Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Sunday:

ATHLETIC BILBAO 3 ATLETICO MADRID 4

A seven-goal thriller at San Mames but Atletico's win was ultimately to no avail as they lost out to Sevilla in the race for a UEFA Cup place.

Bilbao midfielder Andoni Iraola made the most of some poor defending to put his side ahead on 19 minutes before Atletico scored three quick-fire goals to head into the break 3-1 up.

Playmaker Ariel Ibagaza cracked in from 10 metres, midfielder Gonzalo de los Santos headed home from a corner and Fernando Torres scored a classy long-distance effort.

Bilbao forward Joseba Arriaga scored two well-taken goals either side of an 83rd minute header from Atletico striker Torres, who still had time to miss a late penalty.

CELTA VIGO 1 REAL MALLORCA 2

A disappointing end to a terrible campaign for the Galicians, who came a best ever fourth last season but now drop into the second division for the first time in 12 years.

Espanyol's win at home to Murcia made the result irrelevant but Celta were unable to provide the fans with any cheer as late goals from Mallorca's Nene and Jesus Perera put the islanders 2-0 ahead before Jandro's injury time strike at the near post.

ESPANYOL 2 MURCIA 0

A nerve-racking encounter at a packed Montjuic with Espanyol looking as though they were heading for the second division for over an hour with Valladolid winning at home to Villarreal.

But fans' favourite Raul Tamudo brought an explosion of relief from the supporters when he drilled in from the right after a great pass from Ivan de la Pena on 71 minutes.

Defender Albert Lopo made sure of the win when he headed home from a corner and the dismissal of striker Claudiu Raducanu failed to dampen the celebrations of the 50,000 fans.

MALAGA 2 REAL BETIS 3

Betis came from two goals down at the break to beat Andalucian rivals Malaga at La Rosaleda.

Malaga striker Salva Ballesta took his season's tally to 19 goals when he snapped up the rebound after his 20th minute penalty was tipped on to the post by Pedro Contreras and Manuel Canabal made it 2-0 with a fine header just before the break.

But the Betis fightback then began with Dani tucking in a Joaquin cross and defender Juanito heading home a Benjamin free kick seven minutes later. Dani grabbed the winner with a fine diving header in the 90th minute.

RACING SANTANDER 0 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 1

Deportivo finished the season by grabbing third place from Real Madrid thanks to this narrow win over Racing.

Uruguayan striker Walter Pandiani scored the winner midway through the first half when he picked up the ball just outside the area, checked past a defender and squeezed a low shot into Israeli keeper Dudu Aouate's net.

REAL MADRID 1 REAL SOCIEDAD 4

Real Madrid hit a new low as they slumped to their fifth successive defeat and lost the runners-up spot and an automatic place in the Champions League to arch-rivals Barcelona.

Sociedad striker Darko Kovacevic began the rout when he headed in at the near post after a fine cross from Xabi Prieto, who grabbed a goal himself 15 minutes later when he fired home a thundering shot from the edge of the area.

The rout continued when Oscar de Paula was given a free header after 32 minutes before Real pulled one back through a Luis Figo penalty.

However, the nightmare continued when Prieto cheekily chipped in from the spot after Figo brought down defender Agustin Aranzabal in the area on the hour.

REAL ZARAGOZA 2 BARCELONA 1

With Real self-destructing at home this defeat did nothing to stop Barca finishing runners-up to Valencia and claiming the all-important automatic Champions League berth.

Barca went ahead with a beautifully worked goal in the 10th minute when Argentine striker Javier Saviola finished off with a fine shot after a great cross from Giovanni van Bronkhorst and a neat headed assist from Xavi.

But Cup winners Zaragoza turned the game around with goals either side of halftime, Cani cracking in a fine volley and then setting up fellow midfielder Fernando Soriano for a close-range finish on the hour.

SEVILLA 1 OSASUNA 0

Brazilian striker Julio Baptista was the hero of the night when he scored his 20th goal of the season with a typically efficient finish to guarantee Sevilla a UEFA Cup place.

The victory was marred, though, by a series of mass brawls by players and substitutes throughout the game, which ended with the dismissal of Osasuna's Ibrahima Bakayoko and Pierre Webo and Sevilla's Pablo Alfaro.

VALENCIA 0 ALBACETE 1

Valencia's celebrations were undimmed by this defeat against modest Albacete and they ended the game parading the league trophy and the UEFA Cup in front of their delighted fans.

Albacete striker Carlos Aranda scored the only goal when he slammed the ball home after Valencia keeper Santiago Canizares had palmed a shot into his path in the 65th minute.

VALLADOLID 3 VILLARREAL 0

A hard-earned victory that for a while looked like saving Valladolid from the drop, but Espanyol's late victory ended their dreams of survival.

Forward Roberto Losada made the most of hesitant defending to squeeze home an opener in the 22nd minute and Valladolid were given a further boost when Villarreal were down to 10 men after forward Jose Mari was sent off midway through the second half.

Losada grabbed his second with a header after great work from midfielder Xavi More and veteran Jose Luis Caminero completed a sad win when he nodded in four minutes from time.