Kylian Mbappe struck for the fourth consecutive game as Real Madrid survived a late scare to beat Alaves 3-2 in La Liga on Tuesday.

Real Madrid, second, cut the gap on Barcelona to one point before the leaders host Getafe on Wednesday.

Madrid dismantled Alaves with goals from Lucas Vazquez, Mbappe and Rodrygo before a late salvo from the visitors rocked Carlo Ancelotti's side.

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Carlos Protesoni and Kike Garcia scored two goals in two minutes in the final stages but Madrid held on.

"This is football, you can think the game has finished, (then there's) a small slip and they score the first, they get confidence and you lose it, this is what happens," Ancelotti told reporters.

"Obviously we don't want this to happen, but it can.&nbsp;

"We have to highlight that for an hour the team played well and that gives us confidence."

Los Blancos overpowered Alaves from the start in what was a hugely uneven contest for most of the game, despite the Basque side's solid start to the season.

Ancelotti brought Vinicius Junior back into the starting line-up and gave Vazquez a rare start and the pair combined inside the first minute.

The Brazilian winger surged in from the left flank and cut the ball back for a simple finish from Vazquez.

Ancelotti said Monday he wanted more intensity at the outset of matches after Madrid had scored just one first half goal this season in La Liga or the Champions League, and his demand was swiftly met.

Los Blancos dominated with Alaves barely reaching Thibaut Courtois' penalty box.

Despite that Madrid's second goal only came five minutes before the interval, when Mbappe and Jude Bellingham combined beautifully.

<h2>Fifth league goal for Mbappe</h2>

France captain Mbappe conjured a clever flicked pass to the England international, who completed a one-two by sending his team-mate through on goal.

Mbappe took two deft touches to shake his marker and get a sight of goal, before stroking home clinically for his fifth league goal.

Rodrygo expanded Madrid's lead soon after the interval, roaming in with freedom from the right and firing through Alaves goalkeeper Antonio Sivera's legs.

Teenage Brazilian striker Endrick hit the post with a deflected effort and Abde Rebbach also struck the woodwork as Alaves made a rare foray forward.

Madrid substitute Endrick, 18, was fortunate not to be dismissed when he kicked out at Alaves defender Santiago Mourino.

Mbappe was taken off after 80 minutes and appeared to be suffering some discomfort, holding the back of his thigh.

"He's fine, he's fine, a little overloaded, he asked me for the change to avoid problems," explained Ancelotti.

The visitors pulled one back after 85 minutes when Protesoni curled home a sweet strike from the edge of the box.

Protesoni then turned provider with a fine ball over the top which Kike Garcia fired home well.

Madrid hung on for the victory, their 39th consecutive league game unbeaten in Ancelotti's 300th game at the helm across two spells at the club, ahead of Sunday's derby clash with Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano.

The Rojiblancos' stadium was where they last tasted defeat in the top flight, exactly a year ago.

"I'm happy for the win," Vazquez told Real Madrid TV. "I think we had a great game until the 80th minute, when two mistakes cost us two goals against us, and we had to suffer more than we should have.

"With the game that we played, we didn't deserve that ending."

Tempers frayed at full time when Ancelotti confronted the referee, seemingly unhappy with a few of his players being booked while some of Alaves' tough tackling went unpunished.

"Fair or unfair, we have to adapt to the new rules," a calmer Ancelotti said later, as several of his players were carded for protesting decisions.

Alaves coach Luis Garcia Plaza was also angry at full-time after Endrick got away with lashing out.&nbsp;

"The Endrick incident should have been a red card, we should have played the last 10 minutes with an extra player," said the coach.

"It's red, there's nothing more to it, I won't speak more about this topic."

Diego Simeone's Atletico visit Celta Vigo on Thursday among other fixtures.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Kylian Mbappe struck for the fourth consecutive game as Real Madrid survived a late scare to beat Alaves 3-2 in La Liga on Tuesday. Real Madrid, second, cut the gap on Barcelona to one point before the leaders host Getafe on Wednesday.

Kylian Mbappe struck for the fourth consecutive game as Real Madrid survived a late scare to beat Alaves 3-2 in La Liga on Tuesday. Real Madrid, second, cut the gap on Barcelona to one point before the leaders host Getafe on Wednesday. Madrid dismantled Alaves with goals from Lucas Vazquez, Mbappe and Rodrygo before a late salvo from the visitors rocked Carlo Ancelotti's side. Also Read: Milan will not host 2027 men's Champions League final, bidding process reopened, says UEFA Carlos Protesoni and Kike Garcia scored two goals in two minutes in the final stages but Madrid held on. "This is football, you can think the game has finished, (then there's) a small slip and they score the first, they get confidence and you lose it, this is what happens," Ancelotti told reporters. "Obviously we don't want this to happen, but it can. "We have to highlight that for an hour the team played well and that gives us confidence." Los Blancos overpowered Alaves from the start in what was a hugely uneven contest for most of the game, despite the Basque side's solid start to the season. Ancelotti brought Vinicius Junior back into the starting line-up and gave Vazquez a rare start and the pair combined inside the first minute. The Brazilian winger surged in from the left flank and cut the ball back for a simple finish from Vazquez. Ancelotti said Monday he wanted more intensity at the outset of matches after Madrid had scored just one first half goal this season in La Liga or the Champions League, and his demand was swiftly met. Los Blancos dominated with Alaves barely reaching Thibaut Courtois' penalty box. Despite that Madrid's second goal only came five minutes before the interval, when Mbappe and Jude Bellingham combined beautifully. Fifth league goal for Mbappe France captain Mbappe conjured a clever flicked pass to the England international, who completed a one-two by sending his team-mate through on goal. Mbappe took two deft touches to shake his marker and get a sight of goal, before stroking home clinically for his fifth league goal. Rodrygo expanded Madrid's lead soon after the interval, roaming in with freedom from the right and firing through Alaves goalkeeper Antonio Sivera's legs. Teenage Brazilian striker Endrick hit the post with a deflected effort and Abde Rebbach also struck the woodwork as Alaves made a rare foray forward. Madrid substitute Endrick, 18, was fortunate not to be dismissed when he kicked out at Alaves defender Santiago Mourino. Mbappe was taken off after 80 minutes and appeared to be suffering some discomfort, holding the back of his thigh. "He's fine, he's fine, a little overloaded, he asked me for the change to avoid problems," explained Ancelotti. The visitors pulled one back after 85 minutes when Protesoni curled home a sweet strike from the edge of the box. Protesoni then turned provider with a fine ball over the top which Kike Garcia fired home well. Madrid hung on for the victory, their 39th consecutive league game unbeaten in Ancelotti's 300th game at the helm across two spells at the club, ahead of Sunday's derby clash with Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. The Rojiblancos' stadium was where they last tasted defeat in the top flight, exactly a year ago. "I'm happy for the win," Vazquez told Real Madrid TV. "I think we had a great game until the 80th minute, when two mistakes cost us two goals against us, and we had to suffer more than we should have. "With the game that we played, we didn't deserve that ending." Tempers frayed at full time when Ancelotti confronted the referee, seemingly unhappy with a few of his players being booked while some of Alaves' tough tackling went unpunished. "Fair or unfair, we have to adapt to the new rules," a calmer Ancelotti said later, as several of his players were carded for protesting decisions. Alaves coach Luis Garcia Plaza was also angry at full-time after Endrick got away with lashing out. "The Endrick incident should have been a red card, we should have played the last 10 minutes with an extra player," said the coach. "It's red, there's nothing more to it, I won't speak more about this topic." Diego Simeone's Atletico visit Celta Vigo on Thursday among other fixtures. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

LaLiga: Kylian Mbappe scores again as Real Madrid survive late push from Alaves

Atletico Madrid`s Spanish title defence was dealt a blow as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at lowly Alaves in LaLiga on Saturday. 
 
Victor Lagauardia`s fourth-minute header from a Ruben Duarte corner was enough for the hosts to secure their first win of the season. 
 
Atleti huffed and puffed as they attempted to find a way back into the match, but were kept out by admirable defending from the hosts. 
 
The result left Diego Simeone`s side second, two points behind leaders Real Madrid, who are in action later on Saturday when they host Villarreal. 
 
Alaves moved off the foot of the table. 
 
&nbsp;

Atletico Madrid`s Spanish title defence was dealt a blow as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at lowly Alaves in LaLiga on Saturday. Victor Lagauardia`s fourth-minute header from a Ruben Duarte corner was enough for the hosts to secure their first win of the season.

Atletico Madrid`s Spanish title defence was dealt a blow as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at lowly Alaves in LaLiga on Saturday. Victor Lagauardia`s fourth-minute header from a Ruben Duarte corner was enough for the hosts to secure their first win of the season. Atleti huffed and puffed as they attempted to find a way back into the match, but were kept out by admirable defending from the hosts. The result left Diego Simeone`s side second, two points behind leaders Real Madrid, who are in action later on Saturday when they host Villarreal. Alaves moved off the foot of the table.

La Liga: Champions Atletico Madrid suffer shock loss at Alaves

Karim Benzema picked up where he left off last season by scoring twice to fire Real Madrid to a 4-1 win away to Alaves in their opening game of the LaLiga campaign. 
 
Real had an uninspiring first half in Carlo Ancelotti`s first league game since taking charge of the club for a second time but Benzema settled their nerves by blasting the ball into the net in the 48th minute after being teed up by Eden Hazard. 
 
Defender Nacho Fernandez added to Real`s lead eight minutes later, sliding in to stab a Luka Modric through ball into the net from close range. 
 
Benzema scored a scrappy second goal in the 62nd but moments later Alaves pulled one back when striker Joselu slotted in a penalty after a foul by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. 
 
Substitute Vinicius Jr added a final goal for the visitors in stoppage time, netting with a diving header as he met a cross from debutant David Alaba. 
 
French striker Benzema was Real`s standout player last season with 23 league strikes, more than a third of the team`s goal haul, and his form earned him a recall to the France squad for the first time in six years. 
 
Ancelotti marvelled at Benzema`s performance and said he was a better player than when he coached him at Real between 2013 and 2015, when the Frenchman was more of a support striker for Cristiano Ronaldo. 
 
"To call Benzema just a striker does not do him justice. He is a very complete player, far more complete than five years ago," the Italian coach said. 
 
"He is the one who finishes our moves off but he also reads the game so well." 
 
The Italian also criticised his side for their sluggish start but was pleased with how they improved after halftime. 
 
"The first half we were a little slow when we had the ball and when we didn`t have it, we needed to press with more intensity, the game was slow and that`s not what we wanted," he added. 
 
"But we were much better in the second half, we showed more intensity and had more quality." 
 
Real got to play in front of fans for the first time in a league game since March 2020 although fewer than 4,000 spectators were allowed into Alaves` Mendizorrotza stadium due to the local government`s coronavirus restrictions. 
 
The few supporters present were nearly given an early treat when midfielder Pere Pons pounced on a loose ball inside the area but failed to keep his shot under the crossbar. 
 
Alaves also appealed for a penalty in the first half against Real`s Lucas Vazquez when he blocked a cross although the referee correctly ruled that the ball had struck his chest rather his arm. 
 
Madrid lined up with a front three of Benzema, Hazard and Gareth Bale, who was making his LaLiga return after spending last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur. 
 
Hazard has hardly got going in his two seasons with Real but looked sharp while Bale had a couple of attempts on goal without causing goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco too much trouble.

Karim Benzema picked up where he left off last season by scoring twice to fire Real Madrid to a 4-1 win away to Alaves in their opening game of the LaLiga campaign.

Karim Benzema picked up where he left off last season by scoring twice to fire Real Madrid to a 4-1 win away to Alaves in their opening game of the LaLiga campaign. Real had an uninspiring first half in Carlo Ancelotti`s first league game since taking charge of the club for a second time but Benzema settled their nerves by blasting the ball into the net in the 48th minute after being teed up by Eden Hazard. Defender Nacho Fernandez added to Real`s lead eight minutes later, sliding in to stab a Luka Modric through ball into the net from close range. Benzema scored a scrappy second goal in the 62nd but moments later Alaves pulled one back when striker Joselu slotted in a penalty after a foul by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Substitute Vinicius Jr added a final goal for the visitors in stoppage time, netting with a diving header as he met a cross from debutant David Alaba. French striker Benzema was Real`s standout player last season with 23 league strikes, more than a third of the team`s goal haul, and his form earned him a recall to the France squad for the first time in six years. Ancelotti marvelled at Benzema`s performance and said he was a better player than when he coached him at Real between 2013 and 2015, when the Frenchman was more of a support striker for Cristiano Ronaldo. "To call Benzema just a striker does not do him justice. He is a very complete player, far more complete than five years ago," the Italian coach said. "He is the one who finishes our moves off but he also reads the game so well." The Italian also criticised his side for their sluggish start but was pleased with how they improved after halftime. "The first half we were a little slow when we had the ball and when we didn`t have it, we needed to press with more intensity, the game was slow and that`s not what we wanted," he added. "But we were much better in the second half, we showed more intensity and had more quality." Real got to play in front of fans for the first time in a league game since March 2020 although fewer than 4,000 spectators were allowed into Alaves` Mendizorrotza stadium due to the local government`s coronavirus restrictions. The few supporters present were nearly given an early treat when midfielder Pere Pons pounced on a loose ball inside the area but failed to keep his shot under the crossbar. Alaves also appealed for a penalty in the first half against Real`s Lucas Vazquez when he blocked a cross although the referee correctly ruled that the ball had struck his chest rather his arm. Madrid lined up with a front three of Benzema, Hazard and Gareth Bale, who was making his LaLiga return after spending last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur. Hazard has hardly got going in his two seasons with Real but looked sharp while Bale had a couple of attempts on goal without causing goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco too much trouble.

Football: Karim Benzema double helps Real Madrid to winning start at Alaves

&nbsp;Lionel Messi scored with two scorching strikes as Barcelona hammered Alaves 5-1 on Saturday in La Liga to warm up for their upcoming Champions League clash with Paris St Germain in style.

Portuguese forward Francisco Trincao put Barca in front after a cut-back from 18-year-old debutant midfielder Ilaix Moriba and Messi thought he had doubled the lead later on when knocking in on the rebound but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside against Antoine Griezmann.

Messi then took matters in to his own hands from outside the area and thumped the ball off the far post with such venom that it landed just inside the opposite post.

Alaves's Luis Rioja pounced on a mistake by Ilaix to reduce the deficit in the second half but Barca came roaring back with a second strike from Trincao, another long-range missile from Messi and then a fifth goal crafted by Messi and Griezmann and finished off by left back Junior Firpo.

A seventh consecutive league win took Barca up to second in the standings on 46 points, eight behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

"Messi is in a fantastic moment of form," said Barca coach Ronald Koeman.

"We know how decisive he is and right now he is in the mood. With him playing in this form, everything is easier. If we want to beat PSG, we need Leo and everyone else at the top of their game."

Barca had suffered a painful 2-0 defeat to Sevilla in Wednesday's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg and Koeman rotated his side to make for fresher legs for Tuesday's first leg at home to PSG.

He rested Jordi Alba and started without Sergino Dest, Ousmane Dembele and Pedri but there was no rest for Messi, who unleashed a ferocious shot for his first goal.

He also sparked the move for Barca's third goal, racing on to a through ball and attempting to round keeper Fernando Pacheco, who succeeded in snuffing out Messi but could only parry the ball into the path of Trincao, who tucked it into the net.

Messi was hungry for a second goal of his own, however, and got one less than 60 seconds later, dribbling past two defenders outside the area and rattling a left-footed shot into the far corner.

Now toying with his prey, he released Griezmann with a delicious chipped pass and the Frenchman sent in a low cross for Firpo to complete the thrashing.

Koeman expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance after making several changes and said they were feeling confident ahead of Tuesday's showdown against PSG, who will be without an injured Neymar.

"We believe we can get through the tie. They have some injuries but so do we and we'll have to play very well to knock them out," added the coach.

"We have to be more efficient than ever in attack and strong in defence. I'm sure it'll be a marvellous game."

Lionel Messi scored with two scorching strikes as Barcelona hammered Alaves 5-1 on Saturday in La Liga to warm up for their upcoming Champions League clash with Paris St Germain in style.

Lionel Messi scored with two scorching strikes as Barcelona hammered Alaves 5-1 on Saturday in La Liga to warm up for their upcoming Champions League clash with Paris St Germain in style. Portuguese forward Francisco Trincao put Barca in front after a cut-back from 18-year-old debutant midfielder Ilaix Moriba and Messi thought he had doubled the lead later on when knocking in on the rebound but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside against Antoine Griezmann. Messi then took matters in to his own hands from outside the area and thumped the ball off the far post with such venom that it landed just inside the opposite post. Alaves's Luis Rioja pounced on a mistake by Ilaix to reduce the deficit in the second half but Barca came roaring back with a second strike from Trincao, another long-range missile from Messi and then a fifth goal crafted by Messi and Griezmann and finished off by left back Junior Firpo. A seventh consecutive league win took Barca up to second in the standings on 46 points, eight behind leaders Atletico Madrid. "Messi is in a fantastic moment of form," said Barca coach Ronald Koeman. "We know how decisive he is and right now he is in the mood. With him playing in this form, everything is easier. If we want to beat PSG, we need Leo and everyone else at the top of their game." Barca had suffered a painful 2-0 defeat to Sevilla in Wednesday's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg and Koeman rotated his side to make for fresher legs for Tuesday's first leg at home to PSG. He rested Jordi Alba and started without Sergino Dest, Ousmane Dembele and Pedri but there was no rest for Messi, who unleashed a ferocious shot for his first goal. He also sparked the move for Barca's third goal, racing on to a through ball and attempting to round keeper Fernando Pacheco, who succeeded in snuffing out Messi but could only parry the ball into the path of Trincao, who tucked it into the net. Messi was hungry for a second goal of his own, however, and got one less than 60 seconds later, dribbling past two defenders outside the area and rattling a left-footed shot into the far corner. Now toying with his prey, he released Griezmann with a delicious chipped pass and the Frenchman sent in a low cross for Firpo to complete the thrashing. Koeman expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance after making several changes and said they were feeling confident ahead of Tuesday's showdown against PSG, who will be without an injured Neymar. "We believe we can get through the tie. They have some injuries but so do we and we'll have to play very well to knock them out," added the coach. "We have to be more efficient than ever in attack and strong in defence. I'm sure it'll be a marvellous game."

Barcelona rout Alaves to fire warning shot to PSG

Faltering La Liga champions&nbsp;Real&nbsp;Madrid&nbsp;slid to a shock 2-1 home defeat by Alaves on Saturday as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a catastrophic error and record signing Eden Hazard suffered yet another injury.

Lucas Perez gave Alaves the lead in the fifth minute from the penalty spot after a handball from Nacho, the fifth penalty that&nbsp;Madrid&nbsp;have conceded in the league in three matches.

Hazard wasted a chance to equalise when he fired straight at Alaves keeper Fernando Pacheco and then had a penalty appeal waved away before hobbling off with a muscle injury in the 28th minute.

Former&nbsp;Madrid&nbsp;youth player Joselu made the most of a gift from Courtois to double Alaves's lead early in the second half, unexpectedly receiving a stray pass from the Belgian outside the area and slotting into the empty net.

Casemiro pulled back a goal for&nbsp;Madrid&nbsp;in the 86th minute from close range while Isco almost found an equaliser in the sixth minute of added time but his shot bounced off the crossbar and&nbsp;Madrid&nbsp;had to swallow a third defeat in 10 league games.

Zinedine Zidane's side are fourth in the standings on 17 points after 10 games, six below leaders&nbsp;Real&nbsp;Sociedad and second-placed Atletico&nbsp;Madrid. Alaves climbed up to ninth on 13.

"Alaves made a much better start than us and if you don't score you pay for it as this is the toughest league in the world and every opponent has quality,"&nbsp;Real&nbsp;midfielder Casemiro said.

"This is a very different season from most, all the big teams are dropping points but we have to keep working and try to do better. At least we kept trying until the end today.

"Our pre-season campaign was not good and we have almost no time to work because there are so many games. But we need to keep on fighting as there's still a long way to go."

Madrid&nbsp;were lifted by a commanding 2-0 victory away to Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday but were still missing six players, including captain Sergio Ramos and striker Karim Benzema, their two top scorers last season.

Zidane decided to rotate first-choice left back Ferland Mendy and give another chance to veteran Marcelo, who struggled in the 4-1 defeat by Valencia three weeks ago.

But the move backfired yet again as&nbsp;Real&nbsp;suffered their 10th league defeat since Zidane returned to the club in March 2019.

Faltering La Liga champions Real Madrid slid to a shock 2-1 home defeat by Alaves on Saturday as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a catastrophic error and record signing Eden Hazard suffered yet another injury.

Faltering La Liga champions Real Madrid slid to a shock 2-1 home defeat by Alaves on Saturday as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a catastrophic error and record signing Eden Hazard suffered yet another injury. Lucas Perez gave Alaves the lead in the fifth minute from the penalty spot after a handball from Nacho, the fifth penalty that Madrid have conceded in the league in three matches. Hazard wasted a chance to equalise when he fired straight at Alaves keeper Fernando Pacheco and then had a penalty appeal waved away before hobbling off with a muscle injury in the 28th minute. Former Madrid youth player Joselu made the most of a gift from Courtois to double Alaves's lead early in the second half, unexpectedly receiving a stray pass from the Belgian outside the area and slotting into the empty net. Casemiro pulled back a goal for Madrid in the 86th minute from close range while Isco almost found an equaliser in the sixth minute of added time but his shot bounced off the crossbar and Madrid had to swallow a third defeat in 10 league games. Zinedine Zidane's side are fourth in the standings on 17 points after 10 games, six below leaders Real Sociedad and second-placed Atletico Madrid. Alaves climbed up to ninth on 13. "Alaves made a much better start than us and if you don't score you pay for it as this is the toughest league in the world and every opponent has quality," Real midfielder Casemiro said. "This is a very different season from most, all the big teams are dropping points but we have to keep working and try to do better. At least we kept trying until the end today. "Our pre-season campaign was not good and we have almost no time to work because there are so many games. But we need to keep on fighting as there's still a long way to go." Madrid were lifted by a commanding 2-0 victory away to Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday but were still missing six players, including captain Sergio Ramos and striker Karim Benzema, their two top scorers last season. Zidane decided to rotate first-choice left back Ferland Mendy and give another chance to veteran Marcelo, who struggled in the 4-1 defeat by Valencia three weeks ago. But the move backfired yet again as Real suffered their 10th league defeat since Zidane returned to the club in March 2019.

Real Madrid lose at home to Alaves as Eden Hazard gets injured again

Barcelona's title hopes suffered a hammer blow on Saturday as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Celta Vigo, handing Real Madrid the chance to move two points clear at the top of La Liga.

Luis Suarez twice put his team in front at Balaidos with his first goals since January but Iago Aspas bent in a late free-kick to earn Celta a draw, in what could prove a pivotal moment in the title race.

Barca face an even tougher test on Tuesday against in-form Atletico Madrid, who held off a late fightback from Alaves to win 2-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atletico are third, now four points clear of Sevilla.

Before then, Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid side will hope to take a big step towards becoming champions by winning away at bottom club Espanyol on Sunday.&nbsp;

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Madrid own the superior head-to-head against Barcelona and have won four out of four since La Liga restarted earlier this month. With a kinder run-in than the Catalans, the trophy appears to be Madrid's to lose.&nbsp;

"The feeling is a negative one," said Suarez afterwards. "If we want to stay in the title race and have it in our hands we have to win all our games. But we now have to rely on Madrid to drop points."&nbsp;

Suarez played his best game since undergoing knee surgery in January, his first goal coming from a surprise free-kick from Lionel Messi, who crossed when everyone expected him to shoot.&nbsp;

Yet Barcelona's defensive frailties hurt them again and Celta should even have won it in injury-time, only for Nolito to miss a golden chance at the back post.

Celta climb to 16th, eight points clear of the bottom three.

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Quique Setien answered calls to start 20-year-old Riqui Puig and 17-year-old Ansu Fati, and the duo impressed, injecting energy and speed into Barca's attack.&nbsp;

Antoine Griezmann was left on the bench and when he came on, he was on the side of the wall that Aspas breached with his free-kick to find the bottom corner.&nbsp;

Messi was at the heart of everything going forward and it was his early corner that Gerard Pique headed against the crossbar.&nbsp;

With a free-kick on the edge of the area in the 20th minue and a 700th career goal in sight, Messi sized up the sprawl of Celta defenders in front of him.&nbsp;

But with everyone expecting a shot, Messi clipped a cross towards the post, where Suarez headed in.&nbsp;

Messi even tried to score from a corner but Celta had chances too on the break. A poor clearance from Marc-Andre ter Stegen went unpunished by Fedor Smolov, who then overhit his pass when Aspas was clear. Brais Mendez slid through and hit the post.&nbsp;

The warnings went unheeded and when Arturo Vidal played a careless pass early in the second half, Celta capitalised.

Aspas sent Okay Yokuslu sprinting in behind and he squared for Smolov to tap in.&nbsp;

Celta look invigorated but Barca landed a sucker-punch. Denis Suarez lost possession under pressure from Fati, Messi played into Luis Suarez, who backed in, turned and drove into the far corner.&nbsp;

It looked like they had weathered the storm but Celta hit back again, Aspas curling around the side of the wall and into the corner with two minutes left.&nbsp;

They should even have won it in injury-time as Denis Suarez teed up Nolito at the back post but a scuffed finish let Ter Stegen save on the line.&nbsp;

Atletico held on to beat Alaves as Joselu gave the visitors hope by converting an injury-time penalty after Saul Niguez's header and Diego Costa's spot-kick had put Diego Simeone's side in control.

Victory means Atletico have taken 13 from a possible 15 points since the resumption and ahead of their trip to Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Barcelona's title hopes suffered a hammer blow on Saturday as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Celta Vigo, handing Real Madrid the chance to move two points clear at the top of La Liga.

Barcelona's title hopes suffered a hammer blow on Saturday as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Celta Vigo, handing Real Madrid the chance to move two points clear at the top of La Liga. Luis Suarez twice put his team in front at Balaidos with his first goals since January but Iago Aspas bent in a late free-kick to earn Celta a draw, in what could prove a pivotal moment in the title race. Barca face an even tougher test on Tuesday against in-form Atletico Madrid, who held off a late fightback from Alaves to win 2-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atletico are third, now four points clear of Sevilla. Before then, Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid side will hope to take a big step towards becoming champions by winning away at bottom club Espanyol on Sunday. Also read: Police criticise Liverpool fans after Premier League street party Madrid own the superior head-to-head against Barcelona and have won four out of four since La Liga restarted earlier this month. With a kinder run-in than the Catalans, the trophy appears to be Madrid's to lose. "The feeling is a negative one," said Suarez afterwards. "If we want to stay in the title race and have it in our hands we have to win all our games. But we now have to rely on Madrid to drop points." Suarez played his best game since undergoing knee surgery in January, his first goal coming from a surprise free-kick from Lionel Messi, who crossed when everyone expected him to shoot. Yet Barcelona's defensive frailties hurt them again and Celta should even have won it in injury-time, only for Nolito to miss a golden chance at the back post. Celta climb to 16th, eight points clear of the bottom three. IN PICS | Smoke, flare and no social distancing: Liverpool fans turn the city red after winning Premier League 2019-20 Quique Setien answered calls to start 20-year-old Riqui Puig and 17-year-old Ansu Fati, and the duo impressed, injecting energy and speed into Barca's attack. Antoine Griezmann was left on the bench and when he came on, he was on the side of the wall that Aspas breached with his free-kick to find the bottom corner. Messi was at the heart of everything going forward and it was his early corner that Gerard Pique headed against the crossbar. With a free-kick on the edge of the area in the 20th minue and a 700th career goal in sight, Messi sized up the sprawl of Celta defenders in front of him. But with everyone expecting a shot, Messi clipped a cross towards the post, where Suarez headed in. Messi even tried to score from a corner but Celta had chances too on the break. A poor clearance from Marc-Andre ter Stegen went unpunished by Fedor Smolov, who then overhit his pass when Aspas was clear. Brais Mendez slid through and hit the post. The warnings went unheeded and when Arturo Vidal played a careless pass early in the second half, Celta capitalised. Aspas sent Okay Yokuslu sprinting in behind and he squared for Smolov to tap in. Celta look invigorated but Barca landed a sucker-punch. Denis Suarez lost possession under pressure from Fati, Messi played into Luis Suarez, who backed in, turned and drove into the far corner. It looked like they had weathered the storm but Celta hit back again, Aspas curling around the side of the wall and into the corner with two minutes left. They should even have won it in injury-time as Denis Suarez teed up Nolito at the back post but a scuffed finish let Ter Stegen save on the line. Atletico held on to beat Alaves as Joselu gave the visitors hope by converting an injury-time penalty after Saul Niguez's header and Diego Costa's spot-kick had put Diego Simeone's side in control. Victory means Atletico have taken 13 from a possible 15 points since the resumption and ahead of their trip to Camp Nou on Tuesday.

Title blow as Barcelona draw with Celta, Atletico hold off Alaves

Spanish football team Alaves confirmed on Wednesday that 15 people from the club have tested positive for coronavirus, including three first-team players.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/covid-19-hits-football-euro-2020-postponed-until-2021-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-287032" hreflang="en">COVID-19 hits football: Euro 2020 postponed until 2021 amid coronavirus pandemic</a>

Alaves said seven members of the La Liga club's coaching staff had also tested positive, along with five other employees.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/valencia-confirm-over-third-of-squad-has-coronavirus-286867" hreflang="en">Valencia confirm over third of squad has coronavirus</a>

A club statement added: "The club made the decision to carry out the tests within the policy of responsibility for the people who are part of our family and the results have shown it was the best way to urgently locate the cases and implement preventive measures to reduce, as far as possible, more infections.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/coronavirus-spanish-youth-team-coach-francisco-garcia-dies-at-21-286854" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: Spanish youth team coach Francisco Garcia dies at 21</a>

"The people detected are asymptomatic and in good health."

On March 6, Alaves played at home in La Liga against Valencia, who have since confirmed around 35 per cent of the club have tested positive for the virus.

After Italy, Spain has been the country worst-affected by coronavirus in Europe. On Wednesday, the latest figures reported almost 14,000 cases in Spain and just over 600 deaths.

Spanish football team Alaves confirmed on Wednesday that 15 people from the club have tested positive for coronavirus, including three first-team players. Also read: COVID-19 hits football: Euro 2020 postponed until 2021 amid coronavirus pandemic Alaves said seven members of the La Liga club's coaching staff had also tested positive, along with five other employees.

Spanish football team Alaves confirmed on Wednesday that 15 people from the club have tested positive for coronavirus, including three first-team players. Also read: COVID-19 hits football: Euro 2020 postponed until 2021 amid coronavirus pandemic Alaves said seven members of the La Liga club's coaching staff had also tested positive, along with five other employees. Also read: Valencia confirm over third of squad has coronavirus A club statement added: "The club made the decision to carry out the tests within the policy of responsibility for the people who are part of our family and the results have shown it was the best way to urgently locate the cases and implement preventive measures to reduce, as far as possible, more infections. Also read: Coronavirus: Spanish youth team coach Francisco Garcia dies at 21 "The people detected are asymptomatic and in good health." On March 6, Alaves played at home in La Liga against Valencia, who have since confirmed around 35 per cent of the club have tested positive for the virus. After Italy, Spain has been the country worst-affected by coronavirus in Europe. On Wednesday, the latest figures reported almost 14,000 cases in Spain and just over 600 deaths.

La Liga club Alaves report 15 positive tests for coronavirus

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-real-madrid-draw-as-clasico-marred-by-violence-269061">Real&nbsp;Madrid</a>&nbsp;hit the woodwork three times but could only draw 0-0 at home to&nbsp;Athletic&nbsp;Bilbao in a frustrating final game of 2019 which meant they slipped two points&nbsp;behind&nbsp;La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Real's top scorer Karim Benzema had a shot cleared off the line in a lively first half while Toni Kroos came within inches of scoring when he waltzed through the defence and hammered a shot which&nbsp;Athletic&nbsp;keeper Unai Simon deflected on to the bar.

Substitute Nacho Fernandez rattled the bar in the second half while Serbian forward Luka Jovic left Simon flat-footed with a late header but watched as the ball bounced off the post and Sergio Ramos scuffed the rebound back at the goalkeeper.

Athletic, who beat champions&nbsp;Barca&nbsp;earlier this season, gave an astute performance in defence and also gave their hosts a few scares, with Kenan Kodro having a goal ruled out for offside and Inaki Williams forcing Thibaut Courtois to make a diving save.

It was&nbsp;Real's third draw in a row after 1-1 and 0-0 stalemates away to Valencia and&nbsp;Barca&nbsp;respectively, games in which they also played well but lacked composure in front of goal.

"I feel bad for the players because of the effort they put in. We are annoyed that we couldn't score with all the chances we had,"&nbsp;Real&nbsp;coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/champions-league-gears-up-for-final-16-draw-after-record-breaking-group-stage-268079">Zinedine Zidane</a> told reporters.

"The ball isn't going in for us at the moment but there's no need to be pessimistic. We have to remember this has been a good season for us. We've had a little bit of a sour ending to the year but we can't wait for 2020 to start."

Zidane's side are second in the standings on 37 points after 18 games, two&nbsp;behind&nbsp;Barca&nbsp;who beat Alaves 4-1 on Saturday.&nbsp;Athletic&nbsp;are seventh with 28.

"We are left with a bad taste because we hit the woodwork three times and had some other opportunities, so it's a&nbsp;real&nbsp;shame that we couldn't pick up three points," added&nbsp;Real&nbsp;goalkeeper Courtois.

"Athletic&nbsp;set up to frustrate us, we know how they like to play but when you have so many chances it's hard not to feel like it is two points dropped.

Athletic&nbsp;coach Gaizka Garitano did not shy away from the fact that fortune had favoured his side, who have not won at the Bernabeu since 2005.

"To get anything from here you have to have a bit of luck, but we ended the game very well," he said.

"To get a point here while creating chances in attack and not conceding any goals is not easy at all."

Real Madrid hit the woodwork three times but could only draw 0-0 at home to Athletic Bilbao in a frustrating final game of 2019 which meant they slipped two points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Real Madrid hit the woodwork three times but could only draw 0-0 at home to Athletic Bilbao in a frustrating final game of 2019 which meant they slipped two points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona. Real's top scorer Karim Benzema had a shot cleared off the line in a lively first half while Toni Kroos came within inches of scoring when he waltzed through the defence and hammered a shot which Athletic keeper Unai Simon deflected on to the bar. Substitute Nacho Fernandez rattled the bar in the second half while Serbian forward Luka Jovic left Simon flat-footed with a late header but watched as the ball bounced off the post and Sergio Ramos scuffed the rebound back at the goalkeeper. Athletic, who beat champions Barca earlier this season, gave an astute performance in defence and also gave their hosts a few scares, with Kenan Kodro having a goal ruled out for offside and Inaki Williams forcing Thibaut Courtois to make a diving save. It was Real's third draw in a row after 1-1 and 0-0 stalemates away to Valencia and Barca respectively, games in which they also played well but lacked composure in front of goal. "I feel bad for the players because of the effort they put in. We are annoyed that we couldn't score with all the chances we had," Real coach Zinedine Zidane told reporters. "The ball isn't going in for us at the moment but there's no need to be pessimistic. We have to remember this has been a good season for us. We've had a little bit of a sour ending to the year but we can't wait for 2020 to start." Zidane's side are second in the standings on 37 points after 18 games, two behind Barca who beat Alaves 4-1 on Saturday. Athletic are seventh with 28. "We are left with a bad taste because we hit the woodwork three times and had some other opportunities, so it's a real shame that we couldn't pick up three points," added Real goalkeeper Courtois. "Athletic set up to frustrate us, we know how they like to play but when you have so many chances it's hard not to feel like it is two points dropped. Athletic coach Gaizka Garitano did not shy away from the fact that fortune had favoured his side, who have not won at the Bernabeu since 2005. "To get anything from here you have to have a bit of luck, but we ended the game very well," he said. "To get a point here while creating chances in attack and not conceding any goals is not easy at all."

La Liga: Real Madrid frustrated by Athletic, fall behind Barcelona

Barcelona have one hand firmly on the La Liga title after winning 2-0 at Alaves on Tuesday, leaving them 12 points clear at the top of the table with four games to play.

Should second-place Atletico Madrid lose at Valencia on Wednesday or against Real Valladolid on Saturday, Barcelona will be champions before they face Levante that evening.

With one eye on next week's Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, Ernesto Valverde picked a side with Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Arthur among other regular starters, on the bench.

After a turgid first half, Barcelona stepped up a gear in the second and midfielder Carles Alena sent the Catalans ahead at Mendizorroza after 54 minutes.

Arturo Vidal and Sergio Roberto combined well, the latter threading a pass through to Alena which Luis Suarez cleverly stepped over, allowing the 21-year-old to coolly slot home.

Suarez added the second from the penalty spot after Tomas Pina's handball was spotted by VAR, putting Barcelona in touching distance of their 26th league title.

Samuel Umtiti bundled home from an offside position but after VAR ruled out the defender's goal, the handball by Pina was penalised.

Valverde brought on Messi, Alba and Arthur in the final stages to help Barcelona see the game out, with title celebrations poised for Saturday, or sooner. Alaves are eighth.

"We started well, we could have gone ahead in the first half," said Alena.

"It took a superb move (to break through), a great ball by Sergi that Luis left for me. He saw me coming behind him and he’s such a world class player that he was aware of my movement.

"Let's wait and see what Atletico do tomorrow. If they fail, we're champions. I think we deserve this title, we've been the best team."

Earlier, Huesca beat Eibar 2-0 to move 19th, while Real Valladolid climbed to 15th with a 1-0 win over Girona, leaving their visitors in 17th place.

Barcelona have one hand firmly on the La Liga title after winning 2-0 at Alaves on Tuesday, leaving them 12 points clear at the top of the table with four games to play.

Barcelona have one hand firmly on the La Liga title after winning 2-0 at Alaves on Tuesday, leaving them 12 points clear at the top of the table with four games to play. Should second-place Atletico Madrid lose at Valencia on Wednesday or against Real Valladolid on Saturday, Barcelona will be champions before they face Levante that evening. With one eye on next week's Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, Ernesto Valverde picked a side with Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Arthur among other regular starters, on the bench. After a turgid first half, Barcelona stepped up a gear in the second and midfielder Carles Alena sent the Catalans ahead at Mendizorroza after 54 minutes. Arturo Vidal and Sergio Roberto combined well, the latter threading a pass through to Alena which Luis Suarez cleverly stepped over, allowing the 21-year-old to coolly slot home. Suarez added the second from the penalty spot after Tomas Pina's handball was spotted by VAR, putting Barcelona in touching distance of their 26th league title. Samuel Umtiti bundled home from an offside position but after VAR ruled out the defender's goal, the handball by Pina was penalised. Valverde brought on Messi, Alba and Arthur in the final stages to help Barcelona see the game out, with title celebrations poised for Saturday, or sooner. Alaves are eighth. "We started well, we could have gone ahead in the first half," said Alena. "It took a superb move (to break through), a great ball by Sergi that Luis left for me. He saw me coming behind him and he’s such a world class player that he was aware of my movement. "Let's wait and see what Atletico do tomorrow. If they fail, we're champions. I think we deserve this title, we've been the best team." Earlier, Huesca beat Eibar 2-0 to move 19th, while Real Valladolid climbed to 15th with a 1-0 win over Girona, leaving their visitors in 17th place.

Barcelona on verge of Liga title after beating Alaves

Real Madrid's miserable run of results sank to a new low as they slid to a shock 1-0 La Liga defeat at Alaves by conceding a goal deep in stoppage time on Saturday, marking their longest run without scoring in over 33 years.

Veteran midfielder Manu Garcia headed home after the ball hit the crossbar following a corner in the fifth minute of added time to send the raucous home crowd into ecstasy as Alaves climbed to third in the standings.

The triple European champions had been shackled by Alaves for most of the match and they were fortunate not to concede late in the second half before Garcia struck when Alaves's Jony fired narrowly wide on the break.

Alaves were the fourth team in a row to stop Real scoring and coach Julen Lopetegui will face further scrutiny with this defeat, which followed a 1-0 loss at CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, a 3-0 thrashing at Sevilla and a goalless draw with Atletico Madrid.

"This is a very tough moment and it's clear that the coach is the first person responsible," Lopetegui told a news conference.

"Sometimes things go your way and other times they don't, the important thing is that the players stick together and we will start scoring again."

Real are still joint top of the standings with 14 points after eight games but they could drop down to fourth if leaders Barcelona, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid all win on Sunday.

Alaves, whose fortunes have been transformed since coach Abelardo Fernandez took over last December when they were fighting against relegation, rose to third, level on points with Real and Barca.

Since Abelardo became coach, only Real, Barcelona and Atletico have taken more points than them in La Liga.

Embattled Real boss Lopetegui made five changes to the team that limped to defeat in Moscow, recalling Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale while leaving out Marco Asensio.

Lopetegui was forced to take early action in the second half due to an injury to Karim Benzema, bringing on centre forward Mariano Diaz which briefly led to Real playing a more direct game.

The former Spain coach also had to take off Bale later in the game, replacing him with Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr, and earlier he had withdrawn defensive midfielder Casemiro for Spain forward Asensio in a desperate bid to find a goal.

Alaves continued to snaffle out any danger, though, and when the deadlock was finally broken it was down the other end off the head of Garcia, who turned the visitors' frustrations into despair.

"We had to make changes because we had injuries, to Karim and Gareth. All negative factors are piling up on us," added Lopetegui.

"We have to pick ourselves up and the international break will serve us well because we have a lot of important players who are not fit."

Alaves coach Abelardo, was delighted with his side's first home win over Real since 1931.

"It's the dream victory because we scored so late and they couldn't even take kick off," he said.

"This victory takes us to 14 points and that's something tremendous, and it's magnified by the size of the team we have beaten."

Real Madrid's miserable run of results sank to a new low as they slid to a shock 1-0 La Liga defeat at Alaves by conceding a goal deep in stoppage time on Saturday, marking their longest run without scoring in over 33 years.

Real Madrid's miserable run of results sank to a new low as they slid to a shock 1-0 La Liga defeat at Alaves by conceding a goal deep in stoppage time on Saturday, marking their longest run without scoring in over 33 years. Veteran midfielder Manu Garcia headed home after the ball hit the crossbar following a corner in the fifth minute of added time to send the raucous home crowd into ecstasy as Alaves climbed to third in the standings. The triple European champions had been shackled by Alaves for most of the match and they were fortunate not to concede late in the second half before Garcia struck when Alaves's Jony fired narrowly wide on the break. Alaves were the fourth team in a row to stop Real scoring and coach Julen Lopetegui will face further scrutiny with this defeat, which followed a 1-0 loss at CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, a 3-0 thrashing at Sevilla and a goalless draw with Atletico Madrid. "This is a very tough moment and it's clear that the coach is the first person responsible," Lopetegui told a news conference. "Sometimes things go your way and other times they don't, the important thing is that the players stick together and we will start scoring again." Real are still joint top of the standings with 14 points after eight games but they could drop down to fourth if leaders Barcelona, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid all win on Sunday. Alaves, whose fortunes have been transformed since coach Abelardo Fernandez took over last December when they were fighting against relegation, rose to third, level on points with Real and Barca. Since Abelardo became coach, only Real, Barcelona and Atletico have taken more points than them in La Liga. Embattled Real boss Lopetegui made five changes to the team that limped to defeat in Moscow, recalling Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale while leaving out Marco Asensio. Lopetegui was forced to take early action in the second half due to an injury to Karim Benzema, bringing on centre forward Mariano Diaz which briefly led to Real playing a more direct game. The former Spain coach also had to take off Bale later in the game, replacing him with Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr, and earlier he had withdrawn defensive midfielder Casemiro for Spain forward Asensio in a desperate bid to find a goal. Alaves continued to snaffle out any danger, though, and when the deadlock was finally broken it was down the other end off the head of Garcia, who turned the visitors' frustrations into despair. "We had to make changes because we had injuries, to Karim and Gareth. All negative factors are piling up on us," added Lopetegui. "We have to pick ourselves up and the international break will serve us well because we have a lot of important players who are not fit." Alaves coach Abelardo, was delighted with his side's first home win over Real since 1931. "It's the dream victory because we scored so late and they couldn't even take kick off," he said. "This victory takes us to 14 points and that's something tremendous, and it's magnified by the size of the team we have beaten."

Real Madrid's troubles deepen with loss at Alaves

Barcelona escaped a scare on Philippe Coutinho&#39;s first start as Lionel Messi struck with a trademark free-kick to drag the La Liga leaders back from a goal down to beat Alaves 2-1 and restore their 11-point lead at the top.

Messi whipped home a beautiful free-kick six minutes from the end to down resilient Alaves, who are just two points from the drop zone in 17th despite John Guidetti silencing the Camp Nou with a shock breakaway opener in the 23rd minute.

Luis Suarez had broken the away side&#39;s tough resistance with a sweet volley from Andres Iniesta&#39;s cross 18 minutes from the end, setting the stage for Messi&#39;s dramatic and stylish winner.

The Argentine&#39;s strike ensures that Barca stays unbeaten in the league, and keeps Atletico Madrid 11 points back despite their 3-0 hammering of Las Palmas earlier.

With Diego Costa out injured, Atletico took a while to get going and had to wait until the 61st minute to open the scoring, Antoine Griezmann latching on to Juanfran&#39;s fine ball down the right flank before dinking neatly over Las Palmas stopper Leandro Chichizola.

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???? FOR&Ccedil;A BAR&Ccedil;A! ????❤️ <a href="https://t.co/BUvCswTmzM">pic.twitter.com/BUvCswTmzM</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/957743864542121984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;The first half was not very good but the coach gave us a good talking to at half-time, and we responded well,&quot; said Griezmann, whose goal was just his seventh in the league this season but his fourth in league and cup since the turn of the year.

&quot;I feel good, I&#39;ve started the year well and I hope to continue the goals and assists.&quot;

Frenchman Griezmann started the move that led to Atletico&#39;s second, intercepting a loose pass and setting Angel Correa free to scamper down the pitch and feed Fernando Torres, who shifted the ball onto his right foot and lashed home just his second goal of the season, the 600th scored by Atletico in all competitions during Diego Simeone&#39;s seven-year reign as coach.

An easy tap-in from Thomas Partey after great work from Yannick Carrasco two minutes from time completed the second-half rout of a desperate Las Palmas, who remain second from bottom and five points from safety.

Sevilla was denied the chance to close within three points of Real Madrid and the Champions League places after Angel Rodriguez scored a controversial equaliser deep in stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw for Getafe at the Roman Sanchez Pizjaun stadium.

Luis Muriel had slid in a 72nd-minute for hosts but with seconds to spare Juan Cala challenged Sevilla keeper Sergio Rico for a hopeful high ball, and with the Sevilla fans and players clamouring for a free-kick, Angel lashed home the leveller and celebrated under a hail of whistles and boos.

&nbsp;

The Argentine's strike ensures that Barca stays unbeaten in the league, and keeps Atletico Madrid 11 points back despite

Barcelona escaped a scare on Philippe Coutinho's first start as Lionel Messi struck with a trademark free-kick to drag the La Liga leaders back from a goal down to beat Alaves 2-1 and restore their 11-point lead at the top. Messi whipped home a beautiful free-kick six minutes from the end to down resilient Alaves, who are just two points from the drop zone in 17th despite John Guidetti silencing the Camp Nou with a shock breakaway opener in the 23rd minute. Luis Suarez had broken the away side's tough resistance with a sweet volley from Andres Iniesta's cross 18 minutes from the end, setting the stage for Messi's dramatic and stylish winner. The Argentine's strike ensures that Barca stays unbeaten in the league, and keeps Atletico Madrid 11 points back despite their 3-0 hammering of Las Palmas earlier. With Diego Costa out injured, Atletico took a while to get going and had to wait until the 61st minute to open the scoring, Antoine Griezmann latching on to Juanfran's fine ball down the right flank before dinking neatly over Las Palmas stopper Leandro Chichizola. ???? FORÇA BARÇA! ????❤️ pic.twitter.com/BUvCswTmzM — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 28, 2018 × "The first half was not very good but the coach gave us a good talking to at half-time, and we responded well," said Griezmann, whose goal was just his seventh in the league this season but his fourth in league and cup since the turn of the year. "I feel good, I've started the year well and I hope to continue the goals and assists." Frenchman Griezmann started the move that led to Atletico's second, intercepting a loose pass and setting Angel Correa free to scamper down the pitch and feed Fernando Torres, who shifted the ball onto his right foot and lashed home just his second goal of the season, the 600th scored by Atletico in all competitions during Diego Simeone's seven-year reign as coach. An easy tap-in from Thomas Partey after great work from Yannick Carrasco two minutes from time completed the second-half rout of a desperate Las Palmas, who remain second from bottom and five points from safety. Sevilla was denied the chance to close within three points of Real Madrid and the Champions League places after Angel Rodriguez scored a controversial equaliser deep in stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw for Getafe at the Roman Sanchez Pizjaun stadium. Luis Muriel had slid in a 72nd-minute for hosts but with seconds to spare Juan Cala challenged Sevilla keeper Sergio Rico for a hopeful high ball, and with the Sevilla fans and players clamouring for a free-kick, Angel lashed home the leveller and celebrated under a hail of whistles and boos.

LaLiga: Messi strikes late to defeat Alaves

Real Madrid moved five points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga despite a lacklustre performance as goals from Karim Benzema, Isco and Nacho secured a 3-0 win over Alaves on Sunday.

Benzema volleyed home Dani Carvajal&#39;s cutback for the opening goal just after the half hour mark.

However, the European champions were grateful to Alaves&#39; wastefulness in front of goal after the break as Deyverson and Edgar Mendez passed up huge chances to equalise.

Isco eventually made the game safe five minutes from time before Nacho rounded off the scoring moments later.

Barcelona can close back to within two points with victory at Granada later on Sunday.

&quot;Playing every three days you can&#39;t always play perfectly for 90 minutes,&quot; said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

&quot;We were having problems, we weren&#39;t playing well and then all of a sudden Cristiano (Ronaldo) gets the ball, passes it to Isco and he controls and scores.

&quot;That is what this team has. We know that at any moment we can hurt the opponent.&quot;

Zidane had handed a rest from the start to a host of his stars involved in international duty over the past week as captain Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and James Rodriguez were left out.

Yet, Zidane&#39;s plans were undone inside 10 minutes when Raphael Varane suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury and had to be replaced by Carvajal.

&quot;Rafa has damaged the same area as before, it isn&#39;t as bad as three weeks ago and we hope it is nothing major.&quot;

Zidane did name his first-choice front three as Ronaldo and Gareth Bale flanked Benzema.

All three fired off target from the edge of the box as Madrid started brightly, but they had to wait 31 minutes for the opener.

Carvajal&#39;s burst of pace took him to the by-line and he picked out the unmarked Benzema to smash into the far corner.

Madrid&#39;s rhythm was disrupted by the half-time whistle, though, as Alaves were the better side for large spells of the second-half.

Deyverson headed over from point-blank range from Theo Hernandez&#39;s cross before Mendez passed up the visitors&#39; best chance when he slotted wide when unmarked at the back post.

Manu Garcia&#39;s flicked header also then dipped just beyond Kiko Casilla&#39;s far post as the Santiago Bernabeu crowd became restless.

However, Isco settled their nerves when he rocketed Ronaldo&#39;s through ball into the roof of the net from a narrow angle.

And Nacho gave the scoreline an unjustified gloss when he tapped into an empty net after Fernando Pacheco made a brilliant save to tip Bale&#39;s free-kick onto the bar.

Earlier, an unsettling week for Sevilla ended with another disappointing result as they were held 0-0 at home by Sporting Gijon, leaving them fourth in La Liga on Sunday.

In the wake of Sporting director Monchi&#39;s decision to leave the club after 17 years, Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli cast doubt on his future before kick-off with Argentina reportedly interested in hiring him to salvage their floundering World Cup qualifying campaign.

However, Sampaoli&#39;s stock has fallen in recent weeks as Sevilla&#39;s winless run stretched to five games in all competitions despite dominating for 95 minutes at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

A draw is far more valuable for Sporting at the other end of the table as they move to within five points of safety in 18th.

(AFP)

Karim Benzema, Isco and Nacho netted for Los Blancos

Real Madrid moved five points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga despite a lacklustre performance as goals from Karim Benzema, Isco and Nacho secured a 3-0 win over Alaves on Sunday. Benzema volleyed home Dani Carvajal's cutback for the opening goal just after the half hour mark. However, the European champions were grateful to Alaves' wastefulness in front of goal after the break as Deyverson and Edgar Mendez passed up huge chances to equalise. Isco eventually made the game safe five minutes from time before Nacho rounded off the scoring moments later. Barcelona can close back to within two points with victory at Granada later on Sunday. "Playing every three days you can't always play perfectly for 90 minutes," said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. "We were having problems, we weren't playing well and then all of a sudden Cristiano (Ronaldo) gets the ball, passes it to Isco and he controls and scores. "That is what this team has. We know that at any moment we can hurt the opponent." Zidane had handed a rest from the start to a host of his stars involved in international duty over the past week as captain Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and James Rodriguez were left out. Yet, Zidane's plans were undone inside 10 minutes when Raphael Varane suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury and had to be replaced by Carvajal. "Rafa has damaged the same area as before, it isn't as bad as three weeks ago and we hope it is nothing major." Zidane did name his first-choice front three as Ronaldo and Gareth Bale flanked Benzema. All three fired off target from the edge of the box as Madrid started brightly, but they had to wait 31 minutes for the opener. Carvajal's burst of pace took him to the by-line and he picked out the unmarked Benzema to smash into the far corner. Madrid's rhythm was disrupted by the half-time whistle, though, as Alaves were the better side for large spells of the second-half. Deyverson headed over from point-blank range from Theo Hernandez's cross before Mendez passed up the visitors' best chance when he slotted wide when unmarked at the back post. Manu Garcia's flicked header also then dipped just beyond Kiko Casilla's far post as the Santiago Bernabeu crowd became restless. However, Isco settled their nerves when he rocketed Ronaldo's through ball into the roof of the net from a narrow angle. And Nacho gave the scoreline an unjustified gloss when he tapped into an empty net after Fernando Pacheco made a brilliant save to tip Bale's free-kick onto the bar. Earlier, an unsettling week for Sevilla ended with another disappointing result as they were held 0-0 at home by Sporting Gijon, leaving them fourth in La Liga on Sunday. In the wake of Sporting director Monchi's decision to leave the club after 17 years, Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli cast doubt on his future before kick-off with Argentina reportedly interested in hiring him to salvage their floundering World Cup qualifying campaign. However, Sampaoli's stock has fallen in recent weeks as Sevilla's winless run stretched to five games in all competitions despite dominating for 95 minutes at the Sanchez Pizjuan. A draw is far more valuable for Sporting at the other end of the table as they move to within five points of safety in 18th. (AFP)

Real Madrid win against Alaves to stretch La Liga lead

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were all on target as Barcelona went top of La Liga for the first time since October with a 6-0 thrashing of Alaves on Saturday.

In a dress rehearsal of the Copa del Rey final, Alaves paid for their semi-final exertions against Celta Vigo in midweek as Barca moved two points ahead of Real Madrid.

However, Madrid have three games in hand, starting with a visit to Osasuna later on Saturday.

Barca&#39;s success was overshadowed, though, by violent clashes between fans outside the ground before kick-off which left one supporter in hospital with serious head injuries.

Both sides later released statements condemning the violence.

And in another blow to the Catalans, Aleix Vidal was stretchered off with a horrible looking ankle injury just three minutes from time.

&quot;I go away with very good feelings from the football perspective, for the result and the way we achieved it,&quot; said Barca boss Luis Enrique.

&quot;But I am upset by Aleix&#39;s injury, the way it came about and what it means for him.&quot;

Vidal had only recently established himself back in the team after being sidelined by Enrique for the majority of the season.

&quot;It is something serious, but we have to wait until the doctors see it and can say,&quot; added Enrique.

On the field, Enrique rotated his squad once more with six changes from Tuesday&#39;s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid that secured their place in a fourth consecutive Cup final.

However, despite a trip to Paris Saint-Germain upcoming on Tuesday, Messi, Suarez and Neymar were all included and ran riot.

The visitors had goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to thank for not going behind early on with a brilliant one-on-one save from Theo Hernandez.

There was no doubt over the outcome once Barca went in front thanks to a fine team move finished off by Suarez from close range eight minutes before half-time.

A goalkeeping error from Fernando Pachecho allowed Barca to double their lead three minutes later as he punched a loose ball off Suarez&#39;s head and the ball rebounded for Neymar to tap into an empty net.

The champions hit top form after the break with four further goals in eight minutes.

Messi drilled his 34th goal of the season low past Pacheco just before the hour mark.

The Argentine was then played in by Suarez, but the last touch came off Alaves defender Alexis to make it 4-0.

Ivan Rakitic blasted home the fifth from Suarez&#39;s cut-back before the Uruguayan rounded off the rout himself after Pacheco had parried Neymar&#39;s initial effort.

Yet, Barca&#39;s fine day was spoiled late on when Vidal&#39;s right ankle gave way under an innocuous looking challenge from Hernandez. 
 
(Reuters)

Barca's success was overshadowed by violent clashes between fans outside the ground before kick-off which left one supporter in hospital

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were all on target as Barcelona went top of La Liga for the first time since October with a 6-0 thrashing of Alaves on Saturday. In a dress rehearsal of the Copa del Rey final, Alaves paid for their semi-final exertions against Celta Vigo in midweek as Barca moved two points ahead of Real Madrid. However, Madrid have three games in hand, starting with a visit to Osasuna later on Saturday. Barca's success was overshadowed, though, by violent clashes between fans outside the ground before kick-off which left one supporter in hospital with serious head injuries. Both sides later released statements condemning the violence. And in another blow to the Catalans, Aleix Vidal was stretchered off with a horrible looking ankle injury just three minutes from time. "I go away with very good feelings from the football perspective, for the result and the way we achieved it," said Barca boss Luis Enrique. "But I am upset by Aleix's injury, the way it came about and what it means for him." Vidal had only recently established himself back in the team after being sidelined by Enrique for the majority of the season. "It is something serious, but we have to wait until the doctors see it and can say," added Enrique. On the field, Enrique rotated his squad once more with six changes from Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid that secured their place in a fourth consecutive Cup final. However, despite a trip to Paris Saint-Germain upcoming on Tuesday, Messi, Suarez and Neymar were all included and ran riot. The visitors had goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to thank for not going behind early on with a brilliant one-on-one save from Theo Hernandez. There was no doubt over the outcome once Barca went in front thanks to a fine team move finished off by Suarez from close range eight minutes before half-time. A goalkeeping error from Fernando Pachecho allowed Barca to double their lead three minutes later as he punched a loose ball off Suarez's head and the ball rebounded for Neymar to tap into an empty net. The champions hit top form after the break with four further goals in eight minutes. Messi drilled his 34th goal of the season low past Pacheco just before the hour mark. The Argentine was then played in by Suarez, but the last touch came off Alaves defender Alexis to make it 4-0. Ivan Rakitic blasted home the fifth from Suarez's cut-back before the Uruguayan rounded off the rout himself after Pacheco had parried Neymar's initial effort. Yet, Barca's fine day was spoiled late on when Vidal's right ankle gave way under an innocuous looking challenge from Hernandez. (Reuters)

La Liga: Barca's 'MSN' score as they rout Alaves

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