Whilst a record number of Catalans were casting their ballots this weekend in a referendum to gain their independence from Spain, their preeminent footballing club was attempting to regain their position back at the top of La Liga once more.

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Messi Injured

Barcelona had started the season superbly, as they had won their first four games, and although their football ranged from, most times magical to sometimes mediocre, they were playing with a definitive intent soaked in definitive talent. Midweek however, Celta Vigo, if truth be told, played Barca off the field and deservedly handed the Blaugrana a 4-1 drubbing with former Liverpool reject Iago Aspas netting twice. The result knocked them down into fifth spot and thus this weekend's fare against newly promoted Las Palmas was seen as the perfect tonic. Historically, Barcelona hadn't lost to the team from the Canary Islands in 16 league games at the Camp Nou, beating them 14 times and tallying over 50 goals against them in the process. Las Palmas hadn't won in their last 12 away Primera games, and by the final whistle of this one, that number would increase to 13.

It didn't take long for the drama to begin. Five minutes in, Messi cut inside from the right and just as he shot he was blocked by the defender, Pedro Bigas, the force of which seemed to jar his knee. The number 10 crumpled, medics arrived and the revering Camp Nou faithful rejoiced when the Argentinian got back on his feet, apparently ok. He wasn't. Within five minutes he would have to be substituted and a stunned pallor shrouded the magnificent stadium. No one knew then, but we know now, that Messi will be sidelined for at least two months with a torn ligament in his left knee, a loss to Barca and to football in general that can't be over emphasized.

However life goes on, but without Messi, Suarez and Neymar looked a bit isolated up front and with no natural number 10 on the team, the Barca attack looked a bit disjointed. However, the home side dominated the play, especially in midfield, and after 25 minutes the Camp Nou rollicked in relief as Suarez dispatched a fabulous header from a classic cross from Sergi Roberto to put his side one up. A super save by Ter Stegen from a 30 yard screamer by Viera represented Las Palmas most significant contribution and going in at the break the home team looked comfortable enough in the game but the chatter in the stands and beyond was about the first half's main talking point. Messi's injury.

Ten minutes into the second half and a superb team goal made the score 2-0. Neymar sent an exquisite pass down the right to Munir and the substitute cut inside, passing into the box, which Busquets dummied, allowing Suarez to get his second. Vintage Barca football. A handball by Las Palmas defender Lacarez in the 67th minutes gave the home side the chance to seal the points but Neymar skied his penalty attempt leaving Barcelona's penalty taking ineptitude something of an enigma. Of course, it begs the question as why Suarez didn't take it as he was on a hat-trick but going forward perhaps he will. As the embers of the game smoldered Mascherano gave away a cheap ball allowing Las Palmas to counter at pace and Viera score what would ultimately only be a consolation token for the visitors.

Barcelona grabbed the three points which nudged them back up to second spot but of course now the focus will be on how Suarez and Neymar, in particular, can adapt without Messi. It seems Barca's bad luck with injuries continues with Rafinha ruled out for six months also with a knee injury.  One would now expect to see Suarez assume the responsibility for his team's offensive thrust, Neymar to play a greater role and to prove that he can be a game changer like his injured colleague and perhaps see Munir get more first team action given his significant contribution this weekend. Barcelona's next league game is away to Sevilla on October 3rd, a team who have only won once so far this campaign. The fixtures, are at least, on Barca's side for another week.

Real Fail To Score

If one is to talk about injuries then look no further than Real Madrid, who are thus far this season, plagued with them with Bale, James Rodriguez, Danilo, Pepe and Sergio Ramos all making uncomfortable bedfellows on the crocked list. Midweek, Los Blancos had beaten Athletic Bilbao 2-1 away on the back of a brace of goals from Benzima leaving the team from the capital with 13 points from the first 5 games and winning the last 5 in all competitions whilst conceding just one goal. This weekend, playing Malaga, who have had a disastrous start to the season having scored no goals and floundering second from bottom, Ronaldo and Co. must have felt supremely confident. In previous encounters, Madrid had only lost one of the 28 league meetings with Malaga having won 21 times and in their last game, Real won 3-1. This would surely be a formality for Madrid. It wasn't.

Javi Gracia's tactics were simple. A traditional 4-4-2 look to his team's formation would stifle the Real attack with players crowding the area and then attack on the counter. Real looked tired and incoherent and were bereft of any real width with their play up the middle becoming labored and jagged, as the Malaga men disrupted and frustrated. Carlos Kameni made a host of brilliant saves (at least 7 we counted) to keep the visitors in the game whilst Ronaldo missed some clear chances especially in extra time when he directed a diving header over the bar at the end of a super cross from Marcelo. Admittedly, it was a great defensive effort by Malaga as Real could not make one of their 31 attempts on goal count and as game ended 0-0 it meant that Los Blancos had failed to score at home for the first time in 56 games. Their next league game is against Atletico Madrid next Sunday which should represent the marquee game of the weekend.

And The Rest

Atletico were part of a historic game against Villareal, although Simeone and his men will hardly etch the event onto their palettes of happier times as they returned home from the province of Castellon empty handed. After 14 minutes Baptistao, who was considered surplus to requirements at Atletico, latched onto a ball played through by the resurgent Soldado and the Brazilian cooly slotted under the legs of Oblak to give Villarreal the one goal lead that would ultimately win them the game. Atletico huffed and puffed and never really looked like scoring, not alone winning, and Villarreal's fifth consecutive win sent them to the top of La Liga for the very first time. History had been made. Their next game is away to beleaguered Levante who lost 3-0 away to Getafe at the weekend and should allow Villareal to maintain the position at La Liga's acme.

After demolishing Barcelona midweek, Celta Vigo were away to Eibar, a team that continues to elicit support from 'underdogers' all over the world as their fairytale start to the season continues to awe. In fact, the home side quickly and clinically dispelled any notions that their guests might have had about a repeat performance as Borja Baston put the home side ahead after just three minutes with a typical goal poachers goal from a corner kick. Going in at halftime 1-0 Eibar looked in control as their goalie really only had to make one save in earnest for the entire first 45 minutes. However the Eibar goalkeeper literally handed the equalizer to Aspas as he failed to gather a cross from the right allowing the Celta man to hook home from only yards. The result keeps Celta Vigo in fourth and everyone's favorite tiny Spanish club in seventh. Einar's next game is away to Las Palmas whilst Celta Vigo host Getafe at home.

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