Barcelona 4 - Valladolid 0

Barcelona: Arnau; Abelardo, Reiziger, Puyol, Ronald De Boer, Bogarde; Luis Enrique, Litmanen; Figo, Kluivert, Rivaldo. 2-3-2-3.
Valladolid: César; Torres Gómez, Heinze, Santamaría, Peña; Chema, Jiménez, Vizcaino, Marcos; Víctor, Shoji Jo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Barcelona: Puyol, Ronald De Boer, Litmanen for Zenden, Xavi, Cocu / Valladolid: Santamaría, Chema for García Calvo, Caminero.

Goals:
1-0. 34. Ronald De Boer. Strong shot form edge of area which took a deflection.
2-0. 45. Heinze (own goal). Turned Litmanen's centre into goal with Kluivert close.
3-0. 55. Rivaldo. Spectacular overhead kick after pass from Bogarde.
4-0. 69. Rivaldo. Volleyed Kluivert's cross and ball bounced over César.

Barcelona moved back to second in the league thanks to slip ups by the teams above them. With Guardiola not yet fit, Xavi out of favour after some out of place remarks midweek and Frank De Boer injuring himself shortly before the game, Ronald De Boer came in to the side in the 'organiser' position in front of the defence. Zenden and Cocu were suspended, as were García Calvo and Caminero for Valladolid. Reportedly some 20 million Japanese fans were watching the match on television, with Shoji Jo playing up front alongside Víctor, who was called up by Camacho this week to play for Spain in their midweek match against Croatia. Although they would have been disappointed that their hero didn't score and his team lost, they should have been entertained by this match, which could have ended up something like 8-3 in the end. Kluivert was a constant menace for the Valladolid defence, creating several chances early in the game, although Valladolid were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty for a foul by Abelardo on Víctor, and the striker hit the post with a long shot after Jo had chested the ball back to him. Rivaldo gave a warning of things to come with an overhead kick which César just tipped clear after Ronald De Boer had opened the scoring with his first league goal for the club. In the second half he went one better, picking up Bogarde's pass from the left with his back to goal, and juggling the ball on his knee before lifting it over his head and past an amazed César. His second goal was more fortunate, but it was his night, and he even managed a clever cross round the back of his legs which Litmanen failed to take advantage of. Van Gaal, with one eye on next Saturday's game with Real Madrid, brought on Dani for Kluivert to avoid him picking up a fifth yellow card, and changed a limping Luis Enrique for Gabri. Xavi came on five minutes from time for Litmanen. Manzano put on ex Barcelona dream team member Eusebio in the second half for Vizcaino, and the 70,000 crowd gave him a rousing reception. Valladolid never gave up the fight, and Jiménez hit the post again with a strong shot. In the last few minutes Figo got the ball in the net with a shot over César's head from the wing, but referee Pérez Lasa ruled the goal out for a positional offside by Rivaldo. Valladolid drop down to within one place of the relegation zone, in a group of eight teams within five points of each other. They haven't scored now for four games and need Caminero, Lozano and Rodrigo back in the side as soon as possible. Shoji Jo and his fans must be wondering what they have let themselves in for, although Valladolid have the quality players to take them back out of this and back up to the middle of the table.

Real Sociedad 2 - Zaragoza 1

Real Sociedad: Alberto; Félix Guerrero, Gurrutxaga, Loren, Aranzábal; Khokhlov, Fuentes, Aranburu; De Pedro, De Paula, Sa Pinto. 4-3-3.
Zaragoza: Juanmi; Cuartero, Paco, Lanna, Sundgren; José Ignacio, Acuña; Marcos Vales, Radimov, Vellisca; Milosevic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Real: Guerrero, De Pedro for López Rekarte, Jankauskas / Zaragoza: Cuartero, Lanna, José Ignacio, Marcos Vales, Vellisca, Radimov for Pablo, Aguado, Aragón, Juanele, Garitano, Yordi.

Goals:
1-0. 07. Aranburu. Angled shot from edge of area through crowd of players.
1-1. 84. Garitano (penalty). After Aranzábal brought down substitute Juanele. 2-1. 90. Loren. Glancing header from Sa Pinto free kick on right.

Second place Zaragoza lost ground on the leaders after losing in the last minute to struggling Real Sociedad. They have now only managed one win and three draws from their last six games, and have only kept their place in the league table thanks to poor results of the teams around them. Txetxu Rojo made six changes this week in an attempt to turn things around, with Radimov coming back from injury for the suspended Yordi, and Marcos Vales coming in on the right wing in place of Juanele. Clemente had two players suspended, López Rekarte and Jankauskas, but had midfield general De Pedro back in the side after his long injury. A goal behind at half time, Rojo quickly brought on Juanele and Garitano, with Pikabea entering for Real to strengthen their defence and Bonilla coming on up front for De Paula. Zaragoza thought they had drawn level when Juanele beat Alberto fifteen minutes from time, but the goal was ruled out for an offside of Milosevic. Juan Gómez came on for a tired De Pedro to close the game down, but Juanele reappeared to force a penalty which Garitano converted. It looked like they would at least get a point, but Real surged forward, knowing that anything but a victory would drop them out of touch with their close rivals in the relegation stakes. Everybody came forward for Sa Pinto's free kick, and Loren got to the ball first to steer it past Spain's number two keeper Juanmi with a well placed header. Real's recovery may start here, and they climb above Oviedo, still in the drop zone but only one point now behind two teams, Espanyol and Valladolid. Will Clemente do the Houdini act? Only a week or so ago there was talk of his destitution, but this victory gives them some breathing space.