Spanish first division match reports
Reports of matches played in the Spanish first division this weekend:
Reports of matches played in the Spanish first division this weekend:
Played Sunday:
ALAVES 0 BARCELONA 0
Barcelona were appalling in a goalless draw that leaves them 13 points behind the fourth and final Champions League qualification place and just four points clear of the relegation zone.
Patrick Kluivert wasted Barca's one clear chance, striking the bar with his chip over the goalkeeper in the first half. The visitors had Thiago Motta sent off just past the hour mark after a tussle with Ibon Begona and they concentrated on frantic defence thereafter.
Alaves had Oscar Tellez red-carded two minutes into injury-time for handball and Juan Roman Riquelme blasted the resulting free kick over the bar to bring a sad end to a dreadful game.
ATLETICO MADRID 0 CELTA VIGO 1
Celta Vigo kept up their push for a Champions League place for next season thanks to a late goal from Eduardo Berizzo.
The Argentine produced a sublime left-foot finish for the only goal three minutes from time, after Gustavo Lopez had launched a counter-attack down the right.
ESPANYOL 2 MALAGA 1
Espanyol should have won comfortably against a Malaga side reduced to 10 men in the first half but they missed a stack of chances and needed a late penalty from Raul Tamudo to take the points.
Malaga lost goalkeeper Pedro Contreras on 41 minutes for a tackle on Tamudo and the Spanish international forward put Espanyol ahead on 53 minutes, lashing in on the rebound after Ivan de la Pena's shot was blocked.
Malaga came back on 79 minutes when Manu took a Dely Valdes pass and finished sharply but Marcelo Romero was sent off three minutes into injury-time for handling on the line and Tamudo slotted in the penalty to give the home side victory.
OSASUNA 0 REAL MALLORCA 0
Osasuna pushed forward throughout but were kept at bay by Mallorca's disciplined defence and the Navarrans had to settle for a draw that leaves them ahead of the relegation zone only on goal difference.
REAL BETIS 1 RECREATIVO HUELVA 1
Betis were booed off by their own fans after failing to get the win they needed to stay in the hunt for a Champions League spot.
Capi put the home side ahead on 10 minutes, sliding in from a Fernando cross, but they failed to add to their lead despite enjoying the vast majority of the play in the first half.
Emilio Viqueira missed a penalty for Recreativo early in the second half but the visitors were soon level in any case, Raul Molina lifting the ball over the Betis defence for Xisco to turn past Toni Prats.
VALLADOLID 0 SEVILLA 0
Both sides stay within sight of the European places, and clear of trouble, after an entertaining enough goalless draw. Valladolid had most of the chances but with Sevilla keeper Antonio Notario in his usual excellent form they failed to make the breakthrough.