Brief reports of midweek matches played in the Primera Liga:
Played on Thursday:
BARCELONA 1 ATLETICO MADRID 1
Atletico lived up to their reputation as Barcelona's bogey team by battling to a draw at the Nou Camp.
Ronaldinho put Barca in front five minutes before halftime, whipping a free kick into the far corner from a metre outside the area.
Argentine teenager Sergio Aguero earned Atletico a point with a neat finish on the hour after outpacing centre backs Lilian Thuram and Carles Puyol.
Played on Wednesday:
CELTA VIGO 0 REAL SOCIEDAD 0
A valuable away point for Sociedad, who beat Gimnastic 3-2 last weekend to win their first match of the season but appeared content to sit back and defend against the misfiring Galicians who have now drawn five in a row.
GETAFE 0 ESPANYOL 1
Espanyol inflicted a first home defeat of the season on Getafe when Raul Tamudo steered in from three metres out, just eight minutes after the home side had midfielder Francisco Casquero sent off.
The visitors lost defender Chica a minute from time after he picked up a second booking, but it did little to take the shine off an important away win.
GIMNASTIC TARRAGONA 0 REAL BETIS 1
A first win in five matches for Betis left Gimnastic anchored to the bottom of the table.
Br azilian midfielder Marcos Assuncao scored when he fired home from the spot in the 65th minute after pint-sized striker Dani had manufactured a penalty when he went to ground in the area.
OSASUNA 2 LEVANTE 1
Levante suffered a double blow 11 minutes after the break when midfielder Laurent Robert was sent off for picking up a second yellow card for shirt pulling and Osasuna defender Cesar Cruchaga headed in from the ensuing free kick.
Former Real Madrid striker Roberto Soldado scored the second just over 10 minutes later with a cool finish, drilling under keeper Jose Molina to complete a slick counter-attack.
Nino's injury-time strike came too late to stop Osasuna making it five league wins in a row.
RACING SANTANDER 2 VILLARREAL 1
A second defeat in a row for last season's Champions League semi-finalists who still looked dazed after their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Osasuna at the weekend.
Racing went in front four minutes after the break when centre back Ruben scored his second goal in two games, powering in a header at the near post, and midfielder Gonzalo Colsa made it 2-0 with an improvised overhead kick.
Young midfielder Marcos Garcia poked home to score a late consolation for the visitors.
REAL MADRID 0 RECREATIVO HUELVA 3
Real suffered a humiliating home defeat as they were outclassed by modest Recreativo, although their victory was overshadowed by the death of three of their fans and a bus driver when the coach taking them to the match crashed.
Former Liverpool striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle hit the first 10 minutes before halftime after spinning past new World and European Player of the Year Fabio Cannavaro.
Nigerian striker Ikechukwu Uche added to Cannavaro's embarrassment when he bamboozled the Italian before firing in the second after the break and midfielder Emilio Viqueira completed the rout with a stunning free kick in injury time.
SEVILLA 4 DEPORTIVO CORUNA 0
Sevilla ensured they will remain top over the Christmas break as they made it eight wins out of eight at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
Frederic Kanoute kicked off the party when he poked home into an empty net in the 28th minute and then took his tally for the season to 14 when he scored from the penalty spot 18 minutes into the second half.
Luis Fabiano got on the scoresheet almost straight from the restart when he fired a bullet header past Depor keeper Dudu Aouate and Daniel Alves put the icing on the cake with a stunning free kick 17 minutes from time.
Played on Tuesday:
ATHLETIC BILBAO 0 REAL ZARAGOZA 0
New coach Mane has brought extra bite to Bilbao but they failed to make it three successive wins in a tight contest at San Mames. Faltering Zaragoza have won just once in five.
VALENCIA 3 REAL MALLORCA 1
Valencia were never troubled by a weak Mallorca side as they stormed to a third straight win and an upbeat end to the year.
David Villa fed Vicente for the opener after 39 minutes and the winger returned the favour, squaring for Villa in the 57th.
Winger Miguel Angel Angulo crossed for substitute Fernando Morientes to head the third goal unopposed in the 82nd, but a late tackle from Raul Albiol allowed Jonas Gutierrez to pull one back with a penalty for Mallorca three minutes from time.