Good day
Barcelona
Another slightly flat, unsatisfactory performance from Barça in the 3-1 win against AlmerÃÂa, but it didnâÂÂt need to be a particularly pumped up one considering two away trips to Ukraine and the Realm of Mordor are to come over the next few days.
Leo Messi
Lilâ Leo has now scored 47 goals this season in all competitions equalling the Camp Nou record of the Real Ronaldo from the 1996-97 season.
Kaká
Kaká seems like such a nice, decent fella that it has often broken the blogâÂÂs delicate little heart over the past 18 months to make childish, mean-spirited jokes about the Brazilian being a waste of money and only getting his mojo into gear when there is an international tournament for Brazil on the horizon. Like the Copa América, for example, which is just around the corner and coincides with a very sudden and surprising return for the Madrid player.
The forward appeared in the squad for last weekâÂÂs Spurs clash and even set up RonaldoâÂÂs goal. Kaká started SaturdayâÂÂs win at Athletic in place of Mesut ÃÂzil and was given the responsibility of taking both penalties despite icy stares of death from the bench-squatting and Pichichi-chasing Ronaldo.
Roberto Soldado
LLLâÂÂs claim that the Valencia striker, deep down, isnâÂÂt much cop appears thinner than Pep GuardiolaâÂÂs scalp by the day. Soldado followed up his four goals against Getafe last weekend with two more in a thriller of a performance for Valencia against Villarreal and a 5-0 stuffing.
The blogâÂÂs concern now is the physical state of Mrs Soldado with her hubby revealing in February that âÂÂwhen I score my body demands satisfaction afterwardsâÂÂ. LLL imagines there are smiles and funny walks all round.
Villarreal
The blog is going to be soft, gentle and all with the cooing and stroking with Villarreal after their 5-0 drubbing by Valencia. The combination of a make-shift defence playing very badly, some tired Europa-League focussed legs in the visitors ranks and an excellent performance from the Valencia forward line all account for a very bad day at the office indeed for the Yellow Submarine.
Atlético Madrid
A creative midfield hub of Mario Suárez and Tiago and the sulking gloom-monster, Diego Forlán, being left on the bench again gave Atleti a spring in their step on Sunday in a 3-0 win against Real Sociedad in one of the best performances LLL has seen from the Rojiblancos for some time.
The way of the world in the Spanish capital is that two defeats for Atleti heralds the end of the world at the Vicente Calderón, but a couple of victories brings about the brightest of futures. This sees AS claiming that Atlético are being lead by âÂÂa Champions League Kun Agüeroâ after the captainâÂÂs single strike helped move the Rojiblancos to within nine points off Villarreal in fourth. Which is still quite a long way away really.
Michael Laudrup
Mallorca, a team that La Liga Loca wisely tipped for relegation, are now arguably just another victory away from survival after picking up a point against Sevilla, on Saturday night. ItâÂÂs a sturdy campaign that surely puts their Danish boss onto the blogâÂÂs much coveted manager of the year shortlist.
Levante
Despite the absence of a whole bunch of first teamers, Levante still donâÂÂt know when they are beaten and popped up with a late equaliser against Racing to give them a point. Just one defeat for Levante since the end of January, and that was in the Santiago Bernabeu. Marvelous.
Sporting
âÂÂThe party carries onâ claims Marca after Sporting followed their 1-0 away win against Madrid with a home victory over Osasuna by the same score-line when David Barral pounced on a mix-up between Ricardo and Lolo for the only goal of the game. Deportivo
A goalless draw is always a good day in DeportivoâÂÂs world. The 0-0 against Málaga was the clubâÂÂs seventh in la Primera this season. Which is nearly a quarter of the Galician sideâÂÂs games.
Bad Day
Gregorio Manzano
A frosty reception for poor Gregors as he lead his Sevilla side out against former club Mallorca in the Balearics - a charming way to greet a coach who lead a near bankrupt club into fifth last season but walked away over the summer after disputes that are still ongoing over a reported failure to pay wages and bonuses.
Gorka Iraizoz
The Athletic keeper was guilty of a foul that was so blatant and heinous on Angel Di MarÃÂa in the eleventh minute that the Argentine didnâÂÂt even have to attempt a dive. The winger made up for that in second half though with a double salchow to win MadridâÂÂs second spot-kick of the game and keep up the penalty count that Marca and AS have demanding of late.
Diego Forlán
A half-hearted, training ground, âÂÂmeh-whateverâ shot over the bar in the final minutes of the game sums up ForlánâÂÂs current rock-bottom mood these days.
Real Sociedad
La Real boss, Martin Lasarte, looked a worried manager at the weekend - as well he might, considering his Basque side only bothered playing for 15 minutes of SundayâÂÂs 3-0 defeat at Atlético. The season-ending injury Joseba Llorente suffered back in February is now looking very costly indeed, with la Real now on a run of five straight defeats and getting sucked into the relegation battle.
âÂÂAt first, we thought that it was just a question of bad luck but now we can see that we are not playing well and our confidence is lacking,â admitted Lasarte after the defeat.
Hércules, Málaga
Two home games against beatable opponents in Espanyol and Deportivo respectively but two goalless draws for the sides currently second and third from bottom of the table.
AlmerÃÂa
Five wins from the final seven games are probably needed by AlmerÃÂa to survive in la Primera. ThatâÂÂs not a optimistic figure as five wins is all that the bottom-of-the-table team have managed in their first 31 games.
