Rayo Vallecano Wednesday orchestrated a sensational victory over the lackluster La Liga frontrunners Barcelona, securing a 2-1 triumph via a dominant show of talent and composure amid a fervent ambiance on the Vallecas stadium.
Atletico Madrid lower the hole on second-place rivals Real Madrid to 2 factors with a 3-1 win over Real Mallorca, celebrating their a hundred and twentieth anniversary in fashion.
Xavi Hernandez’s Barcelona stay 11 factors away from second-placed Real Madrid with seven matches remaining.
After the champions misplaced at Girona on Tuesday their hopes of defending the title are just about over, regardless of Barcelona following go well with with a deserved defeat within the capital.
Xavi’s facet have received simply one in every of their final 4 league matches – a slim overcome Atletico on Sunday – as they limp in direction of the end line and a primary title since 2019.
Barcelona’s coach urged his gamers to be cautious of Rayo’s risk earlier than the sport, however they didn’t heed his warning. The Catalans haven’t crushed the Madrid membership of their final 4 league conferences.
“The league is not finished, this is the problem – we have to deserve La Liga, today we deserved defeat,” Xavi advised reporters.
“What annoys me is that at this time we didn’t compete how the sport required us to. But we’ll get gamers again (from damage), there’s one other sport on Saturday.
“Here a lot of teams have lost, and others have had a lot of trouble winning. Luckily, there’s another game on Saturday.”
The coach was with out suspended captain Sergio Busquets however handed Pedri his first begin since he was injured in February.
Rayo broke the impasse early on when Alvaro Garcia drilled residence throughout Marc-Andre ter Stegen and into the underside nook.
Robert Lewandowski ought to have equalized for Barcelona however Rayo goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski denied the ahead one-on-one, after which the Pole had a objective dominated out for offside.
Rayo doubled their lead after the break when left-back Fran Garcia pressed Frenkie de Jong, collected the ball and drove on to attain.
“We knew that it was an important day for us, they say the giant killers are back,” mentioned Fran Garcia.
“The atmosphere can’t be described … we want to give it back in the best way possible.”
Lewandowski pulled one again for Barcelona after Franck Kessie’s shot was blocked, ending a run of 4 video games with out a objective for the division’s high scorer.
Rayo held on for less than their second win of their final 11 league matches – and third in 4 video games towards Barca for coach Andoni Iraola.
– Atletico celebrations -Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, on the membership’s a hundred and twentieth anniversary, placed on an entertaining show of their win over Mallorca with Antoine Griezmann on the coronary heart of it as soon as once more.
The ahead produced two assists as Rodrigo de Paul, Alvaro Morata and Yannick Carrasco struck for the hosts on the Metropolitano.
After Real Madrid had been thumped 4-2 by Girona on Tuesday, Atletico capitalized to reel of their neighbors.
Atletico, sporting particular blue and white kits at residence to mark the event of their anniversary – the design was based mostly on their first-ever shirt – had their celebrations disrupted early on.
“It’s impossible not to get stuck in this atmosphere,” Simeone advised DAZN.
“After such a bad start (to the season), to get back on our feet fills me with pride, because it was not easy.”
Matija Nastasic put Mallorca forward towards the run of play after 20 minutes, heading in from a nook.
De Paul equalized in first-half stoppage time after Predrag Rajkovic parried from Griezmann, however the Frenchman laid the rebound throughout for his team-mate to complete.
Atletico took the lead early within the second interval when Nahuel Molina crossed for Morata to powerfully head residence.
Carrasco netted the third after 77 minutes on the break after Griezmann despatched him via on objective with a superb lobbed go and he rounded Rajkovic earlier than ending.
Almeria climbed as much as fifteenth with a 2-1 win at 10-man Getafe, which left the hosts seventeenth, one level above the underside three, which they might sink into relying on different outcomes Thursday.
Celta Vigo earned a late win over bottom-of-the-table Elche because of defender Joseph Aidoo’s diving header.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
