madrid a low-key 1-0 win at Getafe to move them back to the top of La Liga – temporarily.
Only three minutes had elapsed when Militao ghosted between several defenders to head home a Luka Modric corner from close range.
Rodrygo, playing up front in place of the rested Karim Benzema, missed a great chance with a header while Modric also fired a shot wide from the edge of the box as the champions asked most of the questions.
The pattern of play continued after the break and it took a fine save from Getafe goalkeeper David Soria to deny Aurélien Tchouaméni from inside the box and, while the pace of the game eased in the closing stages, Carlo Ancelotti’s men were always in control.
Their city rivals Atletico completed the weekend in fourth spot, but they were given a mighty scare by newly promoted Girona.
A double early in each half from Angel Correa had set Atletico on their way; first he converted an Antoine Griezmann cross before intercepting a poor pass from goalkeeper Juan Carlos to double the lead.
The deficit was reduced when Rodrigo Riquelme’s shot deflected beyond Jan Oblak and the woodwork then twice denied them a point as Aleix García smashed a thundering strike off the post before Santiago Bueno’s towering header reached the same conclusion.
The final match of the weekend was at the Nou Camp. (Elche host Mallorca on Monday night.)
My SBOTOP colleague warned that Barcelona could not take Celta Vigo for granted at home and he was right. Thankfully for the Catalonians, they didn’t.
They took the lead after 17 minutes when Gavi timed his run to perfection and, while his cross was cut out on the stretch by Unai Nunez, it fell to talented youngster Pedri, who tapped home from six yards out.
After the break, Celta Vigo did have the ball in the net as Jorgen Strand Larsen headed in the rebound after a Javi Galan effort came back off the post.
However, Galan had strayed offside to the relief of the majority inside the stadium.
Barca had made hard work of it but, after seven minutes of stoppage time, they returned to the summit on goal difference.
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