Barcelona extend lead at top of LaLiga after hard-fought win over Valencia

Barcelona extended their lead at the top of LaLiga to 10 points with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Valencia at the Nou Camp.

Raphinha scored the only goal of the game, his sixth for the club, and Barcelona were able to hold on despite finishing the match with 10 men after Ronald Araujo was shown a red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity just before the hour mark.

Manager Xavi watched on from the stands due to a suspension as Barcelona bounced back from their shock defeat at relegation strugglers Almeria last week.

Valladolid moved further away from the relegation zone with a 2-1 win over Espanyol.

Ivan Sanchez and Alvaro Aguado scored either side of half-time to put the hosts ahead, with Espanyol pulling one back through Martin Braithwaite in the 87th minute.

In the Bundesliga, Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen secured all three points with a dominant 4-1 win over Hertha Berlin.

Sardar Azmoun and Jeremie Frimpong handed Leverkusen a two-goal lead inside the opening 21 minutes, with Moussa Diaby adding a third after the break.

Dodi Lukebakio scored from the penalty spot in the 67th minute to reduce the deficit, but Amine Adli restored the three-goal cushion for the home side.

In Serie A, Spezia and Hellas Verona played out a goalless draw, as did Sampdoria and Salernitana.

Montpellier inflicted further misery on rock-bottom Angers in Ligue 1 with a comprehensive 5-0 victory.

Teji Savanier struck twice, including a penalty, with Wahbi Khazri, Faitout Maouassa and Elye Wahi the others to score, while matters were made worse for Angers with a red card for Nabil Bentaleb just before the hour mark.

Ike Ugbo scored a stoppage-time equaliser to earn Troyes a 2-2 draw against Monaco.

Rominigue Kouame’s opener was cancelled out by two quick goals from Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder to put the visitors ahead, but Ugbo’s late goal secured a point for Troyes.

Jens Cajuste’s goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time earned Reims a 1-0 win over Ajaccio, while Franck Honorat’s goal for Brest clinched a 1-0 away win at Strasbourg.

Lyon and Lorient played out a goalless draw, while Saif-Eddine Khaoui scored the only goal as Clermont won at Toulouse.