KROOS' FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos continued to show his peak form on Sunday and was unstoppable with his precise passes helping his side to beat arch-rivals Barcelona 3-1 at the Bernabeu in 'El Clasico' to move top of LaLiga.
He was on point with 89 per cent accuracy with his passes and six recoveries in his 250th LaLiga game for the club, showing that at 32-years-old he is far from near the end of his career.
Rumours of retirement at the end of the campaign floated around the team after they won the LaLiga-Champions League double last season but he seems unlikely to hang up his boots.
The Germany international is arguably Real's MVP of the first part of the season to the delight of his boss.
"He has been so good that he has even contributed in defence, something he was having difficulties last season," Ancelotti said after the El Clasico win.
"He knows exactly what we think (about a possible retirement)... Myself, the club, his teammates... we don't have to pressure him. He is a professional and whatever he decides, we will be happy for him."
BARCELONA PRESIDENT LOSES HIS TEMPER
Tension is boiling over at Barcelona as the Catalon giants lost top spot after a disheartening 3-1 defeat at Real Madrid on Sunday in El Clasico.
The loss was another blow to Xavi and his reeling Barca team who are on the verge of Champions League elimination after a 3-3 home draw with Inter Milan in midweek.
Unhappy with the officiating at the Bernabeu on Sunday, Barca president Joan Laporta stormed into the referee's changing room to "repeatedly request explanations about some situations in the game", according to the referee's match report.
He was escorted out by security "with no further incidents" but will face sanctions for his behavior.
GRIEZMANN BACK TO HIS OLD FORM
Antoine Griezmann scored for Atletico Madrid to secure a 1-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, leapfrogging the Basque side into third place in standings.
It was Atleti's third straight win, with the French striker getting back to his old form after he rejoined the club on a permanent basis after Barcelona agreed to cut the transfer fee in half to €20 million, the teams announced last week.
It was his 100th LaLiga goal and a great performance that is becoming routine for a player who was third in the Ballon D'or voting in 2016 but lost his way after joining Barca two years later in a move that left a bitter taste for many Atletico fans.
"I apologise for the damage I may have done to the fans," Griezmann said after Saturday's win at Bilbao. "But I want to show on the field how sorry I am, giving everything for the team, with more performances like this. This is the way."