Primera Liga reports

Brief reports of Primera Liga matches played on Sunday:

ALBACETE 3 LEVANTE 1

Albacete boosted their faint hopes of avoiding the drop with this emphatic win against fellow strugglers Levante, who sacked coach Bernd Schuster after last week's 1-0 defeat at home to Malaga.

A well-taken strike from forward Francisco five minutes before the break, a Pablo Redondo toe-poke early in the second half and a diving header from Mark Gonzalez a minute later gave Albacete a comfortable lead.

Levante pulled one back with a far-post header from Sergio Garcia, but the former Barcelona striker and Albacete defender Santi were sent off as they fought over the ball after the goal. Levante forward Gustavo Reggi later received his marching orders for insulting the referee.

DEPORTIVO CORUNA 2 ATLETICO MADRID 0

Atletico effectively bade farewell to their chances of earning a UEFA Cup place via the league after this defeat at the Riazor and will now concentrate all their efforts on trying to gain passage by winning the King's Cup.

The visitors fell behind when French midfielder Peter Luccin put the ball through his own net early in the second half as he tried to cut out a low cross from Pedro Munitis.

The Depor winger also set up his side's second when he floated a superb cross for substitute and former Atletico player Joan Capdevila to guide in at the far post seven minutes from time.

ESPANYOL 3 NUMANCIA 0

Defeat at Montjuic finally condemned Numancia to relegation a season after they won promotion to the top flight, while victory for Espanyol allowed the Catalans to remain in the hunt for a Champions League place.

Midfielder Jose Emilio Amavisca gave Espanyol the lead 10 minutes into the second half. Fellow midfielder Ferran Corominas made it 2-0 when he slid in at the near post five minutes later and Numancia's misery was completed when defender Patricio Graff headed an Ivan de la Pena free kick into his own net.

GETAFE 2 REAL SOCIEDAD 0

Getafe celebrated securing their second season in the top flight with victory in an otherwise inconsequential match.

Forward Michel put the Madrid side ahead in the 32nd minute when he scored from close range and helped himself to a second shortly before the break when he fired a bullet header in at the near post.

MALAGA 0 VILLARREAL 2

Villarreal reclaimed fourth spot and an all-important Champions League berth with a second win in a row.

Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme took immediate advantage of the dismissal of Malaga midfielder Marcelo Romero for a reckless challenge to break the deadlock when he steered home following a poor clearance.

Young midfielder Santi Cazorla made sure of the victory by firing a spectacular 25-metre drive into the top corner four minutes later.

VALENCIA 0 BARCELONA 2

Barcelona were left with one hand on the league title after some devastating finishing from Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o gave the Catalans an authoritative win over last season's champions.

World Player of the Year Ronaldinho grabbed the first when he sent a 20-metre rocket-shot fizzing into the top corner just before the half hour.

Valencia were still reeling from the blow when Eto'o hit them with a second. Steaming on to a neat through ball from Ronaldinho, he cut inside a defender before steering the ball low into the far corner for his 23rd goal of the season.

Valencia defender Carlos Marchena was sent off for a wayward challenge on Barca midfielder Deco midway through the second half.

Played Saturday:

ATHLETIC BILBAO 2 REAL ZARAGOZA 0

Bilbao boosted their hopes of earning a place in Europe with an important win at San Mames.

Striker Ismael Urzaiz celebrated his contract renewal by putting the Basque side in front in the 54th minute, firing a first-time shot into the roof of the net after Joseba Etxeberria cut a pass back into his path.

Defender Jesus Maria Lacruz added a second six minutes from time.

OSASUNA 1 REAL MALLORCA 1

Osasuna striker Savo Milosevic grabbed a point for his side to ensure their survival in the top flight with a late header, dealing a blow to Mallorca's hopes of avoiding the drop in the process.

The islanders appeared to be on course for a priceless win when midfielder Javier Farinos looped a monster 45-metre shot over Ricardo Sanzol's head and into the net.

The match ended in dramatic fashion when a goal-bound shot from Mallorca striker Yoshito Okubo was scrambled clear by defender David Lopez just as it was about to creep over the goal line.

REAL BETIS 1 SEVILLA 0

Betis got the better of a typically passionate and bad-tempered Seville derby and boosted their chances of earning a Champions League place, thanks to a fine solo goal from leading striker Ricardo Oliveira after just seven minutes.

The Brazilian sent a low shot skidding past keeper Antonio Notario and into the corner from five metres outside the area, earning Betis their first home win over their city rivals in 10 years and lifting his tally for the season to 19.

REAL MADRID 5 RACING SANTANDER 0

A thumping seventh straight win for Real that allowed them to maintain the pressure on Barcelona.

Michael Owen put Real ahead just before the half-hour when he guided in at the near post after some great work by Raul and Ronaldo made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Racing keeper Dudu Aouate had been controversially penalised for colliding with the Brazilian when he pushed the ball out of his path.

Raul completed his best performance of the season when he helped himself to a well-taken second half double, drilling in after an error by Aouate and then firing into the corner from the edge of the area.

Ronaldo completed the rout in injury time when he powered on to a Luis Figo through ball, rounded the demoralised Aouate and rolled the ball into the empty net.