31.01.2011 12:01

Spanish League Round Up Week 21

Nick Bedson

Madrid’s challenge to Barça faltered again on Sunday, when they lost 1-0 to Osasuna, a defeat that leaves Guardiola’s team a clear seven points out front at the top of the table. Villarreal’s win at Espanyol leaves them just six points behind Madrid.

Madrid’s defeat was the biggest talking point of the weekend, but there were also impressive victories for Villarreal at Espanyol and Bilbao at Atletico Madrid, who visit the Nou Camp next weekend. At the bottom too, it wasn’t just Osasuna who took points, with Zaragoza and Sporting getting great away wins and Levante beating Getafe at home.

Twelfth point dropped on the road

Osasuna’s win broke an eight game run without a win that had put boss Camacho under pressure and was also Madrid’s 12th point dropped on the road –in harsh contrast to Barça’s 100% away record. In a typically robust performance, Osasuna, roared on by a packed Reyno de Navarra crowd, owed their win to a second half strike by Camuñas, after Mourinho had been forced to call on the not fully fit Xabi Alonso and new signing Adebayor at the break after an insipid first half showing. The win leaves the Basques on 21 points in 16th spot, whilst Madrid are now just six ahead of third placed Villarreal who won an excellent game at Cornella 0-1 with a spectacular goal from Rossi, his twelfth of the season to move on to 45, five clear of Valencia who play on Monday.

Bilbao keep up momentum

Espanyol’s defeat is a blow to their Champions League hopes and they will also have to keep an eye on the rear mirror, where Bilbao are storming up behind them. The Basques saw off Atletico Madrid 0-2 at the Vicente Calderon on Sunday to move to within two points of Pochettino’s team. Atletico had Perea (who will miss the trip to the Nou Camp) sent off for a penalty on Llorente that the striker then missed, before two from Toquero extended Bilbao’s unbeaten run to five games, with just one defeat in their last nine. Atletico stay seventh on 30 points level with Seville, who drew 3-3 in La Coruña after coming back from 2-0 down thanks to two from Negredo and a goal from Escude, but the bad news for Manzano’s team was the red card for keeper Palop, which will keep him out of their midweek Cup semi final game against Real Madrid.

Almeria hopes dampened

For their part, Real Sociedad are now just two points behind Seville and Atletico following the 2-0 win over Almeria in pouring rain at Anoeta. After their disappointment at the Nou Camp last week, Almeria now go into the second leg this Wednesday knowing that they are still in deep trouble in La Liga, second from bottom, equal on points with the new bottom side Malaga, who were beaten 1-2 by Zaragoza, thanks to a late Sinama Pongole winner. That was Zaragoza’s third victory on the trot and they are now up to the heady heights of 15th, on 22 points after spending most of the season in the relegation spots.

Sporting shock Mallorca

Like Zaragoza, Sporting have also made a great comeback over the last three weeks, winning all of their games, the latest being a stunning 0-4 victory in Mallorca, with two goals from Diego Castro. Sporting are unbeaten in four, having scored more goals in those games (eight)than they managed in their previous 11, and lie a relatively comfortable four points above the relegation spots in 12th. Getafe’s push for European spots, very much like Mallorca’s, seems in contrast to have stalled over the last few weeks and the defeat at Llevant was their third on the run as they remain without a win in 2011.