Every Day Is Zlatan Day

Happy international break!!!1!

The table:

Results: 

Celta Vigo 3-3 Girona. Celta striker Maxi Gomez has been awesome since his arrival from Uruguay’s Defensor this summer, but his side have won just one of the four games he’s scored in. Big point for Girona away, as they calmed down a game that was 2-2 inside 20 minutes.

Deportivo La Coruña 2-1 Getafe. Atlético loanee Amath scored a peach of a goal for Getafe, but Depor struck twice in the final 25 minutes to get a much-needed win. Lucas Pérez scored his first since returning to LaLiga last month, and the criminally underrated Florin Andone netted the winner on 87 minutes.

Sevilla 2-0 Málaga. I don’t get Sevilla. They’re playing poorly. Eduardo Berizzo has yet to settle on a reliable XI or a reliable formation. And yet…two goals in two minutes from summer signings Éver Banega and Luis Muriel lifted them to second.

Levante 0-2 Alavés. Alavés notch win #1 under new manager Gianni De Biasi, late of the Albanian national team. Levante missed badly the presence of midfield destroyer Jefferson Lerma.

Leganés 0-0 Atlético Madrid. The less said about this one, the better.

*GAME AND GOAL OF THE WEEKEND ALERT*

Real Sociedad 4-4 Real Betis. So this was the midday match Sunday, which meant it aired at 3 a.m. Arizona time. Naturally. Each goal in this match was answered within 15 minutes. Big takeaways: Joaquín and Xabi Prieto still have it, Betis look like they have another midfield star in Fabián Ruiz (two assists), while La Real right back Álvaro Odriozola laid on another assist and just got his first call up to the Spanish national team. Speaking of Real Sociedad, they’ve conceded the most goals in the division but only Barça have scored more. Watch them.

Tough call between this and Daniel Wass’ free kick, but Sergio León’s goal from this match is my goal of the weekend. Tight, close, powerful finish.

Barcelona 3-0 Las Palmas. Barça handled Pako Ayestarán’s Las Palmas at an empty Camp Nou, as a large crowd on the day of an independence referendum was deemed too dangerous. (But Mariano Rajoy denied it even occurred??) Sergio Busquets scored his first league goal for three years, Lionel Messi scored his first brace for three weeks.

Villarreal 3-0 Eibar. Eibar have been hit for 3+ goals on four separate occasions this season — this time, all from Cedric Bakambu. While their magic appears to be running out, Villarreal may have reclaimed theirs under new boss Javi Calleja. It’s as if playing Pablo Fornals in central midfield is #good.

Valencia 3-2 Athletic Club. Los Che are up to third and developing into one of the league’s best counterattacking sides. Their meteoric rise, summed up in a tweet:

Also, what is the deal with Athletic’s away strip?? No bueno.

Real Madrid 2-0 Espanyol. Isco Disco netted a brace as Madrid got back on track. Cristiano Ronaldo did everything but score. Espanyol haven’t stopped Madrid scoring against them at the Bernabéu since 1978 and looked like scoring about twice. Gross.