Celta crept up to within a point of the leaders with a laboured 2-1 victory against Zaragoza. Mostovoi started the match for the first time this season, and he was to prove that he has finally returned to the form he showed throughout last season. Celades was preferred to Giovanella in midfield, and McCarthy kept his place up front with Turdó on the bench and Kaviedes away on international duty with Ecuador. Txetxu Rojo played with Juanele supporting Milosevic up front. The game brought together the two best keepers in the league to date, Zaragoza's Juanmi, who has only let in three, and Celta's Dutruel, recently linked with Barcelona, who has let in four. Zaragoza scored first on the half hour, the big Yugoslavian striker Savo Milosevic culminating a counterattack to beat Dutruel from the corner of the penalty area. The game turned around a few minutes later however when referee Esquinas Torres sent off Zaragoza's captain Aguado for a second yellow card. Celta equalised directly from the resulting free kick, ex Zaragoza defender Cáceres rising to head the ball past Juanmi. Milosevic was forced to go off at half time after taking some knocks in the first half, and Zaragoza's strike force disappeared. Ten minutes into the second half Mostovoi made his mark, his wickedly curling shot from a short free kick bending around the right of the defensive wall to enter the goal on the left. Celta are now third, with Zaragoza dropping down to sixth.

Deportivo de La Coruña threw away a two goal lead at Mallorca, the home side coming back to level the match at 2-2 with an injury time penalty by Stankovic after Schurrer was sent off for bringing down Tristán in the penalty area. Mallorca were forced to leave Engonga out through injury, and Serrizuela was preferred to Ibagaza. With Turu Flores injured, Deportivo kept on-form Pauleta in attack, leaving Makkay on the bench. All goals came in the second half, with Pauleta vindicating Irureta's decision scoring twice in nine minutes, the first a shot across Burgos and the second a header. Vázquez brought on Quinteros for Chichi Soler in the 77th minute, and three minutes later the Argentinian striker scored his first goal for the club, pouncing on to a loose ball in the area after a free kick was blocked. Deportivo are still fourth, but drop three points behind the leaders. Mallorca are amongst the masses at the bottom part of the table. Spanish tennis star Carlos Moya, a resident of Mallorca, was at the match with Anna Kourikova, who is currently training in the island.