Messi netted another brace for Barca

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona recorded heavy victories on their travels to assert their dominance over the rest of the league.

RAYO VALLECANO 0-5 BARCELONA

We’ve spoken before about the risky side to Rayo Vallecano’s gung-ho approach to the league and they were made to pay dearly by a Barcelona side blessed with so many attacking threats.

Barca started in slow fashion, with only David Villa finding the net in the first half for the Catalans. However, the second period saw them show the difference in class between the sides, as Lionel Messi scored twice to take his tally up to 13 for this still young season, either side of strikes from Xavi and Cesc Fabregas, as Barca retain their grip on top spot.

MALLORCA 0-5 REAL MADRID

Real Madrid made sure they were not an afterthought of the weekend, as they bounced back from Champions League disappointment in style.

The result was never in doubt with 22 minutes on the clock, as both Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo got their names on the scoresheet. The in-form double-act proved the thorn in Mallorca’s side again in the second period, as they both ensured they left with braces, with Jose Callejon adding a late fifth to rub salt into the Islanders wounds, as Real produced their finest performance of the season so far.

ATLETICO MADRID 3-1 OSASUNA

It’s still Atletico, however, keeping pace with Barca, as they made it eight wins on the bounce against struggling Osasuna.

A disastrous three minute spell for the visitors saw Atletico seize the initiative, as a quick-fire double from Miranda and Raul Garcia put them firmly in charge.

Roland Lamah reduced the arrears just before half-time, but Osasuna were unable to build upon that strike, as Atletico controlled the second half and made sure of the points; Radamel Falcao recording his tenth of the season to keep Atletico joint top of the table.

ESPANYOL 0-0 MALAGA

Malaga remain in third position, despite following up their midweek success over AC Milan with a poor draw against Espanyol, who remain rooted in the bottom three. Little else to report here.

REAL BETIS 1-0 VALENCIA

Things have not started smoothly for new manager Mauricio Pellegrino, and he now has a problem to fix in the shape of Valencia’s away form.

Valencia have not enjoyed life on the road this season, with this latest defeat ensuring they have not been able to celebrate a single victory on their travels, losing four of their five fixtures.

They have also only found the net on one occasion away from Mestalla, so it was more than likely that one goal would seal the result for Betis, with Salva Sevilla’s ninth minute strike proving enough for Los Verdiblancos, who move up to fifth.

REAL ZARAGOZA 2-1 SEVILLA

Sevilla’s good early season form has begun to unravel as Zaragoza recorded back-to-back victories for the first time in living memory.

Goals from Helder Postiga and Christian Sapunaru in the final ten minutes of the first half proved to be enough for Zara, with Gary Medel’s deflected volley proving scant consolation for Sevilla, who will need to regroup and recover quickly if they are not to lose too much ground at the top.

LEVANTE 3-1 GRANADA

No such problems for Levante, however, who now have four consecutive wins in all competitions following a comfortable victory over Granada.

Obafemi Martins has proved a hit since joining the club and continued his fine form by netting a goal in either half to set Levante on their way.

Pedro Rios added a third with 20 minutes remaining to settle the result, with Youssef El-Arabi’s strike in the final ten proving nothing more than a consolation for Granada.

ATHLETIC BILBAO 1-2 GETAFE

It’s going from bad to worse for Athletic Bilbao, as they suffered another disastrous home defeat against Getafe.

San Mames proved something of a fortress last season, but with mid-table outfits Getafe joining Betis as victors in the Basque country, that illusion has been dashed as Athletic linger just above the relegation zone.

Juan Rodriguez and Alvaro Vazquez scored in either half to ensure Getafe went back to Madrid with three points in the bag, with Mikel San Jose’s effort deep into stoppage time doing little to lift the gloom.

CELTA VIGO 1-1 DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA

La Primera has had to wait a while for a Galician derby to feature on the fixture list again, but there was to be no victor in a tightly contested match.

The sides exchanged first half strikes, as Celta’s Mario Bermejo saw his goal cancelled out by Juan Dominguez. The game swung in Depor’s favour early in the second half, as Gustavo Cabral picked up two bookings in four minutes to earn himself an early bath, but Depor were unable to make the most of their numerical advantage, and they remain in the bottom three.

VALLADOLID 2-2 REAL SOCIEDAD

Real Sociedad twice threw away the lead, as they remain winless on the road.

Antonio Griezmann had twice put La Real into the lead in either half, but saw his efforts in vain, as first Patrick Elbert and then Oscar brought parity to the scores and lift Valladolid into the top half.