Champions lead chasing pack

Double sending-off
With Barça winning 2-1 against Levante UD last night, only victory for Espanyol could have reduced their neighbours' lead to single figures. But eleven minutes in Rubén Baraja's long-range free-kick put Valencia ahead and Espanyol's hopes were extinguished just before half-time when Óscar Serrano and Raúl Tamudo were both dismissed, each picking up two yellow cards in a flurry of eight cautions issued to six visiting players.

Madrid falter
Mista made sure of victory in the last ten minutes, with two goals from close range completing the heaviest defeat of Miguel Ángel Lotina's time in charge of Espanyol on the day he agreed a new contract. Sevilla are third after their victory in the capital, Julio Baptista's 19th-minute goal proving decisive and leaving Madrid in fifth, three points adrift of Valencia and one place behind Espanyol.

Strugglers beaten
CA Osasuna remain in touch with the challengers after beating CD Numancia 2-0 with second-half goals from Richard Morales. Numancia stay in last, and just above them RCD Mallorca fell 4-0 at Athletic Club Bilbao while Málaga CF were overcome 5-1 by visitors Real Sociedad de Fútbol and had Gerardo García sent off.

Zaragoza triumph
Real Zaragoza triumphed 3-2 at Deportivo, who had Lionel Scaloni sent off late on, while Albacete Balompié earned a 2-2 home draw with ten-man Villarreal CF and are now one point above the drop zone, level with Real Racing Club Santander, who lost 2-0 to Getafe CF. The next fixture programme is on the weekend of 8/9 January, other than for the final minutes of Madrid's game with Real, played three days earlier.