Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of matches played in the Primera Liga on Sunday:

BARCELONA 5 ALBACETE 0

Barca bounced back from the disappointment of their midweek exit from the King's Cup with their biggest win of the season.

Midfielder Xavi put them ahead with a deflected shot on 16 minutes and the Catalans put the result beyond doubt with four more goals in the second half.

Argentine striker Javier Saviola, winger Ricardo Quaresma and new signing Edgar Davids made it 4-0 before substitute Luis Enrique completed the rout, racing clear to score a minute into injury time.

Albacete were reduced to 10 men when midfielder Ludovic Delporte was sent off 13 minutes from time for a second booking.

DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1 SEVILLA 0

Deportivo stayed in touch with the top two thanks to this narrow home win over a determined Sevilla, who have now lost three in a row.

Striker Diego Tristan scored the only goal of a tight contest when he cracked in a 28th-minute penalty, having been held back in the area by Sevilla defender Pablo Alfaro.

MURCIA 1 REAL ZARAGOZA 0

Murcia recorded their second win of the season, and their first under John Toshack, against fellow strugglers Zaragoza, but it was not enough to lift them off the bottom of the table.

Striker Richi scored the winner when given time and space to turn on the edge of the area, steering the ball wide of Zaragoza keeper Cesar Lainez 10 minutes before the break.

REAL MALLORCA 1 ATHLETIC BILBAO 3

Bilbao renewed their challenge for a place in Europe with an emphatic win over disappointing Mallorca.

Midfielder Francisco Yeste caught Mallorca keeper Leo Franco off guard when he struck with a quickly taken 25-metre free kick on 18 minutes, but the islanders levelled before the break when defender Carlos Gurpegi turned a Arnold Bruggink free kick into his own net.

Bilbao went ahead again when Joseba Etxeberria headed in at the near post on 58 minutes after good work from fellow midfielder Santi Ezquerro and victory was ensured late on when Franco scored an own goal after miscuing a clearance.

REAL SOCIEDAD 1 RACING SANTANDER 0

Sociedad continued their early year revival with a fifth consecutive win, ending Racing's six-match unbeaten run into the bargain.

The Basque side were in charge for most of the game, but their only goal came from the penalty spot midway through the second half when Russian midfielder Valery Karpin slotted home after defender Juanma was adjudged to have fouled Gabriel Schurrer.

Juanma picked up his second booking for the foul, but Sociedad were unable to take further advantage.

VALLADOLID 2 REAL MADRID 3

Real can count themselves lucky to have emerged from Zorrilla with a win after trailing 2-0 at halftime to a dominant Valladolid, midfielder Oscar scoring two sharp goals for the home side.

But Valladolid made the fatal mistake of trying to sit back and defend their lead after the break and Real drew level, thanks to a close-range strike from Ronaldo and a Luis Figo penalty that resulted in the sending-off of defender Juan Manuel Pena.

Real's Santiago Solari followed Pena down the tunnel eight minutes later after a second booking, but it was Real who snatched the win when Ronaldo claimed his 18th goal of the season with a sharp turn and strike a minute into injury time.

VILLARREAL 0 ESPANYOL 1

Luis Fernandez's Espanyol claimed a priceless last-gasp away win in a match marred by crowd trouble after the collapse of a barrier at the end of the game.

New signing Claudiu Raducanu scored the winner, sliding in to get his foot to a fine pass from Maxi Rodriguez in the final minute of normal time. However the goal sparked celebrations from the Espanyol fans, resulting in the collapse of a protective barrier and minor clashes with the police.

Played Saturday:

ATLETICO MADRID 1 OSASUNA 1

Osasuna will be kicking themselves for letting victory slip through their fingers in the dying minutes at the Calderon.

Midfielder Valdo put them ahead midway through the first half when he poked in at the near post after excellent work by Cameroon forward Pierre Webo and Atletico were on the ropes when midfielder Carlos Aguilera was dismissed late in the game.

But Greece striker Demis Nikolaidis earned the home side a point, shaking off the Osasuna defence to net a fine glancing header three minutes into injury time.

MALAGA 1 VALENCIA 6

Brazilian striker Ricardo Oliveira grabbed his second hat-trick of the season as Valencia found their scoring touch against a sorry-looking Malaga.

Rafa Benitez's side got off to a flying start when Mista and Oliveira put them 2-0 up inside 15 minutes before Malaga goalkeeper Francesc Arnau was sent off for handball midway through the half.

Valencia took full advantage after the break, defender Carlos Marchena scoring from the edge of the area, Oliveira completing his hat-trick with two powerful headers and midfielder David Albelda finishing off with a sixth.

Former Valencia striker Salva Ballesta pulled one back a minute later, but it was scant consolation for Malaga who have now lost five consecutive games.

REAL BETIS 1 CELTA VIGO 0

New coach Radomir Antic knows he has a job on his hands at Celta after watching his side slip to a disappointing defeat in his first game in charge.

Uruguayan defender Daniel Lembo scored the only goal of the game with a sharp left-foot shot on the turn after striker Alfonso had headed a Denilson corner down to his feet eight minutes before the break.