La Liga Round-up

Real Madrid notched a massive win over archrivals Barcelona while leaders Deportivo destroyed Osasuna at the Riazor and Valencia continued their unbeaten season, winning late at home to Rayo Vallecano.

The Bernabeu was electric with 70,000 soccer-mad Madridistas on hand to watch Morientes head home to put Real in front in the 24th minute.

The Catalans looked to have found the equalizer on 77 minutes, but Iker Casillas made a spectacular parry of Gabri’s close range effort and Figo doubled the home side’s delight with a fine finish in the 90th minute to send his old side home losers in 'El Derby'.

Deportivo La Coruna dropped a shock decision to woeful Rayo Vallecano last week, but recovered well from the slip-up as they hammered Osasuna 5-1 to stay atop the Liga table.

Osasuna striker John Aloisi stunned the Riazor faithful by putting the visitors ahead in the eighth minute, but Diego cancelled arrears and more with a delivery in the 19th and another six minutes later.

Donato added to the cushion in the 36th minute, Jose Amavisca signaled the rout three minutes later, and Roy Makaay finalized the score line with a tally twenty-two minutes into the second half.

Valencia left it late but managed to take full points with a 2-1 decision at home to Rayo Vallecano. Salva Ballesta gave the home side the lead in the 23rd minute, but Peragon leveled matters for the rock-bottom Madrid side on 39 minutes.

Vallecano looked on course for another positive result against a top-tier side, but Juan Sanchez delivered the game winner with three minutes left to send Valencia second in the table behind leaders Deportivo.

Las Palmas had a merry day in front of their home crowd, seeing off title-chasers Celta Vigo 4-2. The islanders took the board immediately after Gabriel Schurrer delivered in the first minute but Jesus Jesuli equalized for Vigo on 21 minutes.

Luiv Tevenet restored the lead for Las Palmas in the 31st and Ruben added to his side’s cushion eight minutes later. Alexander Mostovoi reduced arrears with a 59th minute penalty kick, but Ruben struck for the brace in the 90th to end all hopes of a late leveler for the visitors.

Mallorca took points at the expense of Tenerife, winning out 2-0 at home on the strength of a Samuel Eto’o penalty conversion and an insurance strike from Miguel Soler as the last sand left the second-half hour glass.

Real Zaragoza reversed a three-game losing slide with a 1-0 win over Real Betis. Xavier Aguado delivered the game winner for the La Romareda side on 60 minutes.

In other Sunday Liga action, Valladolid pipped Villarreal through a solitary first half strike by Jorge Tote, while John Toshack’s Real Sociedad won on the road, 2-1 to Espanyol.

Sevilla won their first match in five outings with a 3-1 win away to Malaga, and on Saturday, home side Athletic Bilbao handled Alaves 2-1 to deny the UEFA Cup finalists a chance to take the top spot in the table, if only temporarily.