Real Madrid regained top spot in La Liga on Saturday night after a goalless derby with Atletico that saw them move above surprise package Granada and maintain their small lead over a crowded chasing pack.
Unbeaten Real are a point ahead of promoted Granada and Atletico Madrid after Diego Simeone’s side failed to break down their well-drilled local rivals, whose disciplined performance at the Wanda Metropolitano was deserving of at least the point they gained.
Real are a further point ahead of fourth-placed Barcelona, who won a hard-fought clash at Getafe 2-0 thanks to goals from Luis Suarez and Junior, and Real Sociedad, who can themselves go top if they beat a Sevilla side, late last night down in eighth, but just five points behind Zidane’s leaders.
On a night of few clear-cut chances Atletico probably had the best opportunities but failed to test Thibaut Courtois in the Real goal, while the away side drew a couple of fine saves from Jan Oblak on their forays forward. The best came 15 minutes from the end, when the Slovenian stopper got down brilliantly to his left to palm away Karim Benzema’s powerful header from a Nacho cross. Just seconds before Atletico had come to within inches of opening the scoring when Saul Niguez met a corner with a header that flashed just past the upright.
Granada had moved temporarily top of La Liga before the derby after Antonio Puertas’ first-half strike saw them squeeze past rock-bottom Leganes. Puertas crashed his long-range winner into an empty net after Juan Soriano had come charging out of his goal to close down Roberto Soldado just before the half-hour mark.
A remarkable counter-attack goal launched by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and finished off by Luis Suarez put Barcelona on their way four minutes before the break at Getafe, and Junior’s tap-in shortly after the restart made sure of Barca’s first away win since April. The win was Barca’s second in a week as they attempt to recover from an miserable start that led to questions surrounding Valverde’s future.
Athletic Bilbao lost for the first time this season at home to crisis club Valencia, who bagged their second win of the season thanks to Denis Cheryshev’s 27th minute strike.

Eibar beat Celta,
Valladolid topple Espanyol
Yesterday, Eibar earned a comfortable 2-0 win over Celta Vigo, while Real Valladolid won at 10-man Espanyol by the same scoreline. Second-half strikes by Edu Exposito and Fabian Orellana saw Eibar rise provisionally to 11th, while Iago Aspas missed a late penalty for Celta, 16th.
Espanyol are 18th with five points from seven games after meekly tumbling against Valladolid, leaving coach David Gallego in danger. Michel opened the scoring from the penalty spot for the visitors, 10th, with Espanyol seeing Fernando Calero dismissed in the second half before Oscar Plano netted the second.

Spanish La Liga results
Espanyol 0 Real Valladolid 2 (Michel 25-pen, Plano 90+4); Eibar 2 (Exposito 47, Orellana 60) Celta Vigo 0; Alaves 2 (Lucas 76-pen, Joselu 86) Real Mallorca 0; Levante 1 (Hernani 5) Osasuna 1 (Ruben Garcia 57)
Played Saturday: Granada 1 (Puertas 28) Leganes 0 Getafe 0 Barcelona 2 (Luis Suarez 41, Junior 49); Athletic Bilbao 0 Valencia 1 (Cheryshev 27); Atletico Madrid 0 Real Madrid 0