La Liga: Barcelona secures second place with win over Rayo, Villareal scripts thrilling 4-4 draw with Real Madrid

Barcelona took the lead in the third minute when Lamine Yamal cut in from the right wing and chipped the ball to Lewandowski, who expertly controlled the pass with his chest and volleyed home.

Published : May 20, 2024 09:44 IST , BARCELONA - 3 MINS READ

Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Pedri celebrates after scoring with teammates.
Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Pedri celebrates after scoring with teammates. | Photo Credit: AFP
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Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Pedri celebrates after scoring with teammates. | Photo Credit: AFP

Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano 3-0 in their final home game of the season on Sunday to secure second place in LaLiga thanks to an early goal from Robert Lewandowski and a quick-fire double from Pedri.

The result moved Barcelona to 82 points, four points above Girona, who won 3-1 away at Valencia. Champions Real Madrid are 12 points above Barcelona with one more round of games left.

Barcelona took the lead in the third minute when Lamine Yamal cut in from the right wing and chipped the ball to Lewandowski, who expertly controlled the pass with his chest and volleyed home.

Although Rayo had their chances to level, Barcelona doubled their lead with some magical footwork from Joao Felix who saw his shot saved but Pedri managed to score from the rebound to give the home side a two-goal cushion.

Barely three minutes later, Pedri spotted a gap in Rayo’s high defensive line and he was put through on goal with a long ball from centre back Ronald Araujo, allowing the 21-year-old to fire home and double his goal tally for the season.

Barcelona will finish their season away at Sevilla next weekend while Rayo, who are 16th, host Athletic Bilbao.

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Garcia brace helps Osasuna win 4-1 at Atletico

Raul Garcia scored in each half as Osasuna secured their first win at Atletico Madrid since 2009, beating the hosts 4-1 in LaLiga on Sunday and handing them their second home loss of the league campaign.

The visitors scored in the 26th minute when Alejandro Catena headed it down inside the box for Garcia to score. Osasuna doubled their lead in the 52nd minute with Atletico keeper Jan Oblak’s block falling to substitute Aimar Oroz for a close-range finish.

Atletico struck back three minutes later with Alvaro Morata scoring off Angel Correa’s cross from the left. But Garcia restored Osasuna’s two-goal cushion in the 64th minute, before Lucas Torro sealed the victory, hammering home with his right foot in the 88th.

Osasuna’s first win in seven matches lifted them to 11th place in the league with 44 points from 37 matches. Atletico, who have 73 points, will finish fourth after falling five points behind third-placed Girona.

Villarreal’s Sorloth scores four in thrilling 4-4 draw with Real Madrid

Villarreal forward Alexander Sorloth struck four times in 17 minutes to help his side fight back and snatch a 4-4 home draw against champions Real Madrid on Sunday as the Norway international became LaLiga’s top scorer.

Real opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Turkish youngster Arda Guler slotted home a low strike off a Brahim Diaz pass before Joselu doubled the lead with a close-range header on the half-hour mark.

Sorloth pulled one back for Villarreal with a towering header in the 39th minute, but Lucas Vazquez restored Real’s two-goal advantage only a minute later before Guler made it 4-1 in the final seconds of the first half.

But the hosts rallied after the break, with Sorloth scoring three goals in eight minutes, between the 48th and 56th, as he reached 23 league goals this season.

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