La Liga Season 10/11

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Real Madrid vs Villarreal 4 - 2
All Goals & Full Match Highlights 09.01.2011


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Messi wins Ballon d´Or

11 January 2011

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Barcelona's Lionel Messi has won the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or, while Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho was named FIFA World Coach of the Year.

Messi received world football's most prestigious award ahead of team-mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi at an award ceremony in Zurich on Monday, capping an astonishing year for both club and country for the Argentina international.

The 23-year-old scored 60 goals in 2010 for Barca and Argentina, leading the Catalan giants to the La Liga title but falling short at the World Cup in South Africa as Argentina departed in the quarter-finals.

The Ballon d'Or is now officially world football's top award, after France Football magazine's European Footballer of the Year prize was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year award.

Mourinho was named coach of the year ahead of Spain's Vicente Del Bosque and Barca boss Pep Guardiola for his efforts in guiding former club Inter Milan to the Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble.

The Portuguese boss, nicknamed the 'Special One', moved on to Real Madrid following the conclusion of the 2009/10 season.

Turkey international Hamit Altintop received the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year, following his scintillating volley against Kazakhstan in a Euro 2012 qualifier in September.

Brazilian striker Marta won the Women's Player of the Year for a fifth consecutive time, while Germany's Silvia Neid received the Women's Coach of the Year award.

 

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La Liga: Hercules 4 Atletico 1

11 January 2011

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Hercules moved up to 11th on the La Liga table after humbling Atletico Madrid 4-1 at the Estadio Jose Rico Perez on Monday.

The newly promoted side have proved more than capable of matching it with the best Spanish football has to offer, and added Atletico to their list of big-name scalps with a dominant first-half display.

Jorge Tote, Nelson Haedo Valdez, Olivier Thomert and former Juventus striker David Trezeguet all got their names on the scoresheet in the first half as Hercules wrapped up the points in front of their home fans, with a late goal from Jose Antonio Reyes the only positive for Atletico.

Hercules, the only side to have defeated league-leaders Barcelona this season, went ahead on 10 minutes when Tote beat Atletico goalkeeper David de Gea at his near post from an acute angle.

Valdez extended the hosts' advantage with a superb solo effort in the 23rd minute, blasting a dipping shot over de Gea and into the top corner of the goal.

Thomert made it 3-0 just past the half-hour mark when he rose highest to nod home Francisco Pena's cross, before Trezeguet completed a dominant first half when he fired home from the edge of the area after being played in by Tote.

Both sides hit the woodwork in the early stages of the second half as more goals looked likely, but it was not until the 89th minute that Reyes intercepted a pass near the goal-line and beat Juan Catalayud with a low shot.

The result moves Hercules up to 11th on the table, just five points behind sixth-place Atletico.

 

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Hercules 4 Atletico Madrid 1
All Goals and Highlights 10.01.2011




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Real on hunt for striker until end of season

00:42 GMT, Fri 14 Jan 2011

MADRID, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Real Madrid are on the look out for a striker to help them through to the end of the season, club director general Jorge Valdano told Spanish television on Thursday.

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain was ruled out for up to four months after having back surgery in the United States on Tuesday, and Jose Mourinho's only recognised alternative at centre forward is the inconsistent Karim Benzema.

"We are scanning the market after the uncertainty over Higuain was resolved," Valdano said.

"We'll see if we can find a player who can help us for six months. We are being linked with a lot of names but it best not to go into details, but it is true we are looking for a number nine."

Local media have linked the club with Bayern Munich's Miroslav Klose and Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayour among others.

Mourinho was keen to point out he was not unhappy with France international Benzema, who has only managed one goal in La Liga this season.

"We don't want a striker because we don't like Karim," the Portuguese said after his side's 3-1 King's Cup quarter-final first leg win over Atletico Madrid.

"Karim is working harder than ever, especially on his defensive duties. He isn't selfish and he helps the team. It's just he lacks a hunger for goals.

"Cristiano Ronaldo has hunger. Benzema is a great player. When Valdano says they will try to sign a striker it's because we only have Karim and we don't have an alternative."

Real came back to beat Atletico at the Bernabeu with goals from Sergio Ramos, Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil. Benzema was substituted in the second half.

 

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La Liga roundup - Valencia tie Spain winger Mata until 2014

12:05 GMT, Fri 14 Jan 2011

MADRID, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Brief news from La Liga ahead of this weekend's matches: (All times GMT):

* Valencia have agreed an improved contract for Spain winger Juan Mata which will tie him to the club until 2014, they said in a statement after a board meeting.

The 22-year-old can celebrate in front of his own fans when Deportivo Coruna visit the Mestalla on Sunday (1600). The club will be looking to improve on fourth place in La Liga. Valencia are without suspended top scorer Aritz Aduriz.

* After a week where he collected his second consecutive World Player of the Year and scored a hat-trick in the King's Cup, Lionel Messi called for coach Pep Guardiola to commit himself to the club beyond the end of the season.

"He can renew his contract when he likes, but I hope he does and that he stays," Messi told reporters. "It's difficult to imagine a Barca without Guardiola." The leaders host Malaga on Sunday (2000).

* Barca's Argentine defender Gabriel Milito is close to agreeing a move to Malaga, who have signed five new players so far in the January transfer window, local media have reported.

* Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema will be keen to impress in order to hang on to his place away to Almeria on Sunday (1800), after the club said they were looking to sign a striker on loan until the end of the season.

Second-from-bottom Almeria are the only side left in La Liga yet to win a home game this season.

* Third-placed Villarreal, who are unbeaten at the Madrigal, are battling a growing list of injuries ahead of Saturday's visit of Osasuna (1700).

Spain winger Santi Cazorla is out for two weeks with a muscle strain, joining long-term injury victims Marcos Senna, Nilmar and Angel Lopez. Spain defender Carlos Marchena is set to return after a month and a half on the sidelines.

* Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea will have tests on a hand injury picked up in his side's 3-1 King's Cup quarter-final first leg defeat at Real Madrid on Thursday.

They host Real Mallorca on Monday (2000).

* Basement side Real Zaragoza, who are at home to Levante on Saturday (1700), are struggling to pay their players and after media speculation that the squad were considering strike action captain Gabi moved to deny the claims.

"It is a difficult economic situation for the whole of Spanish football, and it is here too," he said. "We are speaking to the president and we think this week or next week there will be a solution, and there won't be any problems."

 

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La Liga wrap: Sevilla´s struggles continue

16 January 2011

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Struggling Sevilla went down at home to Espanyol, while Villarreal tightened their grip on a Champions League place on Saturday in La Liga.

Sevilla, who finished fourth last season, gave up a brace to Jose Callejon and had only an injury-time goal to Alvaro Negredo to show for their efforts.

The loss - Sevilla's sixth from the past eight league fixtures - leaves Gregorio Manzano's men stranded in 10th place on the La Liga table and a massive 23 points behind leaders Barcelona.

Callejon opened his account in the 41st minute after being picked out alone in the area by a long ball, despite the hint of offside.

The Real Madrid youth graduate nabbed his second 12 minutes from time in much the same fashion, again slipping behind Sevilla's defence to poke past a despairing Javi Varas.

Negredo was the beneficiary of a missed handball call before his injury-time strike, with the Spaniard bobbling a pass off his forearm before volleying into the right corner of the net.

Meanwhile, third-placed Villarreal encountered some difficulty against a visiting Osasuna outfit, eventually running out 4-2 winners after Cani, Joan Capdevila and Gonzalo struck in the second half.

Argentine striker Marco Ruben nodded the hosts into the lead in the 23rd minute, but Hungary international Krisztian Vadocz squared things up two minutes after the break when he headed in a corner kick from the near post.

A piece of individual brilliance from Cani put Villarreal back in front three minutes later. Spotting Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo off his line, the midfielder hit a first-time strike from the half-way line over the veteran shot-stopper's head and into the net.

Spain international Capdevila made it 3-1 in the 65th minute with a header on the goal-line, and Argentine defender Gonzalo responded to Javier Calleja's 71st-minute goal with one of his own 13 minutes later as Osasuna again came undone in a set piece.

In other results, Athletic Bilbao improved to sixth on the table with a 2-1 win over 10-man Racing Santander, whose winless run now stretches to four matches.

Sporting Gijon leapt out of the relegation places with a 2-0 win over Hercules, Real Sociedad ended a run of four straight losses with a 4-0 thumping at Getafe and Real Zaragoza trumped Levante 1-0 in a battle of the cellar-dwellers.

 

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La Liga wrap: Barcelona cruise, Real held

17 January 2011

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Barcelona beat Malaga 4-1 to extend their lead to four points in La Liga on Sunday, after Real Madrid were held to a draw with Almeria.

Andres Iniesta opened the scoring for Barca just eight minutes in at the Camp Nou, collecting a Dani Alves cross before slotting the ball past Malaga goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo and into the net. Argentina international Lionel Messi set up David Villa to score their second in the 18th minute.

And when Asenjo could only parry an Iniesta shot, Pedro was on hand to bury the rebound and put the hosts 3-0 up, effectively ending the match as a contest with just 36 minutes played. Duda pulled a goal back for Malaga with an expertly-taken free kick in the 68th minute, but Barca responded quickly through Villa.

With 16 minutes remaining, the former Valencia striker - played in by Xavi Hernandez - rounded Asenjo before easing the ball home from a tight angle to make it 4-1.

Barca move to 52 points with the result, four ahead of Real after the second-placed side were held to a 1-1 draw away to Almeria.

Sitting bottom in La Liga, Almeria took a shock lead through Jose Ulloa in the 60th minute at the Estadio de los juegos Mediterraneos. After Pablo Piatti collided with defender Sergio Ramos inside the Real box, the ball fell kindly for Ulloa, who guided a left-foot shot beyond Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas and into the net.

Spurred into action, Real piled forward in search of an equaliser. It arrived in the form of substitute Esteban Granero, who ran onto a Karim Benzema lay off before striking the ball into the roof of the net.

Jose Mourinho's side might have won it through Cristiano Ronaldo's free kick in the last minute, but they were forced to settle for a draw that may prove costly as they attempt to prevent Barca from capturing a third successive La Liga title.

Valencia are fourth following a 2-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna.
French fullback Jeremy Mathieu broke the deadlock with 13 minutes left at the Estadio Mestalla, before Pablo made sure of the points in the 90th minute.

 

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Mourinho plots Van Nistelrooy return

16 January 2011

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Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is considering bringing Ruud Van Nistelrooy back to the club to help ease his attacking crisis.

Holland striker Van Nistelrooy, 34, left the club to join Bundesliga outfit Hamburg in January 2010 after falling down the pecking order under then-manager Manuel Pelligrini.

But with Gonzalo Higuain effectively ruled out until the end of the La Liga season, Real need attacking reinforcements.

Van Nistelrooy's contract with Hamburg ends in the summer, and Mourinho said he would like to sign the striker in the January transfer window - but not as a replacement for Karim Benzema.

"A lot of names have been mentioned, all of them seem players that could be helpful and, if finally there is Ruud, I'd be very happy," Mourinho said on Saturday.

"We met in the Premier League, in my first seasons (when Mourinho was manager of Chelsea and Van Nistelrooy was at Manchester United). I know him well. I know the player, I know the man and I'd be happy if it was him. But we'll see what happens.

" I personally haven't had any contact with either Hamburg's coach or Hamburg's staff to ask if he's close or far from signing for Madrid and I don't feel it's correct to be talking about a player that, in a couple of hours, will be defending a shirt that is not mine. We'll see."

"But, at this stage, he's a Hamburg player and we must respect the situation because, and I insist, he's not ours."

Mourinho also looked ahead to Real's upcoming clash with struggling Almeria on Sunday, and is wary of the threat the desperate hosts may pose as they bid to dig themselves out of relegation trouble.

"It is a difficult match," he said. "They need points, they have a good team, they play good football and, in these kind of matches, these teams have nothing to lose."

"They just give absolutely everything and they fight for a result." "We must go into this match thinking about this match, not the one next Thursday against Atletico Madrid. We must concentrate on this one because it is a hard one."

 

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Villarreal vs Osasuna 4 - 2
All Goals 15.01.2011


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Barcelona vs Malaga 4 - 1
All Goals and Highlights 16.01.2011

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Almeria vs Real Madrid 1 - 1
All Goals and Highlights 16.01.2011


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[Baimi]

Last week tried my luck on other top teams because Barca and Real Madrid
odds are getting less and less, and further more their goals seem to dry up.
Not bad, @$45, my best winning.

 

[Baimi]

This week, tried other teams as well.
Valencia 4 Malaga 3, Malaga down to 9 man still can score goals,
i will take a look at them next week.
Sevilla 4 Lavente 1, one goal short
Barca 3 Racing 0 ~ 8 goals @$17, pathetic.
Still have 2 more games to play, hope can make some more winning

 

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La Liga wrap: Drama aplenty in Malaga´s Valencia visit

23 January 2011

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Valencia got out of trouble with a last-gasp 4-3 triumph over nine-man Malaga in La Liga on Saturday. The hosts went into the clash at Estadio de Mestalla as hot favourites, lying 12 better places off on the league table than Malaga.

But despite the threat of relegation hanging over their head, it was Malaga who opened the scoring in the 10th minute via Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon. The match took a dramatic turn in the 15th minute, however, when Malaga defender Martin Demichelis conceded a penalty and we sent off in the same incident, allowing Mata to equalise from the spot for Valencia.

But Rondon fired his side in front again in spite of their numerical disadvantage, and Malaga took a 2-1 lead into the break. Valencia predictably fought back when Roberto Soldado levelled the match at 2-2, before Helder Rosario joined team-mate Demichelis in the changerooms when he was sent off in the 65th minute.

Ever Banega gave the hosts the lead for the first time in the match two minutes later, and - with Valencia's two-man numerical advantage - had seemingly wrapped up the result. But a long-range curling strike from Julio Baptista in the 79th minute beat Valencia goalkeeper Vicente Guaita to give Manuel Pellegrini's side a chance at stealing the unlikeliest of points.

The home team finally used their weight of numbers to break down the Malaga defence, however, and Aritz Aduriz gratefully turned in the winner from close range to break Malaga's hearts and move Valencia into third on the league table ahead of Sunday's league games.

Barcelona bounced back from their shock mid-week loss to Real Betis in the Copa del Rey to comfortably account for Racing Santander 3-0 at Camp Nou. The Catalans lost the second leg of their Spanish cup affair in mid-week. Despite advancing to the semi-finals of the tournament on aggregate, the result broke Barca's 28-game unbeaten streak..

Pep Guardiola's men put the loss behind them in some style on Saturday, with Pedro, Lionel Messia and Andres Iniesta all finding the back of the net in the victory.

A Luis Fabiano hat-trick helped Sevilla claim a 4-1 victory over Levante at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. The 30-year-old Brazilian striker netted in the 28th, 43rd and 68th minutes, with Julien Escude scoring Sevilla's second goal amid the Fabiano spree in the 39th minute. Xisco Munoz claimed Levante's consolation goal in the 58th minute.

 

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La Liga wrap: Important wins for Almeria, Real

24 January 2011

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Almeria climbed off the bottom of the La Liga table with a 3-2 win over relegation rivals Osasuna on Sunday. Jose Luis Oltra's men got off to a dream start, with goals to Carlos Garcia Badias and Leonardo Ulloa putting them two-up after just 11 minutes.

Badias was on the end of a Hernan Bernadello corner to finish from inside the six-yard box, before Michel's cross found Argentine striker Ulloa three minutes later to give the hosts a strong lead. Osasuna pulled a goal back via the boot of Carlos Aranda, whose shot from the edge of the area sparked the visitors into action.

But they could not find an equaliser, and shortly after the break the home side restored their two-goal buffer when Ulloa scored his second from Michael Jakobsen's cross. Osasuna striker Dejan Lekic struck two minutes into second-half injury time to create some nervous moments for Almeria but they held on for three vital points, lifting them to 18th on the table and just one point from safety.

Real Madrid kept the gap between themselves and Barcelona to four points on the table, with a 1-0 victory over Mallorca. France forward Karim Benzema's strike in the 61st minute was all Jose Mourinho's side needed to get maximum points from the clash at the Bernabeu.

Espanyol consolidated their fifth placing on the table with a 3-1 win away to Getafe at Coliseum Alfonso Perez. Miku put the hosts ahead in the 14th minute, and they maintained their lead to the break. But it was all Espanyol after half-time, as Luis Garcia, Jose Callejon and Sergio Garcia all netted in the space of 12 minutes.

Real Zaragoza continued their resurgent league form, bringing up their third win in four with a 1-0 triumph over Deportivo La Coruna.

Sporting Gijon upset Atletico Madrid 1-0 home, with striker David Barral on target for the victors.

In Sunday's later game, a double to Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi helped Villarreal defeat Real Sociedad 2-1, moving the Yellow Submarines back into third place on the table.

 

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Valencia 4 - 3 Malaga
All Goals 22.01.2011


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Sevilla 4 - 1 Levante
Full Highlights and Goals 22.01.2011


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Barcelona 3 - 0 Racing Santander
All Goals 22.01.2011


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Almeria 3 - 2 Osasuna
All Goals 23.01.2011


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Villarreal 2 - 1 Real Sociedad
All Goals 23.01.2011


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Adebayor makes Real move

26 January 2011

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Manchester City have offloaded out-of-favour striker Emmanuel Adebayor in a loan deal with La Liga giants Real Madrid. Adebayor, 26, will join Real for the remainder of the season, with an option for a 14.5 million pound transfer in the close season.

"We can confirm that the club has agreed to loan Emmanuel Adebayor to Real Madrid for the rest of the season," a statement on City's website said. "The player will travel to Spain on Wednesday to have a medical. Madrid have an option to purchase the 26-year-old at the end of his temporary spell in the Spanish capital."

City's reluctance to contribute to the player's wages are understood to have delayed his departure. But with Gonzalo Higuain ruled out for up to three months, Real's desperate need for a centre forward has forced them to pay all of Adebayor's reported 165,000 pound-a-week salary.

Their failure to secure the return of Ruud Van Nistelrooy from Hamburg also contributed to the decision to bring in Adebayor. The deal represents a victory of sorts for coach Jose Mourinho, who has been at loggerheads with director of football Jorge Valdano over the need for striking reinforcements.

Adebayor joined English Premier League outfit City from Arsenal in July 2009 for a fee believed to be approximately 25 million pounds. He scored 19 goals in 35 appearances for the club, but has fallen behind new arrivals Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko in the battle to partner captain Carlos Tevez in attack.

The former Togo international becomes the latest purchase of former City manager Mark Hughes to leave the club, with full-back Wayne Bridge and underused front-man Roque Santa Cruz also departing. Shaun Wright-Phillips is understood to be next in line for an exit.

Adebayor will be available to play in the Champions League with Real despite featuring in the Europa League earlier this season. No stranger to controversy in his short career, he may test Mourinho's famed man-management skills upon his arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu.

After alienating Arsenal fans by agitating for a move away from the club during his final two seasons in north London, he enraged them further by celebrating provocatively upon scoring for City against the Gunners shortly after his departure.

In the same match, he was pictured raking his studs down the face of former teammate Robin van Persie. After numerous rows with his national FA, he retired from international duty following a fatal gun attack on the Togo team bus during the 2010 African Cup of Nations.

 

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La Liga preview: Can Hercules stop powerhouses Barcelona?

28 January 2011

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Hercules will be out to extend their four-match home winning streak when they host Barcelona in La Liga action on Saturday. Esteban Vigo's side have been in brilliant form at their Estadio Jose Rico Perez home, scoring 13 goals in their past four wins there, but interestingly did not keep a clean sheet in the same streak.

Hercules' away form has been the opposite of their home equivalent, going winless in their past eight, and not scoring in their past six league trips, in a clear indication the 12th-placed side in the Spanish top flight is exponentially better in front of their home faithful than elsewhere.

Barcelona, however, do not seem to mind the venue and enter the match as strong favourites as they seek to maintain their spot on top of the league. The Catalans can increase their lead with a win and anything but a Real Madrid victory, but the boys from the Bernabeu should take all three points in their trip to Osasuna on Sunday.

Fifth side Espanyol can close the gap on the top four with a win over third-placed Villarreal at the Estadi Cornella El Prat on Sunday, while fourth-placed Valencia can protect their three-point buffer on Espanyol with victory over Racing Santander away from home on Monday.

Atletico Madrid can claim sixth place back from the in-form Athletic Bilbao when they welcome the Basque side to Estadio Vicente Calderon on Sunday.

In other fixtures on Saturday, Malaga and Real Zaragoza do battle in a relegation six-pointer, Mallorca host a Sporting Gijon side who are on a rare two-game winning streak, bottom-placed Levante welcome 10th-placed Getafe, Real Sociedad can get back onto the winners' list when they host Almeria and Deportivo La Coruna take on eighth side Sevilla.

 

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La Liga wrap: Revenge for Barca as Gijon show form

30 January 2011

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Barcelona inflicted payback on Hercules with a 3-0 victory on Saturday that put them seven points clear on top of the La Liga table. The Catalans fell to a shock 2-0 loss to Hercules at the Camp Nou earlier this campaign, but made no such mistake on the return fixture with Pedro netting the opener two minutes before half-time before Argentina star Lionel Messi scored two late goals to cement victory.

Sporting Gijon picked up their third straight victory - and just their first away win for the season - with a runaway 4-0 result over Mallorca. Spaniard Diego Castro opened the scoring in the third minute before an own goal to Mallorca defender Kevin doubled Gijon's advantage in the second half. Castro's Portuguese namesake, known just as Castro, scored one minute after being substituted before Nacho Novo finished the rout with a goal in the 87th minute.

Real Zaragoza won their third consecutive match, beating Malaga 2-1 away.

Levante won their first league match in seven with a 2-0 triumph over the out-of-form Getafe, who are without a win in their past six league affairs.

Real Sociedad kept Almeria in the relegation zone with a 2-0 result over the league strugglers thanks to goals from Jon Ansotegui and Raul Tamudo.

In the late kick-off, Deportivo La Coruna saved face with a late strike to Laure to salvage a 3-3 draw against Sevilla. Deportivo had led 2-0 after 62 minutes, and Sevilla were with 10 men for most of the second half after goalkeeper Andres Palop saw red prior to the hour mark, but the sixth-placed outfit fought back to stun the hosts to lead 3-2.

Negredo scored a brace, while Julien Escude also netted to take the lead with a little over 10 minutes remaining. But Laure denied the visitors a fairytale victory, hitting a forceful strike at substitute goalkeeper Javi Varas, who could only deflect the ball into his own net.