Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Sunday:
ALAVES 3 MALAGA 2
Alaves survived a late fightback by Malaga to claim their second home win this season as they moved out of the relegation zone for the first time in two months and pushed the Andalucians back down in their place.
The Basques took the lead on the stroke of halftime when Malaga defender Cesar Navas hooked the ball into his own net under pressure in the area and Australian striker John Aloisi made it 2-0 when he stabbed in five minutes after the restart.
Alaves looked to have wrapped up a comfortable victory when striker Rodolfo Bodipo scored a third as he charged down a clearance from keeper Francesc Arnau but a Duda free kick and a close-range strike by Antonio Hidalgo set up an exciting finale.
ATLETICO MADRID 1 REAL SOCIEDAD 0
Atletico followed up last week's 3-1 win over leaders Barcelona with their fourth victory in a row thanks to a late header from Mateja Kezman.
The former Chelsea striker had spurned an earlier chance but made no mistake with his second opportunity as he sent an acrobatic header in at the near post after a great cross from fellow striker Fernando Torres nine minutes from time.
Sociedad's new recruit John Viafara was sent off in what appeared to be a harsh decision two minutes from time after clashing with Atletico midfielder Gabi.
CELTA VIGO 1 VILLARREAL 0
A coolly taken penalty from leading striker Fernando Baiano was enough to give Celta a home win over out-of-sorts Villarreal that kept them in the hunt for a European place.
The Br azilian converted from the spot eight minutes before the break after Villarreal centre-back Gonzalo Rodriguez had been penalised for pushing midfielder David Silva in the area.
Villarreal, who have only won once in their last seven outings, lacked ideas and punch in attack without injured playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme.
ESPANYOL 0 RACING SANTANDER 2
Quick-fire goals from former Barcelona defender Damia Abella and midfielder Francisco Casquero earned Racing a valuable three points that kept them clear of the danger zone and created further problems for an inconsistent Espanyol.
Abella looped a shot inside the far post after a corner in the 81st minute and Casquero added a second almost straight from the restart when he finished off a quick-breaking attack with a a delicate chip over keeper Gorka Iraizoz.
REAL MALLORCA 1 GETAFE 1
Hector Cuper's Mallorca looked to be on course for their first win in nine games when Venezuelan striker Juan Arango cracked home a volley midway through the second half after a great cross from Argentine forward Leonardo Pisculichi.
But Getafe earned their first point in eight games on the road when midfielder Angel Vivar Dorado poked the ball across the line 10 minutes later after keeper Toni Prats spilled a shot that had spun off the bar.
REAL BETIS 0 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1
Betis looked closer to scoring for most of the game with in-form striker Dani denied by a fine reaction save from Jose Molina and midfielder Joaquin skimming the post with a late header.
But Depor made off with the points in injury time when striker Ruben Castro volleyed in unopposed after fullback Enrique Romero had clipped the ball into the area following a lightning break down the left wing.
VALENCIA 1 BARCELONA 0
A howler from Barca keeper Victor Valdes gifted Valencia a narrow win that allowed them to close within six points of the champions at the top of the table.
Valdes, who had produced a string of top-class saves, scuffed the ball into David Villa's path after he tried to clear a seemingly harmless back pass and the striker chipped a neat shot over his head into the open net.
Barca, without Ronaldinho, Deco and Lionel Messi, laid siege to the Valencia area after the break but were unable to prevent a second successive league defeat.
Played Saturday:
CADIZ 0 SEVILLA 4
Sevilla took an early lead when Argentine forward Javier Saviola fired in from the edge of the area after picking up a neat headed pass from fellow striker Frederic Kanoute.
Midfielder Antonio Puerta nodded in a Daniel Alves cross to make it 2-0 midway through the second half and substitute Kepa added a third with a magnificent diving header in the 90th minute just moments after stepping on to the pitch.
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Kanoute took his tally for the season to five when he added the finishing touch to a sparkling one-touch passing move deep into injury time.
OSASUNA 1 REAL ZARAGOZA 1
Osasuna got off to a flying start when Zaragoza old boy Savo Milosevic headed home in the third minute after midfielder Ludovic Deporte ballooned a cross into the area and the Navarrans were the better side for most of the match.
Zaragoza may have demolished Real Madrid 6-1 in the Cup in midweek but they rarely threatened the Osasuna goal and were fortunate to snatch a point thanks to a fine curling free kick from Argentine midfielder Leonardo Ponzio just before the break.
ATHLETIC BILBAO 0 REAL MADRID 2
Real restored a measure of pride after their 6-1 mauling at the hands of Real Zaragoza in Wednesday's King's Cup semi-final with this gritty win over Javier Clemente's strugglers.
Robinho got Real off to a flying start when he slotted under Bilbao keeper Inaki Lafuente after racing on to a fine through ball from Zinedine Zidane.
Bilbao fought back hard but lacked the finishing touch and Real made sure of the points when substitute Raul Bravo side-footed into an empty net in injury time after good work from Julio Baptista and Robinho.