Karim Benzema scored two goals for Real Madrid in their 3-2 win against Levante – with Eden Hazard also making his La Liga debut. Later on Saturday Barcelona romped to a 5-2 win against Valencia with more magic from 16-year-old Ansu Fati from Guinea-Bissau
At just sixteen years and 304 days, Fati had already become the youngest player in FC Barcelona history to score a league goal – against Osasuna two weeks ago.
The previous youngest La Liga goalscorer in Barcelona’s history was Bojan Krkic, who netted at the age of 17 years and 53 days, while Lionel Messi is now the club’s third-youngest when he first got his name on the scoresheet at 17 years and 331 days – more than a year older than Fati is now.
With Messi still out and watching from the stands on Saturday at Camp Nou, it was left to Fati again to take the plaudits. He scored again in the second minute, before providing the assist for Frenkie de Jong’s 7th minute goal.
The teenager earned his standing ovation from the Camp Nou crowd when he came off after an hour.
‘It’s not usual that on his first touch he scores, and on his second he sets up a goal,’ said Barça coach Ernesto Valverde.
‘To get used to being a Barça player is work for anyone, even more so for a boy so young, but he’s a balanced kid, he strikes me as being at ease.’
Benzema’s goals for Real Madrid came just six minutes apart in the first half at a drenched Santiago Bernabeu, before Casemiro put Real 3-0 up.
However Levante, who had won their previous two outings, made a fight of it in the second half as they pulled goals back through Borja Mayoral and Gonzalo Melero.
‘The second half was more difficult for us, but the overall feeling was positive,’ said coach Zinedine Zidane, whose team had drawn their previous two games.
‘We have got the three points and we were incredible in the first half, the way we played, the goals, the commitment. We just need to stay focused for the full 90 minutes.’
Sevilla now top La Liga, after their 1-0 victory at Alaves.
Atletico Madrid suffered their first defeat of the season when they lost 2-0 at Real Sociedad at the Basque club’s newly refurbished stadium.
La Liga results for the Matchday 4 (of 38) played between 12-14 September
Played Friday 13 September
Mallorca 0 Athletic Bilbao 0
Played Saturday 14 September
Real Madrid 3 Levante 2
Leganes 0 Villarreal 3
Real Sociedad 2 Atletico Madrid 0
Barcelona 5 Valencia 2
Eibar 1 Espanyol 2
Played Sunday 15 September
Alaves 0 Sevilla 1
Celta Vigo 0 Granada 2
Valladolid 1 Osasuna 1
Real Betis 1 Getafe 1
La Liga Table – Monday 16 September 2019
(Played, Won, Drawn, Lost, Goals For/Against, Points)
Sevilla 4 3 1 0 5 1 10
Atletico Madrid 4 3 0 1 5 4 9
Real Madrid 4 2 2 0 9 6 8
Athletic Bilbao 4 2 2 0 4 1 8
Barcelona 4 2 1 1 12 7 7
Granada 4 2 1 1 9 5 7
Real Sociedad 4 2 1 1 4 3 7
Levante 4 2 0 2 6 5 6
Osasuna 4 1 3 0 4 3 6
Villarreal 4 1 2 1 10 8 5
Alaves 4 1 2 1 2 2 5
Valladolid 4 1 2 1 4 5 5
Valencia 4 1 1 2 5 7 4
Mallorca 4 1 1 2 2 4 4
Real Betis 4 1 1 2 6 9 4
Celta Vigo 4 1 1 2 3 6 4
Espanyol 4 1 1 2 2 5 4
Getafe 4 0 3 1 2 3 3
Eibar 4 0 1 3 4 7 1
Leganes 4 0 0 4 1 7 0
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