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Match round-up - First Division, Day 13

Barcelona move three points clear at the top of the table after a 1-4 victory at bottom club Betis in the last match on Sunday. After their midweek win in the Europa League, the Andalusians were charged up, and Valdés had to be at his best to keep out Molina and Juan Carlos early on. There was bad news for Tata Martino when Messi limped off with another hamstring injury just twenty minutes in to the game, but Neymar and Pedro both tested Sara before Neymar opened the scoring after Fàbregas set him up with ten minutes to go to the break. Two minutes later Pedro made it two with a run from inside his own half, and only a good tackle by Jordi Figueras prevented Neymar from scoring a third before half time. After the restart Nono drilled a shot against the upright, but a few minutes later Fàbregas scored a third for the visitors after Iniesta and Montoya combined to set him up, and fifteen minutes after that the ex Arsenal midfielder got between two defenders to head in a Dani Alves cross for the fourth. With the game in injury time Molina got a late consolation from the penalty spot after Alves pulled him back in the area, but by then the game was already over.

Earlier in the evening second placed Atlético Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at fourth placed Villarreal, only the second time that Simeone's side have dropped points all season. Curiously both goals were scored by players in their own net, Mario heading Juanfran's cross past his own keeper in only the second minute. After that however the locals dominated the match, Cani shooting wide and Courtois saving a Bruno free kick before the break, and Jonathan Pereira and Javier Aquino failing to hit the target in the second half. Atleti's only replies were a couple of efforts by Villa and Koke, but with Diego Costa going off with a knock, and Arda Turan only just back from an injury, they were lacking their usual spark. With ten minutes to go Juanfran deflected Perbet's centre past Courtois under pressure from Uche, and Perbet could have won it for the locals had he been able to beat the visiting keeper late on. The draw though keeps Marcelino's side a point above Athletic Bilbao in the table.

Sevilla coach Unai Emery got himself some breathing space after his side won 1-3 at Espanyol in this weekend's Sunday mid-day kick-off. The Andalusians had not been living up to expectations recently, a 1-1 draw at home to Liberec in the midweek Europa League game another disappointment for them. But with just three minutes gone Fazio got on the end of a long Rakitic free kick to loop a header past Casilla, and seven minutes later Vitolo curled an angled shot wide of the keeper after a corner came out to him on the left of the area. Sergio García got one back after Simao put him through midway through the second half, but Rakitic and Carriço went close before the break, and early in the second half Bacca ran past the defence to fire an angled shot past the local keeper for the third. Any hope of a comeback ended when Víctor Sánchez was sent off for a second bookable offence with five minutes to go, and the Catalans drop a point behind their opponents in the table having only picked up one point from their last four games.

Valencia coach Djukic is not out of the woods though after his side could only draw 2-2 at home to Valladolid. Banega should have given the locals an early lead after Mariño brought down Barragán in the penalty area, but the Argentinian midfielder fired his spot kick over the bar. Soon afterwards Javi Guerra headed in a long Alcatraz cross to put the visitors in front, but after Dani Parejo and Banega went close, Pabón made it all square with a long shot which took a slight deflection off a defender to wrong-foot the keeper. Five minutes after the restart however Alcatraz restored the lead for the visitors after Mathieu failed to clear a previous shot, but after Parejo fired a free kick against the bar, Feghouli equalized once again after Canales crossed in from the left wing. With the game coming to an end though Guaita had to turn a shot from Osorio round the post, and at the final whistle the demanding local fans booed their players off the pitch. (10.11.13)

Real Madrid kept up the pressure on the two leaders after an impressive 5-1 win over Real Sociedad in the first match on Saturday evening. Ancelotti's side raced in to a first half four goal lead, Ronaldo hitting the bar before opening the scoring after Benzema set him up. The two reversed roles for Benzema to make it two, and Ronaldo got his second of the day from the penalty spot after his shot hit Bergara on the arm as he fell to the ground. Soon afterwards Bale fired a good chance wide, but minutes later he played on Caravajal's pass for Khedira to score his team's fourth with ten minutes still to go to the interval. Griezmann had a penalty claim turned down after the break though, and with just over an hour gone he picked up Vela's pass and lifted a shot over Diego López for his seventh goal in five league games. However Ronaldo completed his hat-trick with a well struck free kick a quarter of an hour from the end, and Morata could have added to the scoreline had he not missed the target when free on goal near the end.

Later in the evening Athletic Bilbao closed up on fourth spot with a 2-1 victory over Levante. Both sides had chances early on, Keylor Navas saving from Iraola, Ibai Gómez and Guillermo, and Iraola clearing a Barral header off the line with Iraizoz beaten. However with just over half an hour on the clock Barral put the visitors ahead, beating the keeper at the second attempt after a good run by Xumetra down the left by-line. Valverde brought on Aduríz and Mikel Rico at the break, and Navas made another good save from the striker before he punched out a Toquero cross only for Rico to drill the ball back in to the net. Toquero and Ibai fired shots wide, and Ibai had a goal ruled out for offside, but with six minutes to go Aduríz got on the end of an Iturraspe cross to head home the winner. A bit of theatrics from Simao prevented the striker from finishing the match, but Athletic had saved their unbeaten record in their new stadium, and they move level on points with Villarreal pending their game on Sunday.

Athletic move three points clear of Getafe, who stay in sixth spot after a 1-1 draw against Elche. The visitors started well, Moyà having to save from Damián Suárez and Lisandro let off a penalty appeal after he blocked a shot with his arm in the area, but soon afterwards Pedro León picked up a pass from Diego Castro and cut in from the right to squeeze a shot inside Manu Herrera's near post. Carles Gil brought another good save from Moyà and Aarón Ñíguez saw his cross blocked by a defender either side of half time though, and Boakye made it all square when he steered a header past the local keeper from Aarón's cross on the hour mark. Sarabia and Aarón went close after that, but in the end both sides settled for a point which keeps Elche six points behind their opponents in the table.

The last match of the evening saw Rayo Vallecano move out of the relegation spots after a 0-2 win at Celta Vigo. Luis Enrique's side have yet to win at home, and they went behind midway through the first half when Jonathan Viera picked up Tito's through ball to beat Yoel. Gálvez and Trashorras went close with a couple of free kicks either side of half time, and second half substitute Rafinha fired a shot just wide and then tested Rubén for the first time a few minutes after coming on. With twenty minutes or so to go though Larrivey ran in to head Embarba's cross past the local keeper for the second, and Paco Jémez's side held on after that move level with their hosts in the table. (09.11.13)

Two matches this Friday, with Granada moving up to eighth pending the rest of the weekend games after a 3-1 victory over neighbours Málaga. The locals had the better of the first half, with El-Arabi firing a good chance over the top and Willy Caballero having to save from Foulquier and Buonanotte. Just a couple of minutes after the restart though Fran Rico won the ball off Angeleri in midfield, and although Caballero kept out Rico's shot, but El-Arabi was on hand to turn in the rebound. Six minutes later substitute Juanmi equalized, turning a shot past Roberto after the keeper had saved from Antunes and Darder, but soon afterwards El-Arabi restored the lead after Brahimi picked up a loose ball in the area and crossed in for the striker to squeeze between Caballero and Angeleri to score. A quarter of an hour later El-Arabi completed his hat-trick after Brahimi put him through again, and Piti and Riki could have added to the scoreline later on had Caballero not been at his best.

Earlier in the evening Almería beat Osasuna 0-1, a third win in a row for the Andalusians taking them above their hosts and out of the bottom three. Visiting keeper Esteban had to make a couple of early saves, in particular from a long shot by Cejudo, but soon afterwards his opposite number Andrés dropped Dubarbier's corner at the feet of Rodri, who gratefully poked the ball in to the net. Aleix Vidal came close to a second when he blasted a shot over the bar following a good run, but Torsiglieri was lucky to be let off a penalty appeal for hands, and Esteban had to be at full stretch to push a deflection from Pellerano on to the post. After the interval the Pamplona based side gave it their best, but Esteban kept out efforts from Oriol Riera and 16 year old substitute José García, and Nuñez, Riera and Torres all failed to hit the target when presented with chances later on. (08.11.13)