Celta hold on to third spot after a last minute 2-1 victory against Espanyol. Víctor Fernández made only one change from the side that held Aris Salonica to a draw in Greece midweek, Gustavo López coming in on the left side of the attack in place of Tomás. Dutruel, rumoured to have already signed a pre-contract to join Barcelona next season, kept his place in goal despite not being fully fit. De Lucas came back to the Espanyol side after a one match suspension in place of Roger, and Cristóbal returned at right back after missing the last match through a stomach infection. Strong rain over the weekend left the pitch sopping wet, although with the rain in Spain falling mainly in Gallicia, their well tested drainage system was able to cope. Celta took the lead as early as the sixth minute, Gustavo López beating Cavallero with a strong shot from the edge of the area after Mostovoi had won back a ball in midfield. Two minutes before half time De Lucas showed why Mónaco and other big clubs are watching him closely, hitting a rocket of a shot from all of 35 metres which local radio commentators described as 'playstation' stuff. During the second half Celta brought on Revivo (recovered from a torn muscle much quicker than expected) for Gustavo López, and Espanyol gave a run out to recently signed Chilean defender Santis and youngster Lopo. The game seemed to be ending in a draw when up popped the man described as the hairdresser, Celta's left back Juanfran, (blond rinse and all), to chest down Karpin's cross and shoot past a surprised Cavallero.

The match between Zaragoza and Racing was billed as the duel between top scorer Salva and Zaragoza's on form goalkeeper Juanmi. As it happened Salva was suffering from a thigh strain and was unable to play, with Norwegian Rushfeldt taking his place in attack, and the star of the day turned out to be Zaragoza's striker Savo Milosevic, who scored a hat-trick in the home side's 4-1 win. Milosevic himself set a new record for his club, scoring for the sixth match in a row. The Yugoslavian striker's first goal came on the half hour after keeper Ceballos dropped Juanele's cross at his feet. Juanele himself added the second, heading down Vellisca's cross from the left past Ceballos, and Milosevic added his second and his team's third fifteen minutes from time. Racing's Amavisca and Zaragoza's Jamelli both rocked the respective crossbars from long shots before Tais pulled a goal back for Santander from close range after a defensive mix up. Milosevic completed his hat-trick in the last minute, getting free from his marker to shoot past the despairing Ceballos. He now moves into second place in the leading league goalscorers chart with 10 goals, still three behind Salva. Dani and Catanha have seven, with Rivaldo on six and Raúl, Djalminha, Hasselbaink and Valladolid's Víctor on five. Zaragoza's win moves them up to fourth place in the league, with Racing dropping to sixth.