Mista hat-trick puts pressure back on Real
Mista Ferrer hit a stunning hat-trick as Valencia crushed Real Mallorca 5-1 to move within a point of Real Madrid at the top of the Spanish first division.
Mista Ferrer hit a stunning hat-trick as Valencia crushed Real Mallorca 5-1 to move within a point of Real Madrid at the top of the Spanish first division.
Real's build-up for their Champions League quarter-final clash against Monaco had suffered an unexpected setback on Saturday when they crashed to a 4-2 defeat at Athletic Bilbao.
It was the Spanish league leaders' second successive defeat after their 3-2 loss to Real Zaragoza in the final of the Spanish Cup in midweek and it also came on the back of two draws in the league.
Real stay top but are now just one point ahead of Valencia after Mista grabbed a hat-trick to take his season's tally to 17, with Ruben Baraja and Miguel Angulo also on target.
Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o scored Real Mallorca's consolation from the penalty spot seven minutes from time as Valencia piled the pressure back onto Madrid.
"It was very frustrating," said Real's England star David Beckham who was substituted in the dying minutes of the match."
"Two consecutive defeats is surprising. The only explanation I can think of is a lack of concentration."
At the Mestalla Stadium, Mista opened the scoring for Valencia after 44 minutes heading in a cross from Curro Torres before Baraja (57) and Angulo (60), his first of the season, boosted the scoreline.
Mista completed his hat-trick in the 67th and 68th minutes.
Bilbao dominated the first half and Francisco Javier Yeste deservedly gave them the lead in the 40th minute after a mistake by Ivan Helguera at the heart of the Real defence.
Ismael Urzaiz then added the second goal just three minutes later.
Playing without the injured Ronaldo, Real were looking to Raul for inspiration up front and he brought his side back into contention by pulling one back a minute after the interval before bringing the sides level in the 61st minute.
But the fatigue of Wednesday's extra-time Cup defeat eventually told as Bilbao went straight back on the attack with Asier Del Horno scoring twice in two minutes in the 74th and 76th to clinch the three points.
The win boosted Bilbao's hopes of making the UEFA Cup next season while Madrid, after their fourth league defeat of the season, must regroup in time for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg clash at the Bernabeu against Monaco.