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Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona temporarily took the lead in the Spanish Football League by defeating its host Real Mallorca 1-0 Saturday in the seventh stage, while Atletico Madrid regained the track of victories by defeating its host Seville 2-0.
It is Barcelona’s sixth successive victory this season, including 4 away from home, after he began his adventure in “La Liga” with a negative draw against Rayo Vallecano, and he temporarily topped the standings after raising his score to 19 points, one point ahead of his arch-rivals Real Madrid, who receive Osasuna in the most prominent matches. Sunday.
Barcelona got a big dose of morale before its perilous trip to Milan, Italy, to face its team Inter in the third round of the group stage of the Champions League.
On the other hand, Mallorca suffered its third loss, compared to two wins and two draws, and remained in tenth place, knowing that the men of Mexican coach Javier Aguirre had fallen against Real Madrid 1-4.
Barcelona opened the scoring with a single effort from the newcomer, its Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who penetrated into the penalty area before suddenly stopping and transferring the ball to his left foot to hit a counter-hit (20).
It is the ninth goal of the former Bayern Munich striker in “La Liga” this season, consolidating his lead in the scorers’ ranking, 3 goals ahead of Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias.
German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved his team from the equalizer after he interfered with his left shoulder to block Jaume Costa’s shot (34).
Ter Stegen kept a clean sheet in 538 minutes in the league, breaking his previous personal record of 500 minutes, which he achieved in the 2019-2020 season.
Barcelona lacked effectiveness despite possessing 87% of the ball at the beginning of the second half, prompting coach Xavi Hernandez to push the Brazilian Rafinha and Pedri instead of Ansu Fati and Ivory Coast Franck Kessier in the 67th minute to activate the midfield without changing the result.
The match referee blew his whistle announcing Barcelona’s victory thanks to one of three shots between the three blocks, while Mallorca failed to translate 13 shots, including 3 on goal, into goals.
Atlético shake off the dust of losing the derby
Atletico Madrid returned to the winning streak by beating its host Seville 2-0.
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Atletico raised its score to 13 points with its fourth victory this season, and moved to fifth place temporarily, taking advantage of Cadiz’s negative draw with Villarreal, who slipped to sixth place with 12 points.
Atletico shook off the dust of losing in the capital’s derby against its arch-rival Real Madrid 1-2 in the sixth stage before the league stopped to make way for the international window, and prepared in the best way for its European entitlement against Club Brugge in the third round of the group stage of the Champions League competition.
Atletico also avoided a third loss in a row in various competitions, as it fell before the capital’s derby against Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 in the second round of the continental competition.
Atlético had finally won the “La Liga” title in 2014 and 2021, while Seville also entered the competition, and occupied one of the top four places in the last three seasons.
However, the 16th Andalusian club continued to bleed points, and its harvest settled at 5 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats, and it came closer to the positions leading to the second division, four days before it had another difficult confrontation when it welcomed Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
At the “Ramon-Sanches Bisjuan” stadium, Seville coach Julen Lopetegui made 5 changes to his squad compared to his last match against Villarreal 1-1, compared to 6 for his Argentine counterpart Diego Simeone, who made captain Koke start in his 554th match in the Rojiblancos shirt in various competitions, He entered the club’s history as it became the most contested of matches.
Atlético seemed dangerous from the start, threatening its host’s goal at the beginning with Koke, which was blocked by Moroccan international goalkeeper Yassin Bono (2), and striker Alvaro Morata, who shot over the goal (19), and Saul Negues, who found the goalkeeper on the lookout (26), before “Rojiblancos” opened the scoring. After a pass from Koke to Marcos Llorente, who controlled the ball and shot it crawling to the right of Bono (29).
It is Llorente’s first goal with Atletico in 51 games in various competitions, specifically since May 2021, in his worst series with his team.
Atlético doubled the score at the start of the second half through Morata after a group game and header from Brazilian Mateos Konya that reached the international striker, who controlled the ball and entered the penalty area and was single and shot with a wonderful drop with his right foot (57), in his fourth La Liga goal this season, before To be replaced by Frenchman Antoine Griezmann.
Among the rare opportunities for Seville, the Slovenian guest goalkeeper Jan Oblak starred in front of the Argentine’s shot by Eric Lamela (69), and then in front of the header of Moroccan substitute Youssef Al-Nusairi (76).
Valladolid defeated its host Getafe 3-2.
© 2022 AFP