La Liga Results: Analysis for Valencia vs. Barcelona and All the Weekend Matches

The third round of fixtures in the 2013-14 La Liga season began Friday night with two event-filled matches.

Almeria and Elche drew 2-2 in a battle of promoted sides, and Levante picked up their first win of the season thanks to some extremely efficient shooting. Both matches featured red cards, both had late goals and we've got all the details right here.

On Saturday, Celta Vigo drew with Granada, while Valladolid were 1-0 winners over Getafe and Villarreal crushed Osasuna.

Five more matches are scheduled for Sunday, so keep checking back here throughout the weekend for all of the results.

Updated Sunday, Sept. 1

Stats via WhoScored.com.

Valencia 2-3 Barcelona

Lionel Messi scored a first-half hat-trick and Barcelona held on to win 3-2 at Valencia on Sunday.

All five goals were scored in an exciting first half. Messi and Barcelona raced out to a 3-0 advantage, with the Argentine superstar converting in the 11th, 39th and 41st minutes.

Helder Postiga then hit a quick double just before half-time. He made it 3-1 with an impressive volley in the 45th minute, before firing his second into the top corner following a corner in stoppage time.

Barcelona remained atop the table with a maximum nine points from three matches and a goal differential of plus-nine. Valencia sit in 12th place with three points from three matches.

Shots: 16-20

On target: 10-9

Passing: 78%-88%

Possession: 36%-64%

Real Madrid 3-1 Athletic Bilbao

Isco bagged a brace and Cristiano Ronaldo scored for the first time this season as Real Madrid remained perfect with a 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the Estadio Bernabeu.

Isco, 21, signed for Real Madrid from Malaga over the summer and has already made an impact with three goals in his first three league matches. He opened the scoring against Athletic in the 26th minute, beating the offside trap to collect Karim Benzema's lofted pass in the box before beating goalkeeper Iago Herrerín one-on-one.

Ronaldo doubled Madrid's lead in first-half stoppage time, heading in Angel Di Maria's free kick.

Isco then made it 3-0 in the 72nd minute with a shot from the edge of the box, assisted again by Benzema. Ibai Gomez scored a consolation for Athletic seven minutes later.

Real Madrid are expected to complete the signing of Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur before the closing of the transfer window Monday night. Midfielder Luka Modric, one of Bale's former teammates at Spurs, put in an excellent performance for Madrid.

With the victory, Real moved onto nine points, level with Villarreal atop the table.

Shots: 20-12

On target: 7-2

Passing: 87%-78%

Possession: 54%-46%

Sevilla 2-2 Malaga

Hosts Sevilla twice pegged back Malaga to claim a point in a 2-2 draw on Sunday.

Pedro Morales (40') and Roque Santa Cruz (68') scored for the visitors, who had Duda sent off in the 90th minute.

Sevilla equalized twice, both times through new signing Kevin Gameiro (44' and 71'). The goals were Gameiro's first in the league with Sevilla.

Sevilla fell to 15th with two points through three matches. Malaga are 17th with one point.

Shots: 15-15

On target: 7-6

Passing: 85%-77%

Possession: 64%-36%

Real Sociedad 1-2 Atletico Madrid

David Villa scored hist first league goal with Atletico Madrid and assisted another as Los Colchoneros defeated Real Sociedad 2-1 on Sunday. Koke also scored for Atleti, who won for the third time in as many matches this season.

Villa, signed from Barcelona in the summer, opened the scoring in the 27th minute, blocking Ion Ansotegi's failed clearance before shooting past Claudio Bravo.

Villa then turned provider for the second, crossing for Koke in the 56th minute following Arda Turan's incisive pass.

Sociedad pulled one back in the 69th minute through Xabi Prieto. Esteban Granero took a free kick quickly, and with Atleti late to react, Prieto blasted his shot into the top corner at the far post.

The hosts came close to equalizing in the final minutes, but Thibaut Courtois saved Esteban Granero's first-time shot.

Shots: 10-16

On target: 4-9

Passing: 80%-75%

Possession: 60%-40%

Espanyol 0-0 Real Betis

Espanyol and Real Betis played out a scoreless draw as neither side could find the final touch in the attacking third.

Espanyol had a chance in the 16th minute, but Christian Stuani headed wide from Simao's cross. Betis nearly took the lead in the 53rd minute, when Espanyol's Victor Sanchez deflected the ball on goal, but goalkeeper Kiko Casilla saved.

Shots: 10-8

On target: 3-3

Passing: 71%-78%

Possession: 44%-56%

Osasuna 0-3 Villarreal

Villarreal enjoyed their trip to Osasuna as they ran out 3-0 winners at the El Sadar to move top of the Primera Liga.

Shortly after seeing Jonathan Pereira pass up a major chance for Villarreal, they took the lead on 22 minutes through Jeremy Perbet. The forward showed great feet to collect a pass, spin and beat the keeper from a tight angle.

Villarreal doubled their lead on 30 minutes, as Javier Aquino tucked the ball home after it broke to him in the box.

Any prospect of an Osasuna fightback was snuffed out 15 minutes from time as Giovani dos Santos teed up Ikechukwu Uche for a simple finish.

Match Stats (Whoscored.com) 

Shots: Osasuna 9-9 Villarreal

Corners: Osasuna 7-8 Villarreal

Possession Percentage: Osasuna 59-41 Villarreal

Fouls Committed: Osasuna 15-14 Villarrea

Valladolid 1-0 Getafe

A goal from Marc Valiente was enough to hand Valladolid a 1-0 win over Getafe.

Valladolid dominated the first half without converting any of their chances. They remedied that two minutes after the interval, as Valiente nodded home to hand the home side the lead.

Angel Lafita had a huge chance to draw the visitors level on 57 minutes, but he shot wide after breaking in on goal.

Getafe had a further chance to pinch a point, but again Lafita shot wide from close range as Valladolid held on for the win.

Match Stats (Whoscored.com)

Shots: Valladolid 21-16 Getafe

Corners: Valladolid 10-5 Getafe

Possession Percentage: Valladolid 54-46 Getafe

Fouls Committed: Valladolid 19-8 Getafe

Celta Vigo 1-1 Granada

Granada came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo in a game the home side dominated.

Rafinha fired Celta ahead on 29 minutes, seizing on a loose ball in the box and slotting home from close range.

Alex Lopez had a chance to double Celta’s lead before half-time but, after powering clear of the defence, he saw his shot hit the post.

Celta squandered further chances through Lopez and Charles, and they were made to pay a heavy price as Piti thumped a low shot home shortly after the hour to earn a point for Granada.

Match Stats

Shots: Celta Vigo 17-3 Granada

Corners: Celta Vigo 6-5 Granada

Possession Percentage: Celta Vigo 65-35 Granada

Fouls Committed: Celta Vigo 9-6 Granada

Almeria 2-2 Elche

In an eventful matchup of newly promoted sides, Elche secured a dramatic draw against Almeria with a late equalizer via Richmond Boakye.

Boakye, on loan from Juventus, scored in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time to give Elche their second point of the season. The Ghanaian striker entered the match as a second-half substitute for Manu del Moral.

The match featured plenty of incident, with a converted penalty for each team, 10 yellow cards and one red card. Fernando Soriano opened the scoring for hosts Almeria with a well-taken header in the 10th minute before Edu Albacar equalized from the penalty spot in the 32nd. Verza put Almeria back in front with a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Almeria's Sebastian Dubarbier was sent off in the 67th minute for his second bookable offense.

Shots: 9-15

On target: 5-9

Possession: 38%-62%

Passing: 72%-86%

Rayo Vallecano 1-2 Levante

Levante earned their first win of the season against 10-man Rayo Vallecano thanks to Andreas Ivanschitz's late winner.

With the score level at 1-1 in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Ivanschitz capped off a Levante break with a low finish from Jordi Xumetra's pass. Ivanschitz had entered as a second-half substitute for Pedro Rios.

Ruben Garcia opened the scoring for Levante in the 26th minute before Joaquin Larrivey equalized for Rayo 11 minutes from time. Rayo's Lass Bangoura was sent off in the 60th minute.

Rayo dominated possession and outshot Levante by a wide margin, but Levante converted both of their shots on target into goals.

Shots: 23-6

On target: 8-2

Passing: 89%-63%

Possession: 76%-24%