Lionel Messi scored two goals and set up two more as Barcelona extended its winning streak and regained the Spanish league lead by comfortably defeating Valladolid 5-1.
Unbeaten Real are a point ahead of promoted Granada and Atletico Madrid after Diego Simeone's side failed to break down their well-drilled local rivals.
Real Madrid climbed to the top of the standings with 14 points from six games, one point and one place ahead of Atletico Madrid, whom they face on Saturday in the derby at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The Argentinian playmaker's withdrawal will be a major concern for Barca, particularly given this was Messi's first start of the season after just recovering from a niggling calf injury sustained at the start of August.
Barcelona Vice President Jordi Cardoner, however, denied the Spanish soccer club was in contact with Neymar amid reports the Brazil striker wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain.
Real did not reveal the fee but Spanish media reports said they have agreed to pay Chelsea $114 million for the Belgium international, who was set to become a free agent in June 2020.
Reyes, who shot to fame at Sevilla before a switch to Arsenal followed by spells at Real and Atletico Madrid, was on the books with second tier Spanish club Extremadura.
Police are investigating footballers, ex-players and club executives over suspicions of forming a match-fixing group to profit from betting on games, Spanish newspaper El Pais reports.
Messi earned the honour, which goes to the leading scorer in league matches in Europe’s top divisions, for a record-extending sixth time after finding the net 36 times for Barcelona, while Mbappe ended the campaign on 33 goals.
Eden Hazard scored the winning penalty for Chelsea to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 4-3 in their Europa League semifinal shootout to become the fourth English side to reach a European final this season.
Thanks to Messi, Barca have swelled their league trophy count to 26, closing to within seven of Real Madrid's record 33. Before Messi came of age, Real Madrid had 31 titles while Barca had 18.
The southern Madrid club defeated Athletic Bilbao 1-0 to strengthen its grip on fourth place with seven matches remaining.
Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth, on the ground reporting from around the world.
Copyright © 2019 TRT World.
Like
Follow