A compilation of some of the most interesting La Liga stories of the week, we go through the good, the bad and the good.
Good – Piece of Sarabian night
Before Sunday night, Rayo Vallecano had scored just 16 goals in 16 games, and even after that, they still have the best defensive record of anyone under 7. That’s why Elche’s 4-0 demolition of Rayo at the rain-soaked Martinez Valero was a fitting dessert to their first half of the campaign. Hector Fort, who showed all the talent of a young Santi Cazorla when he opened the scoring, has changed his style under Eder Sarabia, and his goal contains all the hallmarks of Elche, their fans can mention when explaining their early success.
It’s a very good table for an Elche fan to admire at Christmas, who sit in 9th place with 22 points, seven points adrift. Fort’s slow introduction this season has been typical of any number of players who have been slow to arrive at Elche, and they got plenty of guidance from a frustrated Eder Sarabia on the phone. Second, a reminder of the belief that goes along. When Pedro Bigas was lost at the age of 33 with this Elche side, it would be natural for him to doubt that he would ever taste Primera football again.
https://twitter.com/elchecf/status/2003468816177824096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Petting the ball from behind, the old dog has been absurdly applauded by Martinez Valero for his new tricks all season. Opening the track for Elche to close out the game, Bigas burst through the middle of the pitch from the centre-back, controlling a pass in a well-run area, rounding Augusto Batalla and then another save, Alvaro Rodriguez, to finish. Bigas, 35, is playing the best football of his career, making the most of his talents. After three minutes, Rayo was washed away. Arguably the most organized press in La Liga was always the second slowest, as Elche swept the ball up and down the pitch, just five passes left German Valera with an open goal after winning it back near the edge of their box. Elche felt the passes and the timing, never rushed, never selfish. Their biggest and most impressive win, finishing 2026 with flying Elche.
Bad – A disaster that shouldn’t be a trademark
Twice in two weeks, Real Sociedad led at half-time against a team in the playoffs. Two times, they will continue to give up easy opportunities to double that lead. Still, La Real were comfortable, in control of the game, and on course for three points. At least against Girona, Viktor Tsygankov had to come up with two goals of excellent quality. Levante’s stoppage time penalty, from a badly defended corner, began to feel a slow explosion, where sadly, our protagonist happily does not know the urgency of the situation, or the results.
Fortunately, La Real is not dead. But new boss Pellegrino Matarazzo has plenty of Bee Gees to listen to if he wants to save this side. Txuri-Urdin lie just two points from the drop, and have lost three of their last four Liga games; they came back from two points down to draw level with Villarreal, before conceding a goal from Alberto Moleiro, seven minutes later. Be it attitude, quality or strategy, this side always falls short in some way, despite having a squad full of good players. ‘We made fools of ourselves’, said Igor Zubeldia after their loss to Girona. Fool us once, Txuri-Urdin…
The good – Oblaktopus is an incredibly intelligent creature
Chances are this section will be home to many beautiful goals scored, stroked and sliced - with apologies to Carlos Romero this week. How many players walk the volley from 25 yards? Our heart has been pulled by Don Jan Oblak – known to his goalkeepers as Oblaktopus – but this week.
https://twitter.com/Atleti/status/2002739491077865768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
When the ball came back to Axel Witsel, he didn’t react to what could have been Oblak’s tap down. The only possible reason is that when he hit the ball that was placed near the line, he didn’t think it might come back his way. In less than a second, the Slovenian giant turned his back to hit a perfect foot and reach behind to somehow get the ball out of the net before it crossed the goal line, saving the great hero. It kept Atetico level, but that was an inexplicable part of the movement that deserved a big stage, flashing lights, a magic hat and 52 camera angles. Koke Resurreccion scored a fine goal, but Oblak’s save was the highlight of Atletico’s 3-0 win. Somewhere, an Atletico Madrid fan decided ‘I want to be a goalkeeper’, like Oblak.