Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

La Liga wrap: Ramos emulates Messi as Real moves up to second

Granada, who are third on 20 points, could leapfrog Real and Barca to return to the top of the table when they visit Getafe on Thursday.

Real Madrid

Bengaluru, October 31: Real Madrid coasted to a 5-0 win at home to basement club Leganes to move up to second in the La Liga standings, a point behind Barcelona who thrashed Real Valladolid 5-1, thanks to a brace from Lionel Messi.

Both Real and Barcelona have played a game less after their 'El Clasico' was rescheduled to December 18.

Granada, who are third on 20 points, could leapfrog Real and Barcelona to return to the top of the table when they visit Getafe on Thursday (October 31).

La Liga results | Points Table | Fixtures

At Santiago Bernabeu, captain Sergio Ramos scored for the 16th La Liga season in a row as he became only the second player after Messi to achieve the feat when he slotted home from the penalty spot at the second time of asking for Real's third goal in the 24th minute.

Ramos on target

Ramos on target

Ramos had initially seen his shot saved but was given a second attempt as a VAR review ruled that Leganes goalkeeper Juan Soriano had strayed off the goalline before diving to parry the ball away.

Real had made a flying start to the game, taking the lead in the seventh minute through 18-year-old Rodrygo Goes and doubling it 60sec later through Toni Kroos.

Jovic scores

Jovic scores

Madrid were awarded a second penalty in the second half but Ramos handed the ball to Karim Benzema and the Frenchman made no mistake to net the fourth goal.

Substitute Luka Jovic had a goal ruled out for off-side after a VAR review but the Serbian finally scored his first goal for the club since signing from Eintracht Frankfurt in June, completing the rout with a header in added time.

Mesmeric Messi

Mesmeric Messi

Earlier, Messi scored another spell-binding free-kick at Camp Nou after his sumptuous pass had already teed up Arturo Vidal for Barcelona's second. He then drove home his second late on before sliding through Luis Suarez to make it five.

Yet in truth his two goals and two assists were just the start of it, the defining moments of another mesmeric all-round performance that was dotted with flicks, passes and dribbles, not to mention two humiliating nutmegs.

Wasteful Atletico

Wasteful Atletico

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid could have done with a drop of Messi's attacking inspiration as they were held to a disappointing draw by Alaves.

Alvaro Morata came off the bench to score his third goal in as many games, but Lucas Perez hit a stunning late equaliser at Menizorrotza to ensure a tight contest between two of La Liga's most stubborn defences ended all square.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Story first published: Thursday, October 31, 2019, 12:45 [IST]
Other articles published on Oct 31, 2019