Celta Vigo scored twice in the second half to beat Sevilla 2-0 on Friday, giving the promoted club its third straight home win at Balaidos stadium.
After having Celta’s best chances early on, Iago Aspas scored a 60th minute penalty after Sevilla midfielder Hedwiges Maduro blocked the striker’s free kick with his arm inside the box. It was Aspas’ third goal in seven league games.
Celta’s second-choice goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez tipped Alvaro Negredo’s header over the bar in the 76th to protect the lead before Enrique de Lucas scored with a header five minutes from time.
Photo: AFP
Sevilla forward Juan Antonio Reyes saw his first action as a second-half substitute after missing four games with a shoulder injury, but he could do nothing to prevent his team’s second straight loss.
“We needed the win,” De Lucas said. “We are playing poorly away but well at home. We hope that this victory can give us some momentum to carry forward.”
League leaders Barcelona host bitter rivals Real Madrid today, looking to add to their eight-point lead over the defending champs, while second-place Atletico Madrid play third-place Malaga.
Also today, it’s: Levante vs Valencia, Mallorca vs Granada, and Athletic Bilbao vs Osasuna.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
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