FC Barcelone won 4-2 against Celta Vigo in La Liga
Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick for Barcelona
Real Madrid drew 0-0 away to Rayo Vallecano
Barcelona cut the gap at top against Real Madrid to three points
Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick for FC Barcelona, significantly reducing the Spanish La Liga points deficit on table-toppers Real Madrid.
Barcelona secured a 4-2 victory against Celta Vigo on Matchday 12, advancing the Catalan club within three points of the league leaders. Earlier, Real Madrid drew 0-0 with Rayo Vallecano, marking their second consecutive setback after a UEFA Champions League loss.
Barcelona's Dominant Attack At Vigo
Lewandowski's hat-trick powered Barcelona to a win over Celta Vigo. Lamine Yamal also extended the visitors' lead in first-half stoppage time, further contributing to the Catalan side's win. Barcelona's triumph moved them closer to the top spot in the Spanish La Liga standings.
The team’s robust offensive performance proved vital, even as they faced defensive challenges – Barcelona had conceded 16 goals in its last eight matches and had not kept a clean sheet since September. The attack delivered on the road to secure the win, halting Celta's five-game winning streak across all competitions.
Vigo witnessed a frantic first half, where Celta twice levelled the score after Lewandowski's goals. Lewandowski then secured the victory in the 73rd minute. The striker, who had missed playing time this season due to injury, had not scored for Barcelona since a September league win against Real Sociedad.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick observed, "We made some mistakes, but we did much better in the second half, with more control of the ball and the game, and we defended much better." Lewandowski commented, "In the end, we are very happy because we won a very difficult game. Here, it's always difficult to play."
Sergio Carreira and Borja Iglesias scored for Celta. Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong received a second yellow card, resulting in his sending off during second-half stoppage time.
Real Madrid Falter Against Rayo Vallecano
Real Madrid's attack struggled to find the net, with Rayo Vallecano holding them to a 0-0 draw. Madrid had scored in every match this season until their 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on Tuesday, and this draw represents their second consecutive setback.
"We know where we are," Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso said. "You have to know how to balance the good times and the bad times. It's a long season. The demands are huge, but we can cope with them and we're preparing for them."
Madrid had won 13 of its 15 games across all competitions this season, with their only defeats coming against Liverpool and in a 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league in September. Alonso articulated his team's "one game at a time" philosophy.
"After the Anfield game, which is now behind us, today was one of those games that is a bit difficult to bring us back to the level we want to be in. In the second half, anything could have happened. I don't put it down to emotional peaks," he said. "We want to be very stable in our preparation and in our mentality, because we know that the league is about taking it one game at a time."
Alonso's primary focus involves ensuring his team continues improving and engages in "positive self-reflection". He concluded, "This is Madrid and we all know where we are. It's still November, there's a long way to go. We have to be demanding of ourselves and also prudent."
Rayo, positioned 12th in the league, had previously lost 4-0 at Villarreal in their last league game but arrived at this match following consecutive victories in the UEFA Europa League and the Copa del Rey.
Other La Liga Results Update
Villarreal secured a 2-0 victory at Espanyol on Saturday, marking their third consecutive league win. They maintain third place, five points adrift of Madrid. Atletico Madrid defeated Levante 3-1 at home on Saturday, sitting in fourth place, six points behind the leaders.
Seventh-placed Athletic Bilbao ended their three-game losing streak across all competitions with a 1-0 win against Oviedo. Nico Williams scored in the 25th minute, deftly bypassing three defenders with a run down the left flank before striking the ball into the net from a difficult angle.
Last-placed Oviedo extended their winless streak to six matches across all competitions. Vedat Muriqi scored a first-half goal as Mallorca defeated eighth-placed Getafe 1-0 at home.
Valencia's winless run in the league reached seven games after they drew 1-1 at home with fifth-placed Real Betis. Valencia, in 17th place, equalised with a goal from Luis Rioja in the 82nd minute.
(With AP Inputs)
