Espanyol 1 - Mallorca 2

Espanyol: Mora; Cristóbal, Rotchen, Pochettino, Navas; Sergio, Velamazán, Arteaga; De Lucas; Posse, Tamudo. 4-3-1-2.
Mallorca: Burgos; Olaizola, Nadal, Siviero, Miguel Soler; Lauren, Engonga, Serrizula, Stankovic; Biagini, Tristán.

Mallorca moved up to seventh place with a narrow and at times controversial victory in the Montjuic Olympic stadium. Heavy snow in the morning in Barcelona had put the match in jeopardy, but ground staff were able to clear the pitch in time for the evening kick off. Brindisi was forced to make a change in goal, Mora coming in for his first league match with Cavallero out with gastro-enteritis, Velamazán replaced Galca in midfield and Posse came in to the attack in place of the suspended Benítez. Mallorca's keeper Burgos returned to the stadium for the second time in a week after letting in two goals for Argentina in Espanyol's centenary victory. His manager Vázquez brought in Biagini for his first start of the season, opting for Serrizuela in midfield. Stankovic opened the scoring for the visitors from a free kick in the middle of the first half, with Mora off his line. Two minutes later Biagini added to the score after Tristán had lobbed the keeper from out wide. Benitez brought on Roger and Serrano for Arteaga and Posse at half time, and it was Roger who put Espanyol back in the game on the hour mark with a free kick which he bent around the outside of the defensive wall and past a startled Burgos. Siviero was sent off for a second bookable offence a few minutes later, but Espanyol were unable to take advantage of their numerical advantage. In the last few minutes they too were reduced to ten men after Serrano had to go off with concussion after all substitutes had been used. Cameras later revealed that Burgos had punched or elbowed him in the head on the blind side of the referee, and further action may be taken against him once the TV images are analysed. With two points separating nine teams in the middle of the table, Espanyol's defeat drops them down to 13th place.

Athletic Bilbao 4 - Atlético de Madrid 2

Athletic: Imanol Etxeberria; Lacruz, Alkorta, Ferreira, Felipe; Edu Alonso, Urrutia, Alkiza; Guerrero; Joseba Etxeberria, Ezquerro. 4-3-1-2.
Atlético: Molina; Gaspar, Chamot, Gustavo, Capdevila; Aguilera, Bejbl, Baraja, Solari; José Mari, Hasselbaink. 4-4-2.

The Saturday night match was delayed by half an hour due to a violent snowstorm which left the pitch virtually unplayable, a normal state of affairs in rainy Bilbao! The conditions were so bad that some of the home team players wore gloves, which apparently is not the done thing in that part of the world. Bilbao's striker Urzaiz, injured midweek playing for Spain, failed a late fitness test, but Alkiza was back in the side after his recent layoff. Ranieri played his strongest side, but rested key players on or around half time with their UEFA cup match against Wolfsburg brought forward to next Tuesday. Etxeberria opened the scoring with a header in the first quarter of an hour after Alkiza crossed from a position which the Atlético players claimed was offside. Julen Guerrero added the second from a free kick from outside of the area a few minutes later, but Hasselbaink pulled one back from the penalty spot before the half hour was up after Alkorta was adjudged to have fouled Valerón. The foul brought Alkorta his second yellow card and a sending off, strongly protested by the Bilbao side. It was ten men Athletic who scored again however, Carlos García heading in Guerrero's corner just after the restart. Referee Carmona Méndez then awarded Bilbao a penalty after Gustavo fouled Etxeberria, and Ezquerro coolly chipped the sopt kick past Molina. Fifteen minutes from time substitute Paunovic reduced the distance, latching on to a dead ball in the Athletic penalty area to score. Bilbao were down to nine men five minutes from time after Urrutia received two yellow cards in the space of four minutes, and Luis Fernández's side will have three players out for next week's match with Rayo Vallecano after Ferreira also picked up his fifth yellow card. Bilbao move up to the top half of the table, and Atlético drop back to within a couple of points of the relegation zone once again.