Rate it!

2 votes

A round-up of Sunday's action in La Liga, as Real Madrid came through a bruising encounter to beat Athletic Bilbao.

Real Madrid 3-2 Athletic Bilbao

Champions Real Madrid came through a fiercely contested match at the Santiago Bernabeu to beat Athletic Bilbao 3-2 and go third in the table behind Barcelona and leaders Valencia.

Goals from Wesley Sneijder and Gonzalo Higuain put Real ahead with half an hour gone, but Lizardi Etxeberria pulled a goal back before Andoni Iraola equalised from the penalty spot just before the break.

That penalty - awarded for Gabriel Heinze's putting his hand into the face of Fernando Llorente as they jumped for a cross - was vehemently contested by the Real players, and the rest of the half was spent with both sides exchanging cynical fouls and arguing en masse.

After the break Higuain got his second of the match on the hour mark and - with Fernando Amorebieta sent off with 10 minutes remaining for a foul on the Argentinian striker - Bernd Schuster's side held on for the win.

Villarreal 4-4 Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid fought back from two goals down with 10 men to secure an incredible 4-4 draw at El Madrigal.

Atletico were 2-0 up midway through the first half after Simao's superb long-range effort flew past Leo Franco in the first minute and Diego Forlan blasted home 20 minutes later.

However, following Ever Banega's red card for a second booking towards the end of the first half, Villarreal bombarded their visitors after the break.

Marcos Senna saw his shot from distance slip through Leo Franco's arms and drop into the net before Joseba Llorente prodded past the keeper to equalise.

A rout looked on the cards and it duly materlialised as first Gonzalo Rodriguez and then Giuseppe Rossi scored as Atletico collapsed.

However, Simao gave them hope in the closing stages after breaking from the centre circle and finishing clinically, and just three minutes later the Portuguese turned provider when his free-kick was headed in by Raul Garcia to give under-pressure coach Javier Aguirre's men a share of the points.

Receativo Huelva 1-1 Valencia

Valencia returned to the top of the Primera Liga after David Villa grabbed an equaliser to draw 1-1 at lowly Receativo Huelva.

The Spain striker's ninth of the season was poked in at the far post, after Javier Camunas had given the home side the lead from a counter-attack just after the break.

Unai Emery's unbeaten team moved on to 20 points from eight games, one ahead of Barcelona who trounced Almeria 5-0 at the Nou Camp on Saturday.

Sevilla 0-1 Malaga

Malaga took the game to Sevilla and deservedly took the lead when Nacho laid on for Adrian Lopez to score, the first goal the home side had conceded in nine matches in all competitions.

Sevilla's fightback was hindered when Brazilian midfielder Adriano Correia was sent off in the 66th minute and promoted Malaga made it four wins on the trot.

Mallorca 3-0 Espanyol

Mallorca came back from a poor couple of games with striker Aritz Aduriz heading the opener when Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni flapped at a cross in the 49th minute.

Aduriz claimed his second with another header from a corner soon after, and Fernando Varela burst away to lob the third.

Deportivo la Coruna 0-3 Sporting Gijon

Sporting's David Barral was brought down for a penalty which he scored himself, before fellow striker Carmelo finished off a swift counter-attack for the second.

Depor then had Argentine defender Diego Colotto sent off in the 42nd minute and Diego Castro wrapped up the points at the end.

Numancia 2-1 Racing Santander

Numancia's Jose Javier Barkero was quickest to a loose ball in the 26th minute and the game limped on until injury time before exploding into life.

Racing levelled from the penalty spot through Mohamed Tchite in the 94th minute, but a free kick a minute later fell to Domingo Cisma who fired in the winner.

Getafe 1-0 Valladoid

Getafe were set on course for their first home win when Argentine defender Daniel 'Cata' Diaz headed in from a free-kick in the 31st minute. Valladolid have yet to win away from home.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport / Reuters