La Liga Table 2018 Week 12: Standings and Final Scores After Sunday

Real Madrid got back into the title race in La Liga after a thrilling 4-2 win away to Celta Vigo on Sunday. Los Blancos won on a day when leaders Barcelona were stunned at home by Real Betis, who left the Camp Nou with a memorable 4-3 triumph despite Lionel Messi scoring a brace on his return from injury.

Real are sixth but have cut the gap at the top to just four points. Barca's more immediate concern is the form of Alaves and Sevilla, who both trail the champions by just a point after wins over Huesca and Espanyol, respectively.

Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal shared four goals in the day's only stalemate.

Sunday Scores

• Alaves 2-1 Huesca
• Barcelona 3-4 Real Betis
• Rayo Vallecano 2-2 Villarreal
• Sevilla 2-1 Espanyol
• Celta Vigo 2-4 Real Madrid

Standings

Real built a two-goal cushion in Balaidos thanks to a Karim Benzema finish and an own goal from Gustavo Cabral. Hugo Mallo got one back for the hosts before Sergio Ramos scored a penalty for Los Merengues seven minutes from time.

Benzema has found some form at a useful moment for Real in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo joining Juventus this summer:

Celta's comeback cause suffered a fatal blow when Cabral was sent off in the 87th minute. Real took full advantage and sealed the points when Dani Ceballos scored in stoppage time.

There was still time for Brais Mendez to score a second for Celta, but his 94th-minute finish was largely academic. Real are now on an impressive upturn under caretaker manager Santiago Solari, having won four straight matches in all competitions.

Real's win compounded Barca's misery after the Blaugrana fell 2-0 down on home soil. Betis went in front after 20 minutes when Junior Firpo found the net. Joaquin doubled the advantage 14 minutes later.

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Messi scored from the penalty spot after the break to get Barcelona back in it. Hope proved short-lived, though, as Paris Saint-Germain loanee Giovani Lo Celso scored Betis' third.

Arturo Vidal hit back for Barca three minutes before Ivan Rakitic was sent off for the hosts. Sergio Canales made them pay by scoring what proved to be the clinching goal.

Even down to 10 men, Messi found the net again, but it was too little, too late for the out-of-sorts leaders.

Espanyol unnerved Sevilla when Borja Iglesias opened the scoring seven minutes before the break at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. Sevilla stayed patient and drew level 20 minutes from the end when Gabriel Mercado finished after reacting to a cross from Ever Banega.

It was Banega who pulled the strings again when Sevilla won it with a minute to go after the Argentinian maestro picked out Wissam Ben Yedder, and the prolific striker didn't waste his chance:

Huesca took the lead 10 minutes before the break when Moi Gomez curled in a fine shot. It was left to Ibai Gomez to pick out Jony with a cross with three minutes left to draw the surprise title-chasers level.

Alaves won it in the second half when Ruben Sobrino found the bottom corner to ensure Abelardo Fernandez's team continues to defy expectations.

Samuel Chukwueze gave Villarreal the lead in Vallecano, only for Raul de Tomas to equalise in first-half stoppage time. Alvaro Garcia then gave Vallecano the lead six minutes after the hour mark.

The Yellow Submarine hit back 14 minutes later when Nicola Sansone found the net. Villarreal clung on to a point despite Alvaro Gonzalez being sent off after receiving a second yellow card in stoppage time.