Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played this weekend:

BARCELONA 3 ATLETICO MADRID 1

Barcelona continued their fine run of form with a convincing win that consolidated their fourth place in the table.

Javier Saviola opened for the Catalans with a cool finish on 10 minutes, but Atletico pulled level against the run of play when Greek striker Demis Nikolaidis turned in from close range.

Ronaldinho restored Barca's lead with a brilliant chip three minutes later and winger Luis Garcia headed in at the far post to make it 3-1 before the break. Frank Rijkaard's men continued to dominate in the second half even after midfielder Edgar Davids was sent off for a second booking.

DEPORTIVO CORUNA 2 OSASUNA 0

Midfielder Victor scored a well taken double to help Depor keep the pressure on the leading duo with this efficient home win.

The right winger drilled in from 20 metres out when striker Diego Tristan had supplied him with a neat headed pass on 22 minutes and grabbed his second when he finished off a superbly executed counter-attack that had started just outside the Depor area by guiding in at the far post.

MALAGA 5 ESPANYOL 2

Malaga ended their six-match losing streak with an emphatic win in front of their home fans.

Miguel Angel began the entertainment when he poked home at the second attempt after a 36th-minute corner and fellow midfielder Manu made it 2-0 with a long-range shot three minutes later.

Espanyol defender Albert Lopo pulled a goal back in first-half injury time, but Malaga scored straight from the restart when Juanito bundled in at the far post to make it 3-1.

The action continued in the second half with Malaga striker Salva making it 4-1 with a brave near-post header. Opposite number Raul Tamudo then snapped home a rebound and Malaga forward Federico Insua finished off the action with another header on 83 minutes.

REAL BETIS 2 REAL ZARAGOZA 1

Betis fell behind after just two minutes when Zaragoza midfielder Cani cracked in unmarked from a corner, but Brazilian international Denilson led the home side's comeback at the end of the half.

The left winger curled a well-struck right-foot shot into the top corner and four minutes later he supplied the cross for centre-forward Alfonso to score the winner with a text book header at the near post.

REAL MADRID 1 VALENCIA 1

Real were on course for their first home defeat in the league since last May after defender Roberto Ayala put the visitors ahead with an unstoppable header from a corner 15 minutes from time.

But Real scrambled a point thanks to a controversial penalty when Raul went down as he tussled for the ball with Carlos Marchena inside the area, three minutes into injury-time.

Luis Figo converted the spot kick with his usual efficiency to deny Valencia the win, although Real still dropped their first points at home this season.

REAL MALLORCA 0 ALBACETE 0

Although they have not won in eight games, Albacete will be pleased with an away point against the islanders that keeps them just above the drop zone.

Despite the return of leading striker Samuel Eto'o after international duty with Cameroon at the African Nations Cup, Mallorca could find no way through the well-organised Albacete defence.

VALLADOLID 0 CELTA VIGO 2

A second win in a row for Celta, who appear to have rediscovered their touch under new coach Radomir Antic.

Russian midfielder Alexander Mostovoi opened the scoring with a volley from the edge of the area early in the second half and Jesuli made sure of the win when he guided in coolly after racing clear three minutes from time.

VILLARREAL 6 RACING SANTANDER 3

Goals galore at the Madrigal as Villarreal recorded their biggest ever win in the top flight to end their three-match losing run.

Villarreal defender Juliano Belletti started the spree in the fourth minute and Argentine midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme weighed in with a penalty on the half hour.

Racing pulled one back when Israeli forward Yossi Benayoun scored the first of two goals but Belletti restored Villarreal's advantage with perfectly placed 25-metre lob before the break.

Racing's Cristian Alvarez made it 3-2 with a penalty on 56 minutes, but Villarreal went into overdrive with further strikes from forwards Jose Mari and Sonny Anderson, before Racing defender Juanma ended the action by turning a Victor shot into his own net.

Played Saturday:

MURCIA 1 SEVILLA 3

Sevilla striker Julio Baptista scored two penalties on his way to a hat-trick that helped his side to a flattering victory over a sorry-looking Murcia.

The game was effectively over after five minutes as Baptista scored from the spot and Murcia were then reduced to 10 men after Argentine striker Juan Eduardo Esnaider was sent off.

Baptista extended Sevilla's lead with a second spot kick on 72 minutes but his side had to endure a nervous finish when midfielder Gerardo Torrado was red carded and Luis Garcia pulled a goal back with yet another penalty in injury time.

There was just enough time, though, for Baptista to complete his hat-trick when he raced clear from the restart.

REAL SOCIEDAD 1 ATHLETIC BILBAO 1

Honours even in the Basque derby but Bilbao will be happier with the result after playing most of the second half with 10 men following the dismissal of midfielder Carlos Gurpegi in the 52nd minute.

Midfielder Francisco Yeste put Bilbao ahead against the run of play on 14 minutes when he hooked in from close range but Sociedad equalised before halftime when Turkish forward Nihat Kahveci finished off a slick counter-attack.