Barcelona 3 - 1 Villarreal (Highlights): La Liga Saturday

Barcelona 3 - 1 Villarreal

They say in elite football it's the smallest details that mark the difference between the good and the great. Villarreal put up one hell of a fight in the Camp Nou, but commeth the hour, commeth the man. Lionel Messi stepped up to the plate, as he always does, to rescue Barcelona from a potentially precarious situation and set them on the way to what was eventually a convincing win. That's not to say Barca didn't display their unique brand of spellbinding football, simply that Villarreal stood toe-to-toe with the reigning champions until the Messi stepped it up a gear to steer his side to victory.

It was a fascinating match, quite easily the most entertaining offered up so far in La Liga this season. Barcelona settled into their stride early on, with Xavi and Iniesta exerting their influence on proceedings as ever, keeping possession and probing with intent at every possibility. Villarreal themselves attempted to pass the ball around and were by no means intimidated. Garridos men pressurised their opponents, keeping a high line and restricting Barca to half chances throughout a tight opening twenty minutes.

Then out of nowhere appeared David Villa, latching onto a fine pass from Andres Iniesta, steadying himself before slotting a composed finish beneath Diego Lopez. The goal made it three consecutive matches on the scoresheet for 'El Guaje', the perfect response to those who had foolishly doubted his undoubted ability in front of goal. From then on it became the Delgado Ferreira show, as the referee lost control of the match following a shocking decision that saw Lionel Messi flagged offside, when clearly a metre behind Carlos Marchena the moment Xavi set him free.

It would have been a certain goal, yet seconds later Barca found themselves on level terms. And what a goal it was from Nilmar, weaving his way into the box before sending a delicious dink over Victor Valdes. The Brazilian has been a revelation this season and it will be interesting to see if any of the big guns come in with an offer for the ex-Corinthians hitman in January. Suddenly the match was wide open and had it not been for poor finishing from Santi Cazorla and Cani mixed with some devine interventions from Victor Valdes, Villarreal could well have added a deserved second before half-time.

After half-time Barca managed to regain a stranglehold on the match, before Messi explode into life with a sensational goal on the hour mark that set Barcelona on the road to three points. Messi and Pedro exchanged five passes on a sixpence, Pedros final ball sending Leo through one-on-one with Diego Lopez. 'La Pulga' rarely fails in these situations, chipping a sumptuous shot over Diego Lopez. Cue pandemonium in the Camp Nou. They had witnessed yet another moment of genius from their master of ceremonies. It was a goal that Barcelona stamped all over it. A goal you would expect to see them pull off in training. Barca make it look that easy.

Aside from the fantasy football, you always felt the match was on the edge of boiling over, in no small part a result of Delgado Ferreiras dubious ability to control a football match. There were some fierce challenges and at one point an angry exchange of words between the two coaches, but credit to both sides as emotions were kept in check. Just. Even so, the shocking decisions kept on coming. Maxwell should have been shown red for a last-ditch foul on Borja Valero, while Messis third was clearly converted from an offside position. And the Spanish complain about Howard Webb?

In the end, Barcelona unsurprisingly proved too hot to handle for Villarreal, and while Garridos side demonstrated they can mix it up with the big boys, they cannot call upon a talent like Messi. Villarreal will be there or thereabouts. Fighting for third place and on the shoulder of the top two. Barcelona, on the other hand, are the team to beat. The first instalment of this seasons Clasico double bill can't come soon enough.

Athletic Bilbao 1 - 0 Almeria

If ever you wanted to watch a match that epitomised what Athletic Bilbao is all about, this was it. Fernando Llorente, the 'Lion King' himself, continued his devastating run of form to score the only goal of the match as Athletic survived two sendings off to edge their way past Almeria.

Koikili saw red on the stroke of half-time for a second yellow after pulling back Ulloa and this signalled the beginning of a second-half onslaught from Almeria. Whether it be the fighting spirit of coach Joaquin Caparros, or the unerring support of a vociferous San Mames crowd, Bilbao put their necks on the line to maintain their slim lead. The introduction of Piatti and Crusat for Almeria, both mysteriously left out of the starting line-up by Juan Lillo, made things even more complicated for the home side, added pace and creativity to an otherwise blunt Almeria front four.

Athletics task was made yet more difficult after replacement left-back Xavi Castillo also saw red to reduce his team to nine-men. But with players like Iker Muniain, Carlos Gerpegi and David Lopez, there is no such thing as a lost cause for the Basques. Roared on by their fanatical support they stood firm in the face of a late barrage from Almeria to hold out for a win that sees 'Los Leones' jump up to 8th, only two points from the top four.

Atletico Madrid 3 - 0 Osasuna

All the pre-match talk had centred around the relationship between star striker Diego Forlan and his coach Quique Sanchez Flores. So inevitably it was the Uruguayan striker who scored two and set up the other to hand Atletico a morale-boosting win over Osasuna. There is no doubt Atletico have strengthened their back line over the last year. No longer do they concede silly goals as David de Gea continues his rise to stardom and players like Tomas Ujfalusi and Luis Perea defy all those who thought the two defenders were finished goods only 12 months ago.

But without Forlán and Agüero banging in the goals, Atleti are toothless. Just as well the two strikers returned to the kind of form that sent the 'rojiblancos' to two cup finals last season, ruthlessly putting Osasuna to the sword with clincal finishes that belied their recent plight. On their day, the two are among the best forwards in world football, and last nights match provided the perfect proof that when on song, they are nigh on impossible to contain.

In truth they were the only difference between the two sides. Osasuna can knock the ball about, but without Walter Pandiani on the field, you just cannot see Camachos team sticking the ball in the back of the net. They lack that quality in-front of goal and unless they find a way of coping without their veteran talisman, it will be another long season for the team from Navarra.

As seen at SBNation: http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2010/11/14/1812768/lionel-messi-double-sinks-yellow-submarine

La Liga Matchday 9: Villarreal and Valencia unable to keep the pace

A nice little round up of the rest of the matches this weekend in La Liga which saw Real Madrid and Barcelona begin to pull away from the pack.

Valencia 1 - 1 Real Zaragoza

It was only three weeks ago that Valencia were sitting pretty at the top of La Liga after a storming start to the season which saw them win five and draw one out of their first six league fixtures. Then came defeats to Barcelona and Mallorca and suddenly the boat began to rock. Tonight was the perfect chance for Unai Emerys side to get back on track as the Liga whipping boys, Real Zaragoza, came to town. Things didn't get off to the best of starts for Valencia as Zaragoza centre-back Mauricio Lanzaro neatly spun and fired in from just inside the area after only 2 minutes. Jose Aurelio Gays side played their best football of the season so far, with Jorge Lopez and Angel Lafita both in the thick of the action, yet they still went into the break all square. Lanzaro undoing all his good work with the opener, as he comically headed past his keeper to bring Valencia back into it. The second half saw Valencia struggle to find any rythym, as the man who makes them tick over, Ever Banega, never got into the match. Even the introduction of striker Roberto Soldado and the ludicrous sending off of Real Zaragoza midfielder Ander Herrera failed to spark them into life. There is talk of pressure on manager Unai Emery, but I wouldn't read too much into it. Fourth in the league and looking good to qualify out of their group in the Champions League is hardly a crisis. For Jose Aurelio Gay, he'll be hoping this is the beginning of a revival as they fight to lift themselves off the foot of the table.

Atletico Madrid 1 - 1 Almeria

Not the best of derby day preparations for Atletico Madrid as they let a 1-0 lead slip at home to Almeria. Sergio Agüero got the opener for 'Los Colchoneros', finally getting off the mark for the season with a simple tap-in, but his team suffered two lethal blows before halftime that they simply couldn't recover from. Blossoming young talent Pablo Piatti grabbed a tasty equaliser for Almeria, a sweet volley after a cleared corner came to him on the edge of the box, and shortly after Jose Antonio Reyes pulled up with a calf strain. Atletico will be even more stretched for their trip to the Bernabeu as giant defender Luis Perea is ruled out through suspension. Quique will need his frontmen Agüero and Forlan more than ever next weekend.

Sporting Gijon 1 - 1 Villarreal

Villarreal had done a good job of sandwiching themselves between Real Madrid and Barcelona for a while there. But just when we were hoping at least one of them or Valencia could maintain a challenge at the top, both start to fade away. That's not to take anything away from Sporting, who more than contributed to a feisty match full of meaty challenges and lung-busting effort. In the end the points were shared with a penalty apiece, Villarreals scored with pretty much the last kick of the match, converted by goal machine Guiseppe Rossi. Not the most attractive of matches, although the rain and some more poor refereeing didn't allow it to be.

Deportivo La Coruña 3 - 0 Espanyol

If Espanyol had won today they would have leaped up into the giddy heights of the Champions League spots. Yet with Depor reverting back to a more accustomed (and secure) back five and Espanyol without their hitman Osvaldo this was always unlikely. And so it proved as the home side recorded their first home win of the season to haul themselves closer to safety at the foot of the table. Spain Under-21 striker Adrian slotting in the first when a corner caused mayhem in the Espanyol box. Then two of Depors centre-backs got in on the act late in the match to make the three points safe. The pressure has been lifted off Miguel Angel Lotina. For now at least.

Racing Santander 4 - 1 Osasuna

If Osasuna stay up this season, it will be through sheer grit and determination because they are seriously lacking in any quality. Racing Santander have struggled badly so far, yet they were given the freedom of El Sardinero as their Swedish stars Kennedy Bakircioglu (try saying that name after a couple of pints) and Markus Rosenburg scored three of Racings four to send Camachos men back to Pamplona empty-handed. Osasuna weren't helped by the absence of their only goal threat, Walter Pandiani, but they simply cannot rely on a veteran to keep them up. Racing leap up to mid-table with a vital win over a direct rival for relegation.

Athletic Bilbao 3 - 0 Getafe

Amazing as it may seem, Athletic Bilbao scored three goals tonight and Fernando Llorente didn't get one of them. The Basque team have always been known for their fighting qualities but in players such as Llorente, Susaeta, Iraola and Muniain they have some serious quality to add to their considerable bite. Their performance tonight was as intense as they come and Getafe did their best impression of rabbits in the headlights. Atheltic raced into an early 2-0 lead through Iraola and San Jose. It was a lead that they never looked like giving up and to make sure Gabilondo added a late third. All manager Jose Caparros needs to do now is get his team to replicate these performances away from the intimidating San Mames.

Malaga 1 - 2 Real Sociedad

Many teams make the leap from La Segunda to the top flight without the sufficient quality to stay up. Real Sociedad break that mould and with players such as Joseba Llorente, Antoine Griezmann and Xabi Prieto I fully expect them to maintain their La Liga status come what May. Still, you should not read too much into a victory at La Rosaleda, a stadium where all away teams walk away with three points in the bag. Malaga fans must be sick of seeing their team unable to repeat their electric away performances at home as they make it five defeats from five. 21 goals conceded in nine matches tell you all you need to know about where it's all going wrong. For Real Sociedad, goals from Llorente and Griezmann were enough to edge their team into the top half of the table.

As seen on SB Nation: http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2010/10/31/1784146/la-liga-matchday-9-david-villa-back-in-the-goals-as-pressure-mounts

La Liga Matchday 6: Valencia and Villarreal lead the way

Valencia 2 - 1 Athletic Bilbao

(1-0) 10' Aduriz, (2-0) 91' Vicente, (2-1) 93' Gabilondo

Valencia are showing no signs of letting up at the top of La Liga as they made it 16 points out of 18 with a win over Athletic Bilbao that should have been wrapped up before half-time. Aduriz and Soldado combined for the first but having faded badly after the break they had to wait until injury time to confirm the three points. Unai Emerys team have been unstoppable in the league and after Barcas recent home form they'll be confident of getting something from the Camp Nou in two weeks time.

Villarreal 2 - 0 Racing Santander

(1-0) 8' Nilmar, (2-0) 13' Rossi

The hottest front pairing in La Liga scored two early goals that were enough for Villarreal to see of Racing Santander at the Madrigal. Racing never looked like scoring in a million years and so it was that Nilmar and Rossi, aided by the talented Cazorla and Valero, settled the match after only 13 minutes. Five wins in the last five for the Yellow Submarine sees them jump up to second.

Sevilla 3 - 1 Atletico Madrid

(1-0) 28' Negredo, (2-0) 35' Perotti, (3-0) 51' Kanoute, (3-1) 57' Diego Costa

In a match that was presided by a verbal battle between Gregorio Manzano and Quique Sanchez Flores, Atleticos defensive lapses reappeared as they were ripped apart by a rampant Sevilla. Alvaro Negredo was a constant thorn in their side, curling home a stunning first and laying on the third for Kanoute. It's amazing what a change of manager can do to a team in crisis.

Real Zaragoza 2 - 2 Sporting Gijon

(0-1) 32' Obradevic (o.g), (0-2) 48' Diego Castro (p), (1-2) 56' Sinama-Pongolle, (2-2) 61' Sinama-Pongolle

Real Zaragoza may be second bottom. And they may be in the midst of their third worst start to a season ever, but they can take a huge amount of credit from this match as they came from two down and a man down to rescue a point against the wasteful Sporting Gijon. Jiri Jarosiks ludicrous tackle from behind seemed to have killed off Zaragoza, and Jose Aurelio Gays stay on the Romareda bench, but Sinama-Pongolle, who hadnt netted in La Liga since January 2009, blasted in two goals in five minutes to save his managers bacon and lift his team off the foot of the table. Still, this shouldn't disguise yet another sub-standard performance which only served the confirm the monumental struggle Real Zaragoza are going to endure this season.

Almeria 1 - 1 Malaga

(0-1) 50' Quincy, (1-1) 76' Uche

Osasuna 1 - 1 Levante

(1-0) 72' Pandiani, (1-1) 79' Sergio

Getafe 3 - 0 Hercules

(1-0) 20' Parejo, (2-0) 42' Manu, (3-0) 81' Miku

Real Sociedad 1 - 0 Espanyol

(1-0) 83' Forlin (o.g)

EUROPA LEAGUE: Atletico Madrid 1 - 1 Bayern Leverkusen (Highlights)

Atletico Madrid 1 - 1 Bayern Leverkusen
(0-1) 39' Derdiyok, (1-1) 51' Simao (p)

Atletico Madrid complicate matters with a draw against Bayer Leverkusen in their second group tie of the competition. With Sergio Agüero left out as a precaution, Bayer took the lead just before half-time with a well drilled shot in the area. After a dismal first 45 minutes, Atletico came out a different side in the second half and it didn't take them long to draw level through Simaos penalty. Tiago made an impression when he came on, but with the game wide open any one of the two teams could have gone on to get a decisive winner. As it was the match ended in a draw and Atletico are now obliged to start picking up wins if they want to make it out of the group.

Borussia Dortmund 0 - 1 Sevilla

(0-1) 46' Cigarini

Vital win for Sevilla in Germany as Italian Luca Cigarini grabbed the all-important goal in the Westfalenstadion. Gregorio Manzano didn't waste any time in his first match on the Sevilla bench, breathing new life into a souless set of players at half time. And it only took them a matter of seconds to get the winning goal, Cigarini taking advantage of a loose ball in the area to slot in and put his team back on track in the Europe League. Soon after Dortmund defender Schmelzer saw red, which allowed the Nervionenses to dominate the second half and leave with the three points that were so essential to any hopes they had of staying in the Europa League beyond the group stages.



Young Boys 2 - 0 Getafe

(1-0) 10' Degen, (2-0) 63' Degen

Shocking performance from Michels Getafe team which sees the Madrid outfit take a step backwards after their opening round win. With Pedro Leon and Roberto Soldado sold over the summer, Getafe are seriously lacking in quality this year, so it will be a test of Michels managerial ability whether or not 'Eurogeta' suffer this season.

Villarreal 2 - 1 Club Brugge

(1-0) 10' Rossi, (1-1) 46' Donk, (2-1) 56' Gonzalo

Villarreal survived a barrage of brutal tackles from Brugge to sneak past the Belgians courtesy of Gonzalos 56th minute strike. Villarreal outclassed their rivals who were left with no choice but to resort to dirty tactics to stop the Yellow Submarine. Cani was injured by a shocking challenge and Vargas was sent off for Brugge. Guiseppe Rossi continues his impressive start to the season with another goal. The Italian/American is on fire.

EUROPA LEAGUE: Aris Salonika 1 - 0 Atletico Madrid (Highlights)

Not a great night for the La Liga contingent as Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Villarreal all slumped to defeat, with only little Getafe maintaining pride for the Spanish quartet. Ironically, Atletico Madrid were downed by two Spaniards, with Hector Cupers tactics and Javitos screamer (see video) sending the Liga leaders home pointless. Not the result everyone was expecting after their riproaring start to the season. Villarreal came a cropper in the Ukraine as Juan Garrido rang the changes, giving starts to back-up strikers Marco Ruben and Jozy Altidore. But Dinamo Zagreb were just too good for the Yellow Submarine, as Brazilian schemer Jorge Sammir stole the show with a goal and assist as they ran out easy 2-0 winners.

Sevillas ongoing European nightmare continued as a late goal from Nene for Paris St Germain punished a drab performance from Alvaro Alvarezs team which earned them a good few jeers once the final whistle was blown. More is expected from trhe likes of Luis Fabiano, Jesus Navas and Frederic Kanoute, and Del Nido knows it. So it was left to Getafe to pick up the only Spanish points of the night as they overcame a shocking first half to stick two goals past Danish side Odense, who had a familiar face in goal: only Roy Carroll! Arizmendi and ex-Xerez man Pedro Rios with the second half strikes.

Aris Salonika 1 - 0 Atletico Madrid

(1-0) 59' Javito

Dinamo Zagreb 2 - 0 Villarreal

(1-0) 18' Rukavina,  (2-0) 80' Sammir

Sevilla 0 - 1 PSG

(0-1) 76' Nene

Getafe 2 - 1 Odense

(0-1) 43' Andreasen, (1-1) 50' Arizmendi, (2-1) 80' Pedro Rios

La Liga Matchday One: Barcelona, Atletico and Sevilla the early pacesetters

Life in La Liga didn't get off to the best of starts for Jose Mourinho. A trip to plucky Mallorca was never going to be an easy task, but after yet another summer of splashing the cash, and with a fair few weeks of preparation, you would have expected Real Madrid to pick up the three points. Nevertheless, Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo were the main culprits, as Madrid wasted numerous chances, while Mallorca keeper Dudu Aouate put in an inspired shift. For me, Real Madrid still lack an identity, something which plagued them all last season. With the players they have at their disposal they will always get chances, plenty of them. But to overhaul Barcelona and the cream of European football they really need to find a style to call their own and stick to it. Luckily for them, Mourinho is a master in this art. Just look at what he did with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan. His teams may not have won many plaudits for entertainment over the years but they all had their way of playing, leading the special one to two Champions League trophies in six years. Don't expect any Pellegrini style witchhunts. Mourinho will be given plenty of time to sort this out.

Trouble is Barcelona may already be out of sight. They picked up just where they left off last season with a demolition job on Racing Santander, orchestrated by the irresistible front three of Iniesta, Messi and debutant David Villa. All three got on the scoresheet, with Andres Iniestas goal a sublime first-time volleyed effort from well outside the area. Elsewhere, there were convincing wins for Sevilla and Valencia, as the usual suspects failed to disappoint on the opening day of the season. Out of the three new kids on the block, only Real Sociedad chalked up three points with a noteworthy victory over perennial slow starters Villarreal, while Levante and Hercules will have to wait until next week for their second chance to get precious early points on the board.

Racing Santander 0 - 3 Barcelona

(0-1) 4' Messi, (0-2) 33' Iniesta, (0-3) 62' Villa

Just check out Iniestas piece of magic. Out of this world. Leo Messi already gets his Pichichi 2010/2011 campaign off and running with a delightful chipped effort, while Victor Valdes began his hunt for the Zamora in fine fettle after repelling Tchites penalty. Barcelona already into their glorious stride and David Villa finds the back of the net on his league debut. Racing coach Miguel Portugal reckons they are even stronger than last season. Ominous.

Mallorca 0 - 0 Real Madrid

Not the start Jose Mourinho was looking for. Real Madrid created a wealth of chances, but with Higuain in misfiring mood and Mallorcas defence/keeper on fire, a 0-0 draw was inevitable. Things got worse for Mourinho when Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled out for 2/3 weeks after the match was a muscle strain. Queit debut for Canales, while Carvalho looked solid and Özil more than useful when he joined the party late on.

Levante 1 - 4 Sevilla

(1-0) 10' Ruben Suarez (p), (1-1) 12' Konko, (1-2) 28' Negredo (p), (1-3) 62' Konko, (1-4) 87' Renato

Sevillas post Spanish Supercup/Champions League elimination hangover looked to have dragged over to La Liga when Levante took an early lead, but well taken goals from unlikely source Konko, and a penalty from Negredo got the Sevillanos back on track. Levante early candidates for bottom place on this showing.

Espanyol 3 - 1 Getafe

(1-0) 33' Osvaldo, (2-0) 54' Osvaldo, (2-1) 61' Galan (o.g), (3-1) 94' Datolo

Espanyol, spurred on by their victory in the Trofeo Ramon Carranza, hit the ground running with red hot striker Osvaldo blasting two in a convincing win over a dissapointing Getafe. Life could be difficult for the Madrileños without Pedro Leon and Roberto Soldado.

Deportivo La Coruña 0 - 0 Real Zaragoza

Real Zaragoza did more than enough to put Depor to the sword in a drab match, but a combination of slack forward play and a quite incredible miss from new boy Marco Perez (see video!) meant Los Maños left with only a point. Could be a long season for Depor on this evidence.

Osasuna 0 - 0 Almería

This match was never going to set the world alight but a goal would have been nice. Neither team attacked, neither team looked like scoring. Both teams seemed happy to finish the match with a point. You won't see many goals from Almeria or Osasuna this season.

Real Sociedad 1 - 0 Villarreal

(1-0) 57' Xabi Prieto

Real Sociedad coach Martin Lasarte opted to go for local youth for their first tie back in the big time and it worked wonders. Carlos Martinez and Xabi Prieto put in quality performances with the latter grabbing the all important goal that got the team from San Sebastian off to a winning start. Villarreal were just dismal. Will we see a repeat of their infamous start to 2009/2010?

Malaga 1 - 3 Valencia

(0-1) 9' Aduriz, (1-1) 44' Sebas Fernandez, (1-2) 70' Joaquin, (1-3) 74' Joaquin

There are many, myself included, that thought Valencia would struggle badly this season after losing Villa and Silva. Yesterday proved us wrong. For the time being at least. As long as Joaquin continues to produce match-winning cameos and Aritz Aduriz keeps banging them in, they'll be fine. Staying tight at the back will be vital. Does Cesar have another cracking season in him?

Hercules 0 - 1 Athletic Bilbao

(0-1) 46' Llorente

Hercules found out the hard way. Missed chances and a failure to capitalise on incessant pressure will be punished, especially when big Fernando Llorente is around. The World Cup winner stooped to head in a 46th minute winner to get his team out of a tricky situation against a lively home side who faded badly as the second half wore on.

Atletico Madrid  4 - 0 Sporting Gijon
(1-0) 11' Jurado, (2-0)  40' Forlan, (3-0) 62' Forlan, (4-0) 93' Simao

A breathtaking performance from Atletico. Jurado waved goodbye to the Vicente Calderon with a goal and a dazzling display, with Diego Forlan continuing his scoring form from the World Cup. Even the much-maligned Tomas Ujfalusi chipped in with a marauding display down the right that will give young left back Canella nightmares for weeks to come. Simaos late goal was an absolute beauty. European Supercup winners and top of the league. Not a bad week for Quiques men. 

Messi double helps Barcelona see off Villarreal in El Madrigal (Highlights)

Villarreal 1 - 4 Barcelona
(0-1) 18' Messi, (0-2) 33' Xavi, (0-3) 41' Bojan, (1-3) 68' Llorente, (1-4) 87' Messi

Xerez 2 - 1 Almeria
(1-0) 27' Armenteros, (1-1) 33' Soriano, (2-1) 93' Bermejo

Real Valladolid 0 - 0 Getafe

Malaga 1 - 1 Sporting Gijon
(0-1) 43' Apoño (o.g), (1-1) 79' Caicedo

Deportivo La Coruña 0 - 1 Real Zaragoza
(0-1) 49' Colunga

Espanyol 0 - 2 Valencia
(0-1) 61' Zigic, (0-2) 73' Zigic

Tenerife 2 - 1 Racing Santander
(1-0) 45' Roman, (2-0) 55' Ayoze (p), (2-1) 71' Xisco

Espanyol breathe new life into La Liga after holding Barca to derby draw

Espanyol 0 - 0 Barcelona

Barcelona lost their margin for error as Espanyol held them to a derby draw that breathes new life into La Liga. After last weeks dismantling of Real Madrid in their own backyard, many expected Barca to motor on unscathed to Liga glory. But their derby rivals had other ideas as they got stuck into the visitors, backed by a vociferous Cornella crowd. Baena and Forlin were monstruous in the middle of the park, as Xavi, Messi and Busquets were continually hounded in possession. Barca struggled to get into their stride from the off and were a shadow of the side that saw off Arsenal and Real Madrid in recent weeks. That said, Pep Guardiola and his players certainly have grounds for complaint regarding referee Undiano Mallencos performance, as Dani Alves was sent off for two innocuous fouls, whereas Espanyol were allowed to get away with numerous robust challenges which served to halt many of Barcas attacks.

Even so, Mauricio Pochettino must take great credit for setting up his side to frustrate Barca, with his 4-2-3-1 formation preventing Leo Messi and Xavi from being allowed to impose themselves on the match. Infact it was only the second time this season that Barcelona were prevented from scoring, with only Valencia managing that feat on matchday seven. Though having played for half an hour with a man less, Guardiola may well see this as a point well won, with Real Madrid still having to gain three points from a tricky home match against Valencia to make the most of this slip-up. But with trips to Villarreal and Sevilla still to negotiate for Barcelona, this league is still far from over. If Real Madrid do pick up the win tomorrow, and with Inter Milan still to come in the Champions League for Barca between league matches, La Liga will be thrown wide open, and with the easier run-in, Manuel Pellegrinis men will really fancy their chances. HAY LIGA!

Villarreal 2 - 1 Atletico Madrid
(1-0) 21' Godin, (2-0) 43' Rossi, (2-1) 64' Agüero

Sevilla 3 - 0 Sporting Gijon
(1-0) 7' Kanoute, (2-0) 53' Fabiano, (3-0) 84' Cala

Ibrahimovic saves Barcelonas blushes against Osasuna

Barcelona 2 - 0 Osasuna

(1-0) 72' Ibrahimovic, (2-0) 88' Bojan

Underfire Zlatan Ibrahimovic strolled out of Messis shadow to rescue his team from a potentially league-threatening draw against Osasuna.  While the watching world reached for the superlative dictionary during the week, as plaudits flew in from all angles to praise his teammate, Zlatan was left to mull over his numerous gaffes in the Aragonese capital. He and his team were made to suffer today as the visitors strangled the life out of Barcelona during a physical first 45 minutes, whilst also offering hope to the rest of the world that Leo Messi can be stopped. Messi didn't have a bad match by any stretch of the imagine, yet such are the standards that he sets himself these days, anything less than a hattrick doesn't warrant any special mention.

Jose Antonio Camacho, a Real Madrid man at heart, came to the Camp Nou set on  causing an upset. His 4-3-3 formation was a welcome change to the 'park the bus' tactics that many visiting teams adopt in this neck of the woods. With Nekounam and Puñal his loyal footsoldiers in the centre, Barca struggled to find any rhythm as Osasuna didn't leave a blade of grass unturned. The best chance of the half fell to Krisztian Vadocz, but up against the one-on-one master, Victor Valdes, there was only ever going to be one winner as the Barca keeper came to his sides rescue once again. Osasunas two full-backs, Monreal and Azpilicueta caused Dani Alves and Maxwell plenty of headaches down the wings, and as the players walked off for half-time, Barcelona were surely pondering how they could break this wall of white shirts down.

Whatever Guardiola said at the break worked, as Barca came out in determined mood, with Andres Iniesta at the forefront. Even so, Osasuna were in no mood to cave in as they stuck to the tactics that had served them so well in the first half. As the minutes ticked away, it was looking increasingly desparate for the Catalans. But up popped Ibrahimovic, who was in the right place at the right time to finish off a flowing move that involved Iniesta and Maxwell, with the latter sliding a perfect pass across goal, which only required the big Swede to stick out a leg. Cue a collective sigh of relief and plenty of swearing in Madrid. Messi provided his customary moment of magic, creating an inch of space just outside the area which allowed him to curl against the post, before Iniesta turned creator to set up sub Bojan for another of his late cameo goals. It wasn't pretty but it was effective, as Barca now look to Getafe to do them a huge favour tomorrow in the Coliseum.

Valencia 1 - 0 Malaga
(1-0) 13' Villa

Tenerife 2 - 2 Villarreal

(0-1) 46' Nilmar, (1-1) 60' Nino, (2-1) 76' Culebras, (2-2) 88' Rossi

Real Valladolid 0 - 0 Espanyol

Racing Santander 0 - 0 Mallorca

Almeria 1 - 0 Real Zaragoza

(1-0) 61' Uche

La Liga Sunday: Atletico Madrid saved by last gasp Ibra

Real Zaragoza 1 - 1 Atlético Madrid

(1-0) 5' Jarosik, (1-1) 92' Ibra

Real Zaragoza were left to rue their inability to sink ten men Atlético as they succumbed to a last gasp leveller from substitute Ibra. 'Los Maños' were hardly spectacular, but they had the better of the chances as Atlético Madrid failed to live up to the lofty expectation their recent form has created. Teixeira Vitienes delivered a refereeing performance of such inaptitute, with the faltering reputation of Spanish referees plunging to new depths as he perplexed everyone with some astonishingly poor decisions. Poor Jose Antonio Reyes the principle victim, as the inspired winger was kicked into the ground with Real Zaragoza employing some robust tactics to stem the Atlético tide. Jiri Jarosik had headed Zaragoza into an early lead, and when an utterly fed-up Reyes was sent off for flinging out a stray elbow which connected with Eliseu, the home team looked on course to collect a much-needed three points. That was until late substitute Ibra powered in a header in the dying seconds from Jurados cross, to rescue ten-men Atletico a point. Shame is, the match will be remembered for some inept refereeing which saw the man in black, so horribly out of his depth, show nine yellow cards.

La Liga Sunday: The Cristiano Ronaldo Show

Real Madrid 6 - 2 Villarreal

(1-0) 18' Cristiano Ronaldo, (2-0) 20' Kaká (p), (2-1) 30' Senna, (3-1) 54' Higuaín, (3-2) 66' Nilmar, (4-2) 71' Higuaín, (5-2) 79' Kaká, (6-2) 87' Alonso (p)

Cristiano Ronaldo single-handedly ripped Villarreal apart as he scored a free-kick and set up three more as Real Madrid kept up their 100% record at the Bernabeu. The Portuguese star was simply untouchable with a magical show of speed, trickery and pure power. His free-kick was almost as unstoppable as his barnstorming runs, and Villarreal had no answer. Gonzalo Higuaín and Kaká chipped in with two goals apiece, as Real Madrid served up some scintillating football to appease those fans who had been calling for Manuel Pelligrinis head after the defeat in Lyon. Though there will still be some who will be concerned with how Madrid kept letting Villarreal back in the match early on, although both goals from the Yellow Submarine were worthy of a game of such quality. Back to two points behind Barcelona, the battle for La Liga is hotting up nicely.

UEFA Europa League: Atletico, Valencia, Athletic and Villarreal all suffer

A shocking night for the La Liga contingent in the UEFA Europa League as not one out of the four Spanish sides managed a win. Atletico Madrid can count themselves seriously unlucky as they put in another eye-catching performance against Frank Rijkaards Galatasaray, and looked to be on course for a well-earned win through in-form Jose Antonio Reyes' stunning free-kick. But just after the impressive De Gea had been taken off with a muscle strain, the defence went missing for a split second and it was enough for Keita to sneak in unmarked at the backpost to score a precious away goal. The result will be a blow, but playing like this, I wouldn´t bet against Atlético pulling it off in Turkey. They'll need a sharp Diego Forlán, a fired-up Sergio Agüero and for their back four to concentrate for the whole 90 minutes (possible?), but with players like Reyes and Simao hitting top form further up the field, they can travel to Istanbul in confident mood.

Villarreal took an early lead but had to come from behind to draw with Wolfsburg after prolific Brazilian striker Grafite had netted a brace. Athletic Bilbao also came from behind, as Gorka Iraizoz gifted Anderlecht their opener, with the Basque indebted to on-loan defender San Jose who grabbed the equaliser. Struggling Valencia have it all to do in their tie as their poor recent form continued tonight. A 1-0 defeat against Brugges, a red card for David Silva and another defensive injury to contend with, as Matheiu suffered a sprained ankle, capped off a thoroughly dismal evening for 'Los Che'. Unai Emery will be praying David Villas drought doesn't continue for much longer, because without his goals they are suffering. And how many times does that man hit the post?

UEFA Europa League (Round of  32: First Leg)

Atletico Madrid 1 - 1 Galatasaray

Villarreal 2 - 2 Wolfsburg

Brugge 1 - 0 Valencia

Athletic Bilbao 1 - 1 Anderlecht

La Liga Saturday: Cristiano Ronaldo scores double in Xerez

Xerez 0 - 3 Real Madrid
(0-1) 64' Arbeloa, (0-2) 70' Cristiano Ronaldo, (0-3) 71' Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid didn't falter as they successfully added extra pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga. It wasn't pretty and it took them until the 64th minute to make the breakthrough, but once they did they devastated a worn-out Xerez side that had given as good as they had got. The atmosphere inside Chapin was predictably hostile and they got right behind their side as they got stuck into Real Madrids new galacticos. Xerez even had the better of the chances in the first 45 minutes as Momo and Carlos Calvo could easily have out their side infront. But in the second half, they tired badly and after Arbeloa had put Madrid infront with his first goal in Spanish football, finishing off a slick move with a wonderfully calm finish, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká took over. For Cristianos first, Kaká whipped over a lovely ball that Ronaldo bullet-headered into the net. One minute later the Brazilian repeated the trick with a squared pass in the area that Ronaldo tucked away with minimal fuss. Thats what €150 million gets you. The biggest disappointment of the match was Gonzalo Higuaín, who went completely missing and was subbed after 66 minutes. But today was all about Cristiano as a ruthless Madrid leave Jerez with three points in the bag, with an injury-hit Barca under pressure to maintain their five point advantage at Atlético tomorrow.

La Liga Sunday Highlights: Atletico Madrid downed by lowly Malaga

Atletico Madrid 0 - 2 Malaga

(0-1) 3' Duda, (0-2) 70' Javi Lopez

Perhaps they had one eye on their Copa del Rey Semi-final this week, or maybe they took a visit from lowly Malaga too lightly. Either way Atlético Madrid fell to a morale-sapping defeat at the hands of a team that started the day in the relegation zone. Duda hit the first early doors after a teasing cross from the right by Gamez, slipping the ball past De Gea from a tight angle. Atlético had plenty of possession but failed to create any sort of sustained danger and they were punished on 70 minutes when Javi Lopez struck the fatal second. The Copa del Rey and a late push for Europe represents all thats left for Atléticos season.

La Liga Sunday: Cristiano Ronaldo - The good, the bad and the ugly

Real Madrid 2 - 0 Malaga

(1-0) 35' Cristiano Ronaldo, (2-0) 39' Cristiano Ronaldo

It takes them a while to get going, during which they are normally indebted to Casillas and poor finishing from their opponents, but it only takes a couple of flashes of excellence to get Real Madrid out of jail and on the road to three points. Today it was Cristiano Ronaldo who took on the responsibility and cracked in two goals to put Malaga out of sight. Yet his brilliance sometimes comes at a cost, and todays was an disgraceful elbow in the face of Mtiliga which earned him a red card and sees him banned from next weeks tricky match against Deportivo. The Galaticos are still not gelling as a unit (bar that sweet move for the first goal!), but as long as they can keep on Barcas tail, when the machine finally clicks they could certainly mount a serious challenge for the league. Trouble for Pelligrini is that it's taking far too long. Next weeks match at the Riazor will be pivotal.

READ ON FOR HIGHLIGHTS OF ALL TONIGHTS LA LIGA MATCHES

Saturday Liga Results: Sergio Canales sinks Sevilla; Atlético fight back

Sevilla 1 - 2 Racing Santander
(0-1) 25' Canales, (0-2) 37' Canales, (1-2) 61' Romaric

Sevilla sunk to another deflating home defeat as they were ripped apart by a first-half Sergio Canales masterclass. The teen sensation scored two stunning goals, leaving clear signs that he is destined for stardom, as Miguel Angel Portugals Racing team stung Sevilla with some scintillating counter-attacking football. The first goal was a delightful chip over Palop, with the second exquisitely executed as he rounded Palop and waited before slotting past a desparate lunge from Adriano on the line. True cold-blooded finishing from a Racing youth product half owned by Deportivo La Coruña. For Sevilla manager Manolo Jimenez he will be hoping his team can fight through January, dropping as few points as possible as Kanoute, Kone and Zokora compete in the African Cup of Nations and Luis Fabiano recovers from injury. They also need to rectify a home record of four wins in nine if they are to arrest a slide which has already put pay to their La Liga hopes and has seen them slide out of the Champions League positions.

READ ON FOR REPORTS AND HIGHLIGHTS OF ALL TODAYS LA LIGA MATCHES

La Liga Results: Villarreal gatecrash Camp Nou Party

Barcelona 1 - 1 Villarreal
(1-0) 7' Pedro, (1-1) 50' Fuster

Whoever wrote the Camp Nou script for Barcelonas celebration of their six trophy bonanza, a draw with Villarreal surely wasn't part of it. That man Pedro got the hosts off to the perfect start after Thierry Henry had slammed a first time shot onto the bar, and he chested down to fire emphatically past Diego Lopez. From then on the Villarreal defence was heroic in the face of wave after wave of Barca attacks, and even after being turned down a nailed on penalty when Dani Alves felled Marcano, David Fuster was in the right place at the right time to slot in Cani's cross. If Real Madrid win tomorrow they go top. Not quite the New Year start Barca were looking for.

Valencia 1 - 0 Espanyol

(1-0) 92' Zigic

Espanyol fought tooth and nail for the away draw, but were undone by a fantastic Valencia move with practically the last touch of the match. Valencia battered Kamenis goal from start to finish with David Villa at the forefront, offering one mazy run in which he bamboozled one defender, nutmegged a second but found the goalkeepers legs with his shot. When Villa didnt find the Cameroon keeper in fine form, he found the woodwork and it looked like it would be Valencias day when in added time, Nicola Zigic headed a ball out wide to Joaquin, who put in a fantastic cross which found the rampaging beanpole who headed in past Kameni and sent the Mestalla into hysterics. 'Los Che' are flying high.

Atlético Madrid 2 - 1 Sevilla

(0-1) 44' Renato, (1-1) 48' Dragutinovic (o.g), (2-1) 94' Antonio Lopez

Antonio Lopez appeared at the front post to head in Simaos 94th minute free-kick and send the Vicente Calderon into raptures, giving Atlético Madrid a morale boosting start to 2010. The Atlético Madrid faithful deserved this last-gasp treat and whilst there were still a couple of signs of defensive frailty, especially just before giving away the corner which lead to Renatos opener, there were also signs that Atlético had improved upon their 2009 version. Quique gave starts to youngsters Ibrahim, Valera and Dominguez and they repaid their boss with fine displays which betrayed their young years. Sevilla were looking good up until half time but an unlucky rebound off Dragutinovic when Forlán had been clean through brought the hosts level and after Duscher had been sent off for a second yellow they gave away a needless free-kick on the edge of the area which was punished with Atleticos winner.

UEFA Europa League: Valencia complete Italian Job

Genoa 1 - 2 Valencia

(0-1)  45' Bruno, (1-1) 51' Crespo, (1-2) 90' Villa

Valencia came through a thrilling encounter in Genoa to finish the group unbeaten, but more importantly on top of the pile, which means they avoid the Champions League rejects, and those other teams that finished top in their groups. The game was end-to-end stuff, with Valencia soaking up some incessant Italian pressure and punching the home side on the counter whenever they were given the ball. Perhaps just as entertaining was Unai Emerys theatrics on the touchline. The man is bonkers, but he is doing a sterling job. David Villa ran his heart out all night in an attempt to offer an escape route for the Valencia midfield and was rewarded with the goal that gave his side a notable victory against a well-organised and dangerous Genoa led by veteran Hernan Crespo.

Europa League Results:

Villarreal 0 - 1 FC Salzburg  (Villarreal finish second and qualify for the next round)

(0-1) 6' Svento

Athletic Bilbao 0 - 3 Werder Bremen (Athletic Bilbao finish second and qualify for the next round)

(0-1) 13' Pizarro, (0-2) 20' Naldo, (0-3) 36' Rosenburg

La Liga Results-Highlights: Matchday 14 - Atlético Madrid in freefall

Atlético Madrid 1 - 2 Villarreal

(1-0) 36' Simao, (1-1) 48' Fuster, (1-2) 90' Llorente

• For Atlético Madrid things go from bad to worse to catastrophic. If it's not Ujfalusi it will be Perea. If it's neither of them, Pablo will have a go. Today Juanito took centre stage with two errors that gifted Villarreal their two goals. This defence is guaranteed relegation material.
  
• The match could have been over after half an hour were it not for Sergio Asenjo and some poor finishing from Villarreal. Even after conceding, Villarreal set about the home side with a menace that has characterised their rapid ascent up La Liga in recent weeks, with a 90th minute winner their reward. Villarreals patience with manager Ernesto Valverde is beginning to bear fruit.
  
• There was further bad news for Quique after his most consistent performer in recent matches, Jose Antonio Reyes, was taken to hospital after a nasty fall following a collision with Diego Lopez. One point off the relegation zone and in one hell of a mess. Atlético chose the perfect time to release their own brand of bottled wine!
  

 

Sporting Gijón 0 - 1 Sevilla

(0-1) 8' Kanoute

• Sevilla leapfrog back above Valencia after they became the first team to walk out of El Molinon with three points in the bag this season. It was a virtuoso performance but they just about did enough for the win after resisting a late charge from Sporting.
  
• The goal came from a glorious move involving Kanoute and Jesus Navas. Manolo Jiminez will be happy that the man from Mali is finding the back of the net, especially with the injury to Luis Fabiano and Alvaro Negredos continuing goal drought. The Spain striker was guilty of a shocking miss today, but he'll come good.
  
• Sporting rallied late on but failed to turn their dominance into goals. They missed Bilic more than Sevilla missed Fabiano, and without their Croatian hitman they will struggle to convert their chances. But with 20 points on the board and a solid home record, I can't see them struggling too much this season.
  

Racing Santander 3 - 2 Xerez

(0-1) 3' Bermejo, (1-1) 25' Lacen, (2-1) 48' Arana, (2-2) 68' Antoñito, (3-2) 82' Xisco

• Same old story for Xerez as they become the first away team to lose at the Sardinero this season. I'll take some comfort in the fact that they scored two away from Chapín, and put up a mighty good fight. But the truth is they simply don't have the quality to compete in the Primera Divisíon.
  
• Mario 'The Gladiator' Bermejo put Xerez ahead just after kick-off, but the signalled the start of Santanders procession towards the three points. Antoñito gave Xerez hope as he struck the goal to make it 2-2, but their defence went missing yet again as Xisco headed in Santanders late winner.
  
• Miguel Angel Portugal is doing a sterling job at Racing and has managed to lift them out of the danger zone. Meanwhile, 'Cuco' Ziganda is under intense pressure. Plenty of Xerecistas are calling for his head, but I honestly don't believe anyone else could do much better in his position. Although why he persists with Abel and Bergantiños is beyond me. To survive in this division you need a half-decent defence and a goalscorer. Xerez have neither.
  

Getafe 2 - 1 Tenerife

(1-0) 38' Albín, (2-0) 68' Albín, (2-1) 81' Juanlu

• Two goals from young Uruguayan Juan Albín were enough to send Getafe into the top half of the table, only 5 points off the European spots. Him and Pedro Leon carried their team to victory, with Leon in particular sensational down the right side.
  
• Míchel can be happy with how the season is panning out for his Getafe side. Eighth in the league and still in the Copa del Rey. The club from Madrid has become the new breeding ground for young managers. Quique, Schuster and Michael Laudrup have all passed through the gates of the Coliseum. How long will Míchel last at Getafe? Not long if he keeps this up.
  
• Tenerife will be quietly content with their battling display but two lapses of concentration cost them dear. First was keeper Aragoneses misjudging a corner; the second was the fault of dallying defender Manolo Martínez. Criminal at this level and they find themselves 2 points from the relegation zone.
  

Real Valladolid 1 - 1 Malaga

(0-1) 34' Duda, (1-1) 68' Jesús Gámez (o.g)

• Both teams were desparate for the win, so it was only to be expected that the game would end in a stalemate. Málaga now havn't won since the first day if the season, and quite how Muñiz is still in a job is a mystery, especially with the fans having started to call for his head some time ago.
  
• Real Valladolid perhaps shaded it on the day, with Portuguese striker Diego Costa easily securing man-of-the-match. They now find themselves in the middle of a eight-team group from 11th down to 18th; all within four points from the last relegation spot. It sure is tight down there.
  
• Málaga came out all guns blazing in the first half, but only had Dudas 34th minute goal to show for it at the break. The second half belonged to Real Valladolid, but in the end it was an own goal that put them on level terms. Both teams are definite relegation candidates.
  

Almería 1 - 1 Deportivo la Coruña

(1-0) 58' Uche, (1-1) 74' Pablo Álvarez

• An entertaining match that saw plenty of opportunities but only two goals. Uche scored a cracking header and Pablo Álvarez finished off a scintillating move from Deportivo. Lotinas three substitutes all played a part in the goal. Hugo Sanchez is being lynched for a lack of substitutions.
  
• But to be fair to the Almería manager he got his tactics spot on, stiffling Deportivo with his players asserting pressure in all areas of the pitch. But a lack of fresh legs towards the end saw Almería tire horribly. Hugo could be given the boot soon if his presidents post-match interview is anything to go by. Christmas is fast approaching and La Ligas fat cats are getting nervous.
  
• Deportivo, on the other hand, are flying high and remain in the UEFA Europa League spots. Today they had one decent attack and they scored from it. Apart from that they profited from a profligate Almería attack. They did what all good teams do, punctuate even when playing poorly.
  

Osasuna 0 - 1 Mallorca

(0-1) 60' Castro

• Gregorio Manzano for president! Today he sat Martí and Suarez infront of his back four and it worked wonders as Osasuna weren't given a sniff. Mallorca win their first match away from the ONO Estadi and are only three points from third. An unbelievable achievement for the islanders.
  
• 'Chori' Castros goal was an absolute corker, easily goal of the week. After a tasty run he cut in from the right and sent an arrow of a shot into Ricardos top-left corner. Unstoppable, and well worthy of the three points. But even more impressive were the Mallorca defence, thet fough fire with fire and repelled everything Osasuna threw at them.
  
• It's not quite panic stations yet for Camachos team, as they head that eight-team group who lie within four points of each other. But a couple more setbacks like this could see them drawn into a mammoth relegation fight with pretty much the whole bottom half of the table.
  

LA LIGA RESULTS + HIGHLIGHTS: 28.11.09

SPORTING 1 - 0 VILLARREAL

Villarreal never got going in this one and they see their recent comeback put to a halt. Nilmar, Pires and Rossi never got into the match, and you know if they don't play well, the yellow submarine is going to struggle. Senna was their best player on the day, performing his habitual task of breaking things up in the middle but with nothing going on ahead of him it was a lonely existence for the Brazilian-born midfielder. Diego Lopez kept up his reputation as a spot-kick expert with saves from two Gijon penalties.

Unfortunately for Lopez, Sportings Croatian striker Mate Bilic was first to react from the first save and slotted in after 75 mins to give his side the three points. They're surprising everyone this season, and find themselves a point off the European places, although it's doubtful they'll be able to maintain this superb run for much longer. Saying that, relegation doesnt look likely either and thats something coach Preciado would have settled for before a ball was kicked in September.

VALENCIA 1 - 1 MALLORCA

Not a great day for the 'Los Che' as they let a goal lead slip and lost David Silva to a serious looking injury. Valencia were dominating when Silva went down clutching his knee and their play suffered without the little playmaker from the Canary Islands. I'd put him at the same level as Iniesta, he's that good, and without him Valencia lacked the same bite in attack; let's hope he's back soon. That said Villa and Pablo Hernandez had chances to put their team out of sight but they found Mallorca keeper Aouate in inspired form.

Villa tapped in three minutes into the second half after Benenga had shot across the area, but they couldn't find the killer second goal. And they were made to pay because five minutes from time defender Bruno inexplicably barged into Castro in the area (god knows what he was thinking), and former West Brom midfielder Borja completed the formalities from 12 yards. Mallorca manager Gregorio Manzano must be favourite to take over from Del Bosque when he retires as Spain coach, because the man is tactical genius personified. Bravo.

SEVILLA 2 - 2 MALAGA

So much for my 4-0 prediction! And if it was a long night for any team it was most definitely for Sevilla. They had several clear chances in the first half, whilst Malaga had two. And yet it was the away side who went in at half time 0-2 up. Fernando side-footed in after some choas in the Sevilla area, and former Sevillano Duda struck the second after a deflected shot fell into his path. But the Portguese winger enjoyed that. He certainly looked like he did.

Luckily for Sevilla they have a lad upfront called Luis Fabiano, and he's lethal. Two chances came his way in the second half and he stuck them both away. First was a bullet header, the second a glorious low strike from a Kanoute flick. He is now tenth in Sevillas list of all-time top goalscorers, and his price tag just keeps on rising.