Good Day
Barcelona
Now that was just dog-darn purty football. Poor AlmerÃÂa didnâÂÂt stand a burgerâÂÂs chance in ManicheâÂÂs fridge in a first half 5-0 pummelling where they were befuddled and bewildered by BarçaâÂÂs constant three-pronged poking.
The most important task for the Laporta / Pep double act now is to manage the overexcited expectations of the local press. But it isnâÂÂt going to be easy as Mundo Deportivo and Sport appear to be whipping themselves into a football frenzy - literally, in one writerâÂÂs case.
âÂÂIt was a 45 minute orgy of goals... a footballing orgasm,â gushed Josep Gonzalez in MondayâÂÂs edition of Sport - a paper that boasted of âÂÂa Champion Team,â on its front cover.
âÂÂFrom our own experience, we cannot trust ourselves,â said the Barcelona president on Sunday, in a vain attempt to dampen down the hysteria. âÂÂThereâÂÂs nothing to celebrate as weâÂÂve won nothing,â continued Laporta.
First-half goal-splurge blows away Almeria
Málaga, Numancia, Sporting
Nine points from nine for the three Primera new boys with Málaga the sensational star performers. Antonio TapiaâÂÂs Titans have now won four in a row and kicked off their fearsome foursome run with an impressive 1-0 away win at Sevilla.
Unai Emery
The 1-1 draw with a rubbish Recreativo was not the result that would have brought a smile to the Valencia managerâÂÂs face - not the easiest things to do at the best of times - but the priceless point keeps Valencia at the top of the Primera pile and sees them making their best start to a season, ever, ever, ever.
Gonzalo HiguaÃÂn
Now, La Liga Loca is not sure if it had slipped into an alternate dimension on Sunday night - itâÂÂs possible, as it genuinely saw a zombie on the way to the stadium - but there was something resembling an atmosphere in the Bernabeu against Athletic.
The visit of the Basques always brings out the best behaviour from the home fans, especially the Ultras who get their chance to wave Spanish flags and sing âÂÂViva Españaâ every now again.
All over the ground, there was all manner of unmentionable slurs and signs being hurled in the travelling fans direction - fans that were more than happy to hold their own and give some back.
A corker of a match has been overshadowed by another refereeing controversy with quite a hullaballoo over red cards / penalties / and offside decisions.
Like a owl with a sore throat, La Liga Loca couldnâÂÂt give two hoots about any of it (and it hasnâÂÂt seen any replays thanks to getting home from a football game at frackinâ midnight), but encourages the blogâÂÂs ever reliable readership to let loose.
Another Tim Westwood style Big-Up must go to Gonzalo HiguaÃÂn. Under pressure, the Argentine is as cool as cucumber. But when nothing really matters, the Madrid striker is prone to to skying the ball into the stands with gay abandon.
If he could work on this delicate defect he could make David Villa look like Arizmendi. Maybe.
Getafe, Mallorca
A first home win for Getafe and a 3-0 trouncing of Espanyol by Mallorca sees this pair in 7th and 8th. How, really is anyoneâÂÂs guess.
Simao
When La Liga Loca left its penthouse to head north to the Bernabeu, Atlético Madrid were 2-0 up and looking quite comfortable. When it arrived in Castle Greyskull, the rojiblancos had, like Chelsy Davy, been royally rogered and were 4-2 down.
At that point, the talk of the town was whether this would lead to Javier AguirreâÂÂs sacking despite Enrique CerezoâÂÂs pre-match promise that the Mexican managerâÂÂs job was safe.
But, Simao ruined all the footballing fun with his fourth goal of the week and an assist to make it honours even on the night and a sigh of relief from his boss that could be felt as far as Florida.
Goal-hungry Simao makes it four in a week for Atlético
âÂÂWhen we were dead, and they were walking about playing their fancy stuff, we discovered the pride that allowed us to draw the match,â grinned Aguirre.
âÂÂIâÂÂm not sufficiently intelligent to order and analyse this absolute madness,â confessed Iñaki DÃÂaz-Guerra in AS. And nor is La Liga Loca.
Real Betis
And a big yay for Betis with their second win a row. The first time the southern side has managed such a sparkling run since giving Celta and Nastic a thrashing theyâÂÂll never forget back in the 2006/07 season.
Bad Day
Pedja Mijatovic
La Liga Loca switched on its mobile this morning to find a ranting and raving voicemail message from an irate Athletic Bilbao fan, complaining about an anti-Basque campaign by the Lords of La Liga. However, this has become an annual event.
But he was not alone in his stewing. Pedja Mijatovic is convinced that âÂÂsomeone doesnâÂÂt want us to win a third league title,â whilst the Athletic coach, JoaquÃÂn Caparrós was advising the Madrid sporting director to âÂÂworry about Barcelona, not the referees.âÂÂ
For once, La Liga Loca is going to give Marca a pat on the back. Not for giving Michel Salgado nine out of 10 in their weekend wonders column and David Villa five, but for Roberto PalomerâÂÂs fine back page response to the loonies of La Liga.
âÂÂReal Madrid should be sponsored by Kleenex,â says the Marca man due to all the whining and crying they have been doing recently. âÂÂPathetic,â he concludes. âÂÂThe referee was bad. Nothing more, nothing less. He was bad for both of them.âÂÂ
Sevilla
âÂÂOw... ow... ow... ow... ow... ow.â ThatâÂÂs the sound of Sevilla boss Manolo Jiménez kicking himself - and Adriano - repeatedly in the shins after losing 1-0 at home to Malaga. âÂÂOw... ow... ow... ow... ow.âÂÂ
Sergio Ramos
Poor old Sergio was âÂÂrestedâ against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night, a handy break that coincided with his complaint that he was not enjoying his football these days.
Ramos was quite right to speak out. For a wee while now the press in Spain have been fairly critical of his performances. The defender merely wanted to explain that the continued lack of a right midfielder leaves him over-exposed and open to looking like a bit of a prong.
Rested Ramos puts his feet up... literally
âÂÂWhat cannot happen is that you attack, go forward and then defend against the other team,â complained Sergio.
His relegation / rotation to the bench was âÂÂa punishment which only served to strengthen the vanity of the manager,â writes Santiago Segurola in MondayâÂÂs Marca.
Osasuna, Racing
More worries for these two relegation rivals with defeat to Betis and Numancia. Racing are in a marginally better position with the club already having been put through the Sevilla, Barca, Madrid, Villarreal wringer.
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