La Liga Results 2015: Scores and Updated Table After Saturday's Week 4 Matches
The Spanish capital clubs gained the top two spots in La Liga after Saturday's matches, as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid climbed to first and second place, respectively.
The Galacticos had to settle for a 1-0 win at home against a plucky Granada, who constantly tested Keylor Navas in the Real goal.
Atleti moved up the charts after a smooth 2-0 win away to Eibar, waiting until the second half to cruise past their opponents.
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Espanyol beat David Moyes' Real Sociedad, 3-2, at the Anoeta Stadium, with the visitors coming from behind to grab the win. It had seemed the home team had found a way to take a share of the points, equalising in the dying moments of the match, but Espanyol struck in the 90th minute to win the tie.
Valencia and Real Betis played out a 0-0 draw at the Mestalla, keeping both teams just outside the top six European qualification positions.
Read on for all of Saturday's confirmed results as well as the current La Liga standings:
| 3 p.m./10 a.m. | Real Madrid vs. Granada | 1-0 |
| 5:15 p.m./12:15 p.m. | Valencia vs. Real Betis | 0-0 |
| 7:30 p.m./2:30 p.m. | Eibar vs. Atletico Madrid | 0-2 |
| 9 p.m./4 p.m. | Real Sociedad vs. Espanyol | 2-3 |
| 1 | Real Madrid | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | +12 | 10 |
| 2 | Atletico Madrid | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 9 |
| 3 | Barcelona | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 9 |
| 4 | Celta Vigo | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 7 |
| 5 | Villarreal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 7 |
| 6 | Eibar | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 |
| 7 | Valencia | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 6 |
| 8 | Espanyol | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 6 |
| 9 | Deportivo La Coruna | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 5 |
| 10 | Real Betis | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 5 |
| 11 | Athletic Club | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
| 12 | Getafe | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 3 |
| 13 | Granada | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 3 |
| 14 | Las Palmas | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 |
| 15 | Levante | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| 16 | Sporting Gijon | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
| 17 | Real Sociedad | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 2 |
| 18 | Malaga | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 2 |
| 19 | Sevilla | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 2 |
| 20 | Rayo Vallecano | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | -5 | 1 |
Saturday Recap
Real Madrid claimed top spot in La Liga after a slim 1-0 win over Granada at the Bernabeu. The visitors held their own in the contest, but Los Blancos' superior quality forced the result in their favour.
The home side kept their foot on the accelerator pedal in the first half but could not find a way through a resolute defence.
Granada thought they had taken the lead midway through the first half, but Youssef El-Arabi's effort was adjudged offside.
Cristiano Ronaldo was on the usual hunt for goals as he chases Raul's all-time scoring record, but CR7 could only hit the post when presented with a chance.
Isco was in fine form, dictating play in the wider areas as he drifted, but the Spaniard missed the best chance of the game shortly before the break, avoiding the target when it looked like he would open the scoring.
Madrid continued their forward action in the second half, but the visitors forced Navas into several solid saves as they looked to cause an upset.
Football writer Rafael Hernandez praised the goalkeeper for his contribution:
Madrid finally broke the deadlock after 55 minutes as Karim Benzema buried his header after further good work from Isco. The Frenchman met the midfielder's cross at the far post and made no doubt of his finish.
Real coach Rafael Benitez exercised his defensive tactics in the final 20 minutes of action, as Madrid looked to shut down the game and give Granada no space to operate. And that's exactly what they did, as Benitez's men settled for the win by a solitary goal.
In Saturday's other matches, Atleti left it late to defeat little Eibar in their La Liga encounter, scoring two second-half goals to claim the points.
Angel Correa opened the scoring for the visitors just after the hour mark as his right-footed shot hit the roof of the net after an assist from Fernando Torres.
And it was Torres who put the game to bed 15 minutes later, finding the corner of the net after Correa returned the favour with a through ball.
Espanyol beat Real Sociedad, 3-2, on their travels, taking advantage of the home side's reduction to 10 men after a sending off.
Imanol Agirretxe close-range effort gave Moyes' team the lead after 20 minutes, but a straight red card for goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli started the slide for Sociedad. The Argentine stopper conceded a penalty and was given his marching orders—and Espanyol levelled after Gerard Moreno found the corner with his spot kick.
The away team doubled their tally with just 19 minutes remaining as Enzo Roco's header hit the top corner after a Hernan Perez cross, seemingly stealing the three points. However, Brazilian Jonathas appeared to have saved the day for the Basque club, making the score 2-2 on the night with just four minutes on the clock.
But the away team showed great character and reestablished their lead on the stroke of full-time as Perez broke Sociedad hearts to score his team's third.
Valencia and Real Betis played out a goalless draw at the Mestalla, with the main note of play being Betis' Dani Ceballos' dismissal for a second yellow-card offence just after the restart from the break.
Real appeared more conservative than usual. This is the style of play Benitez perpetrates, and Madridistas will have to get used to it.
The royal club played well within their capabilities, and without Navas, they might have lost points from a straightforward match.
Moyes is in difficulty at Sociedad after a poor start to the campaign; his team have two points from their first four games, suggesting the Anoeta club might be facing a relegation battle this term.
