First division - day 25

Real Madrid moved back to the top of the table ahead of Valencia on goal average with the biggest score of the season, a 7-0 victory over Las Palmas. The hero of the day was Fernando Morientes who equalled Puskas's club record with five goals, and that after missing a last minute penalty. In the absence of the injured Raúl, Morientes was the reference point up front, and he headed two goals from Figo's crosses in the first half. Zidane returned to the side having recovered from his injury, and he also scored to make it three by half time. Morientes added three more goals in the second half including two late headers to move the top of the Pichichi table, and Angel scored in his own net to add to the visitors' misery. Las Palmas keeper Nacho González had not let in more than two goals against any team before this game, and loses his place at the top of the Zamora goalkeeping ranking.

Discounting Real Madrid it was by far the lowest scoring day of the season, with only eleven goals scored in the other nine games. Deportivo and Villarreal played out the third scoreless draw of the weekend, with the Gallicians losing a good opportunity to join the top two. Irureta made only one change from the side which beat Celta midweek, Sergio coming in for Mauro Silva, but he lost veteran defender Donato with a serious ligament injury early in the game. With both keepers on top form neither side could break through, and Depor stay in fourth place, level on points with their neighbours Celta. Villarreal slip a place to twelfth.

The seventh and eighth placed teams Betis and Athletic Bilbao drew 1-1 in the last match on Sunday night to keep them in touch with the top sides. Yeste opened the scoring for the visitors with an opportunist goal in the fourth minute, latching on to a loose ball on the edge of the area to fire it over Prats. However Betis youngster Dani, in the side due to injuries to their three first team strikers, headed the equaliser from a long free kick a quarter of an hour later. Referee Pérez Pérez produced a hat-full of cards, sending off Betis substitute Varela late in the game for elbowing an opponent.

Betis move up a place to sixth, ahead of Alavés on goal average. The Vitoria based side lost 1-0 at Málaga thanks to a controversial last minute goal from Dely Valdés, who turned the ball in to the net after keeper Kike had saved two previous shots. The Alavés players claimed a foul for dangerous play by substitute Calandria in the move leading up to the goal, but the referee turned them down. Málaga move six points away from the relegation zone with their first victory in six games.

The same result at the Montjuic stadium, where Espanyol defeated Valladolid also with a last minute goal. The game appeared to be heading for a draw when new signing Pacheco saw his shot blocked by visiting keeper Ricardo. However the rebound fell to Martín Posse, who drove it in to the empty net. Earlier Ricardo had made a spectacular save from Roger to keep his side in the game. Valladolid hardly had a shot at goal all match, and their defender Peña was sent off for a second bookable offence twenty minutes from the end. Both teams ended the day in mid-table.

Another 1-0 result at Pamplona as well, where Osasuna beat Rayo Vallecano to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches. The only goal came in the second half from substitute Sabino following a corner shortly after the visitors were reduced to ten men following the sending off of Ferrón. It was the midfielder's second red card since rejoining the club on-loan from Zaragoza in the winter. Rayo drop a place to nineteenth, and the result is a setback for their survival hopes.

Real Sociedad climbed up two places to eighteenth after a good 3-1 win over Zaragoza. It was a match between the two prodigal sons Kovacevic and Milosevic, who both returned to their old clubs last month, and each scored for their respective sides. Kovacevic only took a minute to get his goal, taking De Pedro's pass to beat Láinez, and De Pedro added a second himself on the stroke of half time. Milosevic pulled one back past Alberto, substituting for the injured Westerveld, but De Paula scrambled a third goal for the home side near the end.

Tenerife saved a point against Sevilla, their second 1-1 draw in a row, thanks to an injury time goal from Jordi. The visitors had taken the lead with a hotly disputed Moisés penalty after Tomás was brought down in the area with only a quarter of an hour on the clock. However the Canary Islanders dominated for much of the match, and they finally got their just rewards at the end. Even so they drop back to last place, below Rayo on goal average, and manager Pepe Mel is still not out of trouble. (10.02.02)

Both matches played on Saturday night ended goal-less, leaving the league table still wide open at the top. Leaders Valencia were held 0-0 at home by second placed Celta in a hard fought game, with over fifty fouls during the match. Neither side created too many chances, although Edu, replacing Catanha in Celta's initial line up, started things off well with a good run at goal. Mista hit the bar at the other end, and Cavallero tipped a header from Salva over the bar before the break. Valencia put on the pressure in the last few minutes, with Aimar shooting over the bar and Carew sending a header just wide, and they had a strong penalty claim when substitute Catanha handled involuntarily in the area right at the end. Valencia stay two points ahead of their opponents, but could be caught by either Real Madrid or Deportivo on Sunday.

Mallorca and Barcelona also played out a 0-0 draw at the San Moix stadium, a result which doesn't help either team. Barcelona had the best scoring chances, especially in the second half, but keeper Carlos Roa was on his best form and kept them at bay. Once again Rexach left Saviola on the bench until after the break, and he went close to scoring a few minutes after coming on after Roa inexplicably blocked Rivaldo's shot with his chest. Rivaldo left the field limping, and his replacement Geovanni missed the best chance of the game near the end. Barça do move up to third for 24 hours or so, but could even end the weekend out of the top six if results go against them on Sunday. Mallorca could drop into the bottom three by tomorrow night. (09.02.02)