Atlético Madrid increased their lead at the top of the division with a 0-1 victory at Badajoz, and it is now only a matter of time before they achieve promotion. Santi headed the only goal of the game from Dani's corner midway through the first half, but after that they took their foot off the gas and Burgos had to save the day at the end, stopping Bauza's shot with his chest when caught off his line. The result leaves Badajoz down in the bottom half of the table again.

Atlético go nine points ahead of Xerez, who earned themselves another point in a dull 0-0 draw against Andalucian rivals Córdoba. Cachorro hit the bar directly from a corner for the visitors, and their keeper Ramón made a couple of important saves in the second half. The home side claimed a penalty in injury time when Eloy was brought down in the area, but the referee said no and they had to make do with a point which keeps García Remón's side clear of the drop zone for now.

Last week's fourth and fifth placed sides Recreativo Huelva and Racing Santander both won on Saturday evening to keep up their push for promotion. Recreativo beat Gimnastic Tarragona 1-0 thanks to a last minute goal by substitute Epitié, who took Cheli's pass and shot in off the post past debutant keeper Javi Ruiz. Earlier in the game Recreativo keeper César had kept his side in the match with a series of good saves as Nàstic had surprised the Andalucians with their attacking play. Recre move on to 48 points, and move back up to the third promotion spot.

Racing recorded only their second away win of the season, beating Leganés 1-4 to move up a place to fourth. Javi Guerrero and Mazzoni gave them a two goal lead by half time, but Miguel Angel pulled one back for the Madrid based side just after the restart. However substitute Morán restored the two goal lead only minutes after coming on, and Mazzoni got his second of the night in injury time to send Leganés down closer to the relegation spots.

Oviedo fell to their first defeat in ten games, losing 3-0 at Salamanca, who themselves had not won in the last six. All three goals came in the second half, with Makukula getting his fifteenth of the season to head the Pichichi charts, curiously against the division's best keeper Esteban. Gurrutxaga headed through his own net ten minutes from the end when trying to clear, and Robert finishing things off in injury time. Oviedo drop out of the top three to fifth, now three points behind Recreativo.

Albacete also saw their promotion hopes take a blow when they lost 0-2 at home to Elche, who draw level with them on points. Neither side managed a decent shot at goal in the first half, and the hosts lost Duré and Corona to injury at the beginning of the second. Nino came on with an hour gone for his first appearance since returning from injury, and Moha opened the scoring with a brilliant solo run only five minutes later. The ex Barça B midfielder then set up Nino for his thirteenth of the season ten minutes from the end, to make it eight points in four games for the visitors.

Racing Ferrol move level with Albacete and Elche after defeating Burgos 3-0 for their third win in a row. New signing Diawara gave them the lead from Ismael's pass, and Redondo added a second five minutes from the end after Burgos had been reduced to nine men following the sending off of Arregui and Repi. Nine became eight in injury time when Lucio was red-carded for handling in the area, and Ismael converted the penalty to leave their opponents struggling without a win in eight games.

Ferrol go above Sporting Gijon, who were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by the improving Poli Ejido. The visitors actually took the lead through one of their new winter signings Changui, but under-21 international Villa made it all square later in the first half. The result was a disappointment for the home side fans though after their victory at Atlético last week, and they are now six points away from the promotion spots. Ejido drop back to the bottom of the table.

Eibar stay a point behind Sporting after they too drew 1-1, at home to Jaén. Garitano headed the Basque side into the lead in the fourth minute from Aldeondo's corner, but Barkero wasted a couple of good chances to extend the lead later on. Then with twenty minutes to go substitute Jurado equalised to keep his side in seventeenth place, just that one point above the relegation spots.

Numancia recorded their first victory under new manager Manu Sarabia, a 1-0 victory over Murcia, to keep their hopes of staying in the second division alive. Sarabia though had to watch from the stands, having been sent off last week in his first game in charge. The match was played in a snowstorm, and the only goal came from Rosu in the first half, who chested down Iñaki's cross before beating Reinke. Their keeper Jonathan kept them in the game in the second half though, and they move just behind Leganés on goal average. This was a first defeat for Murcia's new boss David Vidal.

Levante climbed off the bottom above Ejido after a narrow 1-0 win over Extremadura. With so much at stake the club opened the gates to the fans, and a crowd of 7,500 turned up in Valencia to urge them on. It was a game of two halves, with Setvalls getting the only goal on the stroke of half time after the home side had dominated, and the visitors coming close to equalising on a number of occasions after the break. The result takes Levante level with Nàstic, and drags their opponents back down to within two points of the bottom four.