Real Madrid's Karim Benzema

After ending 2011 by getting themselves back to within touching distance of Real Madrid, Barcelona undid their good work by drawing with neighbours Espanyol while Real were hammering Granada, as La Liga resumed with a clutch of stalemates.

ESPANYOL 1-1 BARCELONA

After narrowing the gap on Real Madrid with that victory in the Bernabeu at the end of 2011, Barca started the New Year in sloppy style, allowing Espanyol to claim a point, having led for the most of the game.

Cesc Fabregas had given them the lead in the 16^th minute, but a disciplined performance saw the home side grab a late equaliser through Alvaro Vazquez, as he netted four minutes from time to give Espanyol a deserved point against their more illustrious city rivals.

REAL MADRID 5-1 GRANADA

Real Madrid were able to take advantage of that slip-up, as their victory over Granada on Saturday saw them increase their advantage to five points at the top of the table. They came out slightly rusty after the winter break, and there was a surprise as Mikel Rico brought Granada level, after Karim Benzema had put Real in front.

Sergio Ramos ensured Real took a lead into half-time, giving them the impetus to put the game to bed with a double salvo in the first five minutes of the second half, with Gonzalo Higuain and Benzema’s second of the game erasing any doubt of the result.

There was still time late on for Cristiano Ronaldo to carry on from where he left off, as he bagged his 21^st goal of the season, and restored Real’s advantage in the title race.

VILLARREAL 2-2 VALENCIA

A local derby to kick-start 2012 ended up with a result that did neither side any favours, with Valencia missing a chance to close the gap on Barcelona, and Villarreal ending the round in the bottom three as other results went against them.

Villarreal will be kicking themselves especially, as they threw away a two goal lead to leave a bitter taste in new coach Jose Francisco Molina’s mouth in his first match in charge following the sacking of Juan Carlos Garrido in December.

Goals inside the opening 20 minutes from Marco Ruben and Gonzalo Rodriguez had given Molina the perfect start to his tenure, but Sofiane Feghouli pulled one back just before half-time and Aritz Aduriz completed the comeback three minutes from time, as Valencia escaped with a point.

RAYO VALLECANO 2-1 SEVILLA

Jose Reyes arrived back in Seville to some great fanfare, but he was unable to reverse the fortunes of his hometown club, as they succumbed to defeat against Rayo Vallecano. Miguel Michu gave Rayo the lead in first half stoppage time, with Raul Tamudo adding a second shortly after the interval.

Julien Escude brought Sevilla back into the contest just after the hour mark, but there was to be no equaliser, as Sevilla dropped out of the European qualification spots.

RACING SANTANDER 1-0 REAL ZARAGOZA

Zaragoza changed their manager over Christmas as well, but former Sevilla coach Manolo Jiminez saw no reversal in the fortunes of a side that are bottom of the table for a reason. They fell even further adrift as fellow strugglers Racing took the spoils in this six-pointer, with Bernardo netting the only goal of the game in first half stoppage time, to lift Racing out of the relegation zone.

MALAGA 0-0 ATLETICO MADRID

Both sides have spent the first half of the season under-achieving by the expected high standards placed upon them at the start of the season. This has been mainly down to failure of attacking firepower to deliver on their promise, and 2012 saw no change in this, as new Atletico manager Diego Simeone saw his charges fire another blank in an affair that can perhaps kindly be put down to winter rustiness and never spoken of again.

LEVANTE 0-0 MALLORCA

I will refrain from journalistic laziness by just writing ‘ditto’ for this one. But nothing of any note really happened in this match, which sees Levante still in a commanding fourth place, whilst Mallorca linger three points above the drop zone.

REAL BETIS 2-0 SPORTING GIJON

Betis seem only capable of doing things by consistency, as they have arrested an eight game losing spree, to now hold three consecutive victories. Sporting on the other hand sit 19^th in the table, and will have to deal with suspensions as well, as they saw two players dismissed on their way to defeat at Estadio Benito Villamarin.

Roque Santa Cruz gave Betis the lead after 23 minutes, before Alberto Lora was dismissed for a second bookable offence a minute before half-time. Jorge Molina ensured Betis took home the victory with a stoppage time effort, with enough time for Carmelo to earn his second yellow and leave Sporting down to nine men for the closing seconds.

REAL SOCIEDAD 0-0 OSASUNA

Both sides are now unbeaten in six, but eventually this turned out to be yet another goalless stalemate, though Sociedad will be disappointed they didn’t pick up another valuable three point haul in their bid to beat the drop. However, they found Andres Fernandes in inspired form, as the Osasuna keeper made a string of important saves to keep the game goalless and Osasuna in fifth.

GETAFE 0-0 ATHLETIC BILBAO

Sorry, another stalemate to report, although an entertaining game in Madrid. Both sides hit the bar, while both goalkeepers earned their clean sheet bonuses with important stops in the final ten minutes.

Still, four goalless draws is not great for a league so often described as the most entertaining, and we will hope that winter rustiness wears off in time for the next batch of fixtures next weekend.