Real Madrid's rampant Cristiano Ronaldo looked to be back at his best as he scored at the start of each half to set up a 4-0 victory over lowly Osasuna and put the pressure back on La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Lionel Messi has played down the importance of individual achievements and said the key thing is for Barcelona to continue making history as a team after he became the La Liga club's record scorer on Sunday.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid dropped their first points of the season on Saturday, missing the chance to equal the record for the best-ever La Liga start.
The league said last week that the deal, called 'Boost La Liga', would strengthen its clubs and give them funds to spend on new infrastructure and modernisation projects as well as increasing how much they could spend on players' salaries.
Atletico Madrid won the La Liga title for the first time since 2014
Barcelona will lodge a second appeal against the dismissal of coach Tito Vilanova in Sunday's 2-1 win at Osasuna after the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) rejected an initial effort and suspended the coach for two games on Wednesday.
Barcelona star Neymar will miss the Clasico after receiving a three-match ban following his red card against Malaga, dealing a big blow to the Catalans who lie three points behind Real Madrid having played a game more than their rivals.
Julio Baptista scored in added time to lift Malaga to a 1-0 home win over Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday, helping the club shake off some of the disappointment from their midweek Champions League exit.
Barcelona have emerged as favourites to be crowned champions after one defeat in their last 22 Liga games.
Chelsea have signed Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta from Marseille, the English Premier League club said on Friday.
Valencia eased past La Liga rivals Osasuna into the quarter-finals of the King's Cup on Tuesday, while Malaga flirted with danger against third-tier Eibar before a flurry of late goals put them safely into the last eight.
Substitute David Villa scored a superb last-gasp winner and Cesc Fabregas netted twice as leaders Barcelona came from two goals down to stun 10-man Sevilla 3-2 and extend their perfect La Liga record on Saturday.
Senegal, who stunned the football world when they upset defending champions France in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, reached the Olympic football tournament for the first time on Monday with a 2-0 win over Oman.
Delhi Dynamos Football Club announces the signing of former Real Madrid midfielder Marcos Tbar Ramiro for the upcoming season of the Hero Indian Super League. The 30-year old defensive-midfielder has been signed after his short stint with Spanish Club UE Llagostera. Marcos started his career as a Real Madrid player and is a product of the club's academy in Madrid. He has also played for English championship side Brentford.
A second-string Barcelona set up a King's Cup quarter-final clash against holders and great rivals Real Madrid when they came back from a goal down to beat Osasuna 2-1 on Thursday for a 6-1 aggregate victory.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and goalkeeper Victor Valdes are unavailable for the King's Cup last-16 first leg at home to Osasuna on Wednesday because of flu and fever, the La Liga club said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.es).
King's Cup holders Real Madrid and 2011 runners-up Barcelona are on course to meet in next month's quarter-finals following Friday's draw for the last 16.
La Liga took on a more familiar look as surprise early pacesetters Levante suffered their first defeat of the season with a 2-0 loss at 10-man Osasuna and relinquished their hold on top spot.
A new-look Atletico Madrid suffered a setback in their opening La Liga match of the season when they squandered several chances and twice struck the post in a 0-0 home draw with Osasuna on Sunday.
Reaching the King's Cup final is of even greater importance than usual for Real Madrid following a demoralising setback in La Liga.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo will be out of action for around three weeks with a bruised right ankle, the Spanish club said on their website (www.realmadrid.com) on Monday.
Yet even without a transfer fee, Messi's colossal salary, reported to be the highest in world football, means very few clubs would be able to afford him.
The win took second-placed Real to 62 points after 29 games, two behind champions Barca who beat Leganes 2-0 on Tuesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice to lift Real Madrid to a 4-1 home win over Real Sociedad on Sunday which trimmed Barcelona's lead at the top of La Liga to seven points.
Cani's brilliant effort from just inside Osasuna's half helped Villarreal to a 4-2 home win as La Liga reached the midway point of the season on Saturday.
Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas called for patience from the club's demanding fans after the La Liga giants failed to sparkle in Saturday's laboured 1-0 win over Osasuna.
Champions Barcelona suffered a humiliating 2-0 home defeat to Hercules on Saturday when Nelson Valdez struck twice to give the tiny promoted club a shock La Liga victory at a stunned Nou Camp stadium.
Barca finished the season second in the standings on 82 points, four behind champions Real Madrid who visit Leganes later on Sunday. Alaves are 16th on 39.
Delhi Dynamos FC have signed former Real Madrid player Ruben Gonzalez as their second marquee player for the Hero Indian Super League Season 3.
Real Madrid climbed back above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain both netted twice to seal a convincing 4-2 victory at city rivals Getafe on Thursday.
Atletico Madrid took a giant step towards the La Liga title
Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed an 89th minute winner for Real Madrid as they came from behind to beat Osasuna 3-2 at home to stay hot on the heels of leaders Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.
A moment of genius from Lionel Messi lit up the Nou Camp as Barcelona eased to a 3-1 win over Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday that put them two points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of the standings.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will be out of action for two to three weeks with a small hamstring problem in his right leg, the Spanish champions said in a statement on Sunday.
The knee injury Barcelona forward Thierry Henry sustained in Saturday's 6-2 win at Real Madrid has made him a major doubt for the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United. Henry will miss the King's Cup final against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday and the next three Spanish Primera Liga fixtures against Villarreal, Real Mallorca and Osasuna.
A financial disaster could engulf Spanish professional football unless action is taken to prevent profligate clubs slipping deeper into debt, according to the president of top-flight club Osasuna. Clubs that lack the vast earning power of Real Madrid and Barcelona have been living beyond their means for too long and the economic model they use is badly flawed, president Francisco Izco said.
Sevilla sealed their place in the last four of the King's Cup on Wednesday when they lost their quarter-final second-leg 1-0 at home to Deportivo Coruna but went through 3-1 on aggregate.
Sevilla were on course for a place in the King's Cup semi-finals after crushing Deportivo Coruna 3-0 at the Riazor in their last-eight first leg match on Wednesday.
Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain scored twice for 10-man Real Madrid in a 2-0 home win over Getafe on Saturday that eased the pressure on coach Manuel Pellegrini. Real have 22 points from nine games and are one point behind La Liga leaders Barcelona after the champions were held to a 1-1 draw at Osasuna, Gerard Pique scoring in his own net in the last minute.
Villarreal and Atletico Madrid continued to struggle in La Liga after both slumped to unexpected defeats on Sunday.
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