Sporting Gijon 0 - 1 Real Madrid (Highlights): La Liga Sunday

Sporting Gijon 0 - 1 Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho may well have been hidden from view in the darkness of Sportings VIP box, but his team were thrust into the limelight, riding out a barrage of abuse from the stands and a stream of fouls from Sportings players to hold out for an invaluable win. They were promised a 'burning oven' of an atmosphere from Sporting coach Manolo Preciado, and they got it. El Molinón was in vociferous mood, letting Mourinho know in no small way, that his derogatory comments didn't get down too well in Asturias.

On the field it was a true battle of attrition. Sporting knew they couldn't match Real Madrid for skill. So the men in red and white, roared on by a partisan home crowd, got thoroughly stuck in Madrids stars. It was brutal at times, with Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo the recipients of some overzealous challenges. Credit to Real Madrid though, they never lost their heads. Patience was the key, especially in a first half were chances were at a premium and defences were on top. Alberto Botia and Gregory were impeccable at the back, restricting Madrid to a Higuiain shot that struck the base of the post and fell into the grateful arms of Juan Pablo.

The second half followed a similar pattern, Gijon running and puffing. Real Madrid assured, confident, sure that their chance will come. Karim Benzema came on and looked dangerous probing in and around the box. The Frenchman looks a different player since Mourinho has started to nuture him. And he played a large role in Madrids winner, as their patience was rewarded with Higuains winner eight minutes from time. Sergio Ramos swung in a cross from the right, Benzema peeling away at the back post to plant a header on goal. Juan Pablo got two hands to it, but the ball squirmed out of his reach and there was Gonzalo Higuain to tap into an empty net.

Seconds later Iker Casillas came to his sides rescue with a stunning one-handed stop from David Barrals header. Saint Iker is back in business. And so it was that Real Madrid held out for a win that maintains their one point lead over Barcelona. You can't help but think this is the sort of fixture Real Madrid would have drawn or lost in recent years. Mourinho has instilled a discipline in his defence and midfield, helped tremendously by the performances of Ricardo Carvalho and Sami Khedira, that allows their potent attack to do the rest. In this Real Madrid you can trust.

Real Zaragoza 1 - 2 Sevilla

Real Zaragoza went from injury time joy to injury time agony in a week. If last weeks tie against Mallorca sent the Zaragoza faithful home with a spring in their step, this weeks action will have sent them home wondering why on earth their team insist on giving cheap goals away. Todays defeat against the ten men of Sevilla sees Real Zaragoza hit rock bottom of La Liga. Jose Aurelio Gays men surely have far too much quality to go down. They said the same three years ago when Diego Milito, Ricardo Oliveira and Sergio Garcia graced La Romareda. No prizes for gueesing what happened that season.

Luis Fabiano struck the games opening goal, latching onto a superb through ball from Frederic Kanoute to fire past Toni Doblas on the half hour mark. It was a rare moment of quality in a match in which neither side managed to wrest control of the midfield, leaving the strikers starved of ammunition. Gay sent his side out with five at the back, a tactic that he will surely have to discard at home where they simply cannot afford not to win. You can undertand his concern with Zaragoza leaking goals for fun early in the season, but their away form is hopeless at best. They desparately need to convert La Romareda into a fortress.

The match sprung into life after half-time. Zaragoza were visibly lifted by the presence of talented substitute Nicolas Bertolo and it was the Argentinian who dragged his team level with a thumping header from a Gabi corner. From then on both teams set about grabbing a winner, a point seemingly not good enough for either. Sevillas task was made that little bit harder with the dismissal of Fernando Navarro, still it didn't stop them from piling forward. In the dying seconds of the match their bravery was rewarded, courtesy of the habitual moment of madness that Zaragoza treat us to on a weekly basis. Sevilla must have felt their christmas had come a month early.

This time it was Jiri Jarosik who was to blame for an inexplicable backheel in his own half that set Alvaro Negredo through on goal. Like Fabiano he made no mistake when one-on-one with Doblas, sliding the ball past the keeper to strike the injury time winner. Jose Aurelio Gay held his head in his hands. He cannot be held to account for these isolated actions from his lacklustre players, but with his team alone at the foot of La Liga on seven points he'll be lucky to survive the week.

Valencia 2 - 0 Getafe

How Valencia needed this win having been in freefall for the last month. Goals from Tino Costa and David Navarro were enough to earn all three points in the Mestalla against a Getafe team that are in all kinds of trouble, having failed to win in their last six matches. Joaquin and Juan Mata were impressive for the home side, creating plenty of danger down the wings, while the defence reverted back to early season form with a comfortable shut-out, helped by the dip in form suffered by the Getafe attack. So Valencia jump back into the top four, with Getafe sitting in mid-table but only four points away from the relegation zone.

Malaga 1 - 0 Levante

Manuel Pellegrini made it a happy debut at Malaga, as his new team put their dreadful home run of five defeats from five behind them to earn a first win of the season at La Rosaleda. It wasn't pretty and Levante had their chances, but with the two goalkeepers the stand-out performers, Eliseus thumping 35 yard drive was enough to steal all three points. Pellegrini has stated he expects more from his team, but right now they need results.

Hercules 2 - 1 Real Sociedad

The formbook was turned on it's head in the Rico Perez as Hercules came from behind to snatch a win against Real Sociedad. The first half was dominated by Real, with young Frenchman Antoine Greizmann turning in an electric performance, topped off with the games opening goal. But Hercules hit back after half-time, David Trezeguet continuing his fine form with the leveller before cult hero Royston Drenthe sent the home crowd ballistic with a rocket of a free-kick that ended up settling the match.

Racing Santander 0 - 0 Espanyol

A scoreline that reflected what was mindnumbing game of football, with only the odd flash of ambition. And when they came it was more often than not from Racing. Unfortunately for Miguel Angel Portugal and his team, they found Cameroon keeper Carlos Kameni in inspired form, repelling all that flew towards him, including an Ariel Nahuelpan penalty after half an hour. Racing also felt they had a case for a last minute penalty, but to the fury of the Sardinero crowd the ref waved away their appeals and the match ended all square.

Mallorca 0 - 0 Deportivo La Coruña

A match completely lacking in ambition, characterised by Depors ultra-defensive 5-4-1 formation designed to hold out for away points. Depor coach Lotina may well have bemoaned his teams lack of creativity in the final third but this team is designed not to lose rather than search for the win. Mallorca also seemed content to hold back, and with the matches two strikers, Riki and Webo both demonstrating they have a long way to go to establish themselves as consistent goalscorers, a 0-0 draw was always on the cards.

Real Madrid 2 - 0 Atletico Madrid (Highlights) - La Liga Matchday 10

Real Madrid ensured that Atletico Madrid's shocking derby record would carry on into 2011 as two early goals from Ricardo Carvalho and Mesut Ozil sentenced Quique Sanchez Flores's team to yet another defeat at the hands of their eternal rivals. Just like they had done in Milan, Jose Mourinhos men burst out of the blocks with Atletico struggling to get a foothold in the game. And the 'Rojiblancos' were made to pay for their slow start as centre-back Carvalho popped up out of nowhere to waltz through a static defence and slot past birthday boy David De Gea.

Atletico were rocking, and they were still coming to terms with going behind when Mesut Ozil scored the second. Real Madrid won a free-kick out wide on the right, with Ozil curling a delicious cross-come-shot that left De Gea rooted to the spot. At that point it appeared as if Atleti were going to be handed a thrashing, but instead of pushing for the killer third, Real Madrid began to sit back on their lead which allowed Atletico a route back into the match.

Thiago started to see plenty of the ball in the middle, although with Sergio Agüero cutting an isolated figure upfront and Diego Forlan struggling to impose himself on the match, Carvalho and Pepe were never put under any sustained pressure. One moment of controversy to come out of the first half was a possible penalty decision on Xabi Alonso after he blocked a Reyes shot with his hand, the referee deeming the action as ball to hand, much to the desperation of the Atleti players.

The second half followed a similar pattern with both teams creating scoring opportunities, Gonzalo Higuain and Diego Forlan both striking the post with a glorious volleys and Iker Casillas thwarting Agüero in a one-on-one, but there were to be no more goals. Man-of-the-match Ricardo Carvalho left the field early courtesy of a nasty-looking eye injury after he was elbowed by substitute Diego Costa, but that would end up being the only blot on yet another derby day victory for Real Madrid.

Barcelona never looked in any danger of falling to a shock defeat in Getafe as they recovered their best form to run out easy 1-3 winners, keeping them in touch with leaders Real Madrid. Lionel Messi was at his sublime best as he and David Villa tore through a helpless Getafe defence to score two superb goals which put Barca out of reach after only 30 minutes. For long periods, the Getafe players were chasing shadows, as Barcelona lit up the Coliseum with some stunning one-touch football that brought back memories of the sextruplet winning team of 2008/2009.

Messi could easily have had three or four on another day, but he found Getafe keeper Jordi Codina in inspired form. Yet the keeper was badly at fault for Barca's third, playing a poor pass out to defender Cata Diaz which lead to the defender conceding possession on the edge of his box, and then failing to block Pedro's run on goal, leaving the Barca man with a simple tap in. Getafe were handed a lifeline on 70 minutes when Pique was sent off for handling in the box, Manu reducing the deficit from the spot. Then Getafe received a red card of their own, Derek Boateng seeing a second yellow, and with him went Getafes hopes of rescuing anything from the match.

Villarreal fell behind to an early Fernando Llorente goal, but the 'Yellow Submarine' were ultimately too much for Athletic Bilbao from then on, creating countless chances and scoring four. At times it was incessant pressure from Villarreal, Borja Valero controlling proceedings in midfield and Guiseppe Rossi a constant menace in attack. Nilmar levelled the match on 39 minutes, and a shocking error from Bilbao keeper Gorka Iraizoz let the home side take a half-time lead, as his dreadful clearance fell straight at the feet of Santi Cazorla, who made no mistake with a first-time shot.

The second half saw Villarreal at their vibrant best, carving through Athletic Bilbao at will. Guiseppe Rossi had been guilty of some poor finishing throughout the match, but he made no mistake with only five minutes left to make the points safe. Substitute Jefferson Montero then gave the scoreline a more realistic look with a fourth in the dying seconds of the match.

In the weekends other matches, Espanyol maintained their fantastic start to the season with a 35 yard scorcher from Javi Marquez after only a minute enough for a victory over Malaga which leaves 'Los Pericos' in the Champions League spots and Malaga rooted to the bottom of La Liga. Manuel Pellegrini has a hell of a job on his hands at La Rosaleda. Real Zaragoza relieved some of the pressure on manager Jose Aurelio Gay, but they had to come from behind twice to eventually overcome Mallorca with a last minute penalty from Gabi. Real Sociedad had Joseba Llorente to thank as the striker scored the only goal of their match against Racing Santander, a win that places the Basque club in the European positions.

Osasuna finally found their shooting boots for the visit of Hercules, Monreal, Lolo and Vadocz getting the goals to give the home team a 3-0 win which lifts them into mid-table. Deportivo La Coruña finally put to bed their disastrous away form which had seen them fail to win away from El Riazor for over a year. Riki and Aythami got the goals which consigned Levante to a 1-2 defeat which keeps the newly promoted side in the relegation zone. Finally, Sporting Gijon and Almeria had to settle for a point apiece, Nacho Novo notching a late equaliser to cancel out Almerias opener from Miguel Corona. It was just reward for an improved second half showing by Sporting after Almeria had dominated the first 45 minutes.

As seen on SB Nation: http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2010/11/8/1800225/la-liga-matchday-10-real-madrid-take-the-derby-honours-villa-and

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

Agüero and Salvio join forces as Atletico defeat stubborn Tenerife (Highlights)

Atletico Madrid 3 - 1 Tenerife
(1-0) 11' Salvio, (2-0) 30' Salvio, (2-1) 61' Román, (3-1) 77' Agüero

Sergio Agüero has found himself a new friend. The two Argentinians Agüero and Salvio ripped Tenerife apart in a sazzling first half display that boded well for their midweek trip to Liverpool. Within half an hour Salvio had already chalked up two goals as Tenerife were torn apart by a rampant Atletico Madrid. With Forlán, Reyes and Simao also finding their form just at the right time, Quique has an embarrassment of riches at the top end of the field. Credit to Tenerife they stuck at it, and having pulled back a goal through Roman Martinez, they even had chances to level the match as Nino threatened briefly. Atletico weathered the storm with Sergio Agüero making sure of the win with little over ten minutes remaining. Forlan provided the pass and Agüero showed strength and composure to hold off the defender and sidefoot past Aragoneses. Not a bad way to prepare for Anfield. For Tenerife, another week stuck in the bottom three, as chances to pull themselves out of the abyss become fewer by the week.

Getafe 4 - 3 Sevilla
(1-0) 16' Adrian, (1-1) 33' Luis Fabiano, (1-2) 38' Kanoute, (2-2) 58' Pedro Leon, (2-3) 61' Luis Fabiano, (3-3) 75' Manu, (4-3) 93' Parejo

One of those matches that had absolutely everything, helped by some electric attacking football, clinical finishing and shocking defending. 31 shots on goal, 4 struck the woodwork, 7 flew in and one was an absolutely world class effort from Luis Fabiano. In short: Getafe take early lead, Sevilla fight back to take the lead having been severely under the cosh. Getafe equalise only for Luis Fabiano to score his second and put Sevilla infront once more. Getafe fight back a second time and after Frederic Kanoute was sent off went on to win thanks to a last gasp, re-taken penalty from Dani Parejo after Negredo had given the ball away in a truely unforgiveable manner. Thriller. The match also had implications for both races for Europe as Mallorca now hold the advantage for the race for fourth whilst Getafe are hot on the heels of Villarreal for the last Europa League position. And check out that dudes cigar and sombrero combo in the video. Classic. Who said Spanish Football was boring?

Sporting Gijon 0 - 2 Real Valladolid
(0-1) 80' Manucho, (0-2) 93' Baraja

Can Real Valladolid pull off yet another miraculous escape? Since Javier Clemente took over they've drawn two and won two, but more importantly havn't conceded a goal. A remarkable turnaround, especially when you take into account the farcical situation Clemente found the club in when he took over. With the former Spain coach employing five at the back, it was a solid defensive performance that provided the platform for Manucho and Baraja to score late goals and bag the all-important three points. Valladolid are not going down without a fight.

Racing Santander 1 - 2 Villarreal
(1-0) 38' Canales, (1-1) 70' Godin, (1-2) 82' Nilmar

Almeria 0 - 1 Espanyol
(0-1) 54' Luis Garcia

Mallorca 1 - 1 Malaga
(0-1) 86' Obinna, (1-1) 91' Aduriz

Athletic Bilbao 0 - 0 Osasuna

Real Madrid ensure they enter El Clasico neck and neck with Barca

Racing Santander 0 - 2 Real Madrid
(0-1) 23' Cristiano Ronaldo, (0-2) 76' Higuain

Real Madrid did exactly what they had to. In and out of the Sardinero with three points in the kitty, allowing them to move into El Clasico level on points with Barcelona, with a one goal advantage. They also managed to achieve goal number 100 for the season, and edged closer to that 107 league goal mark set 20 years ago. Their deadly duo account for more than half of those goals, as Cristiano Ronaldo and Higuain, who else, scored the two goals that were enough to see off a limited Racing Santander. Cristiano won and scored a penalty halfway through the first half, but they were made to sweat before making the win safe courtesy of a glorious throughball by Guti and a routine finish from Gonzalo Higuain. It was pretty but it didn't need to be. On form you would have to label Barcelona as favourites for next weeks clash of the titans. Although we all know form doesnt count for much in games like this. With Ronaldo and Higuain around Real Madrid will always have goals in them. It promises to be a belter. 6 days of press frenzy await.

Atletico Madrid 3 - 0 Deportivo La Coruña
(1-0) 22' Juanito, (2-0) 56' Forlan, (3-0) 60' Thiago

What better way to prepare for Thursdays make or break clash against Valencia, than by sweeping aside a Depor side in terminal decline. Atletico Madrid didn't have to work hard for tonights victory,  but they did just what was required to warm up for their Europa League quarter final this coming week. An early goal from recalled Juanito opened the scoring after a fine cross from Simao. Diego Forlan sentenced the match just after the break, in a peacemaking act with the Vicente Calderon, before Thiago rounded things off after a Reyes-esque run from a rejuvenated Tomas Ujfalusi. David De Gea underlined how important he'll be in their chase for silverware with some stunning saves as Atletico kept a welcome clean sheet. The defence has shored up, allowing the strikers to do their job. It's all coming together nicely for Quique Sanchez Flores.

Valencia 3 - 0 Osasuna
(1-0) 47' Joaquin, (2-0) 89' Villa, (3-0) 93' Villa (p)

Valencia have third place in La Liga all but wrapped up with a tight match in the Mestalla that was made to look more comfortable by two late strikes from 'El Guaje', David Villa. The only difference between the two sides was their accuracy infront of goal, with Joaquin putting Valencia on course to three points with a deft flick just after halftime. Villa added two strikes late on, one from the spot after he was brought down by Ricardo to take his tally to 28 in all competitions. Osasuna had their chances, but were left to rue misses from Camuñas and Aranda as their early season form has deserted them as the season comes to a close.

Sporting Gijon 2 - 2 Xerez
(1-0) 13' Rivera, (1-1) 52' Bermejo, (2-1) 56' De Las Cuevas, (2-2) 79' Alustiza

Xerez just refuse to lie down and with this point in El Molinon, continue to dream of survival. Nestor Gorosito would have targeted all three before kick-off, but after seeing how the match unfolded, a point was a bonus for a Xerez side that was outplayed by Sporting, and were gifted a route back into the match after a monumental error from Rivera, who had opened the scoring earlier on and was by far the matches star performer. Regardless if they stay up or not, Xerez have salvaged a huge amount of pride from a season that was spiralling out of control under former coach 'Cuco' Ziganda.

Real Valladolid 0 - 2 Villarreal

(0-1) 9' Angel, (2-0) 59' Nilmar

Desparate times for Real Valladolid. In previous years they have scrapped and fought to remain in the Primera Division. This year they are severely lacking in fight, belief and confidence and even have their own fans on their back. The situation at the Jose Zorilla is critical after another defeat at the hands of Villarreal who hit the hosts with two suckerpunches before and after the break. The first was a scorcher from Angel, with the second a pinpoint header from Nilmar, who could well be one to watch for next season as he continues to settle into life in La Liga. Valladolid were tormented all afternoon by a familiar face as Joseba Llorente ran rings around the home defence. How they miss his goals and guile. The match ended on a sour note with Medjunanin gesticulating to the crowd in response to incessant booing and jeering, spurred on by sightings of the players out on the town between matches.

Getafe 1 - 1 Espanyol

(1-0) 27' Manu, (1-1) 50' Osvaldo

Pedro Leon for Spain? The winger can hardly do more to stake a claim for a place in the squad and is surely a safer bet than Albert Riera. Game of two halves with Getafe controlling the first half and going in at the break 1-0 up through Manus strike, courtesy of yet another assist from Pedro Leon. Espanyol came out a different side in the second half and were unlucky not to go on and win the match after Osvaldos spectacular strike from the left corner of the box. The Argentine loan signing from Bologna has been a revelation in the second half of this season.

Almería 1 - 1 Mallorca

(1-0) 4' Uche, (1-1) 87' Webo

Real Madrid fight back to take the derby honours against Atletico

Real Madrid 3 - 2 Atletico Madrid
(0-1) 10' Reyes, (1-1) 49' Alonso, (2-1) 55' Arbeloa, (3-1) 62' Higuaín, (3-2) 67' Forlán

Real Madrid leapfrog Barca yet again after an action-packed derby against Atletico Madrid. 'Los Rojiblancos' even managed to make it to halftime a goal to the good after Jose Antonio Reyes' confident finish past Casillas, but from that point on there was only one team in it. Atletico inexplicably retreated into their own half, and Real Madrid took control. De Gea had to be at his best to ensure Atleti started the second half in the lead, but within 17 minutes they found themselves 3-1 down as Alonso, Arbeloa and Higuain all found the net with Real Madrid threatening to run riot. Higuains goal will have especially angered Quique as farcical errors from Thiago (who had played well up to that point) and Assuncao allowed Higuain a free run on goal, and the Argentine rarely fails to find the back of the net when one on one, and tonight was no different. Diego Forlán quickly made it 3-2 after a crazy handball by Xabi Alonso was punished with a penalty (but oddly not even a yellow card), but bar a chance for Forlán with only seconds remaining, that was as close as it would get for Atletico. It's looking increasingly like El Clasico on April 10th is going to be the defining match in this seasons Liga battle.

Villarreal 3 - 0 Sevilla
(1-0) 4' Rossi (2-0) 17' Llorente (3-0) 90' Pires

Sevilla are slowly but surely falling out of the Champions League race as they fell to another morale-sapping defeat at the hands of Villarreal. With Jesus Navas and Diego Perotti out, Sevilla lack a plan B, with Luis Fabiano and Alvaro Negredo starved of service. Villarreal on the other hand were inspired, with Cani, Ibergaza, Rossi and Nilmar simply too much to handle for Sevillas back four. Guiseppe Rossi got the first, running onto Nilmars pass, whilst Joseba Llorente took advantage of another assist from the Brazilian to put the match out of sight for the visitors. Luis Fabiano had a couple of chances to half the deficit, but shot uncharacteristically straight at the keeper on both occasions. Late sub Robert Pires then put the icing on the cake for Juan Garridos men as he slipped the ball past the onrushing Palop to give the scoreline a more realistic reflection. As the Submarine rises towards the European spots, Sevilla see their Champions League ambitions take another blow. A team short on confidence and ideas, Antonio Alvarez has a huge job on his hands.

Xerez 3 - 0 Real Valladolid

(1-0) 1' Victor Sanchez, (2-0) 35' Michel, (3-0) 71' Bermejo (p)

This was supposed to be the last chance saloon for Xerez, as defeat to a direct rival like Real Valladolid would spell almost certain relegation. Just as well the team from Chapin are saving the best for last as they chalked up their eleventh point out of the last 18 available in their search of a footballing miracle. Few people give them a chance but try telling that to the Xerez players, as they close the gap on Real Valladolid to two points and are now only seven away from Real Zaragoza who sit just above the bottom three. Victor Sanchez set them on the road to victory with a goal after only a minute following good work from little Fabiano Orellana. Momo then sent over a superb free-kick which left Michel with the simple task of nodding past Justo Villar, as the Real Valladolid defence crumbled. If todays performance is anything to go by, Valladolid are doomed, as they hardly created a noteworthy chance in the first half, with Manucho an isolated figure upfront. The second half saw much of the same, as Xerez had various chances to extend their lead, and did so with 20 minutes left after a dubious penalty decision from controversial ref Perez Burrul. From where I was sat it looked like Mario Bermejo slipped as he rounded Justo Villar, but Burrul gave the penalty and sent the keeper off. With all their subs already used, Medjunanin went in goal, only to pick the ball straight out of the net as Bermejo made no mistake from the spot. Chapin then went into party mode. The great escape is still very much alive.

Deportivo la Coruña 1 - 3 Getafe

(0-1) 21' Miku, (0-2) 32' Ze Castro, (0-3) 57' Miku, (1-3) 71' Riki

Osasuna 1 - 0 Almeria

(1-0) 20' Pandiani

Espanyol 0 - 0 Sporting Gijon

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!

Real Madrid fight back to go three points clear

Real Madrid 3 - 1 Sporting Gijon

(1-0) 53' Barral, (1-1) 54' Van der Vaart, (2-1) 57' Alonso, (3-1) 68' Higuain

Real Madrid rattled off their 14th consecutive league victory in the Santiago Bernabeu this season, as they came from behind to beat a plucky Sporting Gijon. The home fans certainly won't have relished a drab first half, and things got even worse after the break when an exquisite pass over the top from Camacho sent David Barral through on goal with the striker composing himself before firing an unstoppable shot past Iker Casillas. But back came Madrid only a minute later with a goal that had more than a hint of controversy about it, as Rafael Van der Vaart appeared to handle the ball in the box before shooting in after Juan Pablo could only parry Cristianos rocket of a free-kick. Then Real Madrid went straight into the lead, after a prodigious leap from Cristiano Ronaldo flicked on a corner towards an unmarked Xavi Alonso who made no mistake with his header from close range. Gonzalo Higuain rounded things off and made the points safe with a dashing run and shot, which takes his league total for the season to 20. They might not be setting the world alight, but they sure know how to grind out those league points, with Barcelona now obliged to get a win away to Real Zaragoza tomorrow. Advantage Real Madrid in the race for La Liga.

Xerez 2 - 1 Tenerife

(1-0) 7' Bermejo, (2-0) 15' Aythami, (2-1) 49' Nino

In terms of quality it was like watching a third division match, but Xerez won't care one bit as they grabbed three points that allows them to continue believing in the impossible. In all reality, Xerez staying up is impossible, especially when you think that they still have to travel to Sevilla, Valencia, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid before the season comes to a close. Even so, what Nestor Gorosito has achieved since he walked into the madhouse has been more than noteworthy, and Xerez fans will surely be thinking what could have been if we had started the season with the Argentine manager in charge. Mario Bermejo got the first early doors, but from where I was sitting it looked like the keeper Aragoneses took his header comfortably on the chest; the linesman must have seen him fall back behind the line. Aythami quickly made it two after some chaos in the Tenerife box, and it finally looked as if were about to witness a rout. The rout never materialised, and once midfield enforcer Sidi Keita was forced off injured, it all got very untidy in the middle of the park. Tenerife were awarded a dodgy looking penalty towards the end of the first half, but in the midst of pandamonium-like noise, newly restored keeper/hero Chema came to rescue, pushing away Ninos tame effort. Nino wasnt to be completely denied though, as the tiny striker somehow beat two huge centre halves to a header early in the second half, which cut the defecit. Tenerife probed for much of the second half, but the equaliser never came. So, can Xerez do the unthinkable and stay up? It would be the stuff of legend, but those away matches will surely put pay to any small hopes that still linger.

Espanyol 2 - 0 Sevilla
(1-0) 8' Osvaldo, (2-0) 60' Osvaldo

Is this the end of Manolo Jimenez as Sevilla boss? A tame defeat for the Andalucians as Espanyol ran the show in the Estadio Cornella. Espanyol unbeaten at home since losing 0-4 to Racing in December, a run that will surely secure their survival in La Liga.

Deportivo La Coruña 0 - 2 Real Valladolid
(0-1) 39' Nauzet (0-2) 91' Medjunanin

Real Valladolid kept a clean sheet for the first time in 17 matches as they overcame a disappointing Deportivo la Coruña in the Riazor. The win keeps Valladolid very much alive in their fight for top flight survival as Depor take a step back in their hunt for the Europa League positions.

Athletic Bilbao 2 - 2 Getafe
(1-0) 13' Orbaiz, (1-1) 32' Manu, (2-1) 81' Llorente, (2-2) 86' Pedro Leon

Crazy match at the San Mames, as Getafe dominated but saw themselves obliged to fight back to earn a draw in the dying minutes. Orbaiz and Miguel Torres were sent off for either side as a feisty encounter ended in a draw that does little for either teams European ambitions.

La Liga Monday: David Villa strikes twice to sink Getafe

Valencia 2 - 1 Getafe

(1-0) 39' Villa, (2-0) 52' Villa, (2-1) 76' Manu

Valencia fought their way to a vital three points in their fight for the best of the rest, as David Villa returned to goalscoring ways with a double that ultimately sunk a battling Getafe. 'Chori' Dominguez is starting to show why Unai Emery was so keen to sign him this winter as he put in a fine shift, frequently leaving Cata Diaz in his wake as Valencia mounted a series of attacks in the opening half. Indeed it was the Argentinian who set up David Villas first with a burst of pace that took him past the defender, and an inch-perfect cross which only required a simple touch from Villa. Valencia may not be watertight in defence but if you give them space in attack, they are capable of tearing apart any defence, as David Silva and David Villa showed with the second; Silva stealing the ball and setting lose Villa who produced a delightful chip which left an onrushing Codina grasping at thin air. Alexis was harshly sent off for a second yellow after an hour, and even though Manu pulled one back for Getafe, the locals held on to move four points ahead of Sevilla.

La Liga Sunday: Atletico Madrid hand first league defeat to Barcelona

Atlético Madrid 2 - 1 Barcelona

(1-0) 9' Forlan, (2-0) 22' Simoa, (2-1) 26' Ibrahimovic

Real Madrid have shot straight back into the reckoning after their rivals from across the city, Atletico Madrid did them a huge favour by inflicting a frist league defeat of the season on a weakened Barcelona side in the Vicente Calderon. The Jeckyl and Hyde of La Liga put on a dazzling show of attacking football that had them 2-0 up within 22 minutes after Diego Forlans clinical finish from Reyes' through ball and Simaos peach of a free-kick. That man Perea did his best to ruin the party, letting Zlatan Ibrahimovic escape his grasp to knock in after Carlos Puyol had caused chaos in the Atletico box from a corner, but they more than held on as they had several opportunities to add to their lead. Barcelona had sent out an unfamiliar looking defence after their numerous injuries and it got worse after only two minutes when Seydou Keita went off injured. Neither Xavi, Iniesta or Messi looked anywhere near their best as Barca fell to a defeat that breathes new life into La Liga.  

Copa del Rey: Sevilla reach Cup final with nervy defeat at Getafe

Sevilla reached the final of the Copa del Rey in defeat as they fell 1-0 to a fired up Getafe, but go through courtesy of their 2-0 victory last week. A rampant Getafe were all over Sevilla from start to finish, with Pedro Leon and Manu constant threats down the wings, and Boateng and Casquero dominating Romaric and Zokora in the central areas. Manolo Jimenez charged up an already electric atmosphere inside the Coliseum as he was unceremoniously sent to the stands after 25 minutes, complaining that Boateng deserved a red for an elbow on Diego Perotti. In a scene reminiscent of Arsene Wengers debacle at Old Trafford last year, he sat in the stands only to be approached by aggrieved Getafe fans. He wisely exited the arena.

Back on the pitch, Andrés Palop embarked upon another of his one-man missions to win Sevilla the cup as he thwarted a whole host of Getafe chances, the most notable of which was a prodigious one-handed stop from a Boateng drive with only seconds remaining. Roberto Soldado did manage to get the better of the Sevilla keeper on 51 minutes with another classy finish in what is turning out to be an excellent season for the ex Real Madrid hotshot, but they couldnt add the vital second goal. So Sevilla await the winner of tomorrows semi-final between Racing Santander and Atlético Madrid, although with the Madrileños taking a 4-0 lead up north to Cantabria, Sergio Canales and company will have to pull something pretty special out of the bag for it not to be an all red and white final.

La Liga Saturday Highlights: Messi leads nine-men Barca to Getafe win

Barcelona 2 - 1 Getafe

(1-0) 5' Messi, (2-0) 66' Xavi, (2-1) 93' Soldado

Lionel Messi ran the show as Barcelona recorded an impressive win against Getafe, having played for more than 65 minutes with ten men. Messi gave Barca the lead with a cracking effort after only 5 minutes and it looked like a rout was on the cards as Barca mounted wave after wave of attacks. But then a moment of madness saw Gerard Pique sent off for a nasty challenge on Rafa, which threw the game wide open. Both teams went for the jugular, as Getafe could finally match their opponents now they were down to ten. But lead by a possessed Lionel Messi, Barca went two up when Xavi struck home just after the hour. Game over. But there was still to be some drama, as Marquez was sent off after felling Kepa, with Roberto Soldado slotting home the penalty. Guardiola didnt want to enter into any debates about the refereeing, but he'll have a few late nights as he ponders how to structure his side for their next match against Atlético Madrid without Pique, Marquez, Alves and Toure Yaya.

Copa del Rey Semi-Final: Sevilla put one foot in the final

Sevilla stepped ever closer to the final of the Copa del Rey with a convincing 2-0 defeat of Getafe. Both teams have enjoyed solid runs in the cup in recent years, but only one will make it to the final in this years episode, and after tonights show, Sevilla are very much in the driving seat. It took a particularly unpopular decision from Manolo Jiminez to set Sevilla on the road to victory, as Alvaro Negredo was hauled off after 36 minutes to allow Romaric to steady the ship after a turbulent opening half hour where Getafe threatened to run riot. The substitution worked wonders with Luis Fabiano and and an own goal from Mario giving Sevilla a healthy lead to take to the Coliseum.

Copa del Rey Quarter-final Results: Atletico scrape through

They didnt do it the easy way, but then they never do. Atletico Madrid travelled to Vigo needing to score to go through, and once Diego Forlan had put them infront after a disastrous error from centre-back Noguerol, they had the even tougher task of shutting up shop. Aided by another monumental display from Dominguez and a controversial disallowed goal from Trashorras, they held on and Racing Santander await in what promises to be an electric semi-final, with the first installment next week in the Vicente Calderon.


In the tie that would decide who would face Sevilla in the other semi-final, Mallorca saw their cup run ended by Getafe, even though they managed a 1-0 win on the night. Artiz Aduriz got the goal and it could all have been so different had the striker converted a 30th minute penalty that was repelled by Ustari. The Madrileños suffered during a hard-fought second half but they held on to reach their second semi-final in two years.

Yesterday saw Deportivo La Coruña crash out despite pulling one goal back on aggregate in the Sanchez Pizjuan on the stroke of half-time through Bodipo. Sevilla waltzed through a match that will be mostly remembered for being one of the most boring ever. Pity the fans that paid good money to watch this. Both sides never looked interested, with Lotina using the match as a training session for his youth team. In the nights other tie, that man Sergio Canales inspired his team to another victory with an exquisite free-kick that wrapped up a 0-3 win which sends the Cantabrians into the semis. Everyone expected Osasuna to come racing out of the blocks to try and drag themselves back in the tie after losing in Santander 2-1. Yet it was Racing that took the initiative and within 25 minutes they were already two goals to the good. Miguel Portugal has really turned things around at the Sardinero and a place in the last four of the cup is his reward.

Copa del Rey Quarter-Final Results:

Sevilla 0 - 1 Deportivo La Coruña (Sevilla through 3-1 on aggregate)

Osasuna 0 - 3 Racing Santander (Racing through 5-1 on aggregate)
Celta Vigo 0 - 1 Atlético Madrid (Atlético through 2-1 on aggregate)
Getafe 0 - 1 Mallorca (Getafe through 2-2 on away goals rule)

Copa del Rey Semi-Finals:

Sevilla v Getafe
Atlético Madrid v Racing Santander

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

Copa del Rey Quarter-Finals: Sevilla thrash Depor in Riazor (Highlights)

Sevilla put their dismal league form behind them to take a giant leap towards the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey with a barnstorming 0-3 defeat of Deportivo La Coruña in the Riazor. Alvaro Negredo, who had a fantastic match, opened the scoring on 29', whilst a two minute onslaught just after the hour, which harvested goals from Renato and Navas, virtually sealed the tie for the Andalucians. Things got even better for Sevilla as Luis Fabiano made his long-awaited return from injury. Depor had no answer to Sevillas pace to burn out wide, but they certainly weren't helped by Lotinas ultra-defensive set-up which actively frowned upon any attempt to attack.

In the ONO Estadi, Mallorca fell to their first home defeat of the season in all competitions, as Getafe left the island with a slender lead to take into the second leg next week. Manu and debutant Miku put Michels team 0-2 up, before dangerman 'Chori' Castro pulled one back for the Mallorquins with virtually the last kick of the game, a goal which keeps them in the tie. Two teams that will see the Spanish Cup as their chance for glory in 2010, so next weeks second-leg should be a cracker.

Copa del Rey Quarter Finals: First Leg

Deportivo 0 - 3 Sevilla
Mallorac 1 - 2 Getafe
Atlético Madrid 1 - 1 Celta Vigo
Racing 2 - 1 Osasuna

Copa del Rey: Barcelona KO'd in the Cup

They're human after all. Having swept everything placed infront of them last season, they have fallen at the first hurdle in 2010 after succumbing to an aggregate defeat by Sevilla in the Copa del Rey. The match was an absolute thriller and a firm response to those who proclaimed the cup a dead duck last week when only a total of 90,000 spectators turned up to all the cup ties combined (not enough to fill the Camp Nou). Barca pushed and pushed for the two goals they needed to go through, but a sweet Xavi effort was all they got as they found Spanish number three Andrés Palop in superb form. Ibrahimovic had a shocker, whilst 'Titi' Henry was lucky not to receive a straight red for a disgraceful challenge on Jesus Navas. In fairness, after last season, they was only one way they could go, but so soon?

Elsewhere, Real Madrids tormentors Alcorcón bravely bowed out at Racing Santander (who are struggling for dear life to hold onto their teenage star Sergio Canales); Valencia grabbed two early goals that would have seen them through, only to then concede two as Depor secured qualification; Getafe smashed five past a hopeless Málaga side who seemed content to get tie out of the way to concentrate on league affairs; Celta Vigo, the only non top-flight side left in the cup, scored a 90th minute penalty to send Villarreal crashing out, whilst Osasuna got the goal they needed to qualify at Hercules' expense on away goals.

Sunday Liga Results: Messi hattrick downs Tenerife

Tenerife 0 - 5 Barcelona

(0-1) 36' Messi, (0-2) 44' Puyol, (0-3) 45' Messi, (0-4) 75' Messi, (0-5) 85' Luna (o.g)

When you are as good as Barcelona are, and when you've won everything on offer in the last 12 months, it's inevitable that after a couple of games that failed to yield a win, people start announcing the end of the Barca dynasty. Absolute rubbish. The phrase 'form is temporary, class is permanent' has never rung truer, as Leo Messi weaved his magic to score two goals before half time, after Barca had been under the cosh for the opening 35 mins. The finest footballer on the planet then completed his hattrick in the 75th minute, and Tenerife were left to rue not turning their opening dominance into goals. Guardiola also had Victor Valdes to thank for some timely interventions whilst Barcas backline endured a shaky start. Real Madrid had laid down the gauntlet earlier on in the afternoon; Barcelona answered in style.

READ ON FOR REPORTS AND HIGHLIGHTS OF ALL TODAYS MATCHES

La Liga News: 107 Real Madrid youth players across Europe

Barcelona may get plenty of recognition for 'La Masia', the youth set-up at Barca that continues to churn out some outstanding young talent, most recently Pedro and Jeffren, but today 'AS' reported the amazing statistic that there are 107 players playing professional football across Europe that were nutured in 'La Fábrica' at Real Madrid. 51 ply their trade in 'La Liga', 43 in 'La Segunda' and 13 overseas. Out of those who play in the Primera Division, Getafe is home to seven former Real Madrid youth players, with Soldado, Parejo, Belenguer, Adrián, Casquero, Miguel Torres and Codina all at home in the Coliseum.

Abroad you have Jordi Lopez in the Premiership, Javi Garcia and Balboa in Portugal, and it even streches as far as Armenia where Ulises and Pedro Lopez reside. Real Madrid themselves can only count on five at this moment in time, with Raul (contentious inclusion as he was originally an Atlético product), Guti and Casillas the old-timers joined more recently by Arbeloa (purchased from Liverpool) and Granero, with perhaps only Casillas and Arbeloa considered definite starters. If Real Madrid want to bridge the small gap that now separates them from their Catalan rivals, they will need to start turning these prospects into regular first-teamers, instead of letting talent such as Negredo and Soldado slip through their fingers.