After their 3-0 victory over Leganes, Marcelino’s Valencia side equalled a 70-year-old record of seven La Liga wins in a row.
Malaga, Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis, Sevilla, Alaves and now Leganes have all been victims of Los Che’s epic run, and in all but the Alaves game, Valencia have scored at least three times.
The win also equals Rafa Benitez’s 11-game unbeaten start to a season from 2001/02.
Dani Parejo’s opener just before the quarter hour raised the roof, but it would take until the 71st for Rodrigo Moreno to double the lead.
Santi Mina’s penalty on 82 added some gloss to the scoreline, but Leganes showed more than enough fight and were unlucky that the eventual margin of victory was so heavy.
Alaves grab first win of the season
Some frantic early pinball in the area saw the ball drop to Christian Santos, whose sublime volley in the first minute against Espanyol was enough to give Alaves their first win of the campaign.
The visitors’ cause wasn’t helped when Mario Hermoso was red-carded for a stray elbow, though they still had enough chances to at least take a point, Leo Baptistao particularly wasteful.
It’s the seventh time already this season that Quique Sanchez Flores’ team have failed to score and though 11th place in the table doesn’t appear too bad on first glance, the fact is that they are just two points ahead of Deportivo la Coruna in 16th.
Barça are bruised but unbowed
On the occasion of his 600th Barcelona game, and against his favourite opponents, the script was already written for Lionel Messi to grab the headlines.
Unfortunately for him, Sevilla were in no mood to hand him the bragging rights, but fortunately for Barca, Paco Alcacer came up trumps on his second start of the season.
His two goals sandwiched a powerful header from Guido Pizarro that looked like handing the Andalusians a share of the spoils as they took the game to their hosts.
Sevilla’s record at the Camp Nou is poor, but Eduardo Berizzo has always been a thorn in the Catalans’ side. It almost proved true again in what became a bruising, but entertaining encounter.
With 31 points from a possible 33, Barca go into the international break still sitting pretty at the top of the table.
Bakambu’s disallowed hat-trick
A Villarreal victory over bottom club Malaga was almost a foregone conclusion before kick-off, and substitute Nicola Sansone will grab all of the headlines with his match-winning double. Rightly so.
However, history was made at the Estadio de la Ceramica. Not that Cedric Bakambu will want reminding. The awkward centre-forward could’ve made the win much more comfortable for the hosts, but his hat-trick was ruled out for offside.
Yes, all three goals! In the 49th, 65th and 85th minutes, the striker somehow contrived to be a yard or two ahead of the Malaga defence each time.
Villarreal can laugh about it now the three points are in the bag, but if Bakambu wants to hold down a regular spot alongside Carlos Bacca, then he needs to address something that’s blighted his career for a while now.
- 49' Goal disallowed
- 65' Goal disallowed
- 85' Goal disallowed
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First half woes, second half show from Real
Karim Benzema being booed and whistled at the end of the opening 45 was a sure sign that the locals at the Santiago Bernabeu weren’t happy.
Casemiro’s headed goal just before the break was the only reward for Real Madrid in a poor first half.
Fortunately, for all concerned, Los Blancos finally clicked into gear and performed somewhere close to what everyone knows they are capable of.
It would take a rocket from Marco Asensio to put daylight between the sides with Isco joining him on four for the season 20 minutes later.
Both youngsters have each scored the same amount as Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Benzema combined in the league, which hints at the problems Zinedine Zidane still has, despite a much-needed victory.
