Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Thursday:
ALAVES 1 ESPANYOL 1
Alaves are still looking for their first home win of the season after surrendering an early lead against the Catalans.
Defender Josu Sarriegi put Alaves ahead on 13 minutes when he nodded in at the far post, but Espanyol equalised just two minutes later when striker Luis Garcia cleverly diverted an Ivan de la Pena cross-shot into the net.
Sarriegi was sent off early in the second half when he clipped the heels of Espanyol striker Raul Tamudo but John Aloisi came close to snatching a win for the Basques when he hit the post in the final minute.
ATLETICO MADRID 3 CADIZ 0
Goals from Argentine duo Maxi Rodriguez and Luciano Galletti and centre-back Pablo Ibanez earned Atletico their most handsome win of the season.
Maxi opened midway through the first half when he turned in from three metres out after Antonio Lopez had checked in from the left and picked him out with a perfect pass. Ibanez headed in a Martin Petrov corner to make it 2-0 just after the hour.
Galletti wrapped it up three minutes from time when he drilled in under the keeper after beating the offside trap.
REAL SOCIEDAD 3 GETAFE 0
High-flying Getafe were given a wake-up call with this heavy defeat against improving Sociedad who have now won three on the trot.
Midfielder Mikel Aranburu opened the scoring with just four minutes on the clock when he completed a neat move by drilling in from 20 metres out.
Turkish forward Nihat Kahveci doubled the Sociedad lead when he turned in from close range 13 minutes later and Xabi Prieto added a third from the penalty spot before the half was out after the referee had spotted some shirt-tugging on striker Darko Kovacevic.
REAL ZARAGOZA 1 RACING SANTANDER 1
A sixth draw in nine matches for Zaragoza who had looked to be in firm control when Italian striker Diego Milito sent a clever flick-header into the far corner shortly before half time.
The home side spurned several good chances to extend their lead, but they were made to pay when Racing striker David Aganzo pounced on a defensive error to grab an equaliser 19 minutes from time.
VALENCIA 0 SEVILLA 2
A result that did little justice to Valencia who dominated throughout but were unable to get the ball in the net past their former keeper Andres Palop.
Br azilian striker Luis Fabiano scored Sevilla's first when he outwitted Valencia keeper Santiago Canizares with a deft back heel after his compatriot Adriano Correia had danced his way down the left flank and cut a neat pass into the area.
The Andalucians' second came three minutes after the break when Argentine defender Roberto Ayala turned into his own net as he tried to cut out a cross-shot from Daniel Alves.
Played Wednesday:
BARCELONA 2 MALAGA 0
Barca had Malaga on the rack for much of the first half at the Nou Camp but were kept at bay by an inspired performance by their former keeper Francesc Arnau.
The Andalucians held out until 11 minutes before the final whistle when Ronaldinho netted a controversial penalty.
Seven minutes later substitute Henrik Larsson made sure of the victory with his first goal of the season, a delicate chip over the advancing Arnau after a fine assist from Ronaldinho.
DEPORTIVO CORUNA 3 REAL MADRID 1
Deportivo preserved their 14-year unbeaten home record against Real in the league thanks to a superb strike from Canadian midfielder Julian de Guzman and two great headers from central defender Juanma.
De Guzman put the Galicians ahead when he drilled in from the edge of the area 11 minutes before the break and Juanma extended their lead when he made the most of some sloppy defending to head in a Pedro Munitis cross.
Juanma headed in from a corner late in the game before a spectacular strike from Raul gave a demoralised Real a consolation goal.
OSASUNA 3 ATHLETIC BILBAO 2
A last-gasp goal from Cameroon striker Pierre Webo ensured Osasuna of a win that allowed them to seize top spot and send Bilbao to the bottom.
Athletic went in front when midfielder Carlos Gurpegi stabbed home midway through the first half, but Osasuna midfielder Raul Garcia wiped out their lead before halftime with a rasping 30-metre drive.
Savo Milosevic put Osasuna ahead just after the hour with a diving header, but beleaguered Bilbao seemed to have earned themselves a point when Rafael Clavero bundled over his own line after a goalmouth scramble.
There was still time, though, for Webo to snatch the winner after he stabbed home a rebound in injury time.
REAL MALLORCA 1 CELTA VIGO 0
A first win in six outings for Mallorca gave coach Hector Cuper some much-needed breathing space.
Italian midfielder Cristiano Doni scored the winner with a wonderful improvised strike with the outside of his foot after the Celta defence failed to clear in the 46th minute.
A few minutes later the Galicians suffered another blow when they were reduced to 10 men after defender Pablo Contreras was sent off for a deliberate handball.
REAL BETIS 2 VILLARREAL 3
A controversial victory that completed a miserable week for the Andalucians who went down 4-0 to Chelsea and were then crushed 5-0 by Malaga at the weekend.
Betis striker Ricardo Oliveira cancelled out an early goal from Villarreal forward Jose Mari just before the half hour, but midfielder Juan Pablo Sorin restored the visitors' lead with a neat finish early in the second half.
Two minutes later Betis were back on level terms when defender Javi Venta diverted the ball into his own net, but Villarreal made off with the points when Juan Roman Riquelme converted a disputed twice-taken penalty.
Betis midfielder Joaquin was sent off for his protests and defender Melli followed his team mate down the tunnel for the same reason soon after. Irate Betis fans showered the pitch with missiles in the final stages of the game.