Injury-hit Real fail again at Deportivo
Real Madrid's sorry streak at Deportivo La Coruna continued when the Spanish giants crashed 3-1 in their bogey team's intimidating Riazor stadium.
With the Riazor festooned with banners proclaiming Deportivo fans to be 'Anti-Madrista', Real were as good as defeated before the break thanks to two outstanding first half goals from Julian De Guzman and Juanma Delgado.
Juanma got his second of the night seven minutes from time and Real club captain Raul Gonzalez scored a late consolation three minutes later but the three points were effectively in Deportivo's hands by the interval.
Real, missing the injured quartet of Ronaldo, Robinho, Zinedine Zidane and Michel Salgado, have now not won in La Coruna since the 1991-92 season.
Goals from Ronaldinho and Henrik Larsson in the last ten minutes gave reigning Spanish champions Barcelona a 2-0 win over Malaga, which helped them leapfrog over their bitter rivals Real.
Ronaldinho broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after 80 minutes, after he had been brought down by Juan Rodriguez, although Malaga players accused the World Player of the Year of diving.
"I think we played good football and gave a good account of ourselves by fighting to the end," said Barca coach Frank Rijkaard who offered an explanation to Ronaldinho's alleged dive.
"The penalty was legal. We are not out to trick anyone, when you are fouled at the speed he (Ronaldinho) was going, you start to fly," added the Dutchman.
Second half substitute Larsson then got his first goal of the season three minutes from time.
The Swedish striker was left unmarked on the edge of the area as a pinpoint cross from Ronaldinho came to his feet and he chipped over the head of Malaga's oncoming keeper Francesc Arnau, who started his career at Barca.
Osasuna moved top of the table Wednesday after a 3-2 win over struggling Athletic Bilbao although Getafe and Valencia both play on Thursday and can overtake them.
Cameroon international Pierre Webo got Osasuna's winner three minutes into injury time after the game had swung to and fro.
Carlos Gurpegi put the Basque visitors ahead from close range after 25 minutes but Raul Garcia levelled for Osasuna two minutes from half time.
Garcia found the net with perfectly pitched lob from 30 yards, having spotted Athletic keeper Daniel Aranzubia was just too far off his line.
Savo Milosevic then headed Osasuna into the lead before Athletic's Andoni Iraola nudged the ball into the net with nine minutes remaining.
"At 2-1 I thought the game was under our control so to be drawing with just a few minuets to go was a bit of a shock, but the team showed its spirit by never giving up and settling for a point," said Osasuna coach Javier Aguirre.
Villarreal didn't thrash fellow Champions League contenders Real Betis in the same fashion as Chelsea and Malaga had done, but Betis still suffered and the visitors won 3-2.
Jose Mari Romero opened the scoring for Villarreal after just nine minutes, connecting from the edge of the area with a cross from Diego Forlan.
Ricardo Oliveira equalised for Betis after 27 minutes, heading home a free kick from his Brazilian compatriot Assuncao, but Villarreal bounced back after the break.
Forlan, better known as a goal scorer after becoming joint winner of the European Golden Boot last season, provided the service again, this time for Juan Pablo Sorin to put Villarreal ahead again after 58 minutes.
The visitors' lead only lasted two minutes as Villarreal's Javi Venta put the ball in his own goal but Villarreal took the lead for the third and final time thanks to a Juan Roman Riquelme penalty on 68 minutes.
Betis played the final 19 minutes with just nine men after first Spanish international winger Joaquin Sanchez and then Melli Andrau got their marching orders.
Celta Vigo, who started the week in second place, blew their big chance of putting pressure on, who travel to San Sebastian on Thursday, when they lost 1-0 at struggling Real Mallorca.
Former Italian international midfielder Cristiano Doni scored the only goal of the game less than two minutes into the second half to lever Mallorca off the foot of the table.