Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Sunday:
ALBACETE 0 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1
Deportivo continued their drive for a European place with a narrow win at struggling Albacete, who were unfortunate not to claim a late equaliser but are in deep trouble after six games without a win.
Argentine defender
Fabricio Coloccini scored the winner seven minutes before the break when he slid in from close range to meet a low cross from winger Victor.
ATLETICO MADRID 1 VALENCIA 0
Atletico followed up last week's impressive 3-0 win over Sevilla with a morale-boosting victory over a revived Valencia that left them just a point adrift of the European places.
Leading striker Fernando
Torres took his tally for the season to 15 goals as he put Atletico ahead in the 14th minute with a header after a corner.
Valencia fought for an equaliser and dominated for long periods but Atletico staged a determined rearguard action to keep last season's champions at bay for the rest of the match.
GETAFE 2 REAL MADRID 1
Real's already slim title hopes were dealt another heavy blow with this surprise defeat at their modest neighbours, who took control from midway through the first half.
Getafe were rewarded for a period of intense pressure when midfielder Raul Albiol cracked home a well-timed volley after Real defender
Ivan Helguera sliced a clearance over his own head in the 37th minute.
The visitors seemed powerless to respond and Getafe doubled their lead three minutes after the break when former Real youth player Riki beat the offside trap and scored with a fine shot.
Santiago
Solari's spectacular half-volley in the final minute provided scant consolation for Real.
LEVANTE 4 OSASUNA 0
Another morale-sapping defeat for beleaguered Osasuna, who are now just seven points above the relegation zone after an 11-game winless run.
Midfielder Juanma got the home side off to a great start when he found the net twice inside the first 21 minutes, dinking the ball over keeper Juantxo Elia for his first and slamming home with the outside of his foot for the second.
Bulgarian striker Vladimir Manchev made it 3-0 before the break when he slotted home after Elia had parried a fierce drive from Sergio
Garcia and the former Barcelona player then scored himself midway through the second half.
RACING SANTANDER 3 REAL MALLORCA 0
A doubly valuable win that allowed Racing to open up a seven-point lead over fellow strugglers Mallorca in the battle to avoid the drop.
Racing got off to a flying start with two goals in the first five minutes, midfielder Anderson
Silva volleying home from close range after a corner was flicked into his path and striker
David Aganzo netting with a spectacular scissors-kick.
Israeli forward Yossi Benayoun wrapped up the win when he snapped the ball off the feet of
Aganzo and clipped in from the fringe of the area six minutes after the break.
REAL SOCIEDAD 2 NUMANCIA 1
Numancia look destined for a return to the second division after a late strike from Jose Barkero ended the basement side's four-match unbeaten run.
Darko Kovacevic put Sociedad ahead in the eighth minute when he guided home from 10 metres after Valery Karpin had clipped a pass to his feet folowing a meandering run in from the left.
Numancia drew level early in the second half when striker Luis Tevenet headed in from close range, but Barkero killed off their hopes of a comeback when he drilled the ball home after defender Juanma had cleared a Kovacevic shot off the line.
SEVILLA 0 REAL ZARAGOZA 1
A costly second home defeat of the season for Sevilla, who lost ground in the race for a Champions League place after extending their winless run to five games.
Argentine centre back Gabriel Milito scored the only goal when he powered in a header after being left unmarked from a corner just after the half hour.
VILLARREAL 4 ESPANYOL 1
A
Diego Forlan-inspired Villarreal gained the edge in the battle for the Champions League places with this authoritative win over fellow high-flyers Espanyol.
Forlan took his tally for the season to 17 goals when he whipped the ball into the net from the edge of the area after 26 minutes.
Espanyol hit back five minutes later when Albert Lopo scored with a diving header but Forlan helped restore his side's lead early in the second half with a pinpoint cross for Argentine midfielder Juan Pablo Sorin to nod in from close range.
The former Manchester United player then won a penalty that was successfully converted by Juan Roman Riquelme and fellow Argentine Luciano Figueroa completed the rout when he snapped home on the turn after a corner eight minutes from time.
Played on Saturday:
BARCELONA 2 ATHLETIC BILBAO 0
Barcelona shook off the disappointment of their Champions League defeat by Chelsea with a comfortable home win over the Basques.
Portugal midfielder Deco settled the Catalans' early nerves when his 20-metre drive wrong-footed Bilbao keeper Daniel Aranzubia and spun into the net after it deflected off defender Luis Prieto in the 20th minute.
French winger Ludovic Giuly doubled their lead before the break when he curled a low drive round Aranzubia and inside the far post after Ronaldinho had slipped a neat pass into his path.
MALAGA 1 REAL BETIS 2
Betis joined the hunt for a place in the Champions League with this important win away to their fellow Andalucians.
Centre-back Juanito got the visitors off to a perfect start when he clipped a shot into the corner after the Malaga defence failed to clear their area and midfielder Edu added a neatly taken second when he slotted home after a fine angled run.
Striker Fernando Baiano pulled one back for Malaga midway through the first half when he poked home from close range.