In football, goals get the party started and, without a doubt, the latest LaLiga Santander matchday was a real celebration in this sense, as five different players managed to achieve the difficult feat of scoring two goals in the same match.
In the cases of Karim Benzema, João Félix and Luis Suárez, this was the perfect way to warm up for their Champions League quarter-final ties. Benzema and his Real Madrid side will play their first leg in London against Chelsea on Wednesday, while João Félix and Luis Suárez’s Atlético de Madrid visit the city of Manchester again on Tuesday for a first leg against Manchester City.
With a brace in Vigo, Benzema equalled his best goalscoring season as a Real Madrid player in LaLiga Santander, taking his tally to 24 goals. The French striker secured Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over RC Celta, with two goals from the penalty spot. In the Champions League, 2021/22 has also been his best season in terms of goals, with eight to date. The No.9 is putting Europe on alert.
Additionally, Europe’s top teams should also fear Atlético de Madrid. Undoubtedly, the game of braces from Matchday 30 was played at the Wanda Metropolitano, where Atleti managed to overcome Deportivo Alavés 4-1, thanks to doubles from João Félix and Luis Suárez.
The young Portuguese star is enjoying his best run of form as a Rojiblanco. With eight games left in the competition, João Félix is producing his best ever LaLiga Santander numbers, with eight goals and four assists. ‘O Menino de ouro’ opened the scoring in the 11th minute of this match with a fine header from a good cross by Šime Vrsaljko. The second of his personal tally came after a shot from Matheus Cunha was saved by Fernando Pacheco, with the Portuguese pouncing on the rebound to score his personal brace. Likewise, Luis Suárez also scored a brace with a goal from the penalty spot and a stunning strike with the outside of his boot.
Morales and Juanmi also scored braces in LaLiga Santander
Those weren’t the only braces of the matchday, as José Luis Morales and Juanmi also scored twice. The ‘Commander’ Morales’ brace came in the Valencian Community derby between Levante UD and Villarreal CF (2-0). He pulled the home side off bottom of the table, 16 rounds later, with his two goals. The first came after a good move by Roger Martí, who back-heeled the ball between two defenders to leave Morales alone in front of Gerónimo Rulli. ‘El Comandante’ finished with quality at the near post. Then, in stoppage time, the Levante UD captain sealed the game by scoring his second goal and completing what was an all-important victory.
Then, in Real Betis’ 4-1 win over CA Osasuna, Juanmi lived up to the new chant that the fans are dedicating to him every matchday, giving them something to cheer about by scoring twice. The striker has now scored 14 goals this season in LaLiga Santander, making him the top Spanish scorer in the competition.
This Tuesday and Wednesday, LaLiga Santander’s top French, and overall, scorer, top Uruguayan scorer and second-top Portuguese scorer will want to add to their personal accounts in England.
