La Liga: LAS Palmas Stuns Barcelona, Atletico Madrid Dominates Valladolid
Surprise Upset in Barcelona
LAS Palmas claimed a surprise 2-1 victory at La Liga leaders Barcelona on Saturday, spoiling the hosts’ 125th anniversary celebrations. The Canary Islanders’ win sees them move up to 14th in the table, while Barcelona’s poor form continues with three games without a win.
Atletico Madrid climbed provisionally second, within two points of Barcelona, with a 5-0 rout of Real Valladolid later on.
Barcelona’s Disappointing Performance
Barcelona’s players were left disappointed with their performance, with Raphinha admitting: "We had a bad game, we have to look at what we’re doing badly to try and improve and win games."
The Catalans had gone 11 games without a loss in the top flight, but their poor form continued with a lack of goals and possession. Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, acknowledged the team’s mistakes, stating: "Today we have more than 70 percent ball possession but we’re not able to score the goals — maybe we have to change one or two things."
Griezmann Shines in Atletico’s Thrashing
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid romped to a five-star victory at bottom side Real Valladolid, with Antoine Griezmann scoring one of the goals of the season.
Diego Simeone’s team have won seven consecutive games across all competitions and moved two points clear of champions Real Madrid. Griezmann’s goal was a highlight of the game, as he exchanged passes with Julian Alvarez before executing a sensational turn and finish.
Post-Match Reaction
In the aftermath of the game, both coaches spoke about their teams’ performances. Flick expressed his disappointment, saying: "We have to (play) like we did at the beginning of the season… it’s a big disappointment today." Simeone, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of humility and improvement, stating: "There are always things to improve, the team is always looking to do better."
Conclusion
Saturday’s results have shaken up the La Liga table, with LAS Palmas causing a surprise upset at Barcelona and Atletico Madrid dominating Real Valladolid. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen how these teams will fare, but one thing is certain: the competition is heating up.
FAQs
Q: What was the score in the Barcelona-LAS Palmas game?
A: LAS Palmas won 2-1.
Q: Who scored the winning goal for LAS Palmas?
A: Fabio Silva scored the winning goal for LAS Palmas.
Q: What was the score in the Atletico Madrid-Real Valladolid game?
A: Atletico Madrid won 5-0.
Q: Who scored the goal of the season for Atletico Madrid?
A: Antoine Griezmann scored the goal of the season for Atletico Madrid.