First division - day 9

Real Madrid were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Celta at the Bernabeu stadium and they end the weekend in fifteenth place, only two points above the relegation spots. Catanha scrambled the ball over the line to give the visitors the lead in the ninth minute, but Guti levelled the scores with a lob over the keeper after Zidane put him through. Figo hit the bar before the break, but the goal chances dried up in the second half, and Madrid ended the match with ten men after Makelele picked up a second caution in the last minute against his old team.

Celta stay in second place, three points behind Deportivo and level with Betis and Valencia, who beat Zaragoza 2-0 in the last game of the weekend. Both goals came from Kily González, the first on the half hour mark with a shot from outside of the area and the second a similar effort near the end. Zaragoza's Garitano was shown his second red card of the season in the second half for a second booking. Both Celta and Valencia remain unbeaten in the league.

Alavés moved back up to the UEFA spots after a comfortable 1-3 win at Valladolid. Argentine under 21 international defender Coloccini scored twice in the first fifty minutes, with Rubén Navarro getting a goal in between. The home side pulled one back from the penalty spot when Tote was fouled in the area, half time substitute Luis García converting the kick. Valladolid are in thirteenth place, in the middle of a group of nine teams separated by only two points.

Sergio Kresic took over from Bernd Krauss on the Mallorca bench and produced immediate results, his side doubling their goal tally for the season with a 3-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano. Lining up with exactly the same starting eleven as Krauss used in his last match, they dominated the game throughout after taking the lead through Novo in the opening minutes. Luque and Paunovic added two more in the last quarter of an hour leaving Rayo firmly rooted to the bottom of the table.

Mallorca stay in the relegation spots, but now only two points below three teams, Real Madrid, Málaga and Tenerife, who lost 2-0 at Espanyol. The Catalan's manager Paco Flores was given a vote of confidence by his players midweek after the board threatened to sack him, and their victory takes them up from sixteenth to eighth place in the table. Martín Posse and Tamudo got the goals in the first half. (21.10.01)

Deportivo held on to top spot with a narrow 1-0 victory over Sevilla. With eight players out injured and César suspended Irureta put out the best side he could, and several of his players looked tired after their victory at Manchester midweek. Once again it was left to Diego Tristán to make the difference, and he got his fifth goal in eight days, turning in Amavisca's cross halfway through the first half. Sevilla threw everything at them in the latter part of the game but Nuno proved a worthy replacement for the injured Molina in the Depor goal. Djalminha made his first appearance of the season in the second half and could have added to his team's lead with a free kick which brought a good save out of Notario.

Barcelona faltered once again despite lining up with their 'trident' of Saviola, Kluivert and Rivald for the first time in the league. They could only draw 1-1 at Málaga, and that thanks to a late Rivaldo goal after Darío Silva had given the home side the lead a couple of minutes earlier. Málaga's Musampa hit the bar earlier in the game, and Xavi and Gabri both missed clear chances for the visitors in the second half. Barcelona have only picked up two points now from their last three matches and are four points behind leaders Depor.

Betis held on to second place after coming from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Villarreal. Palermo had a goal disallowed for a foul on a defender in the first minute, but gave the visitors the lead a quarter of an hour later with a shot which Prats should have blocked. Betis came back in the second half with a goal from Joaquín after a pinpoint cross from Denilson. The Andalucians played out the last fifteen minutes with ten men after their third and final substitute Luis Fernández was carried off unconscious only minutes after coming on following a clash of heads with Galván.

Real Sociedad recorded their first victory of the season against local rivals Osasuna to move temporarily at least off bottom spot. The Basque teams are making a habit of helping each other out after Osasuna won their last match of the season at Anoeta to stay up, and this time it was Real who were in need of a victory. It wasn't easy though after the visitors took the lead in the second minute through Alfredo, and it wasn't until the hour mark that Jankauskas levelled the scores. But a late strike by substitute De Paula sent the local fans home happy for the first time this season.

A third 1-1 draw as well on Saturday in the match between Las Palmas and Athletic Bilbao. The visitors took the lead through Etxeberria at the end of the first half as Las Palmas were still claiming a penalty at the other end for a hard tackle on Orlando, leaving the local fans upset with the referee. However substitute Tevenet made it all square ten minutes from time in another controversial incident, Eloy appearing to handle in the build up to the goal. Bilbao's Larrainzar was sent off in the second half for a second bookable offence. (20.10.01)