Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played this weekend:

ATHLETIC BILBAO 1 ALMERIA 1

Winger Joseba Etxeberria put Athletic in front just after the half hour when he slid the ball into the net after a flick-on from a corner.

But the Basque side's bid for a first home win of the season came unstuck when fullback Asier del Horno was sent off just before half time. Almeria midfielder Felipe Melo took advantage after the break when he headed home from a corner.

BARCELONA 3 ATLETICO MADRID 0

Argentine prodigy Lionel Messi led Barcelona to a fourth win in a row, setting up one and scoring another as the Catalans overpowered Atletico.

Italian keeper Christian Abbiati gifted Barca the lead in the 16th minute when he spilled a Messi cross to allow Deco to poke into the empty net.

Three minutes later Messi made it 2-0 and took his tally for the season to six when he drilled in after a quicksilver one-two with Ronaldinho and Xavi wrapped up when he put the finishing touch to a gleaming passing move in the last minute.

OSASUNA 3 VILLARREAL 2

Midfielder Javi Garcia earned Osasuna a second win of the season with a spectacular 30-metre strike 10 minutes from time although his side were reduced to nine men in the dying minutes after the sending off of defender Josetxo and keeper Ricardo.

Villarreal took the lead thanks to a great solo goal from in-form Italian striker Giuseppe Rossi midway through the first half, but defender Javi Venta put through his own net to put Osasuna back on level terms almost immediately.

Striker Dady put Osasuna 2-1 up when he bundled in at the far corner, only to see Villarreal defender Diego Godin cancel his goal out two minutes later.

RACING SANTANDER 2 VALLADOLID 0

Polish forward Ebi Smolarek scored his first goal since joining Racing from Borussia Dortmund to put the home side ahead nine minutes after the break and Congolese striker Mohammed Tchite headed in a second just before the final whistle.

Valladolid have now gone six games without a win and to compound their misery striker Joseba Llorente was dismissed in injury time.

REAL MALLORCA 4 GETAFE 2

Getafe looked to be on course for a first win of the season when midfielder Francisco Sousa scored great goals at the start of each half to put his side 2-0 up.

But a penalty from Ariel Ibagaza kickstarted the islanders' resurgence and even though they had midfielder Guillermo Pereyra sent off soon after they completed a remarkable comeback thanks to two classy strikes from Juan Arango and a late volley from Ivan Ramis. - - - -

REAL MADRID 2 RECREATIVO HUELVA 0

Recreativo won 3-0 at the Bernabeu last season and looked as though they might hold Real this time round until Ruud van Nistelrooy coolly slotted home after a neat assist from Raul 17 minutes from time.

Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain added the second just before the final whistle, rounding the keeper and steering into the open net after a fine through-ball from midfielder Guti.

REAL MURCIA 0 REAL BETIS 0

Brazilian striker Fernando Baiano had several chances to give Murcia the lead in the first half and substitute Mark Gonzalez nearly stole it for Betis in the second but neither side was able to break the deadlock.

REAL ZARAGOZA 3 LEVANTE 0

Zaragoza bounced back from their midweek exit in the UEFA Cup with a comprehensive win over basement side Levante, who have just one point to their name this season.

Former Barcelona striker Sergio Garcia put Victor Fernandez's side in front after the break and Brazil international Ricardo Oliveira struck twice in 10 minutes to put the result beyond doubt.

SEVILLA 0 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1

A fourth league defeat in a row for an out-of-sorts Sevilla who went down to well-organised Deportivo, striker Riki earning the visitors three points with a 73rd-minute goal after some great work by Mexican midfielder Jose Guardado.

Played Saturday:

VALENCIA 1 ESPANYOL 2

Espanyol ended Valencia's five-match winning streak with a rare comeback victory at the Mestalla.

Midfielder Ruben Baraja put Valencia in front with a bullet header from a corner, but winger Albert Riera equalised with a spectacular volley and striker Luis Garcia clinched the win with a coolly taken breakaway goal 10 minutes from time.