Zaragoza 0 - Real Madrid 1

Zaragoza: Juanmi; Sundgren, Paco, Aguado, Lanna (Vellisca 87'); Juanele, Aragón (Marcos Vales 87'), Luis Helguera, Garitano; Yordi, Milosevic. 4-4-2.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Iván Campo, Iván Helguera, Karanka; McManaman (Geremi 89'), Fernando, Savio (Baljic 60'); Raúl, Morientes. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Zaragoza: Sundgren, Luis Helguera, Yordi for Solana, Acuña, Marcos Vales / Madrid: Karanka, Fernando for Roberto Carlos, Guti.

Goals:
0-1. 86. Raúl (penalty). After Juanmi brought down Anelka as he rounded him.

Real Madrid moved up to second place in the league after beating championship rivals Zaragoza in their own Romareda stadium. This was Zaragoza's first defeat at home in 13 months, and it came at the worst possible time for the team from Aragón. The victory moves Madrid level with Barcelona on points but with a superior individual goal average, and puts them a point ahead of today's opponents. Zaragoza manager Txetxu Rojo made three changes, with Sundgren returning from a one match suspension in defence and Luis Helguera, brother of Madrid's Iván, coming in to replace the suspended Acuña. Yordi came in alongside Milosevic at the expense of Marcos Vales. Real Madrid were missing Roberto Carlos and Guti through injury (both are doubtful for next Wednesday's Champions League game against Manchester United), and Del Bosque surprised everyone including B team youngster Fernando in midfield for his first ever game for the first team. Karanka was preferred at left back to Dorado. The first half belonged to Zaragoza, in particular with an intense period of pressure in the last five minutes in which Casillas saved brilliantly from Morientes and then Garitano. Madrid's only real chances came from Morientes, with a header which was saved by Juanmi, and a shot from Savio in the second half which took a deflection off a defender and almost entered the net. Juanele was the home side's danger man in the second half, but the veteran forward wasted two or three chances when he should have scored. Let off the hook, Real Madrid came forward, with second half substitute Anelka picking up a pass from Raúl five minutes from the end and charged towards the goal. The French striker pushed the ball wide of Juanmi, but the impetus of the keeper took him crashing into Anelka as he tried to leap clear, and referee Mejuto González awarded a penalty after consulting with his linesman, waving away Zaragoza's protests. Everyone expected Mejuto to produce the red card for the keeper, but he decided to play safe and only show the yellow, thereby probably avoiding another riot. Raúl stepped up to hit the ball low into the centre of the goal to give the visitors vistory. This was Raúl's 100th goal in the Spanish league, and he is already well on his way to being the top scorer of all time at the tender age of 22. To put things in perspective, Julio Sallinas is the top scorer amongst players still active, and he has only just reached 150 at the not so tender age of 36. Rojo threw on Vellisca and Marcos Vales without avail as Madrid were temporarily reduced to ten men after Iván Campo had to leave the field for treatment to a cut eyebrow and a bloody nose, picked up in a clash of heads with Yordi. This was Madrid's eleventh consecutive game without defeat, and Casillas has now recorded four clean sheets in a row. Zaragoza's 30,000 supporters, who had to endure a constant rainstorm during the match, went home wet and disappointed. They should still be in Europe next season, but with Valencia snapping at their heels they might lose out on the Champions League.

Mallorca 2 - Alavés 0

Mallorca: Leo Franco; Armando, Olaizola, Siviero, Miguel Soler; Lauren, Engonga (Chichi Soler 85'), Carreras; Ibagaza; Diego Tristán (Carlos 70'), Eto'o (Marti 85'). 4-3-1-2.
Alavés: Herrera; Contra, Karmona, Téllez, Torres Mestre; Astudillo, Pablo (Magno 60'), Desio, Ibon Begoña; Nan Ribera (Javi Moreno 46'); Kodro (Salinas 65'). 4-4-1-1.

Team changes: Mallorca: Armando, Carreras for Nadal, Stankovic / Alavés: Desio, Kodro for Morales, Javi Moreno.

Goals:
1-0. 19. Lauren. After Eto'o dribbled past Herrera and crossed from left.
2-0. 79. Carlos. Following good one-two by Eto'o and Lauren.

Mallorca followed up their victory in the Camp Nou last week with another win against Alavés to return to the fight for European places. Fernando Vázquez's team had not won in six matches before visiting Barcelona, but they now have recovered their confidence, thanks partly to good performances by their two Camerooni players Eto'o and Lauren. Vázquez was missing two key players for this match, with Nadal still in hospital after suffering respiratory problems in Barcelona, and Stankovic suspended for one game. With Nadal's natural replacement Fernando Niño also injured, Armando came in at right back, with Olaizola switching to the centre of defence. Carreras, who scored a good goal against his old team last week, filled the spot on the left of midfield left by the Yugoslavian. Alavés meanwhile are starting to falter, and this defeat meant an end to a nine match unbeaten away run which stretched back to early November last year. Their problem is scoring goals, and they have now gone four games without getting any, picking up two points from a possible twelve in that time. Their manager Mané (now favourite to take over from Hiddink at Betis next season) left his two top scorers Salinas and Moreno on the bench, bringing back Kodro after an injury and his midfield general Desio after a one match suspension. Nan Ribera played further forward behind Kodro. The two Camerooni players made the difference in the match, with Eto'o, scorer of two goals last week, nutmegging keeper Herrera after he came out wide to the edge of the penalty area and laying the ball back for Lauren to shoot home in the first half. The second goal near the end was also set up by the pair after Lauren started the move, and playing a wall move with Eto'o before laying the ball through to Carlos minutes after he came on for Tristán. Eto'o also came close with after working a good move with Diego Tristán, Herrera saving from the young striker. Curiously both African players could be playing for Real Madrid next season, with Eto'o on loan from the capital club to the end of June and Lauren more likely to join them now than go to Italy. A goal down at half time, Mané made changes in the second half, with three forwards Javi Moreno, Magno and Salinas all coming on. The makeshift home defence held however, with Leo Franco making a couple of good saves from the Alavés attack. The Vitoria based side are now in danger of entering into free fall, and although their place in the first division is not at risk, they could drop out of the European places with on-form teams such as Espanyol, Rayo Vallecano, Valladolid and now Mallorca (not to mention Celta) just a few points behind them.