Weekend's review of La Liga where Barcelona and Real Madrid both won to keep their title-chasing dreams alive.
Sunday
Champions League-chasing Real Mallorca needed a last-gasp goal from Aritz Aduriz to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to 10-man Malaga.
The islanders came into this match with a fantastic home record, having won 14 of their 16 matches at the Ono Estadi, but they were unable to dispose of a Malaga side who were a man down for the whole of the second half following the dismissal of Milan Stepanov just before the interval for a blatant handball.
Gregorio Manzano's side should have taken the lead there and then, but Gonzalo Castro saw his spot-kick saved by Gustavo Munua and Mallorca almost lost out altogether as Victor Obinna gave the Andalusians an unlikely lead four minutes from time.
But Aduriz headed home an equaliser in stoppage time to rescue a point for the home side.
The point turned out to be a decent result as Sevilla missed the chance to move past Mallorca after going down 4-3 at Getafe in the last match of the weekend.
Getafe boss Michel's son, Adrian Gonzalez, gave the hosts the lead in the 17th minute before a swift double from Luis Fabiano and Fredi Kanoute put Sevilla in front at half time.
However, Michel's tactics paid off as Pedro Leon and substitute Manu Del Moral kept Getafe firmly in the game, either side of Luis Fabiano's second.
There was late controversy when another substitute, Daniel Parejo, earnt a stoppage-time penalty and the former QPR man kept his cool to convert it, despite being asked to retake it by the referee.
Kanoute was sent off for a second bookable offence five minutes from time to cap a miserable night for Sevilla in a match which also saw the woodwork struck four times.
Villarreal struck twice in the last 20 minutes to overturn a half-time deficit against Racing Santander.
Villarreal fell behind at El Sardinero when teenager Sergio Canales struck a superb first-half opener to put 15th-placed Racing ahead.
However, the Yellow Submarine hit back after the break with Diego Godin levelling up the scores in the 70th minute before club record signing Nilmar slotted home the winner with seven minutes remaining.
Juan Carlos Garrido's men remain in sixth spot with the win but are now just four points behind Mallorca.
Real Valladolid gave their chances of avoiding the drop a major boost with a 2-0 victory on the road at Sporting Gijon.
Goals inside the final 10 minutes from Manucho and Javier Baraja were enough to seal a victory that moves Javier Clemente's men just two points from safety with four games remaining.
The late goals were split by an ugly spat which saw Valladolid's Asier Del Horno and Sporting's Francisco Maldonado given their marching orders.
Third-bottom Tenerife went down 3-1 at Atletico Madrid.
January signing Eduardo Salvio's cross-shot was diverted over his own line by Tenerife goalkeeper Sergio Aragoneses for the first goal, before the Argentinian teenager doubled Atletico's lead with a thumping effort from 12 yards out.
Tenerife's Roman Martinez pulled a goal back on the hour-mark but Atletico wrapped up the win through star striker Sergio Aguero.
Espanyol took a huge step towards Primera Division survival thanks to a rare away win at fellow strugglers Almeria.
The Barcelona-based side had failed to win on the road since the third round of the championship, but Luis Garcia's brilliant 54th-minute free-kick was enough to give the Catalans only their second away success of the entire campaign.
Saturday
The placings are unchanged at the top of La Liga with Barcelona still at the summit following victory over Xerez.
La Blaugrana are just one point ahead of Real Madrid who edged past Real Zaragoza.
Barcelona suffered at times but eventually overcame rock-bottom Xerez, who ended the game with nine men.
Pep Guardiola's makeshift side suffered some nervy moments at 2-1 before Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the all-important third goal after 55 minutes.
Barca had looked comfortable following early goals from Jeffren Suarez and Thierry Henry, but Mario Bermejo pulled one back immediately and Xerez missed a couple of great chances to level before Ibrahimovic's strike.
Matias Alustiza and Fabian Orellana were sent off for cynical tackles late on as Xerez's evening ended miserably.
Kaka made a fairytale return to action as he climbed off the bench to net a late winner for Real.
The £56million summer signing from AC Milan had missed the last six weeks with a groin problem but he was back with a bang tonight, netting the decider against 10-man Zaragoza soon after appearing as a 75th-minute substitute.
Earlier, Madrid had taken a 50th-minute lead through Raul but relegation-battling Zaragoza, despite having Matteo Contini sent off two minutes later, still managed to draw level through Adrian Colunga on the hour-mark.
Valencia edged a step closer to a place in next season's Champions League after easing past freefalling Deportivo La Coruna, whose own hopes of returning to Europe now look all but over.
David Villa's first-half penalty earned third-placed Valencia the spoils and Los Che provisionally move seven points clear of fourth-placed Real Mallorca, who play Malaga tomorrow.
Valencia finished the game with 10 men after substitute Ruben Baraja was sent off in injury-time, but it happened too late for ninth-placed Depor to take advantage as the Galician side's miserable run continued.
Match Reports
Sunday
Getafe 4-3 Sevilla
Atletico Madrid 3-1 Tenerife
Mallorca 1-1 Malaga
Racing Santander 1-2 Villarreal
Almeria 0-1 Espanyol
Sporting Gijon 0-2 Real Valladolid
Saturday
Barcelona 3-1 Xerez
Real Zaragoza 1-2 Real Madrid
Valencia 1-0 Deportivo La Coruna
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