The second division was thrown wide open this week, with the top four clubs in the table all failing to win. Leaders Sevilla were missing their suspended striker Olivera, and without his inspiration they fell 2-1 against a depleted Albacete side who only had 16 players available. Javi Guerrero scored a headed goal from a corner in each half for the home side, and Pablo Alfaro levelled the scores temporarily just before half time. Sevilla's city rivals Betis moved a point closer to them in second place despite throwing away a one goal lead in the last minute of injury time against local rivals Córdoba. Melgar saved a point for his side after Amato had opened the scoring earlier on a rain soaked pitch.

Third placed Tenerife could not get past the Jaén defence and the mud and could only draw 0-0, one of five such results on another low scoring weekend. Basavilbaso was sent off for the Canary Island side in the second half. They stay a point behind Betis and three ahead of Recreativo, who go ahead of Salamanca on goal average after defeating Extremadura 3-1. Camacho got two of the goals for the Huelva side and substitute Bodipo got the other, with Jesús getting one back for the visitors. Salamanca lost for the second week in a row, this time 2-0 to Sporting Gijon, after being reduced to ten men with half an hour to go when Christian Diaz was sent off. Sporting's goals came in the second half, from Tcherishev scoring just after the interval and youngster Juan scoring from the free kick straight after the sending off.

All of this was great news for Atlético Madrid, who beat Racing Ferrol on a mud-bath of a pitch to move up to sixth, within two points of fourth place, their fourth win in a row. Both sides were reduced to ten men after Mena and then Uriz were sent off, and Correa came on as substitute with ten minutes to go to open the scoring two minutes later. Salva added a second in the last minute to join top scorer Olivera on 12 goals and give Atlético the 0-2 victory. They are now ahead of Albacete on goal average, and three ahead of Sporting and of Badajoz, who recorded their 15th draw of the season, 0-0 away at Elche. The Extremadura side fired their Brazilian player Sandro earlier in the week after he was suspended pending investigation of his Portuguese passport. Levante and Eibar are just behind Badajoz after they too played out their match without much danger of anyone scoring, with Eibar's Lenitz even missing a penalty in the second half. Eibar have now gone eight games without defeat, although most of them have been draws.

In the struggle to avoid relegation, Getafe did themselves a world of good with their best result of the season, beating Murcia 4-0, with two from Maikel (the second a penalty), one from Parrado, just back from injury, and a fourth from Cañizares. The result was a surprise as they had only scored once in their last five games, and Murcia had got five goals themselves against Sporting the week before. They go a couple of points above Compostela, who played out yet another very boring 0-0 draw against bottom club Universidad Las Palmas. The game was televised by the Canary Island TV channel, although most people preferred to watch images from someone's fish tank. It was more interesting. The Canary Island side stay at the foot of the table ahead of Lleida who drew at Leganés by, guess what, 0-0. Leganés have not now won at home in over 3 months. Seventeen goals in eleven games. Pity the poor spectators.