There was a clear theme of late goals this weekend in La Liga, with 10 scored after the 80th minute. Most of those goals had a direct bearing on the outcome of those games and resulted in late heartbreak for some of the division’s struggling sides as new-boys Huesca and Rayo Vallecano were denied what would have been crucial victories. Here was the best of the action from week 11:
La Liga Match Day 11 Results, Expected Goals & Highlights
Saturday 3rd November 2018
Leganes 1-1 Atletico Madrid (xG 1.35-0.4)
Real Madrid 2-0 Real Valladolid (xG 1.72-1.0)
Valencia 0-1 Girona (xG 2.58-0.38)
Rayo Vallecano 2-3 Barcelona (xG 1.71-1.98)
Sunday 4th November 2018
Eibar 2-1 Alaves (xG 1.21-1.04)
Villarreal 1-1 Levante (xG 1.16-0.94)
Huesca 1-1 Getafe (xG 1.34-0.44)
Real Sociedad 0-0 Sevilla (xG 0.72-0.40)
Real Betis 3-3 Celta Vigo (xG 1.79-1.69)
Monday 5th November 2018
Espanyol 1-0 Athletic Bilbao (xG 1.39-0.45)
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Barca break Rayo hearts in Vallecas
Review Aftermatch Rayo Vallecano-Barcelona (2-3) pic.twitter.com/PUt5ve1qI9
— Boss Barçelona (@bosbarca_) November 4, 2018
Not for the first time this season, Rayo fans were left reflecting on what might have been at the end of a dramatic game in Vallecas. Goals from José Ángel Pozo and Álvaro García put Rayo on the brink of a famous victory over Barcelona. Their excellent performance defied their league position and for long periods the Catalans looked rattled with no real answer to a high-intensity Rayo performance in front of passionate home support.
However there would be no famous victory for Rayo fans to celebrate and in the end there wasn’t even a point. Ousmane Dembele came off the bench to finish brilliantly to claw Barca back onto level terms with just 3 minutes to play. There was still time for Luis Suarez to poke home a winner though as Ernesto Valverde’s men made it four wins out of four since the Leo Messi injury.
A Sunday night cracker at the Benito Villamarin
Final. Betis 3-3 Celta pic.twitter.com/5L8oG5Bq5i
— info_futbol.esp (@futbol_esp) November 4, 2018
The Rayo-Barca game looked destined to go down as the game of the weekend but if anything Celta’s trip to Betis on Sunday evening topped even that for drama. Betis headed into the game as the division’s lowest scorers, in complete contrast to last season when they were always a reliable source for drama and goalmouth action. However 2017/18 Betis were back with a bang this weekend, taking a 2-0 lead against Celta. The Galicians though staged a brilliant 2nd Half comeback, scoring 3 goals in 21 minutes with Maxi Gomez bagging a brace on his return from injury. For the best part of twenty minutes, it was pure end-to-end football with huge gaps at both ends of the pitch as both sides targeted victory. However in the end they had to settle for a point apiece as Sergio Canales curled in a fine late free-kick for Betis to produce a Final Score of 3-3.
Read more – La Liga Match Day 10 Review
Home misery continues for Villarreal & Valencia
#ValenciaGirona FINAL | VALENCIA 0 – 1 GIRONA
¡PITOS Y PAÑUELOS EN MESTALLA! pic.twitter.com/1v41T8T08k
— Carrusel Deportivo (@carrusel) November 3, 2018
These are worrying times in the Valencian community, at least for the region’s two most successful clubs. Valencia endured another miserable weekend and remain on just one win all season in La Liga. They largely bossed their home game against injury-ravaged Girona. Los Che came up against an inspired goalkeeping performance from Moroccan keeper Bono though and ultimately succumbed to a goal from Pere Pons. The result was audible discontent in the stands at the Mestalla, with Valencia languishing in the bottom six, despite some heavy summer expenditure.
They remain a point above Villarreal though. Javi Calleja remains in a job for now but he is under real pressure after a 1-1 draw with Levante, currently the highest ranked of the Valencian sides. Substitute Alfonso Pedraza salvaged a point for the Yellow Submarine in the 93rd minute but like Valencia, they remain without a home win this season.
Match Day 11 in Numbers
- After match-day 11, there are still 5 teams without a home win in La Liga this season.
- Huesca, Rayo Vallecano, Real Sociedad, Villarreal and Valencia all played at home over the weekend and have now a combined record of 28 home games and 0 wins this season.
- There were 10 goals scored in the final 10 minutes this weekend.
- Valencia are now La Liga’s lowest scorers – 7 goals in 11 matches.
- After their late 2-1 defeat at Eibar, the outcome of 4 of Alaves’ last 5 games in all competitions have been decided by goals in the 90th minute or later.
Up Next…
La Liga’s European participants are in continental action this week before the final round of games before the next international break commences on Friday with Levante hosting Real Sociedad. Atletico Madrid host Athletic on Saturday while Barcelona welcome Real Betis to Camp Nou on Sunday. The weekend concludes in Galicia where Real Madrid have a tricky game against Celta Vigo.
Keep tabs on our La Liga match previews for more analysis ahead of the next round of fixtures.
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