After the cup embarrassments, both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona fall behind early in the league. But both can still turn their game into a win.
After their embarrassing cup performances, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have both returned to the league with victories despite false starts.
Zinédine Zidane’s side turned an early deficit into a clear 4-1 (2-1) win at promoted CD Osasuna on Sunday afternoon. (Read the game in the ticker)
A few hours later FC Barcelona also scored 3-2 at Betis Sevilla, but were twice behind.Real turn game within six minutesAfter a completely sleepy early phase of the royals, Osasuna took a 1-0 lead (14th minute), Unai Garcia scored after a corner kick. Real-keeper Thibaut Courtois had already prevented worse things from happening with a brilliant move.
After the conceded goal, however, the leaders woke up and seemed more active and present. Before the break, Isco with his first goal of the season (33) and captain Sergio Ramos (38) turned the match around in just five minutes for the visitors.In the final phase of the game, as Osasuna’s strength increasingly ran out, substitute Lucas Vazquez and Luka Jovic put the lid on the game and raised the final score to 4-1 (84th and 90.+2).
Barca spins twice behind
FC Barcelona, who had also failed in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, also struggled for long stretches at Betis Sevilla.
The Catalans fell behind twice with goals from Sergio Canales (6th/ handball) and Nabil Fekir (26th). Frenkie De Jong (9th) and Sergio Busquets (45.+3) were able to set the course to zero before the break.
Clement Lenglet, who was to blame for the penalty in the early stages, made up for his mistake with the winning goal in the 72nd – but then flew off the pitch like Betis goalscorer Fekir with yellow-red.
Real remain at the top of the standings, three points clear of rival Barca.