Mallorca 1 - Racing Santander 2

Mallorca: Leo Franco; Olaizola, Nadal, Siviero, Miguel Soler; Lauren, Chichi Soler, Engonga, Stankovic; Eto'o, Diego Tristán. 4-4-2.
Racing: Lemmens; Mellberg, Tais, Arzeno, Sietes; Colsa; Manjarín, Vivar Dorado, Amavisca; Munitis, Salva. 4-1-3-2.

Team changes: Mallorca: Nadal, Engonga, Stankovic, Eto'o for Fernando Niño, Armando, Ibagaza, Carlos / Racing: Lemmens, Tais, Manjarín for Ceballos, Txema, Espina.

Goals:
0-1. 24. Manjarín. Bent over wall from free kick, with slight deflection by Siviero.
0-2. 83. Munitis. Took pass from Amavisca and dummied around Leo Franco.
1-2. 86. Diego Tristán. Cut in from left and shot across Lemmens.

Mallorca are another team who are suffering from a long hard season, and although they have now recovered their first choice players, they looked far from at their best as they fell at their own ground for the second time in 72 hours. Up to this week their home form at least had been good, remaining unbeaten in the league and in Europe at the Son Moix stadium since the first league match of the season last August. However, as with marathon runners, they seem to have hit their 'wall', and their 1-4 defeat against Galatasaray on Thursday was followed by another poor performance. In contrast, Racing's away form has been their saviour this year, and this was their sixth away victory this season, the best record in the league and the third best overall away record behind Real Madrid and Alavés. The home side can't complain of injuries or suspensions at the moment, and Stankovic, Nadal and Engonga returned to Fernando Vázquez's side for this match. Striker Carlos did however withdraw at the last moment after feeling an old injury during the pre-match warm up, and Eto'o got his first start for his new club alongside Diego Tristán. Racing were without the suspended Ceballos and Espina after last week's debacle, the keeper having his twelve match sentence as best supporting actor to Prados García's leading role cut to eight on appeal. Lemmens recovered from injury to take over in between the sticks and veteran Manjarín took Espina's place in midfield. In fact it was the ex Deportivo player who struck first for the visitors, his free kick taking a deflection off the head of Siviero and beating Leo Franco for his first goal in three years. I suppose it's a bit like riding a bicycle, you never forget how to do it, even if the legs aren't quite up to it these days. Vázquez put on Ibagaza for Chichi Soler at half time, and he went close a couple of times in the first ten minutes of the half. That was all however, as Mallorca's most dangerous player Stankovic was constantly shadowed by two defenders at all times. With fifteen minutes to go Carlos came on for Olaizola as desperation set in, and after Salva hit the bar with a header, Munitis took advantage to weave past Franco and score his team's second seven minutes from full time. Diego Tristán was being whistled at by some of the home crowd, but he silenced his critics, temporarily at least, with a good goal near the end, his nineteenth of the season in all competitions. Vázquez said after the match that he has changed his sights for the season, starting to look down rather than up as his team drop to ninth. They have to go to Turkey on Thursday to fight a lost cause, and just two days later they are scheduled to play at Valencia. They are appealing, but right now the decision is that the game will be brought forward to accommodate Valencia, who have several South American players leaving to play for their countries on Sunday. Racing are just two points behind them in 14th place. With a group of nine teams separated by three points, a couple of wins or losses can change a team's fortunes rapidly. Watch out fingernails.

Oviedo 1 - Athletic Bilbao 0

Oviedo: Esteban; Danjou, Bango, Keita; Eskurza, Nadj, Paulo Bento, Pompei; Rubén, Dubovsky; Losada. 3-4-2-1.
Athletic:Lafuente; Lacruz, Alkorta, Ferreira, Lasa; Edu Alonso, Alkiza, Urrutia, Felipe; Guerrero; Urzaiz. 4-4-1-1.

Team changes: Oviedo: Danjou, Bango, Eskurza, Nadj, Dubovsky for Boris, Onopko, Iván Iglesias Rabarivony, Dely Valdés / Bilbao: Lafuente, Lasa, Alkorta, Edu Alonso, Urzaiz for Imanol, José Mari, Larrazábal, Joseba, Ezquerro.

Goals:
1-0. 27. Bango. Header across goal following Pompei corner.

Athletic Bilbao's manager Luis Fernández doesn't do anything by halves. Having recorded a record number of undefeated games in the middle of the season, his side have now gone on to their worst run of games without a win since he joined the club. With only two points out of a possible 18, Bilbao have dropped dramatically from occupying a place in Europe to just four points from the relegation zone, albeit in twelfth place. Oviedo meanwhile keep up their Jekyll and Hyde act, having gone eight games at home without defeat, but not having won away for over a year. Luis Aragonés was forced to make changes to his defence after the Spanish inquisition of today, the dreaded video disciplinary committee, arbitrarily swooped on their Russian defender Onopko and banned him for three games for an incident in the match against Real Madrid. Boris was also banned for one game (for an accumulation of yellow cards in his case), and Danjou returned together with veteran utility player Bango. Nadj returned in midfield, and he, Paulo Bento and Pompei gelled well together. In a curious 3-4-2-1 line up, which also saw the return of Dubovsky, replacing Dely Valdés who was away on international duty with Panama. Luis Fernández surprised everyone with yet another team line up and yet another formation, leaving first choice keeper Imanol on the bench and bringing in the erstwhile out of favour Lasa at left back. Alkorta returned from injury to the centre of defence, and with his front two out, Urzaiz was recalled to lead the attack. Five changes, par for the course for this season. It was a day for the veterans, with Bango heading the only goal of the match from Pompei's corner, and almost repeating the act a few minutes later. Fernández brought on Sivori for Lasa at half time, and Aragonés made his customary early changes, with Rabarivony and Juan González entering for Eskurza and the injured Bango ten minutes into the half, and Iván Iglesias replacing Pompei, who was also nursing a leg injury, ten minutes later. Bilbao's first real shot of the game came from Alkiza early in the second half, and Sivori brought a good save out of Esteban later on. Losada picked up a fifth yellow card from referee Pérez Burrull, who showed eight in all, and will miss next week's game at Deportivo. Dely will be back however. Luis Fernández has to decide how he will stop the rot, his side not having scored in three games, and they face Sevilla next week in a game that they now have to win to escape the whirlpool of the lower reaches. Their only consolation up to now has been that they are above their neighbours Real Sociedad, but that may not be true for much longer. Javier Clemente's team have won a couple, and are now only two points behind them. If they change places, Fernández will once again have to watch his back. A lot can change in a week in the world of football.