With Euro 2004 coming up in the summer (Norway permitting), Spanish clubs have had to organize a couple of midweek fixtures. Day nine looked like being one of the lowest scoring on record by ten o'clock on Wednesday night, with only four goals scored and the programme halfway through. But sides rallied in the second halves, and with Atlético hitting four on Thursday it turned out to be an average tally. Talking of Atlético, only a few days ago we said that Fernando Torres would soon be making our charts, and he is already there after scoring two of their goals to make it five in three games. Good news for Spain with that vital play-off tie coming up.

No goals for the top three in our chart as their sides failed to score, but Eto'o did got one from the penalty spot and substitute Bruggink added a second as leaders Deportivo fell to Mallorca. Eto'o joins Pandiani and Raúl on eight goals, as does Ronaldinho who scored one of Barcelona's three against Murcia. Darío Silva got another for Sevilla from a well taken free kick before he got himself sent off, and Tiko hit the winner again for Athletic Bilbao. It all starts again in two days' time. (31.10.03)