Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of matches played in the Primera Liga at the weekend:

Played on Sunday.

ATHLETIC BILBAO 2 SEVILLA 1

Bilbao conceded a goal after just 35 seconds but came back to claim a win that took them up to sixth place, within three points of a Champions League spot.

Julio Cesar Baptista got the early breakthrough as a long ball forward from Javi Navarro evaded Carlos Gurpegi in the Bilbao defence and fell to the Brazilian to convert.

The home side were level five minutes later after a neat finish from Ismael Urzaiz and with 24 minutes gone Francisco Yeste scored what turned out to be the winner from an almost impossible angle out on the left.

MALAGA 3 REAL MALLORCA 1

Mallorca's five-match winning run was brought to an end by Malaga, who have now racked up eight goals in their last two home games.

Fernando Sanz converted from a corner to put the home side ahead after 11 minutes, with Samuel Eto'o equalising 20 minutes later.

Eto'o missed from the penalty spot after Sanz had brought down Fernando Correa and Malaga took advantage with a goal from Duda and a penalty by Salva Ballesta giving them victory.

RACING SANTANDER 0 OSASUNA 0

Racing held in-form Osasuna to a draw but the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) could rule that the home side should lose the match after they fielded an ineligible player for a brief period in the second half.

Racing coach Lucas Alcaraz quickly rectified the situation but in recent years the RFEF have punished similar slip ups by awarding victory to the opposing side.

REAL BETIS 0 VALENCIA 1

Valencia were as solid in defence as usual but lacked spark in attack and needed a slice of luck to gain the victory that kept them just two points behind Real Madrid.

The only goal came after 18 minutes when Jorge Lopez's free kick deflected in off Betis defender Juanito.

REAL MADRID 2 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1

Real made it eight wins from eight home league games this season with precise finishes from Ronaldo and Raul.

After several good chances for each side, Ronaldo opened the scoring when he turned in a cross from Zinedine Zidane after the Frenchman had controlled a through ball from Ivan Helguera with two deft touches on the outside of his boot.

Walter Pandiani came off the bench to make it 1-1 with his first touch but Raul clinched victory for Real when he stole in to convert a Roberto Carlos cross five minutes from time.

REAL ZARAGOZA 0 ALBACETE 1

Zaragoza goalkeeper Raul Valbuena committed a terrible error to hand Albacete victory in a poor game. Valbuena inexplicably dropped the ball inside his area after a simple cross to present Mikel with an open goal 12 minutes from time.

VALLADOLID 0 MURCIA 0

Valladolid failed to find a way past an ultra-defensive Murcia side, leaving the home side in mid-table and the visitors still deep in relegation trouble.

Played Saturday:

CELTA VIGO 2 ATLETICO MADRID 2

Celta saw victory slip from their grasp when Atletico centre back Matias Lequi hooked the ball over two defenders and cracked home on the volley to earn a late draw for the visitors.

Atletico had gone in front when defender Diego Simeone headed in at the far post after a corner, but Celta midfielder Peter Luccin levelled with a powerful free kick from the edge of the area 20 minutes later.

Celta looked on course for a much-needed home win when Yugoslav striker Savo Milosevic poked in after a neat one-two with Jesuli four minutes before the break, but they ended up paying for their late defensive lapse.

ESPANYOL 1 BARCELONA 3

Six players were sent off as Barca came from a goal down to claim their first win in five games in a bizarre city derby that saw both sides finish with eight men.

Former Barca player Jordi Cruyff gave Espanyol an early lead with a splendid diving header, but Ronaldinho, returning from a four-week injury lay-off, equalised two minutes later.

Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert grabbed a neat double to put Barca 3-1 up, but the game began to turn ugly when referee Alfonso Pino Zamorano sent off Espanyol midfielder Ivan de la Pena just before the break.

Five more players - Barca's Rafael Marquez, Ricardo Quaresma and Philip Cocu and Espanyol's Toni Soldevilla and Albert Lopo - followed De la Pena down the tunnel in the second half after being dismissed by the card-happy referee.

VILLARREAL 2 REAL SOCIEDAD 0

Qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League earlier this week will provide little consolation for Sociedad who remain mired in the relegation zone after this defeat.

Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme put Villarreal ahead with a well struck volley from the edge of the area and the home side held on to their lead when Pepe Reina saved a Darko Kovacevic penalty three minutes later.

The former Barca keeper then set up his side's second when he hurled the ball out to the halfway line for striker Sonny Anderson to race clear and score a fine solo goal 12 minutes before halftime.