Real Madrid held again in Spain, Atlético wins 6th straight

Real Madrid’s struggles in the Spanish league continued in a 2-1 home loss to Alavés on Saturday.

Lucas Pérez scored in the first half and Joselu in the second after a blunder by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois as mid-table Alavés handed Madrid its third straight setback in the league, leaving it in fourth place, six points off the lead.

Casemiro scored Madrid's lone goal in the 86th.

Real Madrid's Mariano Diaz, top, -heads for the ball with Alaves' Rodrigo Battaglia during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

Atlético Madrid earlier defeated Valencia 1-0 to tie Real Sociedad on points at the top of the standings.

Madrid also lost Eden Hazard because of an apparent injury in the first half, the latest injury woe for the Belgium forward who was making only his fifth start this season.

The Spanish club defeated Inter Milan in the Champions League midweek but was coming off two consecutive setbacks in the league — a 4-1 loss at Valencia and a 1-1 draw at Villarreal.

Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez, left, is fouled by Alaves' Luis Rioja during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

Alavés had drawn three straight games, including 1-1 with Barcelona at home while playing with 10 men.

Pérez opened the scoring five minutes into the match from the penalty spot after a handball inside the area by Madrid defender Nacho Fernández. Courtois gave away the second goal in the 49th after his pass from the back to Casemiro came out too weak and was intercepted by Joselu, who sent a low shot into the open net from outside the area.

Casemiro pulled Madrid closer late from close range but Alavés held on.

Real Madrid's head coach Zinedine Zidane applauds to his players during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

Madrid's best chance to equalize came when Francisco “Isco” Alarcón's hit the crossbar in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Alavés kept threatening on counterattacks at the empty Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium.

A Diego Maradona jersey was put alongside the Real Madrid reserve players, and a moment of silence was observed before the match as a tribute to the Argentina great who died this week.

Alaves' Lucas Perez, left, celebrates after scoring a penalty kick with his teammates during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

ATLÉTICO'S STREAK

Atlético Madrid defeated Valencia with a late own-goal to extend its winning streak to six matches in the Spanish league.

The own-goal by Valencia defender Toni Lato in the 79th minute left Atlético tied on points with Sociedad with a game in hand. Sociedad hosts third-placed Villarreal on Sunday.

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois fails to stop a penalty kick scored by Alaves' Lucas Perez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

The goal came after the ball hit Lato’s leg following a low cross by Atlético midfielder Yannick Carrasco from the left flank. The ball ricocheted backward and struck the post before going in.

“Luck also plays a role sometimes,” said Carrasco, who came into the match in the second half. “It's always hard to play here, so we are happy to have won the match.”

Atlético is yet to trail in the league and remains the only unbeaten team. It hasn't lost in the league in 25 matches, going back to last season.

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois fails to stop a penalty kick scored by Alaves' Lucas Perez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

Diego Simeone's team has a decisive match against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Simeone was moved by a pre-match tribute to former Argentina teammate Diego Maradona at Mestalla Stadium.

“I believed it was important to say one final goodbye by applauding him,” Simeone said.

Real Madrid and Alaves players observe a minute of silence in memory of soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona before the start of the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves at Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

Valencia dropped to 11th place after failing to beat Atlético for a 12th straight time in the league since 2014.

OTHER RESULTS

Sevilla beat Huesca 1-0 for its fifth victory in a row in all competitions, with Youssef En-Nesyri scoring late. Huesca remains the only winless team in the Spanish league.

Elche and Cádiz drew 1-1 in a match between promoted clubs. Elche opened the scoring through Lucas Boyé in the first half and the visitors equalized through Álvaro Giménez Candela in the second half. Elche played a man down after Boyé was sent off for a second yellow card in first-half stoppage time.

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Barcelona defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 on Thursday to make sure Real Madrid will have to wait at least another week to celebrate the Spanish league title.

Barcelona's away victory reduced its gap to Madrid to 15 points, and it can further cut it to 12 points on Sunday if it defeats Rayo Vallecano at home in a game it has in hand.

Barcelona and Madrid, which won 3-1 at Osasuna on Wednesday, will have five games left. Madrid, trying to clinch its second title in three seasons, doesn’t play this weekend.

Barcelona's plaers celebrate after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

“Madrid was lucky that it took a while for us to join the fight,” Barcelona defender Dani Alves said.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored with a close-range header in the 11th minute to give Barcelona its first win after consecutive home losses against Cádiz in the league and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League. The Catalan club had not lost two straight home games since 2003.

The victory against Sociedad left Barcelona tied on points with Sevilla, which defeated Levante earlier Thursday to stay in position to secure a Champions League place next season. Second place also is important as it guarantees a spot in the Spanish Super Cup.

Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

“We suffered a lot but in the end we got three golden points and stayed in second place,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “It was an important victory even though we didn’t play too well.”

Defending champion Atlético Madrid, which was held to a 0-0 home draw against relegation-threatened Granada on Wednesday, stayed two points behind Barcelona and Sevilla. Fifth-place Real Betis trailed Atlético by four points and was two ahead of Sociedad.

Sociedad has not beaten Barcelona in 12 straight league matches. The Basque Country club hadn't lost in seven consecutive league games at home, all of them with clean sheets.

Barcelona's Dani Alves, left, fights for the ball with Real Sociedad's Diego Rico during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

Barcelona extended its unbeaten streak on the road to 13 league matches, having won five in a row.

Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo left injured early in the second half, and the team's other central defender, Gerard Piqué, appeared to get injured in the first half but stayed until being substituted in the 82nd while being loudly jeered by the Sociedad fans.

Piqué, who also heard some boos every time he touched the ball during the game, has been in the spotlight in recent days after stolen audio leaked to the media exposed a series of conversations between him and Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales talking about behind-the-scenes negotiations on several issues.

Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, left, vies for the ball with Real Sociedad's Igor Zubeldia during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

SEVILLA RECOVERS

Sevilla improved its chances of making it to the Champions League with a 3-2 win at second-to-last-place Levante.

Jesús “Tecatito” Corona scored two first-half goals and Jules Koundé added another after halftime.

Barcelona's Dani Alves reacts during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

Levante captain José Luis Morales had to be comforted by teammates and opponents after the match because of a missed penalty kick that could have equalized the game at 2-2 in the second half. Koundé gave Sevilla a 3-1 lead about 10 minutes later before Roberto Soldado pulled the hosts closer again.

Levante stayed tied with last-place Alavés, six points from safety.

CÁDIZ FALLS AGAIN

Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, left, tries to score next to Real Sociedad's goalkeeper Alex Remiro during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

Cádiz followed up its stunning 1-0 win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou Stadium with a 3-2 home loss against Athletic Bilbao.

The result left Cádiz just outside the relegation zone.

Eighth-place Athletic was up 3-0 by the 33rd. It played a man down from the 71st after Mikel Vesga was sent off.

Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona at the Reale Arena stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Thursday, April 21, 2022. (AP PhotoAlvaro Barrientos)

RELIEF FOR RAYO

Rayo won 1-0 at Espanyol to end a 13-match winless streak in the league and move closer to salvation.

Sergi Guardiola scored in the 42nd to leave the southern Madrid club seven points from the relegation zone in 14th place. Espanyol, sitting in 12th-place, was two points ahead of Rayo.

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