Spain

Sizzling Real Sociedad thrashed Celta Vigo 4-1 away from home on Sunday for a fourth consecutive LaLiga victory, which returned them to the top of the standings.

David Silva scored his first goal for Sociedad by heading home midway through the first half, while Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal added the second soon after, following up his own shot which had come off the post. Willian Jose further stretched the visitors' lead early in the second half, tapping in a cross from Cristian Portu, who had chased down Celta defender Jeison Murillo to win the ball back by the penalty area.

VITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain — Barcelona goalkeeper Neto made an embarrassing gaffe as his side were held to a 1-1 draw away to Alaves on Saturday, despite playing the final half an hour with an extra man.

Barca fell behind in the 31st minute after a moment of madness from Brazilian keeper Neto, who clumsily allowed a back pass from Gerard Pique to trickle through his legs towards goal, and Luis Rioja nipped in to nudge the ball into the empty net.

MADRID — Eden Hazard scored his first goal for Real Madrid in over a year and Karim Benzema struck twice as the Spanish champions coasted to a 4-1 win at home to Huesca in La Liga on Saturday.

Making his first start of the campaign after persistent injury problems, Hazard broke the deadlock in the 40th minute with a thunderous strike from outside the area, scoring only his second goal for Madrid since his 2019 move from Chelsea for a joint-club record fee of 100 million euros.

After a long spell in the purgatory that is the Spanish third division, Cadiz CF is flourishing in LaLiga.

The Yellow Submarine is hoping to avoid a repeat of its last spell in the top division, which ended in immediate relegation. Eight games into the 2020-21 campaign, the club has laid itself a solid foundation to prolong its stay this time around. As the Friday games of round eight come to a close, Cadiz sits in second place on 14 points, which would have surprised even the most optimistic of supporters heading into the season. 

MADRID — Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Friday that there is no problem between forwards Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.

Barcelona's 17-year-old midfielder Pedri may not have got on the scoresheet in his side's 2-0 Champions League win over Juventus but the teenager was the unmistakeable star in a victory that gave life to his wounded side and put him on the map.

Given a second start in a row despite looking fazed in Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Real Madrid, Pedri played with ambition and bravery against the Italian champions, driving Barça's play with slick passing and confident dribbling.

After a week in which Karim Benzema's damning opinion of strike partner Vinícius Júnior was unwittingly revealed, Real Madrid's forwards will be hoping to present a united front when they host Huesca in LaLiga on Saturday.

Lionel Messi has yet to score from open play this season, his only three goals coming from the penalty spot. At times his finishing makes it appear as though he could care less about scoring for the club that strong-armed him into staying in Barcelona colors this year.

But the Argentine can still strike the ball like few who have ever played the game. 

João Félix bagged a brace for Atletico Madrid as they survived a scare to complete a 3-2 Champions League Group A victory over Red Bull Salzburg and kick-start their European campaign at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium on Tuesday.

Marcos Llorente had put Atletico ahead in the first half, but goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Mergim Berisha swung the fixture in the favour of the visitors early in the second half.

BARCELONA — Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned from the club on Tuesday ahead of a vote of no confidence that was due to be held next month after some 20,000 fans signed a petition demanding that he step down.

The rest of the board of directors also resigned.

"It's a thought-out, serene, informed decision" to resign, Bartomeu said in a televised speech.