La Liga 18/19

Mr.Nice Guy

A NINTH defeat of the season for Real tonight as they lose 2-1 away to Valencia. Big result for the home side's top four hopes.

Poor night for Celta Vigo. They were 2-0 up away at bottom side Huesca and then conceded 3 goals in a ten minute spell, before managing a late equaliser.

NIMAN

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

A NINTH defeat of the season for Real tonight as they lose 2-1 away to Valencia. Big result for the home side's top four hopes.

Poor night for Celta Vigo. They were 2-0 up away at bottom side Huesca and then conceded 3 goals in a ten minute spell, before managing a late equaliser.

I know just what Madrid need to sort this team out........Paul Pogba!;)

MisterAnarchy

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Sounds like it was a contender for game of the season?

Nice to hear Toko Ekambi and Malcom got on the scoresheet. Not always been easy for them this season.

I only watched the highlights but it was frenetic stuff.
Barcelona could have been out of sight before Villareal scored ,they could have scored 5 or 6 in the first half .
Could have finished 8-8 but for saves ,woodwork ,poor finishing.

Mr.Nice Guy

Big win for Sevilla as they beat Alaves 2-0, moving above them into 6th place. They're now only a point behind Getafe in 4th.

Sociedad vs Betis coming up on Eir Sport 2 which is pretty much must-win for both to keep alive their slim Champions League hopes.

NIMAN

bit like the EPL, the battle for Champions League places is great!

Mr.Nice Guy

Sociedad have the lead after Juanmi scores from a corner but replays show it should have been a goal kick. Betis fuming and two players booked for their protests.

Half-Time: 1-0 Sociedad at the break. Home side on top despite the good fortune with the goal. Willian Jose, Merino and Juanmi playing well. Betis have been disappointing and they're about to be overtaken by Sociedad in the table unless they can find an equaliser.

1-1: Betis have their equaliser as Canales scores against his old club. Game on. Little over half an hour remaining.

2-1 Sociedad: Oyarzabal with a lovely volley following a sweet pass from Juanmi. Seven minutes of normal time to go.

Full-Time: It ends 2-1 to Sociedad who move ahead of Betis into 9th place. Deserved win for the home side. Juanmi and Oyarzabal were very good. Was impressed with Merino in midfield too; he had a great chance to score at the end but he tried to place it when he should have blasted it. He's better than I remember him being at Newcastle.

I expected better from Betis. The body language of the players wasn't great and there were a few strops from players that were subbed. The team harmony doesn't seem there right now.

Mr.Nice Guy

Teams for Barca vs Atletico (k.o. 7:45pm). If Atletico can win they'll cut the gap at the top to 5 points.

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Messi, Suarez, Coutinho.

Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Arias, Gimenez, Godin, Filipe Luis; Koke, Rodri, Thomas, Saul; Griezmann, Costa.

Morata and Juanfran on the bench for Atletico.

Mr.Nice Guy

Alba comes close, hitting the post. Great pass by Messi.

Mr.Nice Guy

Straight red for Diego Costa.

Ref didn't like him getting in his face. Perhaps has said something too.

ebbsy

Must have said something really bad.

marklazarcovic

That was weird

Mr.Nice Guy

All going wrong for Atletico. Rodri injured and having to go off. Arias looks like he's struggling too.

Looks like Rodri is going to continue but Arias is off for Correa. If they end up losing Rodri they'll be in big trouble.

ERG89

Anyone else have a headache listening to the Premier Sports commentators.

ebbsy

ERG89 wrote: »

Anyone else have a headache listening to the Premier Sports commentators.

Anything is better than that Internet thingy.

Mr.Nice Guy

Allegedly what Costa said to the ref:

https://twitter.com/FCBarcelonaFl/status/1114608224601280518

Half-Time: 0-0 at the break. Thought Thomas Partey and Gimenez did well. It was an exciting game before the red.

Mr.Nice Guy

Atletico looking the better team right now despite having a man less. Attacking change by Simeone with Morata on for Filipe Luis. Half an hour to go.

Huge save from Oblak to deny Suarez after Messi set him up. Malcom on for Arthur now.

Mr.Nice Guy

Correa's been brilliant since he came on. Twenty odd minutes remaining.

Luckycharms_74

Only switched this on at HT. Atleti playing well with 10 men, but we could see another red with 4 others on yellows now for Atleti

Mr.Nice Guy

Gimenez has been immense.

Mr.Nice Guy

SUAREEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZ

What a strike!

Luckycharms_74

Some finish by Suarez

Mr.Nice Guy

MESSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

2-0. Game over. Title race over.

Luckycharms_74

Heartbreak for Atleti but the class from
Messi & Suarez were the difference, along with the red card

ERG89

Messi with the equivalent of a reverse pass finish. Harsh on Atletico it must be said.

MisterAnarchy

I fear for Utd next week, could get a right hiding over both legs, there is a huge gulf in class and suarez and Messi are bang in form.

Mr.Nice Guy

Barca now 11 points clear.

I feel for Atletico as they did as well as a team could hope to with a man sent off. Thought Gimenez and Oblak were excellent. Partey and Correa did very well also.

Wasn't Barca at their best but they did enough. They've always got a chance with Suarez and especially Messi. Pique and Lenglet looked assured in defence too.

delaad

ERG89 wrote: »

Anyone else have a headache listening to the Premier Sports commentators.

It was dire. I think the ranting analyst is Stuart Grainger. The commentator is Johnathon Pearce to the power of 10.

ShamoBuc

2 very well taken goals. Costa showing he really is a head the ball merchant.
Utd will have to park the bus Mourinho style.

MisterAnarchy

delaad wrote: »

It was dire. I think the ranting analyst is Stuart Grainger. The commentator is Johnathon Pearce to the power of 10.

Graham Hunter was the Co commentator, he was getting a bit carried away tonight.
The other guy was going out on a limb by saying he believes the league is all over now. You don't say, 11 points clear with seven games to go.

dfx-

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

I fear for Utd next week, could get a right hiding over both legs, there is a huge gulf in class and suarez and Messi are bang in form.

I don't share your confidence. It's going to be incredibly frustrating and very close.

MisterAnarchy

dfx- wrote: »

I don't share your confidence. It's going to be incredibly frustrating and very close.

Thats true ,it all depends on what Barcelona turns up at Old Trafford .
If its the one that has gone awol away from home at this stage of the tournament over the last few years it could be very tight.
The team seem to have more steel this year though and I dont think Barcelona will make the same mistakes as the last few years.

I'm a Utd fan by the way so its not confidence I have .:(
Barcelona were the one team I wanted to avoid.

ebbsy

Refs report also mentions that Costa restrained his arm as he tried to produce a card....

Any ideas what ban he could get ?

ebbsy

8 matches is the answer.

Mr.Nice Guy

Sevilla vs Betis coming up in the Seville derby. Eir Sport 2 showing it (k.o. 7:45pm).

Sevilla XI: Vaclik; Navas, Mercado, Carrico, Escudero; Sarrabia, Banega, Mesa, Vazquez; Munir, Ben Yedder.

Real Betis XI: Lopez; Mandi, Feddal, Sidnei; Emerson, Carvalho, Guardado, Junior; Lo Celso, Jese, Canales.

Salvation Tambourine

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Sevilla vs Betis coming up in the Seville derby. Eir Sport 2 showing it (k.o. 7:45pm).

Anyone know who the co-commentator is? Presume it's an ex-footballer.

Mr.Nice Guy

Nokotan wrote:

Anyone know who the co-commentator is? Presume it's an ex-footballer.

Think it's Lauren.

I'm enjoying the game. Sevilla leading via a great cross from Sarabia which Munir heads home and only for Pau Lopez denying Ben Yedder it would be 2-0.

Salvation Tambourine

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Think it's Lauren.

I'm enjoying the game. Sevilla leading via a great cross from Sarabia which Munir heads home and only for Pau Lopez denying Ben Yedder it would be 2-0.

Yeah, heard the other commentator say that since. He's very hard to understand at times.

Very enjoyable game so far. That save was unreal.

Mr.Nice Guy

Big chance not taken by Jese. Has to do better there.

And Lo Celso shows how it's done! Great finish for 1-1.

Mr.Nice Guy

Sarabia makes it 2-1 Sevilla. Nice ball from Ben Yedder.

Apparently Sarabia's release clause is €18m. Absolute bargain in the current market.

Mr.Nice Guy

3-1 Sevilla. What a hit from Vazquez!

This game is great entertainment.

Mr.Nice Guy

Cristian Tello with a great free-kick for Betis to make it 3-2! Less than ten minutes to go. Great finish coming up.

Mr.Nice Guy

Full-Time and Sevilla win the derby 3-2. Great game. This fixture tends to deliver a quality spectacle.

Tello's free-kick to make it 3-2 was great but his corners at the end were dire. Had two chances to get it in the box and failed both times despite Pau Lopez coming up for them.

Think Sevilla just about deserved it but could have been different if Jese was more clinical.

monkey9

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Full-Time and Sevilla win the derby 3-2. Great game. This fixture tends to deliver a quality spectacle.

Tello's free-kick to make it 3-2 was great but his corners at the end were dire. Had two chances to get it in the box and failed both times despite Pau Lopez coming up for them.

Think Sevilla just about deserved it but could have been different if Jese was more clinical.

I watched this earlier. I really think it's one of the more underrated derbies. It never gets a mention really in the overall conversation of derbies, but i've always always enjoyed this one.

Mr.Nice Guy

At Half-Time Real Madrid are 1-0 down away at 13th place Leganes.

https://twitter.com/ElevenSports_UK/status/1117877888357785600

Zidane left Bale on the bench. Wonder if he'll turn to him for the second half.

NIMAN

Zizou out!!

Mr.Nice Guy

Benzema with an early equaliser in this second half.

Bale on for the last ten minutes to try and find a winner.

Mr.Nice Guy

Full-Time and it ends 1-1. Two points dropped for Madrid who are now 4 points behind Atletico's second place. Hard to see them overtaking their local rivals now for that spot. Looks like Madrid's season is going to peter out.

There's not a whole lot to get excited about when you look at Madrid these days aside from maybe Vinicius who didn't feature tonight. It feels like a long time since Madrid had some proper star power. Sad to see.

Headshot

Bale storms off the pitch.

I reckon he's gone in the summer at this stage

A Dub in Glasgo

0-2 to Barcelona against Dep Alaves. Good VAR for offside goal / award of the penalty

Mr.Nice Guy

Messi, who was rested for tonight's game with Levante, has come off the bench to give Barca the lead as they look to secure the title.

Game is on ITV4.