Rival watch: FC Barcelona joint leaders after Celta defeat Villarreal

FC Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano coupled with a defeat for Villarreal sees the Catalans end Week 7 of La Liga joint top of the table along with Real Madrid and Celta Vigo.

Villarreal started the week at the summit of the league but ex-Barça man Nolito was again the hero for Celta as the forward snatched a 90th minute winner at El Madrigal after another former blaugrana, Denis Suárez, had levelled for the Yellow Submarine. Defeat for Villarreal means that Celta and Barça leapfrog Villarreal into first position.

Real Madrid made light work of Levante after a routine 3-0 win for Rafa Benitez’s side at the Santiago Bernabeu. Marcelo fired Los Merengues into the lead on 27 minutes before Cristiano Ronaldo added a second just minutes later. Second-half substitute Jese Rodriguez sealed the victory with eight minutes to go to put Madrid alongside Barça and Celta at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, goals from Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco handed Atlético Madrid an important win which moves them up to fourth place away to Real Sociedad.

Barça’s next league match sees them host Eibar on Sunday 25 October and the Basque side will enter the match in positive spirits after José Luis Mendilibar’s men earned a creditable 1-1 draw at home to Sevilla which leaves them in joint sixth place.

CF Villanovense are Barça’s opponents in the Copa del Rey Round of 32 later this month and the side from Extremadura earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over UD Almería B thanks to a penalty from Elías.

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