La Liga Team of the Week: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Break Records Again
Another weekend in La Liga brought the usual cache of big results for the top sides, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid all winning and racking up 10 goals between them, with just one scored against.
As is now seemingly the norm, more goalscoring records and milestones were broken by the two phenomenons of the Spanish top flight, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Both players scored hat-tricks over the weekend.
Elsewhere, Cordoba won their first game of the season, Eibar won a seven-goal thriller and Villarreal smashed David Moyes' Real Sociedad—with each of those three victorious teams having a player in our Team of the Week.
GK: Carlos Kameni, MGA
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In goal we have a Cameroonian who was unlucky not to take his place between the sticks last week: Carlos Kameni.
The Malaga stopper was in terrific form once again to deny Deportivo La Coruna's forwards with a string of agile, improbable saves from close range—particularly from Ivan Cavaleiro and Helder Postiga.
His clean sheet meant a 1-0 win for his side and a solid seventh place standing in La Liga.
DF: Dani Carvajal, RMA
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Real Madrid picked up a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo at the weekend with some particularly strong showings from three or four players.
It wasn't a swashbuckling, all-encompassing display by the league leaders, but they were impressive in key areas—including right-back, where Dani Carvajal totally shut down Nolito, one of La Liga's best wide forwards this season.
Carvajal was strong defensively, getting close to his man and stopping any easy route into the area. But he also got forward to good effect and supported in the final third, as always.
DF: Jose Gimenez, ATM
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Atletico Madrid continued with their all-Uruguayan partnership in the centre of defence. Jose Gimenez covered for Miranda alongside Diego Godin—and was once more a standout for his team.
Both Gimenez and Godin defended well throughout the 2-0 win away over Elche. They were alert to reading the game and make timely interceptions. While Godin was the more aggressive, stepping out and winning the ball once or twice, Gimenez mopped up behind on the loose ball and also produced a couple of brave blocks from close-range shots.
Gimenez just about gets the nod for getting his name on the scoresheet at the other end, too.
DF: Aleksandar Pantic, COR
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A lesser-known name now from a lesser-featured team: Cordoba finally picked up their first win of the season at the 14th time of asking, beating Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at the new San Mames to move off the bottom of La Liga.
As expected, they came under plenty of pressure from the Basque side later on, but this time they held firm to record a clean sheet and three points.
Centre-back Aleksandar Pantic was key to the clean sheet, doing everything to repel the danger time after time as Athletic threw crosses, set pieces and long passes into the area. Pantic was direct, uncompromising and relentless in his defensive work.
DF: Marcelo, RMA
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Opposite to Carvajal, Marcelo was just as good defensively on the left of Real Madrid's back line—and perhaps even a little more adventurous and impressive going forward.
Fabian Orellana has been a great outlet for Celta this season, but he did not get any change out of the Brazilian. Marcelo kept tight to him and aggressively blocked him out of any attacking space.
Going forward, Marcelo ran at the defence, attacked the byline and overlapped his forwards well, claiming an assist from one such foray into the final third.
MF: Asier Illarramendi, RMA
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Recalled to the side after Isco, Sami Khedira and Luka Modric were all unavailable, Asier Illarramendi put in a tremendous performance for 70 minutes or so for Real Madrid to remind his manager and fans just why Real paid a huge fee for him a little over a year ago.
The Spanish midfielder was excellent in recovering the ball, pressing the opposition and helping out Toni Kroos defensively from his right-of-centre position in the team.
On the ball, he was progressive and keen to move into the right channel to support attacks, though he naturally tired later on as he has not played much football this season. It was a timely display indeed.
MF: Sergi Darder, MGA
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Over to Malaga now. Midfielder Sergi Darder just pips central partner Ignacio Camacho to the spot—though both put in dominant performances in the 1-0 win at Deportivo.
Darder rampaged around the centre of the park making no end of tackles, breaking up the Depor counters and shutting down spaces before real shooting or through-ball chances could occur.
He scored a wonderful strike of his own after a goalkeeping error from Fabricio. And his passing range was impressive throughout the match.
MF: Manu Trigueros, VIL
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Of course Villarreal owed much of their 4-0 win over Real Sociedad to their attackers, with Ikechukwu Uche and Luciano Vietto causing all sorts of problems, and Moi Gomez being impressive after coming on as substitute. But in midfield, Manu Trigueros was consistent and domineering throughout.
His partner in the centre, Bruno, scored one and almost managed another free-kick, but Trigueros was the big performer this time. He used the ball well, winning it back in midfield and moving it on to his forward team-mates.
A great bursting run into the box almost saw him add a fifth goal for his side, too.
RW: Manu Del Moral, EIB
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Eibar beat Almeria 5-2 to keep up their amazing first half of the season. The tiny club now sits in ninth place after three wins in their last five games.
Right winger Manu del Moral was one of the protagonists. He repeatedly surged into space down the flank and sent in a string of deliveries from crosses and set pieces, stretching the Almeria defence and letting his team-mates take great advantage.
He claimed an assist from a deep corner, but Manu's awareness in open play was also on show for the final goal. It was a clever step-over that gave Ander Capa time and room to rocket the best goal of the game into the top corner from 20 yards.
LW: Cristiano Ronaldo, RMA
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Cristiano Ronaldo was the man at the top for Real in their 3-0 win, hitting all three goals to take home the match ball.
A dodgy penalty was won and converted by the Portuguese forward, but there were no doubts about the legitimacy of the other two—both were good finishes from inside the penalty box. He was again the difference in quality, the leader and the inventor in the attack, starting from the left and ending as the main striker.
Ronaldo's hat-trick was his 23rd in La Liga—more than anyone in Spanish football history. He also surpassed the 200-league goals mark for Real.
FW: Lionel Messi, FCB
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Where one treads, so must the other.
Barcelona were in action a day later than Real, and Lionel Messi stepped up to drag them from behind to a convincing 5-1 win over local rivals Espanyol. He scored a hat-trick of his own in the process—a low curled shot from range and two great finishes from inside the box.
Messi became the first Spanish league player to hit 400 goals with a single team and scored his third hat-trick in his last four games.
