18.10.2011 11:08
Spanish League Round Up Week 7
Nick Bedson
Llevant continue their amazing start to the season and remain level at the top with Barça after beating Malaga 3-0 on Saturday to keep up their unbeaten record.
Photo: sevillafc.es
Real Madrid also won, with a Higuain hat trick, and remain third – a point behind Barça and
Llevant, with Seville’s 2-1 win over Sporting moving them up to fourth, a further point
behind. That defeat for Sporting leaves them bottom after a weekend in which none of the bottom
none clubs managed a win.
Llevant continue to surprise
Llevant put out the oldest ever La Liga team – with a combined age of 346! -
for their game against Malaga, who in contrast to their hosts minimum spending had splashed out big
money over the summer to muscle in at the top table. Despite all of that, it was Llevant who took
the points with three first half goals and another solid defensive performance that leaves them as
the La Liga team who have conceded fewest goals –just three in seven games – and they
have only been outscored by Barça and Madrid.
Higuain bags another hat trick
Llevant and Barça are a point ahead of Real Madrid, who saw off the early
pacemakers Betis 4-1, with Gonzalo Higuain grabbing his second successive league hat trick. Betis
have now lost three on the run, scoring just once and remain in seventh spot. A point behind Real
Madrid are Seville, who beat Sporting with a great opening goal from Manu del Moral and a second
from Caceres, though they also lost Diego Perotti to injury and the Argentinean midfielder will
definitely miss the trip to the Camp Nou. Valencia drop to fifth, a further point off the pace,
after an injury time penalty from Hemed gave Joaquin Caparros a point on his debut in charge of
Mallorca.
Atletico fail to close the gap
Atletico Madrid failed to close the gap on the leading group, taking just a point in a
goalless game at Granada. Atletico have failed to score in five of their seven league games
–though they did win the other two 4-0 – causing boss Gregorio Manzano to state:
“we need to maintain our defensive strengths , but improve up front”. Zaragoza and
Espanyol are now level with Atletico on nine points after wins at the weekend. Helder Postiga
scored twice – the second already a candidate for goal of the season- to see off Real
Sociedad at La Romareda After their opening day defeat to Real Madrid, Zaragoza have lost just once
-4-3 to Betis- in their last six games, whilst Espanyol won their first away game of the season at
Rayo thanks to a second half Romaric strike.
Bilbao finding form
Athletic Bilbao seem to have found their feet and their 3-1 win over Osasuna on Monday night
- their second consecutive win ahead of a series of tough games against Valencia, Atletico Madrid,
Barça and Seville- takes them to within a point of Espanyol. Osasuna are on seven points, alongside
Real Sociedad and Villarreal, who recorded their third draw on the run with in the 0-0 game at
Getafe on Saturday.