Valencia moved two points clear of Real Madrid and Deportivo at the top after a 2-0 victory over Málaga. Carew opened the scoring in the second half and Baraja added the second after a quick free kick minutes after Angloma was sent off. The top three have opened up a four point gap over fourth placed Rayo Vallecano. Mallorca came back from behind twice against Celta to earn themselves a valuable point. Catanha and Djorovic scored for the home side, with Ibagaza and Olaizola replying for the visitors. Mallorca are seventh, level on points with Oviedo, who won their seventh home game in a row thanks to a Tomic goal in the first half against Racing. The Santander side stay in the relegation zone, just ahead of Numancia and Real Sociedad. Osasuna climb off bottom spot above all three after beating Numancia 2-0, their first home win this season. Armentano scored halfway through the second half, and Sabino added the second in injury time. In the day's other game, Valladolid and Athletic Bilbao drew 0-0.

A weird weekend in the second division, with matches involving nine out of the top ten teams ending with single goal scorelines. In fact the only exception was third placed Albacete, whose game at Racing Ferrol was suspended before the kick off due to the bad state of the pitch, leaving them down at sixth place at the end of the day. Leaders Tenerife kept top spot with a narrow 1-0 victory over Murcia thanks to a goal by Martí in the first half. Sevilla held on to second with a 0-1 away win against local rivals Córdoba, and their city neighbours Betis moved up to third with a 1-0 win against Sporting Gijon. Recreativo and Levante rose up to fourth and fifth respectively with their 0-1 victories over Elche and Jaén respectively, and with the three teams above them losing (by 1-0/0-1 of course), Salamanca ended the weekend in seventh with what must be considered a high scoring game, winning 1-3 against bottom club Universidad Las Palmas. But the highest aggregate of the day came in Madrid, where Atlético came from behind to beat Lleida 3-2, with two goals from Salva, to move up to fifteenth. (17.12.00)

Real Madrid go top of the first division, at least for 24 hours, with a 1-2 victory at Espanyol. Morientes and Figo gave them an early lead, but Pochettino pulled one back before half time. They go ahead of Valencia, who play tomorrow, and Deportivo, who lost 3-1 at Alavés. Víctor gave the visitors the lead from a set piece, but two from Javi Moreno, including a penalty, and another from Iván Alonso near the end sank the league champions. Barcelona drew 2-2 at Rayo Vallecano to slip further behind the leaders. Gerard equalised a Bolic header in the first half, and then Frank De Boer turned from hero to villain in seven minutes, heading the visitors into the lead then giving away a penalty which Pablo Sanz converted. Zaragoza's new signing Esnaider made an immediate impact on his return to the club, laying on the first goal for José Ignacio and scoring the second in their 3-1 win over Las Palmas. Yordi got their third after Olias had equalised from the penalty spot. Real Sociedad sank further after losing in the cup midweek, defeated at home 0-2 by Villarreal. Unai and Jorge López got the goals. Real's president resigned midweek, but only with effect from next March. He may go earlier though if things continue like this. In the second division, a 1-0 victory by Tenerife over Murcia means they stay top. (16.12.00)