Primera Liga match reports
Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Sunday:
Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Sunday:
ALBACETE 0 MALAGA 1
Malaga claimed their second away win of the season and left Albacete in the relegation places thanks to Salva Ballesta's finish from a Duda cross after 63 minutes. Albacete had Libero Pirri sent off in injury-time to cap a disappointing evening's work.
ATLETICO MADRID 1 VILLARREAL 0
Atletico continued their rise up the table with a fifth successive league victory. Alvaro Novo got the only goal 10 minutes into the second half as he raced down the right side, played a one-two with Demis Nikolaidis and beat Pepe Reina with a low shot.
BARCELONA 2 REAL BETIS 1
Barcelona were hit by an injury to Ronaldinho early in the game and their form suffered as a result but they did just enough to claim a victory that takes them up to fourth.
Patrick Kluivert took advantage of a dreadful mistake from Betis keeper Paco Contreras to open the scoring three minutes before halftime, the Dutchman tapping into an empty net after the keeper had inexplicably failed to gather.
Fernando equalised in the 53rd minute after a similar error from Victor Valdes but Betis's hopes were hit when Ito received his second booking just past the hour. Rafael Marquez headed in from a Xavi corner to clinch the win for Barca seven minutes from time.
OSASUNA 1 VALLADOLID 1
Osasuna slipped down a couple of places in the table after failing to beat Valladolid in a scrappy game.
Fernando Sales gave Valladolid the lead just before the half-hour, beating the keeper with a cross-shot from the right, but a double sending-off changed the game after 42 minutes.
Osasuna's Moha and Valladolid's Jesus both saw red for a touchline altercation and the home side equalised on the stroke of halftime as Valdo headed in a cross from the right.
REAL MALLORCA 4 MURCIA 1
Mallorca climbed out of the relegation places with this excellent win. Gonzalo Colsa gave them the lead after seven minutes only for Murcia to equalise with half an hour gone when David Karanka converted Fredi's cross.
Fernando Correa set Mallorca back on the road to victory with a long run and accurate shot six minutes before halftime and the Argentine made it 3-1 with a smart finish from a well-worked free kick just before the break.
Samuel Eto'o wrapped up the win in the second half when he chested the ball down and swept in.
SEVILLA 4 REAL MADRID 1
Sevilla tore their way through Real Madrid's patched up defence to move 4-0 up by the end of the first half and deny the visitors the win they needed to move back top of the table.
An own goal from Ivan Helguera gave Sevilla the lead after four minutes and Jose Antonio Reyes set up Dario Silva for a second three minutes later.
Daniel Alves added the third after 14 minutes, lifting the ball over Casillas after an exchange of passes with Antonito, and Javi Casquero made it 4-0 eight minutes before the break.
Ronaldo drilled in a reply for Real 10 minutes after the break but the game ended scrappily with Dario and Guti both picking up red cards.
VALENCIA 1 RACING SANTANDER 2
Valencia lost the league leadership with this sloppy defeat. Racing's opening goal arrived after 23 minutes when Carlos Marchena's poor touch on the edge of his own penalty area allowed Rodolfo Bodipo to steal in and thread a shot past Santiago Canizares.
Valencia hit back when Ruben Baraja got the sweetest of touches on a Jorge Lopez free kick to beat goalkeeper Ricardo at his near post but Bodipo converted a cut-back from Mario Regueiro early in the second half to clinch the points.