First division, day 10

Valencia thrashed Mallorca 0-5 in the last match of the weekend to move back to the top of the table, ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference. Rafa Benítez's side took the lead in the first minute with a Jorge López penalty after Fernando Niño was sent off for a foul on Oliveira, and after that they didn't look back. Oliveira completed a hat-trick and substitute Xisco got the fifth late on to keep Mallorca down in the relegation spots.

Real Sociedad and Barcelona played out a thrilling 3-3 draw. Motta gave the visitors a first half lead, but two goals in three minutes in the second half from Jauregi and a De Pedro penalty turned the score around. Substitute Overmars equalised, but the Basques seemed to have won when Karpin headed them back into the lead and Motta was sent off. But a late Gabri goal saved a point and kept Barça in fifth place.

Two more goals from Fernando Torres gave Atlético Madrid a 1-2 victory at Betis, taking them up to sixth. Marcos Assunçao put the home side ahead with a trademark free kick, but Torres hit a spectacular equaliser before the break and scored the winner from the penalty spot early in the second half after Tais had brought down Nikolaidis.

Osasuna lost 1-0 at Villarreal, but still hold on to fourth spot, a point above Barcelona and Atlético. Guayre got the only goal for the home side midway through the first half. Villarreal move level with Athletic and with Valladolid, who beat Albacete 2-0. Makukula missed an early penalty but made up for it soon afterwards with the first goal, and Losada added a second at the end from another penalty.

Málaga beat Sevilla by the same 2-0 scoreline in their Andalucian derby. Duda caught Notario out with a long free kick from the left in the first minute, and then won a penalty which Salva converted later in the first half. And bottom club Espanyol lost 0-2 to Zaragoza, again with both goals coming in the first half. Galletti opened the scoring with an acrobatic overhead kick, and Alvaro got the second later on to leave Javier Clemente's job hanging on a thread. (02.11.03)

Real Madrid moved back to the top of the league after a 3-0 win against Athletic Bilbao. Despite the result the visitors did most of the early attacking, and only a string of fine saves from Casillas kept them from scoring. But two individualist goals from Ronalfo ten minutes either side of half time gave Madrid an unassailable lead, and Ronaldo shrugged off two defenders to set up Figo for a third later on.

Last week's leaders Deportivo were held to a 0-0 draw at Real Murcia, the second game in a row that they have failed to score. And in the other game played on Saturday night, Racing Santander beat Celta 0-1 thanks to a second minute goal from Benayoun to leave Miguel Angel Lotina's side down in the lower reaches of the table. (01.11.03)