Rayo Vallecano 1 - Athletic Bilbao 2

Rayo: Keller; Cota, Amaya, Clotet, Alcázar; Estíbariz, Poschner, Llorens; Cembranos; Canabal, Bolo. 4-3-1-2.
Athletic: Imanol Etxeberria; Lacruz, Oscar Vales, Larrainzar, Larrazábal; Carlos García, Felipe, Alkiza; Guerrero; Joseba Etxeberria, Ezquerro. 4-3-1-2.

The bubble has finally burst and the green kryptonite has been revealed. Rayo Vallecano's superman like performances at the start of the season are no more, as they fell to their third defeat in a row. A serious injury to Hernández and a one match suspension for under 21 international Ferrón left them exposed at the back, and with German midfield general Poschner carried off early in the first half with a broken leg they may be struggling from now on. Athletic too were without three key players, Alkorta, Urrutia and Ferriera were all serving suspensions, but their squad is stronger and they were able to count on top class replacements such as Oscar Vales, Larrainzar and Carlos García. Once again Urzaiz was left on the bench as Luis Fernández kept faith in Joseba and Ezquerro up front. Both Athletic's goals came in the last quarter of an hour of the first half, with Julen Guerrero scoring the first from a first time shot, and Larrazábal getting the second from the penalty spot after Keller brought down Joseba in the penalty area. The US keeper was lucky to only get a yellow card for the incident, although to be fair it was wide on the edge of the area. Juande Ramos brought on both his Michel's, I and II, at the same time for Canabal and Cota, and with seven minutes to go they got one back when Estibariz headed in after Michel I's volley was saved by Imanol Etxeberria. Fernández took off his front three and put on Urzaiz, Imaz and Javi González to close the game down. Athletic rise right up the table to eighth, with Rayo dropping to fourth, behind Zaragoza on goal average. There is no reason to be alarmist with the good results Rayo have had to date, but there are after all only nine points separating them from 18th placed Oviedo with only a third of the season gone. With Hernández and Poschner out for most of the season, it looks like being a hard winter.

Racing 1 - Betis 1

Racing: Ceballos; Mellberg, Txema, Arzeno, Sietes; Espina, Ismael; Munitis, Vivar Dorado, Amavisca; Salva. 4-2-3-1.
Betis: Prats; Crosa, Karhan, Filipescu, Rivas; Benjamín, Merino, Ito, Romero; Denilson, Finidi. 4-4-2.

Racing finally returned to the playing fields of Europe (well, Spain) after a three week layoff. Benítez kept an unchanged side from the team that beat Espanyol, with Mellberg keeping his place in defence and Salva up front. Griguol decided to play with two attacking midfielders Finidi and Denilson up front, with Oli on the bench. Benjamín kept his place in midfield. Salva was particularly motivated before the match as he is a self-confessed Sevilla supporter, born and bred, and a natural enemy of the green and whites of Betis. And it was Salva who made the first goal with a strong challenge which enabled Vivar Dorado to go on and beat Prats, although cameras later showed that Salva clearly knocked the ball on with his hand. Betis came back, and two minutes into the first half injury time they equalised with probably their first shot of the match, Karhan's low strike passing under Ceballos. The second half produced little of note, and Griguol replaced Denilson with Oli twelve minutes from the end. Betis have not won in Santander for 39 seasons, and they will now have to wait until the new millennium to do so. Their point does however keep them in seventh place, with Racing now ninth with a game in hand. Their postponed match with Alavés will now be played on 8th December.