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La Liga Table 2018: Sunday's Week 13 Results and Updated Standings
November 25, 2018
Sevilla moved to the top of La Liga and one point ahead of Barcelona on Sunday after Andre Silva supplied the winner in their 1-0 Week 13 clash against Real Valladolid.
Manager Pablo Machin's side are now unbeaten in their last four, while Silva's hot streak in Spain continues as he took his tally to eight, just two shy of the league's top scorer.
That accolade goes to Cristhian Stuani of Girona, who found the mark twice at Espanyol and became the first player in La Liga this season to reach 10 goals in the process. Stuani's brace also helped extend Girona's unbeaten streak to five games in succession to move the side up to seventh.
Elsewhere, Villarreal finally got their first home league win of the season after defeating Real Betis 2-1, which lifts them up to 16th and three points away from the relegation zone.
Athletic Bilbao shared the spoils with guests Getafe at San Mames in Sunday's early kick-off. Peru Nolaskoain and Jaime Mata each scored in the second half for Athletic and Getafe, respectively, as Los Leones relinquished their 67th-minute lead and were restricted to just a point.
Week 13 Results
Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Getafe
Sevilla 1-0 Real Valladolid
Espanyol 1-3 Girona
Villarreal 2-1 Real Betis
La Liga Standings (Points, Goal Difference)
1. Sevilla: 26 (+11)
2. Barcelona: 25 (+16)
3. Atletico Madrid: 24 (+8)
4. Alaves: 23 (+4)
5. Espanyol: 21 (+4)
6. Real Madrid: 20 (+1)
7. Girona: 20 (+1)
8. Levante: 18 (-1)
9. Eibar: 18 (-3)
10. Valencia: 17 (+2)
11. Real Valladolid: 17 (-1)
12. Getafe: 17 (+1)
13. Real Sociedad: 16 (+1)
14. Real Betis: 16 (-4)
15. Celta Vigo: 14 (+2)
16. Villarreal: 14 (-1)
17. Leganes: 13 (-6)
18. Athletic Bilbao: 11 (-6)
19. Rayo Vallecano: 7 (-14)
20. Huesca: 7 (-15)
Via Sky Sports.
Recap
A new sense of balance is apparent in La Liga after Sevilla knocked Barca from their perch, making the most of the Blaugrana's 1-1 draw away to Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Sevilla's last four victories have each come by a single goal margin, and Sunday was no different as Pablo Sarabia teed up Silva for a header to separate the two teams, via Eleven Sports:
Machin's men have lost three times in the league this season—more than Barcelona (two) or Atletico (one)—but it's in results like this where they've been clinical and got maximum spoils.
Real Madrid's decline in the absence of Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo has been evident, and OptaJose noted how their and Barca's diminished displays look to have had a domino effect:
Stuani steered Girona en route to a confident victory at Espanyol early on Sunday, scoring twice in the first six minutes to put the visitors in firm control of their Catalan derby encounter.
It wasn't the first time Stuani's goal contribution has been the difference between results for Girona this season:
Instead of moving into the top four, Espanyol are now only three points ahead of Girona, who are still unbeaten away in La Liga this season and will host Atletico Madrid next Sunday.
Villarreal and Betis played out a scoreless opening period at the Estadio de La Ceramica, but Gerard Moreno and Samuel Chukwueze scored within two minutes of one another after the restart to put the hosts in the ascendancy.
Santi Cazorla had a hand in setting up both Moreno and Chukwueze's goals in what was arguably his best performance since returning to the club.
Giovani Lo Celso—on loan from Paris Saint-Germain—came on before netting a Betis consolation in the 90th minute, but it was too late for Los Verdiblancos, who stay 14th after their first defeat in three.
Athletic Bilbao were just about deserving of their lead against Getafe, when substitute Nolaskoain came on to head the hosts in front with a little more than 20 minutes remaining.
Mata was starting his first league game in five appearances and got what turned out to be winner for the side:
Athletic remain only four points above the bottom of the table and are heading towards a relegation battle this term, while Getafe will be happier for the point after losing 1-0 at home to Valencia in their previous match.