Deportivo down Tenerife to go fourth

Deportivo La Coruna continued their impressive start to the new campaign by climbing up to fourth in the Spanish first division with a 1-0 win at Tenerife on Saturday.

Tenerife had a 100 percent home record following wins over Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna but Deportivo ended that run thanks to a goal from defender Diego Colotto on the hour mark.

Argentine Colotto headed in after Tenerife failed to defend a whipped in corner and Deportivo move level on 12 points with third-placed Sevilla.

Deportivo finished seventh last season and hope to be surprise challengers for a Champions League slot with Atletico Madrid and Villarreal both struggling.

Tenerife lie 13th on six points in their first season in the top flight since 2002.

Barcelona can replace Real Madrid as league leaders later on Saturday when they host Almeria at Camp Nou.

Champions Barca have won all five of their league outings and anything but a loss would see them nudge Real off the summit.

Barca captain Carles Puyol celebrates a decade at the club having made his league debut against Valladolid back on October 2, 1999.

Puyol, 31, has won three league titles and two Champions League crowns although it is unsure whether he will continue beyond the end of the current season.

“I want to pay my congratulations to Carles because it is not easy to be with a club of this size for so long,” said Barca coach Pep Guardiola.

“The club want him to stay but he has been here a long time and it is his decision whether he stays or not.”

Real are not in action until Sunday when they have a title duel at third-placed Sevilla.

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, Real’s top-scorer in the league with five goals, has been ruled out after failing to shrug off an ankle injury picked up against Marseille on Wednesday.

“We aren’t denying the importance of Cristiano to our team with his goal threat well known but there are alternatives in this squad such as Raul or (Gonzalo) Higuain,” insisted Real coach Manuel Pellegrini.

Sevilla have won their last four league matches while Real have won all seven of their matches so far this season – five in the league and two in Europe.

In contrast, city neighbours Atletico Madrid have yet to win a single league game and there are suggestions that coach Abel Resino could become the first managerial casualty of the new season if Atletico, third from bottom, fail to beat Real Zaragoza at home on Saturday.

“Results are not going well but I am convinced that we will begin our fight-back against Zaragoza,” said Resino.