ARGENTINA 4 - 1 SPAIN: Messi, Higuain and Agüero bury Spain (Highlights)

Well it had to come to an end at some point. And in what style! Carlos Marchena had gone 57 matches unbeaten in Spanish colours, a record that began way back in June 2003. But a dazzling first half performance from Argentina put pay to the Sevillanos hopes of making it 58, as the Argentinian Liga select helped the home side into an early 2-0 lead in what was billed as 'The World Cup final that never was'. Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a sumptuous chip, Higuain notching the second with a typically well-taken strike after rounding the stranded Pepe Reina. Things got worse for the Liverpool keeper when he slipped at just the wrong moment whilst receiving a backpass, allowing little battler Carlos Tevez to steal in and scramble the ball home. 3-0 and the game was done and dusted. Spain improved in the second half and got a late consolation through Fernando Llorente, but Sergio Agüero regained Argentinas three-goal cushion with a well placed header in the final seconds of the match.

Del Bosque certainly didn't name a first choice select, with Casillas, Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Capdevila, Torres and Xavi all on the bench, whilst Argentina came out with all their stars on show, but even so Vicente will have been worried with a lacklustre opening 45 minutes. In truth, nothing went right for La Roja, David Villa striking the woodwork twice in his search for that elusive 44th international goal and Santi Cazorla suffering the same misfortune later on. Pepe Reinas slip pretty much summed up their luck. Best for these things to happen in friendlies rather than World Cups and qualifiers.

Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo to the double: Real Madrid return to the top

Getafe 2 - 4 Real Madrid
(1-0) 13' Ronaldo, (2-0) 20' Higuain, (3-0) 23' Higuain, (4-0) 37' Ronaldo, (1-4) 38' Parejo, (2-4) 80' Pedro Leon

It had been widely reported before the match that Real Madrid had a worse game to points ratio in El Coliseum than in the Camp Nou. If it had even entered the minds of Real Madrids stars, it certainly didn't show. The first half of this match was so one-sided, such an incessant wave of white movement, it was almost embarrasing to watch. Xavi Alonso was majestic in the middle, ordering his artillery ahead of him with the precision he so often demonstrated at Anfield. Shots rained down on Ustaris goal with such alarming regularity, Getafe must have felt like throwing in the towel at half time. With Cristiano Ronaldo and Higuain in this mood, you havn't got much hope.

The first goal came courtesy of yet another Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick, as he continues to consolidate his position as the deadliest player from set pieces on the planet; todays was his sixth this season. Most players have to choose between power or precision. Not Cristiano. Todays free-kick was only inches outside the box, yet he managed to curl it up over the wall and into the top corner with such force, it had flown past Ustari before he had time to react. Then Gonzalo Higuain took over with two typically Higuain goals. The Argentine is dynamite in the area. His goals just so effortless, with the striker almost strolling through the Getafe defence and past the keeper for his second. If Higuain is the silent assassin, Cristiano is a full-on missile launcher. Having bamboozled Mario with a series of stepovers, he let fly with another short, sharp swing of his right boot; the ball a blur as it shot past a shellshocked Ustari.

Getafe hit back with two goals of their own, but it was just a case of salvaging pride. Parejo took advantage of a Casillas mistake to stroke into an empty net, although many will feel the goal was unjust as Casillas lay stricken on the turf after being subject of a robust, although perfectly legitimate, challenge from the goalscorer. The match inevitably slowed down after that avalanche of goals, with Pedro Leon netting the final goal with ten minutes remaining. As the game peetered out, Pedro Mosquero was finally handed his debut. A talented midfielder who has worked his way up from the Castilla reserves, Madrid fans will hope he is the first of many youngsters to make the breakthough in the coming years. In the meantime it is the job of their Galacticos to ensure that Barca don't walk away with a second successive league title. The Clasico in three weeks promises to be electric, but  before Barca come to town they have a derby to take care of.

Atletico Madrid 2 - 0 Athletic Bilbao

(1-0) 54' Forlan, (2-0) 86' Agüero

Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways after their horror show in Mallorca with a vital victory against Athletic Bilbao which reignited their push for Europe. Lead by an impeccable performance from Tomas Ujfalusi, who handled big Fernando Llorente as well as any defender this season, Atletico survived a first half onslaught from the Basque side and hit them with two second half sucker punches. Diego Forlan got the first just before the hour, as he took advantage of a slide rule pass from Valera to sidefoot past  Gorka Iraizoz. The goal was his tenth against Atheltic, more than against any other side, and the celebration had more than tinge of anger, as he let out a few weeks of frustration by gesturing angrily to the crowd. 'People have a short memory' he said after the match, a clear sign that the fans complaints about his lack of form havn't gone unnoticed.

Bilbao tried to fight back, but in vain and the game was over when Sergio Agüero tricked his way into the area before firing in. Athletic will feel hard done by, with Javi Martinez and Gabilondo both putting in impressive shifts. How they needed the killer instinct of Atleticos front two. So Atletico move towards the Bernabeu in high spirits. Only five points off the UEFA spots, in the final of the Copa del Rey and in the last eight of the Europe League. Crisis? What crisis?

Check out what the lads at MadridAtleticos thought about the match HERE!

Messi and Higuain bag hattricks as Madrid and Barca triumph (Highlights)

Barcelona 3 - 0 Valencia

(1-0) 56' Messi, (2-0) 81' Messi, (3-0) 82' Messi

Truly great players show up when their team most needs them. Not my words, the words of Marcas Pablo Egea. But how right he is. Lionel Messi proved to the world why he was named World Player of the Year last season, with a hat-trick that oozed class and saved his sides blushes against a battling Valencia. Barcelona had struggled badly in the first half, with David Silva and Pablo Hernandez causing them all sort of problems on the break, and Dealbert majestic in defence. But Barca came out in the second half a different side, lead by that little magician Lionel Messi. His first was unmistakably Messi; waltzing effortlessly past four defenders and stroking the ball nonchantly past Cesar. His second, was equally as pleasing on the eye; cutting in from the right to unleash a devilish left foot curler which crept inside the post. His coupe-de-grace arrived only seconds later as the lively Thierry Henry  released the Argentinian who produced a gorgeous dinked shot, with Cesar beaten all ends up. You won't see a finer hattrick all year. Valencia werent helped by an injury to David Albelda early in the second half, who had reduced Xavi and Iniesta to meer bystanders in the first 45 minutes, or by a stuttering Zigic who spurned a glorious chances to level the scores at 1-0. The sending off of Maduro simply sealed their fate. Barca are back in business.

 

Real Valladolid 1 - 4 Real Madrid

(0-1) 28' Cristiano Ronaldo, (0-2) 45' Higuain, (0-3) 52' Higuain, (1-3) 58' Albiol (o.g), (1-4) 65' Higuain

Real Madrid put their European misery to one side in La Zorilla as they overcame some rough treatment from Real Valladolid to record a win which keeps them at the summit of La Liga. Cristiano fired in a trademark missile of a freekick to put Madrid in the driving seat, although trademark would do the Portuguese winger a huge injustice. What you come to expect from him, few can replicate. Then it was underfire striker Gonzalo Higuain who took over with a sharp hattrick of his own, which has served to banish those dark memories of last week. There will still be those who question his ability on the biggest stage, but there is no doubting his class infront of goal, whoever the opponent. Mejuto Gonzalez added his name to a worryingly growing list of abject refereeing performances of late, missing a blatant stamp on Cristiano Ronaldo by Nivaldo which deserved two reds, and a handball from Sergio Ramos early in the second half that could have signalled his dismissal and a penalty for Valladolid. Raul Albiol scored an unfortunate own goal after the hour mark, but any doubts were lifted by Higuains third and final strike. Top of the league and in no mood to let the only competition they're left in slip.

Villarreal 2 - 0 Xerez

(1-0) 32' Llorente, (2-0) 90' Escudero

Mindnumbing match that saw Villarreal keep themselves in the European hunt and which sees Xerez even closer to La Segunda. The Yellow Submarine controlled the match from start to finish, with the 2-0 scoreline hardly doing justice to their total domination over a resigned Xerez. An eleven point gap has now opened up between Xerez and the team just above the relegation zone, Real Zaragoza, and every defeat is an extra nail in their first division coffin. It seems to have got to the stage where their better players, Momo being a prime example, take it for granted that they'll be snapped up by some Liga club next year, so with their personal topflight survival guaranteed, motivation to save that of their club dwindles. A sad state of affairs. Nestor Gorosito needs to stick with those who put their heart and soul into every minute of every match; the Sidi Keitas and Mario Bermejos of this world. So Villarreal continue their upward march, with Juan Carlos Garrido proving a shrewd managerial signing. Joseba Llorentes first was pure predator, whilst Escuderos last gasp second, rewarded those who had stayed it out.

Tenerife 4 - 1 Espanyol

(1-0) 20' Richi, (2-0) 49' Nino, (2-1) 70' Verdu, (3-1) 82' Alfaro, (4-1) 90' Nino

Racing Santander 0 - 0 Real Zaragoza

Almeria 1 - 0 Malaga

(1-0) 59' Soriano

Real Madrids Higuaín and Van der Vaart out for three weeks

Real Madrid have been rocked by the news that red-hot striker Gonzalo Higuaín has been ruled out for at least three weeks with a tear in his left thigh, meaning he will miss the matches against Athletic Bilbao, Málaga and Deportivo La Coruña. With 11 league goals to his name already this season, the Argentine has been vital in Madrids pursuit of Barcelona, and whilst they'll certainly be blunted without his goalthreat, it's his lung-bursting work-rate ín Madrids first line of defence that will be most notably missed. Van Nistelrooy, Raul and Benzema are all waiting in the wings, ready to take over, so Real will not be short of firepower, at least in theory. Van Nistlerooy is yet to make a serious recovery from his most recent injury, Raul isnt getting any younger and Benzema has endured an indifferent start to his Madrid career.

Rafael Van der Vaart and Xabi Alonso were also injured during the snow-hit Mallorca match and whilst Alonsos injury isn't expected to rule him out for too long, Van der Vaart will join Higuain in the treatment room for the next three weeks; a sad end to his rich vein of form which had seen him cement a place in Madrids starting line-up. An injury crisis is beginning to descend upon Pelligrinis side, and the strength of their squad will be severely tested in the weeks to come. Kaká, Gago and Granero will need to be on top of their game in Madrids engine room, whilst Ronaldos goals will be required more than ever. I would still expect them to get past Málaga, but Athletic Bilbao and Depor away (they havn't won in the Riazor for 17 years) will be tough assignments.