Villarreal moved above Barcelona and into second place in La Liga with a convincing 3-0 defeat of Atletico Madrid.

Santiago Cazorla put the home side ahead after 38 minutes - tapping home Giuseppe Rossi's left-wing cross after good work from Robert Pires.

Villarreal doubled their lead shortly before the interval, with the impressive Pires again heavily involved.

The former Arsenal midfielder sparked a delightful four-man move which culminated in Rossi once again playing provider. This time Nihat Kahveci was the beneficiary.

Atletico came close to pulling a goal back soon after the interval, when Ignacio Camacho met a corner and sent his header into the turf and up onto the crossbar.

The evening belonged to Villarreal though, and with 35-year-old Pires - who oozed class throughout.

Manuel Pellegrini's side got a deserved third when Cazorla released Nihat after 65 minutes. The Turkish international took the ball in his stride before driving an emphatic shot through Christian Abbiati's legs.

As the clock ran down, Villarreal toyed with the visitors to the delight of home fans - their clinical approach the antithesis to Barcelona's complacency earlier in the day.

Pires left the field to a deserved standing ovation late on, but the damage had already been done. Atletico, who began the evening just six points behind the hosts, had been dispatched with ruthless efficiency and made to look an average side.

Villarreal are now unbeaten in nine La Liga games and lie just three points behind Real Madrid at the summit - posing perhaps the most serious threat to Madrid's championship hopes.

Real Betis 3-2 Barcelona

Real Betis completed an astonishing second-half comeback to defeat Barcelona and stifle their title aspirations.

Frank Rijkaard's side appeared to be cruising after strikes from Bojan Krkic and Samuel Eto'o gave them a 2-0 lead early in the first-half, but Betis scored three times in 15 wild second-half minutes to seal an improbable victory.

The result means Barcelona remain four points adrift of league leaders Real Madrid, who face Mallorca on Sunday, and fall to third in La Liga.

Betis began their remarkable turnaround when substitute Sobis crossed for Edu to head home just after the hour mark.

10 minutes later the home side were awarded a penalty after Eto'o was adjudged to have fouled David Odonkor - but Victor Valdes blocked Edu's spot kick.

Betis would not be denied however, and barely a minute later Juan Juanito chested down a throw-in and volleyed home to bring the sides level.

The scene was then set for Edu's redemption. The Brazilian cut in from the left and fired a shot past Valdes to complete an incredible comeback from Betis.

Will Tidey / Eurosport