Atlético de Madrid 1 - Espanyol 1

Atlético: Molina;Santi, Ayala, Gamarra, Capdevila; Valerón, Baraja, Hugo Leal, Solari; Kiko, Hasselbaink. 4-4-2.
Espanyol: Cavallero; Cristóbal, Pochettino, Nando, Navas; Velamazán, Galca, Sergio, Arteaga; Benítez, Tamudo. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Atlético: Ayala, Baraja for Aguilera, Bjebl. / Espanyol: Cavallero for Mora.

Goals:
1-0. 41. Hasselbaink. Shot from edge of area after Valerón headed on a corner.
1-1. 53. Tamudo. Flicked over keeper after long pass from Arteaga.

This was a match which neither side could afford to lose, but the eventual draw did no favours to either. Both teams are floundering near the bottom of the table, with Espanyol falling to within one point and one place of the relegation places after the match, with Atlético only a point above them. The turning point of the game came two minutes into the second half, with Atlético a goal up after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had moved to the top of the Pichichi's table with his 21st goal of the season. One of Atlético's Paraguayan central defenders, Ayala, picked up his second yellow card of the game from referee Prados García and left his side with ten men. Ayala had received his first card after a strong tackle on his fellow countryman and friend Miguel Angel Benítez, which left the world cup star in hospital with a smashed knee which will keep him out of the game for at least a year (De Lucas replaced him). With Ayala's dismissal, Ranieri decided to play safe, taking off his main play-maker Valerón and bringing on defender Gaspar. It had little effect, as Arteaga put through a pinpoint pass a few minutes later for Tamudo to lift the ball over Molina to score. Molina himself was lucky to still be on the park after bringing down Benítez early in the game, the referee only awarding a yellow card, and he pardoned Hasselbaink later in the game when the striker tackled Pochettino heavily from behind. Ranieri was strongly criticised by his own supporters for his defensive tactics, and when he took off Solari and put on Bjebl shortly after Paco Flores had brought on another striker Manel for Velamazán, the whistles were deafening. Espanyol were unlucky not to take the three points near the end when the referee disallowed a goal from Tamudo, ruling that Galca's corner kick had bent out of play on its trajectory. In the end, criticisms for the referee by Espanyol, and criticisms for Ranieri from his supporters. The Atlético manager did not turn up to the post match press conference, arguing that he had to catch a flight to Italy straight after the match. Going to talk to Fiorentina's board, perhaps? He has actually been offered a new contract by Atlético's administrator, although rumours are that he will be going back to Italy at the end of the season, or even before. Off the field of play the courts continue their work, with Spanish Federation president and secretary Angel María Villar and Gerardo González winning a libel case against Jesus Gil for insults made in 1997, and the promotion company Van Doorn registering their claim that the club still owes them 700 million pesetas.

Sevilla 2 - Alavés 2

Sevilla: Olsen; Marchena, Hibic, Prieto; Quevedo, Tsartas, Angel, Nando; Víctor; Juan Carlos, Zalayeta. 3-4-1-2.
Alavés: Herrera; Contra, Karmona, Téllez, Torres Mestre; Pablo, Desio;Nan Ribera, Azkoitia, Ibon Begoña; Kodro. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Sevilla: Prieto for Héctor / Alavés: Nan Ribera for Javi Moreno.

Goals:
0-1. 27. Kodro (penalty). Following foul by Hibic on Ibon Begoña.
1-1. 41. Juan Carlos. Glancing header from Tsartas free kick.
2-1. 75. Zalayeta. Shot from front of area which took a deflection off defender.
2-2. 89. Astudillo. Shot through defender's legs after Magno's header hit post.

Alavés shattered Sevilla's hopes of recovery, and helped themselves to fifth place into the bargain, with a last minute goal from substitute Astudillo. A 42,000 crowd turned up in the Andalucian capital, their best attendance of the season, after management decided to reduce ticket prices in an attempt to draw in their supporters. The atmosphere was electric, as the crowd cheered every ball their side won and booed the opposition when they had possession. That was at least until the 27th minute, when referee Daudén Ibáñez awarded a rigorous penalty for a foul by Hibic on Kodro, who must have been taking diving lessons from Julio Salinas. Kodro converted the kick, but a minute later his side were down to ten men, Nan Ribera being sent off with a direct red card, presumably for a heavy tackle from behind. Curiously Ribera was in the side in replacement for Javi Moreno, who had made some out of place remarks during the week about the Sevilla tackling and was left out by Mané in order to cool things down. Sevilla came back, and four minutes before half time they were level, with Tsartas once again providing the pass for Juan Carlos to score his ninth of the season. With a bit more luck he could in fact have had a hat-trick by the break, shooting wide and then failing to beat Herrera in the run up to half time. Alonso brought on Jesuli for Nando after the goal, and Mané substituted Pablo and Azkoitia with Astudillo and Eggen for the second half. Jesuli hit the post with a shot on the hour mark, and the home side took the lead to the delirium of the crowd fifteen minutes later through Uruguayan striker Zalayeta. They were already composing songs about the match when Astudillo struck, taking Alavés to their sixth away match without defeat, and consolidating their position in the UEFA cup spots. Sevilla are now six points adrift at the bottom, but they are still fighting. With supporters like theirs they don't deserve to be relegated, but each week the hill looks steeper. If they don't survive they will probably lose key players, such as Tsartas and under 21 defender Marchena, who this week was being watched by Milan.