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Barca, Real maintain pace at top of La Liga as season nears halfway mark

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Barca, Real maintain pace at top of La Liga as season nears halfway mark
For yet another week the status quo in the Spanish La Liga remained unharmed, as the top two maintained their impressive winning runs in the league. Barcelona thrashed Espanyol 5-1 on Saturday, while Real Madrid beat Sevilla 1-0 on Sunday.
The margin of victory at the Santiago Barnabeau was a slender one, as Real had to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men, after Ricardo Carvallho was sent off following his second yellow of the game. With the match tied at nil-nil, it looked
like Madrid was going to be held to a draw at home and the gap at the top would widen. However Angel Di Maria had different ideas, as he popped up with the winner in the 77th minute of the game to spare Madrid’s blushes.
Di Maria got his team out of jail with less than 15 minutes to play, when he finished from a very acute angle. Sevilla too were reduced to 10 men in injury time as Mouhamadou Dabo’s red card capped a frustrating night for the visitors.
Atletico Madird picked up a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Malaga at La Rosadela over the weekend. Atletico’s goals all came from headers, as Portuguese midfield maestro Tiago opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Alvaro Domingo added the
second for the Roji Blancos, and Tiago completed his brace just after the break to see his side grab all three points away from home.
Relegation threatened Almeria would have been the most disappointed side this weekend, as they let a two goal lead slip, losing 3-2 to Getafe at Juegos Mediterraneos. Kalu Uche and Leonardo had scored for the hosts in the opening minutes
of the game, but Del Manu reduced the deficit just before half time. The hosts carried the momentum into the second half equalising in the 50th minute through Miku, and the remarkable turnaround was complete when Derek Boateng grabbed the winner around the
hour mark.
The only goalless game on Sunday was played at Reyno de Nevarra, where Osasuna and Real Zaragoza played a drab draw.
Earlier on Saturday Barcelona thrashed Espanyol in the derby, while Villareal notched up a win to tighten their grip on third spot in the table. On the same day Deportivo La Cruna were held to a draw at home by Sportin Gijon, Athletic Bilbao
won away at Levante, while Valencia beat Real Sociedad. 
Pedro and David Villa both bagged two goals apiece, as Barcelona made it 14 points from 16 to remain at the top of the La Liga standings.
Villareal remained 10 points behind league leaders Barcelona despite bagging a 3-1 win at the El Madrigal over Real Mallorca. Santi Cazorla put his side ahead in the 11th minute, but Mallorca came back to equalise through Jonathan de Guzman on 26 minutes. Giuseppe
Rossi restored Villareal’s lead from the penalty spot on 35 minutes and Nilmar bagged the third for the home side early in the second half.
Artiz Aduriz was the hero for Valencia, as he scored the winner for his side against Real Sociedad helping them to a tense 3-1 win. Xabi Prieto scored midway through the first half from the spot to give Sociedad the lead only for Tino Costa to pull one back
for the home side. Then just before the break Artiz Adurz masterfully broke the off-side trap and easily slotted the ball past the keeper to ensure all three points for his side.
In the weekends other matches, Sporting drew 1-1 with Deportivo, while Atletic Bilbao beat Levante 2-1 with goals from Gabilondo and Felipe Caicedo.

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