La Liga Table 2014: Updated Standings Following Matchday 7 Results
Matchday 7 of the 2014-15 La Liga season saw Spanish heavyweights Valencia and Atletico Madrid battle it out on Saturday, headlining another exciting slate of fixtures.
Real Madrid took on struggling, but dangerous, Athletic Bilbao, while Barcelona travelled to the capital to play Rayo Vallecano.
Here are the results from the round of fixtures:
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| Oct. 3 | Getafe | 1 - 1 | Cordoba |
| Oct. 4 | Valencia | 3 - 1 | Atletico Madrid |
| Oct. 4 | Rayo Vallecano | 0 - 2 | Barcelona |
| Oct. 4 | Eibar | 3 - 3 | Levante |
| Oct. 4 | Almeria | 2 - 2 | Elche |
| Oct. 4 | Malaga | 2 - 1 | Granada |
| Oct. 5 | Sevilla | 4 - 1 | Deportivo La Coruna |
| Oct. 5 | Celta Vigo | 1 - 3 | Villarreal |
| Oct. 5 | Espanyol | 2 - 0 | Real Sociedad |
| Oct. 5 | Real Madrid | 5 - 0 | Athletic Bilbao |
The updated standings:
| 1 | Barcelona | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 19 |
| 2 | Valencia | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 13 | 17 |
| 3 | Sevilla | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 16 |
| 4 | Real Madrid | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 9 | 16 | 15 |
| 5 | Atletico Madrid | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 14 |
| 6 | Celta Vigo | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 12 |
| 7 | Villarreal | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 11 |
| 8 | Espanyol | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| 9 | Eibar | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 9 |
| 10 | Almeria | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 9 |
| 11 | Malaga | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 9 |
| 12 | Rayo Vallecano | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 8 |
| 13 | Granada | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 8 |
| 14 | Getafe | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | -7 | 7 |
| 15 | Real Sociedad | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | -3 | 5 |
| 16 | Elche | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 16 | -9 | 5 |
| 17 | Levante | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 15 | -11 | 5 |
| 18 | Athletic Bilbao | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 11 | -7 | 4 |
| 18 | Cordoba | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 | -7 | 4 |
| 20 | Deportivo La Coruna | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 19 | -11 | 4 |
Sunday, Oct. 5 Update
Cristiano Ronaldo scored yet another hat-trick—his third of the season—as Real Madrid crushed Athletic Bilbao 5-0 at the Bernabeu.
A Karim Benzema brace supplemented Ronaldo's goals, but it was all about the Portuguese superstar on Sunday. He opened the scoring in the second minute with a header, bagged his second soon after the break and a slightly untraditional third two minutes from time, per AS:
Athletic were completely outplayed and stay 18th in the league as their shocking start to the season continued.
Sevilla cruised to a 4-1 home win over Deportivo La Coruna in Sunday's early fixture in La Liga with Unai Emery's side registering a fifth victory from their opening seven fixtures to keep them in the mix near the top of the table.
Stephane M'Bia's double and goals from Carlos Bacca and Victor Machin contributed to the thrashing with Haris Medunjanin's free-kick the only Deportivo strike to find the Sevilla net.
Barcelona loanee Gerard Deulofeu was on top form for Sevilla, creating 75 per cent of the home team's goals, per European football writer Andy Brassell:
Sevilla moved above Atletico Madrid in the table after the reigning champions were soundly beaten by Valencia on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Celta de Vigo lost their first match of the season at home to Villarreal, the visitors taking all three points after a 3-1 win.
Moi Gomez claimed a double before Joaquin Larrivey pulled one back for the hosts on half time, Mario eventually confirming the win deep into stoppage time at the end of the game.
As ESPN's Dermot Corrigan points out, Celta were unfortunate to lose based on the stats from the game:
Meanwhile, Espanyol picked up three points with a 2-0 win at home to Real Sociedad, an early goal from Lucas giving the hosts the lead and Christian Stuani confirming the points late in the second half.
Friday, Oct. 3 Update
Getafe and Cordoba served up 45 dreadful minutes followed by 45 excellent ones, playing out a 1-1 draw during Friday's only Matchday 7 fixture.
The first half was almost a waste of time for the travelling fans, who were treated to 45 minutes of nothingness. The hosts tried their best to force the action but appeared powerless to do so, while Cordoba had no interest in attacking, desperate for any result following their disastrous start to the season.
Abdoul Karim Yoda missed the only good chance after 34 minutes, after a Juan Valera cross isolated him in the centre of the box. His shot just missed the top left corner, as both teams went into half-time scoreless.
TV commentator Duncan Bishop couldn't help himself:
The second half started at a furious pace, as Getafe tried to force the action in front of the hometown fans. Michel Herrero had his team's first good chance from a corner within 60 seconds of play, but his attempt was saved by Juan Carlos.
Getafe kept pushing forward, with Herrero and Edinaldo Gomes Naldo both missing several chances to open the scoring. Author Sid Lowe started to enjoy himself:
The hosts appealed for a penalty when Aleksandar Pantic appeared to handle the ball, but the official (incorrectly) ruled the action took place outside of the box. He made himself even less popular when he disallowed a goal for an apparent offside.
Just as it seemed the hosts would break the deadlock, the goal fell on the other side of the pitch. Patrick Ekeng Ekeng blasted a shot into the bottom corner, giving Vicente Guaita no chance. Getafe were now desperate for a goal, but Carlos pulled off a stunning save to deny Fredy Hinestroza. Lowe was impressed:
The hosts were eventually rewarded for their tenacious pressure, as substitute Babacar "Baba" Diawara found the target from close range after a bit of a scramble. Sergio Escudero nearly won it for Getafe, but his last-minute effort stranded on the post.
The draw helps neither team, as Getafe were surely hoping for three points against bottom feeders Cordoba and the visitors needed a better result to climb out of the relegation zone.
With fixtures against Real Sociedad and Malaga on the schedule, neither team will likely improve much in the standings on Matchday 8. Friday's match was a missed opportunity for both, although it will add intrigue to the race to avoid relegation, with five teams currently tied for last place.
Saturday, Oct 4. Update
Valencia continued their magnificent start to the La Liga campaign as they swatted aside Atletico Madrid 3-1 at the Mestalla.
Los Che stormed out of the blocks to take a 3-0 lead inside the first 13 minutes courtesy of an own goal from Miranda plus strikes from Andre Gomes and Nicolas Otamendi. Mario Mandzukic gave the Spanish champions hope just before the half-hour mark, and the Rojiblancos missed an excellent chance to cut the deficit to one goal just before the break, but Diego Alves saved Guillherme Siquiera's penalty.
The win for Valencia moves them back to the top of the table and puts pressure on Barcelona, who face Rayo Vallecano later on in the day.
After consecutive wins over Sevilla and Juventus, the Rojiblancos looked to have rediscovered their swagger. But the manner in which Diego Simeone's side began this one was uncharacteristically sloppy, as they crumbled in the wake of some intense early pressure from the hosts.
Atletico did give themselves a chance at getting right back into this game ahead of half time, but in Alves, they were up against a 'keeper extremely adept at saving penalties, as noted here by The Guardian's Sid Lowe.
Valencia have been lauded for their early performances this season, and the calibre of this display suggests they're going to be a major force throughout the campaign. For Simeone and Atletico, this was a showing out of line with their usual high standards; perhaps a tough week took it's toll on a side that is usually unwaveringly industrious and energetic.
Barcelona responded to Valencia's wonderful victory after dispatching of Rayo Vallecano in an ill-tempered affair.
The hosts fell behind in the first half thanks to a goal apiece from Lionel Messi and Neymar, and their chances were all but over when they were reduced to ten men after Jorge Morcillo saw red. A miserable day for Vallecano was compounded in stoppage time after Javier Aquino received his second yellow card and they finished with nine men.
It was a result that means Barcelona have now gone seven games without conceding in La Liga, as noted her by Fox Soccer Trax:
For Barcelona the damage was done in the first half as the home side failed to cope with La Blaugrana's effervescent attacking threats. Rayo love to play an expansive game which is admirable, but a little naive, and subsequently Messi and Neymar found space at will during the first period.
Having threatened in the opening stages, it was ultimately a blitz of two goals in the space of a minute that put an end to Rayo's hopes. It was the Barcelona No. 10 who netted first, and with the hosts clearly still reeling, Neymar pounced to make it 2-0.
It was a lead that allowed Barcelona the freedom to knock the ball around and Rayo became increasingly frustrated as the game wore on. So it was no surprise when Morcillo made another rash challenge and received his marching orders.
Luis Enrique's side had chances to score more goals, but all in all they seemed happy to preserve their two-goal lead and their impenetrable defensive record. With Atletico dropping points and Real Madrid facing a tricky clash with Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, the weekend could get even better the league leaders yet.
Following games like the aforementioned pair was always going to be tough for Eibar and Levante, but the two sides produced a wonderful clash on Saturday evening at Eibar's Ipurua Municipal Stadium.
In truth, it looked as though it might be over before it began, as Levante raced into an early lead. Morales struck for Les Granotes in the second minute, and although Eibar have enjoyed a decent start to the campaign, they looked a little lost in the opening stages. So when Victor Camarasa made it 2-0 for the visitors just before half time, there seemed to be no way back for the La Liga new boys.
But Eibar re-emerged at half time with the kind of swagger and intensity that has made them such a difficult side to beat this season, and when Pedro Lopez put through his own net in the first minute following the restart, suddenly the home side were back in the game.
Roared on by their modest but raucous home crowd, Eibar piled on the pressure. And Levante crumbled in the 70th minute, when Saul levelled things up. It was quite the strike too, as we can see here courtesy of Squawka:
But that surge seemed to take a lot out of the hosts, and the visitors re-established their grip on proceedings almost immediately after that equaliser. So when Casadesus pounced to put Les Granotes 2-0 in the 79th minute, the game looked to be up.
But with what was almost the very last kick of the game, Eibar made it 3-3 thanks to Federico Piovaccari, sparking scenes of delirium from the home supporters. Remarkably, that point puts the La Liga newcomers into seventh place in the table, and after battling back from behind on two occasions, they'll feel like the victors in what was an epic encounter. Next up for them is Barcelona.
