LaLiga Table 2016: Latest Standings Following Friday's Week 4 Results
Real Betis and Granada got the LaLiga weekend off to an excellent start, as they played out a thrilling 2-2 draw on Friday night.
Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez gave the visitors an early lead in this one with a calm finish after 13 minutes, before Alberto Bueno doubled the advantage. Alex Alegria got one back three minutes later for Betis, though, setting up a fascinating second half.
The visitors suffered a setback not long after the restart, as Ruben Vezo was sent off after two yellow cards in two minutes. That handed the hosts the initiative, and on 61 minutes, Alegria had his second.
The 10 men of Granada spurned a brilliant chance to win the game, though, with Antonio Adan saving Ezequiel Ponce's penalty.
Elsewhere this weekend, LaLiga leaders Real Madrid will be looking for their 16th domestic win in succession when they visit Espanyol, while Barcelona are out to avoid another slip-up against a newly promoted side when making the trip to Leganes.
Here’s a closer look back at Friday’s tussle at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, the weekend’s fixture list in full and what’s to come in Week 4 of Spanish football’s top flight.
| 1 | Real Madrid | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 9 |
| 2 | Sevilla | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 7 |
| 3 | Sporting Gijon | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 7 |
| 4 | Las Palmas | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 6 |
| 5 | Barcelona | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 6 |
| 6 | Eibar | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 6 |
| 7 | Alaves | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 5 |
| 8 | Atletico Madrid | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 5 |
| 9 | Villarreal | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 5 |
| 10 | Real Betis | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 5 |
| 11 | Deportivo La Coruna | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Leganes | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 13 | Real Sociedad | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 4 |
| 14 | Athletic Bilbao | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 15 | Malaga | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 2 |
| 16 | Espanyol | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 | -2 | 2 |
| 17 | Granada | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | -5 | 2 |
| 18 | Osasuna | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 1 |
| 19 | Valencia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 0 |
| 20 | Celta Vigo | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
| Friday, September 16 | 7:45 p.m. | Real Betis 2-2 Granada |
| Saturday, September 17 | 12 p.m. | Leganes vs. Barcelona |
| Saturday, September 17 | 3:15 p.m. | Atletico Madrid vs. Sporting Gijon |
| Saturday, September 17 | 5:30 p.m. | Eibar vs. Sevilla |
| Saturday, September 17 | 7:45 p.m. | Las Palmas vs. Malaga |
| Sunday, September 18 | 11 p.m. | Osasuna vs. Celta Vigo |
| Sunday, September 18 | 3:15 p.m. | Athletic Club vs. Valencia |
| Sunday, September 18 | 5:30 p.m. | Villarreal vs. Real Sociedad |
| Sunday, September 18 | 7:45 p.m. | Espanyol vs. Real Madrid |
| Monday, September 19 | 7:45 p.m. | Alaves vs. Deportivo la Coruna |
Friday Recap
After snatching such a dramatic win against Valencia last time out, the home crowd would have expected Betis to fly out of the traps here. However, the Andalusians looked a little rusty in the opening stages.
Granada capitalised. Bueno did well to find space in the penalty area and teed up Carcela-Gonzalez. The midfield man kept his composure brilliantly, shooting low past Adan.
It was a strike that emboldened the visitors, as they sought to stamp their authority on the contest. In the 33rd minute, they got the second goal their dominance deserved with Bueno, who was excellent in the first 45 minutes, thrashing home a loose ball from the edge of the area.
The two-goal lead didn’t last long, though, with the second goal seemingly jolting Betis into life. It was Alegria who breathed life back into their performance, powering a header home from inside the penalty area.
Joaquin had a brilliant chance to level things up before the end of a frantic first half, although Guillermo Ochoa was on hand to make a smart stop.
After the break, Granada’s battle to hold onto the lead was made tougher by Vezo, who lost his composure twice in a couple of minutes, picking up two silly cautions and subsequently given his marching orders. Betis had 36 minutes to find a way back into the match, although it took them just seven to get on level terms.
And it was Alegria again on target, sending home a superb shot after some excellent work from Cristiano Piccini.
Granada deserve credit for their subsequent resolve, and despite having to withstand pressure, one of their first forays forward in the half saw a penalty awarded after clumsy keeping from Adan. The stopper redeemed himself, though, springing to save Ponce’s effort from 12 yards.
The game swung both ways in the final stages, although neither side were eventually able to conjure a winner.
Weekend Preview
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane can’t seem to do wrong at the moment. The Frenchman, who steered this group to UEFA Champions League glory last term, saw his side recover to beat Sporting Lisbon in midweek despite trailing 1-0 in the 89th minute. In LaLiga, they’ve been pretty formidable, too.
Indeed, three wins from their first three games have kept momentum going after their finishing flourish in 2015-16, and Espanyol have struggled to cope with Los Blancos in recent meetings.
As OptaJose noted during the latest clash between the two sides, Cristiano Ronaldo, in particular, thrives against the Catalans:
After their loss to Alaves last time out in LaLiga, expect a chastened Barcelona to be at full tilt when they meet Leganes on Saturday lunchtime.
Luis Enrique rested key men such as Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi for the defeat, although after both netted against Celtic in midweek in the Champions League—Messi three times and Suarez twice—expect the pair to be united with Neymar again in a formidable attacking triumvirate.
Oliver Holt of the Mail on Sunday paid tribute to the chemistry on display between the three stars as they demolished the Scottish side 7-0:
Elsewhere, after grabbing their first win of the season against Celta Vigo last time out, Atletico Madrid host Sporting Gijon. That’ll be followed by Sevilla, who have two wins and a draw so far under new boss Jorge Sampaoli, and their visit to Eibar.
For 19th-placed Valencia, who have endured three defeats in succession, things don’t get any easier, as they head to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Quique Setien’s tremendous Las Palmas side are well worth a watch, too, playing some brilliant, vibrant football early in the season; they’ll host Malaga to cap off Saturday’s schedule.
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