Spanish La Liga Weekend Review

Barcelona are level with Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table after registering a 4-2 win over Real Zaragoza.

Barcelona winger Lionel Messi produced yet another masterclass to single-handedly destroy Real Zaragoza.

The Argentinian scored a hat-trick - he now has eight goals in three games - to propel Barca to a 4-2 win despite a late wobble at La Romareda.

Messi, who also scored a hat-trick against Valencia last weekend and two more in midweek against Stuttgart, opened the scoring after five minutes and completed his treble with further strikes in the 66th and 78th minutes.

Adrian Colunga threatened an unlikely comeback with two late goals but Messi had the final say with another jinking run which was curtailed by a pull from Matteo Contini inside the area.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who endured a miserable evening, scored from the spot to register his first league goal since February 14.

The win moved Barca back level with Real Madrid at the summit.

Second-half goals from Spain internationals Juan Mata and David Silva fired Champions League-chasing Valencia to victory over Almeria.

After a goalless first half in which the Almeria goal led a charmed life, Valencia finally made the breakthrough in the 63rd minute when Mata rifled home and Silva then made sure of the points with a second strike seven minutes later.

The triumph ended a run of five league and Europa League matches without a victory for third-placed Valencia and means they now boast a four-point gap over Real Mallorca, who replaced Sevilla in fourth place this weekend.

Mallorca continued their sensational home form as they thrashed 10-man Atletico Madrid 4-1.

Victor Casadesus set the islanders on their way with the opener after just 10 minutes and although Diego Forlan hit back for the visitors halfway through the first period, that was as good as things got for Quique Sanchez Flores' side.

Aritz Aduriz restored Mallorca's lead moments later and there was only ever likely to be one winner after Raul Garcia was sent off 10 minutes into the second half.

And after Forlan had missed a good opportunity to equalise late on, Atletico defender Luis Perea gifted the home side the three points when he turned into his own net with just five minutes left.

Mallorca then rounded off a resounding victory with a fourth goal in the last minute, scored in some style by Felipe Mattioni.

Racing Santander brought their recent goal drought to an end with an impressive 3-1 win at Osasuna.

Since crashing out to Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey last month, Racing had failed to score in five matches.

But the Cantabrians had their shooting boots on in Pamplona, despite going a goal down in the first half.

Miguel Flano gave Osasuna the lead after 32 minutes, but Racing levelled proceedings through Gonzalo Colsa almost straight away and secured a deserved victory following second-half strikes from Christian Fernandez and Papakouli Diop.

Substitute Nabil Baha climbed off the bench to fire lowly Malaga to a much-needed victory over Villarreal at La Rosaleda.

With the game goalless, Baha was given his chance in the 53rd minute and he responded with both of his side's goals as the Andalusian outfit ended a run of three successive defeats with a deserved triumph.

The result lifted Malaga seven points above the relegation zone and in the process put a big dent in Villarreal's hopes of securing a European berth.

On Saturday, Real Madrid continued their perfect home record but they were given a scare by Sporting Gijon before winning 3-1.

Madrid produced little of note during a disappointing first half against a determined Sporting, and a shock looked on the cards when the mid-table visitors took a 53rd-minute lead through David Barral.

However, that goal served to spark Madrid into life and within four minutes they were 2-1 ahead thanks to strikes from Rafael van der Vaart and Xabi Alonso.

Gonzalo Higuain then slotted home his 20th goal of the season in the 68th minute as Madrid made it 14 league wins out of 14 at the Bernabeu this term.

It was also Madrid's ninth successive victory in the league.

Deportivo La Coruna's hopes of clinching a place in Europe next season received a big blow as the Galicians went down 2-0 at home to lowly Real Valladolid on Saturday.

The hosts were expected to win comfortably against a struggling Valladolid outfit, but the visitors competed well and deservedly took all three points thanks to goals from Nauzet and Haris Medunjanin.

Elsewhere, a Pedro Leon goal four minutes from time saw Getafe claim a 2-2 draw at Athletic Bilbao in a feisty encounter which ended with both sides reduced to 10 men.

Athletic took the lead in the 14th minute through Pablo Orbaiz with Manu levelling 18 minutes later.

The hosts were then reduced to 10 men before the break when Orbaiz was sent off for violent conduct but they overcame the disadvantage to go ahead with 11 minutes remaining when Fernando Llorente converted a penalty, the incident also seeing Miguel Torres red carded.

Athletic, chasing Champions League qualification, appeared on the brink of a vital victory before Leon's intervention in a thrilling game at San Mames.

At the other end of the table, Xerez gave their slim chances of survival a big boost with a 2-1 victory at home to fellow strugglers Tenerife.

The Andalusians raced into a two-goal lead after a quarter of an hour, thanks to early strikes from Mario Bermejo and Aythami Artiles.

And the hosts held on for only a fourth league success of the season despite a reply from Nino - who also missed a first-half penalty - four minutes into the second half.

Xerez should have put the game out of reach following an intense spell of pressure in the closing stages, but were made to sweat late on as defender Juan Luis Redondo was sent off.

Nestor Gorosito's men held on, though, to secure a third win under their new coach.

Match Reports

Real Zaragoza 2-4 Barcelona

Valencia 2-0 Almeria

Malaga 2-0 Villarreal

Osasuna 1-3 Racing Santander

Mallorca 4-1 Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid 3-1 Sporting Gijon

Espanyol 2-0 Sevilla

Xerez 2-1 Tenerife

Deportivo 0-2 Valladolid

Athletic Bilbao 2-2 Getafe