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Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona: Barca's party rolls on with victory at Atletico
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Barcelona have secured a 2-1 win in the capital against Atletico Madrid with a come from come from behind victory in the second half.

Falcao's opener was cancelled out by Alexis Sanchez and a Gabi own goal as Barcelona played the latter stages of the game without Lionel Messi and Tito Villanova making his three substitutions.

There was a clear mood of celebration at the Vincente Calderon as Barca had secured their 22nd championship earlier in the week with Real Madrid's draw with Espanyol. The customary guard of honour followed as the opening stages of the match had a clear care free attitude with Atletico already certain to finish in the Champions League places with their victory over Celta Vigo last weekend.

The second half was where the action took off as Falcao found the back of the net in the 50th minute. An Atleti break had the Barca defence scrambling as Gabi's awkward through ball found the lurching Colombian on the edge of the box who slotted the ball under the advancing Pinto to, at least, liven the game a little.

Barca looked to respond immediately and this left them vulnerable as Atletico nearly made it two as Arda Turan failed to latch on to Falcao's through ball into the penalty area in the 66th minute.

With doubts over Messi during the week with an hamstring strain, the Argentinian limped off the field in the 70th minute and forcing his side to play with 10 men for the rest of the game with Barca making all of their substitutions before the diminutive forward's injury.

The numerical disadvantage was only a number to the Barca players as the response was immediate. A beautiful combination between Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez found the Chilean with an opening inside the penalty area, bunting past the wrong-footed Thibaut Courtois and into the back of the net.

Barca then took the lead eight minutes later as a cut-back from David Villa found Christian Tello on the edge of the 18-yard box, who's strike was somehow bundled into the back of the net. With the Atleti defence scrambling, Tello's shot looked to be off target but with Gabi having no perception of where his goal was, the Spaniard attempted to awkwardly clear the ball, ending up in the back of the net.

The result leaves Barcelona on track to reach the 100 point haul set by Real Madrid last year as their biggest rivals begin to pick up the pieces of an unsuccessful season and the eventual bitter departure of Jose Mourinho.

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La Liga Round 34 Preview: Real Madrid v Real Valladolid
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Both teams secured their respective season's objectives last weekend, but can Real Madrid keep their home record intact?...

 

Saturday 4 May 2013

 

Real Madrid have extended a gap over local rivals Atletico Madrid last weekend, when Jose Mourinho's side claimed a 2-1 victory. A six-point gap and an imposing record at the Santiago Bernabeu - where Los Blancos have not lost this calendar year - means that the capital-based outfit are keen to close the gap at the top of the standings. Real came close to overturning a three-goal deficit midweek in the Champions League to Borussia Dortmund, but ran out of time to grab the necessary third. Now, with that behind them, the team can focus on finishing the domestic season well. Cristiano Ronaldo will likely miss this match, being rested by the Portuguese tactician.

Valladolid - in theory - should be safe from the relegation battle that is ensuing below them, but the side are only 10 points from 18th-placed Celta Vigo. But with one win from their past five outings, form seems to suggest they are not completely out of the running, despite being undefeated in three and looking like they will survive. Coach Miroslav Dukic won't be tempted to change the starting XI that has claimed points. Patrick ebert will be the main target, as he has been in good form this campaign.

At home and with that home record, Madrid should cruise to victory.

 

Prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Real Valladolid

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La Liga Round 34 Preview: Barcelona v Real Betis
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Barcelona will want to end a disappointing week on a high by claiming their fourth La Liga title in five years. Can Real Betis halt their momentum?...

 

Sunday 5 May 2013

 

Barcelona could have wrapped up their La Liga title aspirations last weekend against Athletic Bilbao, but the Blaugrana could only manage a 2-2 draw. And their week got dramatically worse when German giants Bayern Munich travelled to the Nou Camp and grabbed a 3-0 win and 7-0 on aggregate. With Lionel Messi watching on the bench during that game, the Argentine could make a comeback from his hamstring injury. 

Betis are chasing a spot in the Europa League next season, as they sit in seventh place. And with one of the best away records in the league, Pepe Mel's troops are keen to climb the table and put on a good show over the next few weeks. The side were disappointed after only managing a 1-1 draw against lowly Deportivo La Coruna last week, and four points behind Valencia is not a big gap to close.

These encounters have produced at least three goals since 2003, but Betis have failed to beat Barca since November 2007.

 

Prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Real Betis

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Atletico Madrid 1-2 Real Madrid: Real's derby domination continues
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A superb finish from Angel Di Maria has ensured that Atletico Madrid's winless run against rivals Real continued at the Vicente Calderon on Saturday. Los Rojiblancos got off to the perfect start with Radamel Falcao heading in before four minutes had even passed, but an unfortunate own goal by Francisco Juanfran levelled things up just ten minutes later. The much-changed Real side were far from irresistible but got the goal they needed after the hour mark courtesy of Di Maria. The win sees Los Blancos open up a six-point gap over their cross-town rivals for second spot in La Liga. 

The home side went ahead through their star striker just three minutes into the match. Diego Lopez initially palmed away a free kick but Diego Godin raced onto it and stood up a cross that Falcao was more than happy to bury from point blank range.

However it didn’t take Real long to restore parity. Just ten minutes after the opener a Di Maria free kick eluded everyone and took a fortunate touch off Juanfran to sneak into the corner.

In the 19thminute Gabi bent in an inviting cross to Falcao but this time the header was well off target.

The away side had a chance to go ahead four minutes before half time. Di Maria led a fast break and laid the ball to Benzema who had space to shoot in the box, but Courtois did well to close down the effort.

It was Atletico that did the attacking early in the second half as Raul Garcia and Gabi both let good chances go begging.

A piece of quality from virtually nowhere led to a second goal for Los Blancos in the 63rdminute. Benzema slid a through ball to Di Maria and the Argentine needed just one touch to somehow dispatch a low, angled shot just inside the far post. 

Filipe Luis went close with a volley with three minutes to go following Adrian's chipped through ball but only Lopez's side netting was troubled as Real upheld their derby superiority.  

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La Liga Round 33 Preview: Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona
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Can Barcelona bounce back after their Champions League hammering or will Bilbao end a rather disappointing season on a high?...

 

Saturday 27 April 2013

 

Barcelona have the chance to claim their fourth La Liga title in five seasons should the side claim victory over Athletic Bilbao and the Madrid derby got Atletico's way. Their resounding Champions League loss to Bayern Munich midweek sent shockwaves through the Catalan side, losing 4-0. Tito Vilanova and Jordi Rouda now have the tough choice: whether to rest several stars in order to reclaim the tie or to take one bigger step to claim the domestic title. 

Marcelo Bielsa's men have already written off this season, as the side lie in 14th place and could still go down to the Liga Segunda. Only eight points clear of 18th placed Mallorca, Bilbao have also not won a match in their last three outings. And the last time Athletic hosted a match at the San Mames, they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Real Madrid.

Barcelona have not lost at the San Mames since 2006.

 

Prediction: Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Barcelona

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