Atletico lead Spanish league at halfway point in season

Celta Vigo's Hugo Mallo (R) and Sergio Alvarez (L) in action with Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann in Vigo, Spain, Jan 10, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

MADRID - Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco scored second half goals which gave Atletico Madrid a 2-0 away win against Celta Vigo to keep them top of the table as the Spanish BBVA Primera Liga season reached its midway point this weekend.

The game was played in difficult conditions after heavy rainfall in the north-west of Spain, but Atletico, who included Augusto Fernandez, recently signed from Celta in their starting 11, were their usual rock-solid selves.

Once Griezmann opened the scoring with his 10th goal of the season four minutes after the break, there was no looking back and with Celta inoperative in attacking, Carrasco sealed the win with 11 minutes remaining.

Leo Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona made short work of Granada 4-0 on Saturday afternoon, with Neymar scoring the fourth goal of the game in what was a routine win in the Camp Nou Stadium.

New Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane got off to a winning start as Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick to help him to a comfortable 5-0 victory at home to Deportivo la Coruna in his debut as first team coach.

Real Madrid opened the scoring after 14 minutes when Karim Benzema confirmed his excellent moment of form and doubled their lead seven minutes later as Gareth Bale headed home a header from the right.

Bale added his second with a left foot shot from a Ronaldo cross just after the break and finished his hat-trick with his second headed goal of the game following a 63rd minute corner.

Benzema rounded off the scoring in the last minute of the game to give Zidane a perfect start to his reign as coach.

Two goals from Cedric Bakambu helped Villarreal strengthen their grip on fourth place in the table as they beat struggling Sporting Gijon by 2-0 on Sunday lunchtime.

Levante defeated Rayo Vallecano 2-1 in a game between the bottom two sides of the league. All of the goals came in the last 18 minutes as Deyverson and Jose Luis Morales put Levante 2-0 ahead before Pablo Hernandez gave Rayo hope with seven minutes remaining,

Kevin Gameiro scored twice, the second a penalty which should not have been given, as Sevilla defeated Athletic Club Bilbao 2-0 in the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium while Pepe Mel's job at Betis is very much on the line after his side's dreadful run of form continued with a 1-0 defeat away to Getafe.

Jonathas' first two goals of the season gave Real Sociedad a 2-0 win at home to Valencia. The Brazilian scored in the 78th and 82nd minute to mean that Gary Neville is still searching for his first league win as Valencia coach.

Eibar's incredible season continues and they move sixth in the table after Japanese midfielder Inui and Borja Baston saw them to a deserved 2-1 win at home to Espanyol, while Las Palmas and Malaga continue to recover and shared the points thanks to second half goals from Tana and Roque Santa Cruz.