Top 5 Stats from week 29 in La Liga

You might have heard; it was quite a big weekend in La Liga, as Real Madrid welcomed Barcelona to the Spanish capital for El Clasico.

The result was always going to have huge implications in the title race, but who won?

Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid were looking to use that match as a chance to tighten their own aspirations on top spot, while Athletic Bilbao had a huge chance to strengthen their grip on the fourth on final Champions League spot.

At the bottom there are a host of teams who can’t buy a win at the moment. Fortunately for them only three sides can go down.

1. Barca back in top spot battle

Seven goals, three penalties and a Sergio Ramos red card – things certainly escalated quickly at the Bernabeu this weekend.

Real Madrid against Barcelona is always full of promises and Sunday night’s edition certainly didn’t disappoint as Gerardo Martino’s side won 4-3 – thanks to a hat-trick from Lionel Messi – to pop the title race in La Liga wide open.

The Catalans opened the scoring through Andres Iniesta, but Madrid hit back with a brace from Karim Benzema – both supplied by the excellent Angel di Maria.

Messi then hauled Barca level, before penalties and refereeing decisions claimed centre stage in the second half.

Cristiano won, and finished, the first one – although the foul was outside the box – Neymar drew the next, which saw Ramos dismissed, and Iniesta the third, both of which were dispatched by the man for the big occasion: Messi.

Madrid have now failed to beat Barca or Atletico Madrid in all four league games this season and Barcelona are back within a point of Los Blancos, after ending their 31-match unbeaten streak.

2. Atletico back on the very top

While the Clasico fireworks were being watched by millions, Atletico Madrid beat Real Betis in front of a more modest audience in the warm-up match.

Gabi opened the scoring in the second half with a classy strike from distance and Diego Costa, with his 23rd of the season, killed off any hopes the home side had of snatching an unlikely point in their bid to stay up.

The win took Atleti top temporarily courtesy of their superior head-to-head record against Madrid and, after Los Blancos fell to Barca, it’s a place they will stay until, at very least, the next round of La Liga fixtures which take place in midweek.

It’s in Diego Simeone’s team’s hands now. They couldn’t? Could they?

As for Betis, they’re as good as down. They need to overturn a nine point deficit in the remaining nine games to beat the drop. It’s a big, almost impossible, ask.

3. Athletic have more than a foot in the Champions League

Denied the services of their front man Aritz Aduriz, Athletic Bilbao were always likely to struggle for goals at home to Getafe on Saturday night.

Things began to look even more difficult when Getafe goalkeeper Jordi Codina turned up at the new San Mames looking in such fine fettle – he made five saves throughout the course of the match as Athletic racked up 14 shots.

However, he couldn’t stop what eventually proved to be the only goal of the game.

Ander Herrera shifter a free-kick on the right across to the left and Markel Susaeta arrived to sweep it into the corner with his first touch – it is worth searching for if you get the time!

Ernesto Valverde’s side now have an eight point cushion on fifth place.

4. Relegation wrap

None of the bottom seven won in Spain this weekend, although Almeria, who are second from bottom, meet Real Sociedad on Monday night.

Betis, as touched on, look doomed and Real Valladolid – who drew 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano – haven’t found anything to suggest they’re particularly likely to ensure their Primera Division status come the end of the season.

Osasuna lost their fourth successive game – they haven’t won since they beat Atletico Madrid now.

Questions will be being asked at Elche as well. They lost 1-0 at Granada and their lack of goals is particularly alarming – they did manage 10 shots at the weekend, although they rarely looked particularly threatening.

Getafe are in trouble too, and just four points separate 19th placed Almeria and 14th placed Rayo.

5. Two of the bigger sides showing encouraging signs

Unai Emery’s current club, Sevilla, and his former club, Valencia, are both showing signs of recovery after some troubling times over the past few seasons.

They both moved into the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday and they both followed that progression up with three points in the league on Sunday – shattering the myth that Europe’s second competition can be a hindrance.

Sevilla won for the fifth consecutive game to move into fifth place. They beat Osasuna 2-1 thanks to goals from Jairo and Carlos Bacca’s 12th in the league this season.

Later on Sunday a brace from the unlikeliest of sources, defensive midfielder Javi Fuego, helped Valencia to a 2-1 win over their local (ish) rivals Villarreal.

Los Che had dipped recently, but the win restores visions of a better future under new boss Pizzi.