IMAGES from the La Liga matches played on Tuesday
Villarreal have agreed to sell Argentine forward Luciano Vietto to Atletico Madrid, president Fernando Roig has said.
Villarreal and Espanyol clung to the coat-tails of the La Liga leaders on Sunday with home wins that owed much to their attractive style of attacking football.
Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini criticised his players' attitude and concentration after they were knocked out of the Intertoto Cup by Slovenian side NK Maribor 3-2 on aggregate.
Atletico Madrid suffered a first defeat in 13 games in all competitions as they lost 1-0 at home to Villarreal on Tuesday after a late strike from substitute Roberto Soriano.
Stuttering Villarreal closed to within a point of the Champions League qualification places when a second-half Cedric Bakambu double secured a 2-1 comeback win at home to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Sunday.
Villarreal reclaimed fourth spot and a slim advantage in the race for a Champions League place with a 2-0 win at Malaga.
Barcelona will go to the international break on top of the standings on a perfect 12 points from four games, five ahead second-placed Villarreal and seven clear of bitter rivals Real Madrid
After a decade of trying, Sunday could be the day Villarreal finally claim three Primera Liga points from Real Madrid at the Spanish champions' Santiago Bernabeu home, according to midfielder Robert Pires.
Villarreal can prevent Barcelona from completing a clean sweep over their closest challengers when the runaway Primera Liga leaders visit the Madrigal on Sunday.
Villarreal's Adrian Lopez produced a stinging sucker punch in stoppage time to leave Liverpool reeling and move the Spaniards closer to a maiden European final after their Europa League last four first leg clash finished 1-0 on Thursday.
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.
Inter moved on to 68 points, ahead of Lazio on goal difference as the sides are level on their head-to-head records. They are eight points behind Juventus with six games to play.
In the space of a few short months, Villarreal's season of promise has been transformed into a battle for La Liga survival after their elimination from the King's Cup by third-tier opposition and the subsequent dismissal of their coach.
Cristiano Ronaldo kept up his rich La Liga scoring form as Real Madrid beat Villarreal 2-0 on Saturday to move up to fourth.
Liverpool romed into the Europa League final with a 3-0 win over Villarreal on another magical night at Anfield to tee up a showpiece clash with holders Sevilla who swatted away visitors Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 on Thursday.
A delightful flick and volley from Neymar allowed him to complete a double as Barcelona beat Villarreal 3-0 to go three points clear at the top of La Liga ahead of Real Madrid's clash with Sevilla later on Sunday.
"We are really pleased and we just have to enjoy it," Celta defender Gustavo Cabral told Spanish television.
Cesc Fabregas and Sol Campbell are doubtful for Champions League semi-final first leg against Villarreal
Napoli thrash Palermo to advance to Coppa Italia last 16
The victory takes Barcelona up to fourth with 10 points after six games, one point behind surprise leaders Granada, Athletic Bilbao, who visit Leganes on Wednesday, and Real Madrid ahead of their game at home to Osasuna the same night.
Manchester United beat Hungarian champions Debrecen 3-0 in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie on Tuesday.
Guardiola optimistic of De Bruyne's quick return
Athletic Bilbao checked promoted Villarreal's impressive early-season run when they beat the team with the distinctive canary-yellow strip 2-0 at their new San Mames stadium in La Liga on Monday.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale will return to action for Real Madrid's La Liga game with Villarreal on Wednesday, coach Zinedine Zidane said.
Giuseppe Rossi kept Europa League semi-finalists Villarreal on course for a place in the Champions League next season with a penalty to secure a 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Real Zaragoza in La Liga on Monday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Jaume Costa atoned for giving away a first-half penalty when his strike five minutes from time rescued Villarreal a 1-1 draw against Eibar that put them fourth in La Liga on Sunday.
Arsene Wenger can be excused a little smugness as he prepares his Arsenal side for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Villarreal as a bleak-looking season has suddenly burst into bloom. Last week's 1-1 draw in Spain makes Arsenal favourites to progress to a semi-final against either holders Manchester United or Porto while on Saturday they face Chelsea in the last four of the FA Cup at Wembley.
IMAGES from football matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
Following a bright start to the season it was another disappointing display by Villarreal, who have one win from seven games in La Liga, before the return at El Madrigal in two weeks.
Samuel Eto'o scored his 24th goal of the season as Barcelona beat Villarreal 1-0.
Hernan Perez grabbed a dramatic added-time winner to earn Villarreal a 2-1 comeback win over Malaga that boosted their chances of avoiding relegation from La Liga on Thursday.
Marco Ruben rescued a point for misfiring Villarreal as they could only draw 1-1 at home with 10-man Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday.
Ivan Toney, once Brentford's lynchpin in attack, has moved to Al-Ahli for 40 million pounds ($52.50 million).
Lille coach Genesio hails perfect night after win over Real
Atletico Madrid grabbed the unlikeliest of points when they came back with ten men to draw 4-4 at Villarreal in the Primera Liga on Sunday. Barcelona tore apart Almeria 5-0 with another irresistible first-half display at the Nou Camp to go top of the Primera Liga on Saturday.
Villarreal landed a stunning blow on a potential rival for a European qualification berth when Giovani dos Santos and Ikechukwu Uche each struck twice in a 5-1 drubbing of Real Sociedad in La Liga on Monday.
