Mason Greenwood nodded his third assist for Getafe so far this season on Monday night to help the team beat Cadiz 1-0 in the last game of matchday 12.
It was a rare old weekend before that with Jude Bellingham for once not saving Real Madrid with a late goal, allowing Girona to go top.
Barcelona got the three points in part thanks to Xavi losing his temper at half time.
And Iago Aspas lost his cool too, with the VAR monitor after it helped deny Rafa Benitez’s Celta what would have been only their second win of the season.
Here are 10 things we learned.
It was a rare weekend where Jude Bellingham did not score for Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano
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Mason stays on to give Getafe win
Greenwood flicked on Luis Milla’s near post corner and Borja Mayoral headed it in to give Pepe Bordalas’ team a 1-0 win. They were down to 10-men after the first half sending off of Djene.
Getafe are the most carded team in LaLiga and previously Greenwood has been sacrificed when they have gone down to 10-men. But he looks at full fitness now and, playing 85 minutes, he stayed on the pitch to set-up that 76th-minute winner.
Mason Greenwood nodded his third assist for 10-man Getafe to help the team beat Cadiz 1-0
Rayo Vallecano don’t often keep a clean sheet at the Bernabeu
To put that another way: Rayo have only ever kept one clean sheet at the Bernabeu and that was back in 2000 when former Spain and Wolves coach Julen Lopetegui was in goal for them. That game also ended 0-0.
Aspas’ rage against the machine
‘I made a mistake, that’s not the example I want to set,’ said Iago Aspas when he apologised for knocking over the VAR monitor.
His outburst came after a penalty awarded for a foul on Anastasios Douvikas in the 97th minute with the score at 1-1 and Celta looking for only their second win of the season, was ruled out by the video assistant referee.
Iago Aspas threw the VAR monitor during Celta Vigo’s 1-1 draw with Sevilla on Saturday night
The Celta Vigo captain painted a frustrated figure after a late VAR call overturned a penalty
Villareal’s post-Emery free-fall continues
They have only won once at home all season and they were 3-0 down in half an hour on Sunday against Athletic Club.
They have already sacked one coach this season and now current manager Pacheta is looking nervously over his shoulder as the next international break looms. Before that he’s got Atletico Madrid away – not the ideal fixture to save yourself.
The curse of the new contract
Usually the dip in form comes after the big deal is signed. Diego Simeone spent last week finalising his new contract with Atletico Madrid and sure enough they were beaten 2-1 by lowly Las Palmas on Friday night.
It’s a three-year extension that ought to keep him at the club until 2027 and will considerably lower his £34.7million gross a season deal that has made him the highest paid coach for so long.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid lost 2-1 on Friday – the week he spent finalising a new deal
No stopping the Girona goal machine
They have now scored 29 goals this season, that’s more than any other side. Artem Dovbyk has scored six of those goals and managed four assists in 12 games since arriving for just £7m from Dnipro. No team is more fun to watch.
Lewandowski snub was not what it seemed
It appeared that Xavi embraced everyone as they came off the pitch at the Reale Arena, waiting for his players by the visitors dressing room, but that for some reason Lewandowski did not high five, hug or even appear to look at his manager.
There was an explanation, he had just been pulled for the post match doping test and had his hands full with relevant form and plastic receptacle.
Xavi’s hairdryer worked just about
It’s not really Xavi’s style to get the veins up in his neck, eyes popping out of his head, red with rage, tea-cups flying. But something certainly happened in the Barcelona dressing room at half-time against Real Sociedad.
‘I asked if anyone was tired, that we needed more intensity.’ He called the first half unacceptable after the game, relieved that the second half was better and the three points were won with Barcelona’s last attack.
Barcelona got the three points in part thanks to Xavi losing his temper at half time
Joao the two power of two fading
Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo were dynamite when they first arrived but the Portuguese pair have been more like damp fireworks in recent weeks.
For the second game running both were subbed in the second half as Barcelona looked for goals. In fairness to Cancelo, he was doing fine at right back and the dip has coincided with him being moved to right wing.
Vini’s fighting talk didn’t fluster Dimitrievski
Cameras caught Vinicius saying words to the effect of ‘see you outside’ to Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.
‘If I had seen him in the dressing room I would have given him a hug because this is football,’ said the Dimitrievski after the game. Vinicius would maybe disagree regarding the Rayo keeper throwing himself down to get the Brazilian being sent off being ‘football’.
Cameras caught Vinicius saying words to the effect of ‘see you outside’ to Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski