Ronaldo ignites Real, Barca cruise

Football | Spain

 

 

Alexis Sanchez struck twice and created a goal for Neymar as Barcelona recovered from conceding early to maintain their perfect La Liga start with a 4-1 win at home to Real Valladolid on Saturday.
An eighth victory in eight games for the champions restored their five-point advantage over arch-rivals Real Madrid who needed a Cristiano Ronaldo goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time to secure a 3-2 victory at Levante earlier.

Atletico Madrid, the only other team with seven wins from their opening seven matches, can join Barca on 24 points at the top of the table with a win at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday (1000 GMT).
Valladolid forward Javi Guerra silenced the Nou Camp when he headed in a corner in the 10th minute but Barca were level four minutes later when Alexis lashed the ball home from just outside the penalty area.
Cristian Tello squared for Xavi to sidefoot the ball in seven minutes after the break before Neymar sent Alexis clear on the right in the 64th minute and he sent a precise shot into the far corner.
The Chilean returned the compliment by setting up Brazil forward Neymar to make it 4-1 six minutes later as Barca, who have also won both Champions League outings this season, continued their impressive form under new coach Gerardo Martino.
The Argentine is the first coach to win his opening eight matches in La Liga while Barca are the first team to start a campaign with eight victories since Real in the late 1980s.
Real are flying in Europe after resounding Champions League victories over Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen but turned in another disappointing domestic performance at Levante following last weekend's 1-0 defeat at home to Atletico.
They twice had to come from behind at Levante's Ciutat de Valencia stadium before Ronaldo rifled a 94th-minute shot from the corner of the area and it glanced off a defender before deflecting into the net off a post.
It was desperately hard on a plucky Levante side and their fans but moved Real back above Villarreal, who won 3-0 at home to Granada on Friday, into third place on 19 points.