Top four all win in la Liga ahead of international break

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Real Madrid were able to put a dreadful week behind them and go into the international break on a positive note as they defeated struggling Las Palmas 3-0 in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday night.

Madrid went into the game under pressure and amid talk of crisis after defeats to Girona and Tottenham Hotspur, but their problems were nothing compared to their rivals, who had lost their five previous matches.

Real Madrid made hard work of the first half, but opened the scoring with Casemiro four minutes before halftime.

Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio celebrates scoring their second goal with Marcelo. /Reuters Photo

Marco Asensio doubled their lead 11 minutes after the break and Isco scored the last goal of the night in the 74th minute to keep Madrid third in the table.

Saturday saw Barcelona and Valencia continue their winning runs in first and second place with Barcelona claiming their 10th win in 11 games while Valencia took their seventh consecutive victory.

Paco Alcacer went from being Barca's forgotten man to the hero of the night as he scored the two goals that gave his side a 2-1 win over Sevilla.

Alcacer repaid Ernesto Valverde's faith with a goal in each half, showing the poaching ability he developed at Valencia to get behind the Sevilla defense and produce two goals.

Guido Pizarro's header had brought Sevilla onto level terms, but Barca were able to hold on for a win with few problems.

Barcelona’s Paco Alcacer scores their first goal. /Reuters Photo

Valencia gave the impression of being in complete control as they defeated Leganes 3-0 in the Mestalla Stadium.

Dani Parejo's clever free kick – sent under the defensive wall – put Valencia ahead in the 14th minute and they made the game safe in the second half with a headed goal from Rodrigo Moreno and a late penalty from Santi Mina.

Atletico Madrid needed a late free kick from Thomas Partey to win away to Deportivo la Coruna, although the midfielder's goal failed to disguise another poor display in which the disappointing Antoine Griezmann was replaced by defender Jose Gimenez with 10 minutes to play.

Girona claimed their third successive triumph with a thoroughly deserved win away to Levante, who have not won in 6 matches.

Borja opened the scoring in a game between two recently promoted sides with a powerful shot, and Cristian Stuani sealed the points with his sixth goal of the campaign following a counter-attack.

Deportivo's Luisinho in action with Atletico Madrid's Thomas. /Reuters Photo

Christian Santos needed less than a minute to score the goal which gave Deportivo Alaves their first home win of the season as they beat Espanyol, who have yet to win away from home, 1-0 in Vitoria.

That victory lifted Alaves above Malaga, who, after last weekend's win – their first of the season – lost in a 2-0 defeat away to an on-form Villarreal, who took all three points thanks to two second-half goals from Nicola Sansone.

Elsewhere three goals in 26 minutes were enough to give Celta Vigo a 3-1 win at home to Athletic Club Blibao.

Sergio Gomez put the home side ahead after 16 minutes, before Iago Aspas secured the points with strikes in the 22nd and 26th minutes. Raul Garcia scored a consolation for the visitors, whose coach, Jose Angel Ziganda, is in real danger of losing his job.

Real Sociedad won the Basque derby at home to Eibar thanks to goals from Willian Jose, Mikel Oyarzabal and Adnan Januzaj, while Joan Jordan netted for the visitors.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency