League leaders Girona headed to Rayo Vallecano on Saturday morning knowing they could extend their lead at the top of La Liga to five points…and so they did.
Real Madrid cut the lead on Saturday night but, for 24 hours there was clear daylight between Girona and the chasing pack and Michel’s side has now won 11 from its first 13 games. After a tenth placed finish last season Los Gironistes are now at the top table, in only their fourth campaign in the Primera Division, and they aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
The Catalans came from behind to beat Vallecano 2-1 as Artem Dovbyk and Savinho scored in response to Alvaro Garcia’s early strike. Dovbyk smashed home the leveller, his seventh of the campaign, just before the break, and winger Savinho poked home the winner after Dovbyk’s shot was parried into his path. Girona skipper Aleix Garcia was delighted, saying: “We knew we were coming to a very difficult ground. The team does not give up, when we’re behind on the score board we play even better.
“We’re not only thinking about survival now; I think the team can do a lot more.”
And so do I. Girona are the read deal and it looks like Michel’s side can run the course, certainly in the hunt for a top four place, but maybe even to stay in the title race. They are a third of the way through the campaign and Girona are the best team so far.
A Big Day for Bellingham’s Buddies
Real Madrid closed the gap at the top of La Liga to two points on Saturday thanks to a thumping 5-1 win over an improving Valencia, a result which was even more impressive as their scoring sensation, Jude Bellingham, had to sit it out with a shoulder injury.
Rodrygo put in a man-of-the-match performance as he scored two and made two goals as Los Blancos ran riot against Los Ches.
It’s a game we previewed here at SBOTOP and predicted a tight match, but from the moment Dani Carvajal fired in a superb opener in the third minute it was an uphill battle for the visitors, who never recovered. Vinicius Junior bundled over a cross from Rodrygo to double the lead and he accepted his Brazilian team-mate’s invitation to complete his brace soon after half time. Rodrygo made it four when he took advantage of a poor pass from Giorgi Mamardadshvili and he blasted home his second and Los Blancos’ fifth with six minutes remaining.
Valencia had time for danger man Hugo Duro to bag a late consolation but their good run came to an end and they stay ninth. They had a fair share of the game with 44 per cent possession, ten shots and four on target but Los Ches were blown away by Rodrygo’s brilliance.
The latest La Liga 2023 betting odds back Los Blancos to win the 2023/24 title and on this evidence, with or without Bellingham, they will take some stopping.
Lewi back with a bang
Barcelona fought back from behind to beat Alaves 2-1 and keep the pressure up in third place, two points behind Los Blancos and four behind Girona. And it was Robert Lewandowski who saved the Blaugrana, having shrugged off an ankle injury. With just 17 seconds on clock Alaves were ahead as Samu Omorodion finished clinically to silence the Catalan crowd, and he could easily have had a first half hat-trick. First he missed a sitter with the goal gaping and, midway through the half, Omorodion almost finished off a breakaway move but his shot cannoned back off the crossbar.
Barca rallied in the second half and Lewandowski brilliantly headed home the leveller and, when Ferran Torres won a penalty, the lethal Pole smashed home the spot kick. Lewandowski moved up to second in the race for the Golden Boot.
Seven Goal Thriller in the Basque
Of all this weekend’s La Liga 2023 results the eye-catcher was a 4-3 victory for Athletic Bilbao who cemented themselves in fifth place thanks to a breath-taking late winner against struggling Celta Vigo. Bilbao have gone six games unbeaten at home but they went behind midway through the first half when Celta’s veteran striker Iago Aspas converted from close range.
Midfielder Oihan Sancet levelled for the hosts but Celta went ahead again as Jonathan Bamba struck just before the break. Gorka Guruzeta equalised in first half stoppage time and he gave the hosts a lead, for the first time, early in the second half; but Celta weren’t done and Strand Larsen made it 33 with 20 minutes remaining. Aspas missed a chance to restore Celta’s led from the penalty spot and it looked like the scoring had finished as injury time ticked by, but the Basque side wasn’t done.
Oscar Mingueza handled inside the box and Alex Berenguer kept his nerve to fire home the resulting penalty, on 98 minutes, and the San Mames Stadium erupted. Athletic Bilbao are looking up but Celta Vigo are stuck in the drop zone.
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