Real take Clasico, Bilbao best Almeria

Real Madrid overcame Neymar’s early goal to see off arch rivals Barcelona 3-1 at the Bernabeu as Luis Suarez suffered defeat on his long-awaited debut for the Catalan giants. Neymar put the visitors ahead in El Clasico after just four minutes but Madrid were level by half-time thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 35th-minute penalty.

That was Ronaldo’s 19th goal of the season in all competitions and 15th consecutive league goal at the Bernabeu. It was also the first Spanish La Liga goal Barça had let in under new coach Luis Enrique, having gone 776 minutes without conceding.  Barça’s defense  would be breached twice more in the second half as in-form Madrid extended their winning streak to nine matches in league and Europe. Pepe headed them in front in the 51st minute before Karim Benzema slotted home a third ten minutes later.

The visitors’ £64m summer signing Suarez, who had started the match after serving a four-month suspension was unable to spark a comeback and the Uruguayan international was replaced in the 69th minute. Lionel Messi was also thwarted as he sought to become the leading scorer in La Liga history. Barça remain at the top of the table despite suffering their first defeat of the season, but Madrid are now just a point behind.

Valencia are two points adrift of the pacesetters after bouncing back from their opening loss of the campaign to Deportivo La Coruna last weekend with a 3-1 victory over Elche. First-half goals from Shkodran Mustafi and Dani Parejo set Los Che on their way and a David Lomban own goal just after the hour put Valencia further clear before Elche netted a late consolation through Jonathas.

Earlier on Saturday, Athletic Bilbao won for the first time in La Liga since August as Xabier Etxeita’s goal ensured a 1-0 victory in a low-quality clash at Almeria. Etxeita drove home low 12 minutes into the second half to end a nine-match winless run in all competitions for the Basque side.

The two late kick-offs finished in 1-1 draws, with Cordoba snatching a late equalizer  against fellow strugglers Real Sociedad to move off the bottom of the table while Eibar and Granada shared the spoils at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium.

Sociedad had looked set to pick up only their second league victory of the season after Inigo Martinez’s first-half goal saw them leading heading into the dying moments at Cordoba. However, with barely three minutes left on the clock, Cordoba striker Xisco turned in the rebound after the ball had come back off the post to salvage a point for the hosts and leave Sociedad stunned.

Granada, meanwhile, were looking to arrest a four-match losing streak against Eibar and they made the best possible start when Allan Nyom put them in front after just eight minutes. But newly-promoted Eibar, who have still not won at home since they beat Sociedad on the opening day of the season, equalised through Eneko Boveda to claim a point.

Source:FIFA.com

M.D