Villa disappointment for Arsenal, Alan Hutton takes on Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa upstages Falcao. talkSPORT’s La Liga lowdown
After Malaga and Barcelona overturned first leg defeats in the Champions League last week, both sides were looking to build on that momentum with strong performances in their week 28 La Liga fixtures, but only one succeeded, thanks to the continuing revival of David Villa, who as it turns out was best friends with Lionel Messi all along. Meanwhile, in Madrid the Scottish Cafu squared up to Cristiano Ronaldo in a game in which at least one former Spurs player proved decisive, and with Atletico away from home, Radamel Falcao found himself upstaged by Diego Costa. talkSPORT's La Liga lowdown looks at the above, as well as the battle for a Champions League spot below...
DAVID VILLA'S REVIVAL CONTINUES AS TALK OF MESSI RIFT IS KILLED
After scoring the crucial third goal against AC Milan in the Champions League, David Villa reminded FC Barcelona that he is still capable of playing a decisive role at the highest level, and his run of form continued with a key role against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. It was the man the papers claim Villa doesn't get on with, Lionel Messi, who played El Guaje through to score the opener on his favoured right foot against Rayo, and the number seven turned provider soon after, assisting the Argentine for the second. That meant Messi has now scored in 18 consecutive league games this season, becoming the first player ever to do so, and he wasn't finished. It was Villa's graft yet again that released Messi for the third goal of the night, with the number 10 producing a beautiful chipped finish this time, and the biggest talking point of the game was undoubtedly the renewed partnership between Messi and Villa. That could be bad news for anyone hoping to sign Spain's record scorer this summer - reportedly including Arsenal - with talk today of a new deal for him being drawn up by Barcelona. For Rayo’s part there was little to celebrate, though former Espanyol man Raul Tamudo will take some comfort in scoring the only goal of the game for the visitors, minutes after entering the field to a chorus of boos from the home fans. Tamudo's goal ended Barcelona's clean-sheet run at only two in a row, meaning they have yet to produce three back-to-back shutouts all season. It was business as usual for the Catalans up front therefore, but their defensive frailties are still a concern.
DIEGO COSTA UPSTAGES FALCAO AGAINST OSASUNA
Atletico Madrid and Osasuna took it upon themselves to prove that Spanish football isn't just about short-passing and subtlety this weekend, in a game of meaty challenges and hoofed long balls that would make Big Sam weep tears of joy. Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa loves the dirtier side of the game, so it was no surprise that he revelled in the occasion at El Sadar, with the Brazilian proving a thorn in Osasuna's side. Costa already looked likely to leave the stadium an unpopular man after sending an Osasuna player flying into manager Jose Luis Mendilibar on the touchline, and that was set in stone minutes later when he fired the opener home from a classic Atletico counter-attack. It was the best and the worst of the striker in a matter of minutes, but with important goals like that, Atleti fans will be happy to accept the bad with the good from him. At the other end of the pitch, Thibaut Courtois delivered yet another breathtaking save to add to his growing collection, preventing Osasuna from scoring an instant equaliser, and it's easy to see why Diego Simeone is so keen to extend his loan spell from Chelsea. In the end, the other Diego had the final say, with Costa scoring the second goal of the game from a free kick that he had won on the left side of the Osasuna area. He was taken off in the 75th minute after injuring himself in the process of scoring his second however, denying him a chance to score a hat-trick against the only team he has previously managed to do so against in La Liga. Radamel Falcao, meanwhile, has now failed to score in three consecutive league games, putting into perspective how important Costa's form is proving for the Madrid side.
VALENCIA GET LUCKY IN BATTLE OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPEFULS
After a slow start to the game at the Mestalla, Valencia began to turn the screw against Real Betis in their battle of the Champions League contenders, and there was little doubt that Antonio Amaya's sending off early in the first half was the decisive moment of the clash. Amaya was shown a straight red for bundling into Soldado on the 16th minute, and a penalty was awarded for the home side as a result. Replays suggest that it was an extremely soft decision, much to the annoyance of Betis coach Pepe Mel, who watched his side suffer consequently. Soldado’s staggered run sent keeper Adrian sprawling in the wrong direction and it was 1-0 to Los Che, with Betis forced to sacrifice Arsenal’s Joel Campbell and bring on defender Paulao in the re-shuffle. Valencia, meanwhile, had little reason to call upon their own bench, with captain David Albelda, who made his debut this week in the 1996/97 season, watching on from the sidelines. Things were very different for both teams back then; Valencia eventually finished 10th in a disappointing league campaign, while Betis ended the season in fourth place after spending time as high as second. A fourth placed finish is exactly what both teams crave this season, but after Paulao turned in a Sergio Canales cross for Valencia's second, and Jonas wrapped the game up with the third, the Sevillians look less likely to achieve that goal. After the game, Mel's fury was clear for all to see, with the coach claiming that Betis are being turned into 'the idiots of the league' thanks to poor refereeing decisions.
CRISTIANO RONALDO SQUARES UP TO ALAN HUTTON AS FORMER SPURS PLAYER SCORES A STUNNER
Clearly terrified by Alan Hutton’s attacking threat, Jose Mourinho picked destroyer Pepe in his midfield for Real Madrid's square-off with the Mallorca at the Bernabeu, and in truth the Scot produced a decent showing, particularly in the first half. Granted, Hutton was lucky not to concede a penalty after sending Ronaldo sprawling just inside the area early on, but he improved quickly, making a decisive last ditch challenge to prevent Madrid from scoring soon after, and he even went close with a header at the other end. A miracle looked possible when Mallorca took the lead through Emilio Nsue on the sixth minute, and after Gonzalo Higuain replied, the underdogs again went ahead through Alejandro Alfaro, heading into the break with the advantage over the Spanish giants.
A rare glimpse at what life after Jose Mourinho may look like for Real Madrid was provided in the second half, with Mesut Ozil and Xabi Alonso coming off the bench to join Modric in the most attacking midfield three chosen by Los Blancos this season, and it appeared to do the trick, with the Spanish champions suddenly more dynamic and precise on the ball. Ronaldo levelled the score on the 51st minute, but it was a former Spurs man who scored the most impressive goal of the game, with Luka Modric hitting a stunning strike from distance to put Madrid ahead. Gonzalo Higuain's second goal of the night followed some excellent work by Ozil, and Mallorca's dream was effectively over, with the visitors suddenly sloppy in possession and picking the wrong passing option in their attempted counter-attacks. Karim Benzema wrapped things up on the 90th minute without breaking a sweat. Fortunately for Mallorca, Sevilla's thrashing of Real Zaragoza means their hopes of escaping the relegation zone remain unaffected.
MALAGA PLAY A DANGEROUS GAME WITH CONTRASTING LEAGUE AND EUROPEAN FORM
Malaga’s conversion into a Jekyll and Hyde team continued this week, after slipping from the top four following a 2-0 defeat at home to Espanyol. The defeat came off the back of a wonderful turn-around in the Champions League, but with no chance of competing in Europe next season regardless of where they finish, motivation appears to be an issue in domestic competition for the Andalucians.
It was a lively encounter at La Rosaleda, with keeper Willy Caballero forced into a brilliant one-on-one save in the opening minutes. The Argentine is currently competing for the Zamora trophy awarded to the keeper who concedes the least goals in La Liga, and had been in scintillating form this season, up until this weekend. It was an uncharacteristic error by him that allowed Diego Colotto to score the opener for Espanyol in the second half, and following the goal, Malaga’s influence on the game through Isco and Roque Santa Cruz in particular began to fade. Veteran Espanyol forward Sergio Garcia proved immune to the Samson-effect by scoring the second goal of the game with a lovely finish off the outside of his boot, fresh off the back of unveiling a dramatic new change in look that has robbed him of his trademark ponytail. Caballero redeemed himself somewhat by denying Espanyol a third, but in truth if there was a keeper worth talking about it was Kiko Casilla. The young Catalan was assured for Espanyol throughout, producing a particularly important touch to turn away a shot from Santa Cruz that would have given the Andalucians hope of claiming a point. Replacing Mauricio Pochettino with Javier Aguirre appears to have done the trick for Espanyol, with the Barcelona side now 11 points clear of the relegation zone and only looking upwards. For Malaga, the danger of allowing their league form to seep into their Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund is clear.
Elsewhere: Deportivo 3-1 Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad 4-1 Valladolid, Getafe 1-0 Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla 4-0 Real Zaragoza, Granada 1-1 Levante.
Should David Villa stay at Barcelona beyond the summer, or is a fresh start in England the best option? Will Real Madrid be liberated as an attacking team without Jose Mourinho in charge? Let us know by leaving a comment below...