Iniesta masterclass helps Barca crush Levante

© Reuters Andres Iniesta twice set up Lionel Messi, created a goal for Cesc Fabregas and netted a brilliant effort of his own as La Liga leaders Barcelona extended their near-perfect start with a thumping 4-0 win at Levante on Sunday.

The Spain playmaker's masterful performance at Levante's Ciutat de Valencia stadium helped maintain unbeaten Barca's three-point lead over Atletico Madrid, who earlier crushed nine-man Sevilla 4-0.

Barca's victory, their 12th in 13 matches, put them 11 points clear of third-placed champions Real Madrid after their arch-rivals were upset 1-0 at Real Betis on Saturday.

An almost impeccable performance was crowned when Victor Valdes saved Jose Javier Berkero's late penalty and Barca have 37 points with Atletico on 34 and Real on 26.

Malaga are fourth on 22 points after they thrashed Valencia 4-0 on Saturday, level with fifth-placed Betis and two ahead of Levante in sixth.

Messi's 18th and 19th league goals of the campaign put the Argentine World Player of the Year within three of the record for the most goals in a calendar year of 85 set by German Gerd Mueller 40 years ago.

The prolific 25-year-old has scored 70 for his club and 12 for Argentina and is hot favourite to win a fourth straight World Player award when the winner is announced in January.

Atletico, who visit city rivals Real next weekend, strolled to victory at the Calderon after Sevilla's Argentine centre back Federico Fazio was dismissed for tripping Koke in the penalty area in the 20th minute.

Colombia striker Radamel Falcao smashed his spot-kick into the roof of the net before Arda Turan's cross was turned into his own goal by Emir Spahic in the 40th minute and Koke clipped Diego Costa's volleyed centre into the net four minutes later.

Sevilla's Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic was shown a second yellow card and sent off seven minutes from time and Brazilian defender Miranda netted Atletico's fourth from Turkey playmaker Turan's clever set-up in the second minute of added time.

Athletic Bilbao squandered a chance to get their erratic season back on track when they surrendered the lead and were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Deportivo La Coruna.

Oscar de Marcos fired the Basques ahead in the 24th minute and Abel Aguilar headed an equaliser for Depor seven minutes after the break.

Bilbao are 14th on 15 points and Depor climbed out of the relegation places into 17th on 11.

Espanyol stayed firmly rooted to the bottom after they slipped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Getafe, Pedro Leon and Mane scoring for the Madrid-based side in Barcelona.

Benat leads Betis to 1-0 win over Real Madrid

© Reuters Benat Etxebarria gave Real Betis a surprise 1-0 win over Real Madrid in Seville on Saturday to leave the champions eight points behind leaders Barcelona having played a game more.

Spain midfielder Benat pounced on an error to score after 17 minutes and Jose Mourinho's team ran out of steam and ideas as they chased the game in the second half.

Real Madrid stayed third with 26 points, five behind second-placed Atletico Madrid who host Sevilla on Sunday.

Unbeaten leaders Barca can open an 11-point gap over their arch-rivals with a win at sixth-placed Levante, also on Sunday.

Betis climbed to fifth with 22 points, behind Malaga on goal difference after the Costa del Sol side returned to winning ways with a 4-0 rout at home to a desperately poor Valencia.

Francisco Portillo, Javier Saviola, Roque Santa Cruz and Isco were all on target as Manuel Pellegrini's side notched their first win in November.

Betis, stung by a humiliating 5-1 rout at Sevilla in the city derby last weekend, looked to make amends in front of their fans with a high-tempo start against Real.

Betis pressured the visitors and took the lead when Alvaro Arbeloa's miscued clearance reached Benat who skipped past Sami Khedira and fired a low shot past Iker Casillas from the edge of the area.

Madrid were making little headway, and Jose Mourinho gambled with a double change at the break, throwing on Luka Modric and Kaka in place of midfield duo Mesut Ozil and Khedira.

Karim Benzema had an effort unfairly ruled out for offside, but after a strong start to the second half Real wilted and Betis always looked dangerous on the counter.

SQUANDERED CHANCES

Malaga laboured to make the most of Portillo's superb eighth-minute curler against Valencia with a bumpy pitch at the Rosaleda doing little to help their cause.

They squandered a host of chances before Argentine Saviola struck a deflected second in the 74th minute, and Paraguayan substitute Santa Cruz followed up soon after. Midfielder Isco fired in a long-range fourth at the end.

Valencia, who are 10th with 18 points, and Malaga qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League during the week, but the former's exertions appeared to have taken a heavier toll.

Mauricio Pellegrino's side battled back with 10 men to draw 1-1 at home to Bayern Munich and were missing suspended top scorer Roberto Soldado.

They were kept in the game by goalkeeper Diego Alves until the last 15 minutes, when a second yellow card for defender Adil Rami contributed to their late collapse.

Earlier, exciting young Brazilian forward Leo Baptistao was the difference as Rayo Vallecano ran out 2-0 winners over plummeting Real Mallorca, with both goals coming in the last three minutes.

The 20-year-old broke the deadlock with a fierce low drive from outside the area, and then dribbled past two players to set up Andrija Delibasic for a tap in at the end.

A thumping shot from Manucho just past the hour mark earned Valladolid a 1-0 win over Granada.

Hoy Levante - Barcelona en vivo la cobertura

Barcelona están en la cima de la Primera españoles, no ciertamente inesperado, y ahora también se hacen con la Liga de Campeones tras una victoria por 3-0 lejos en el Spartak de Moscú. Eso significa que pueden centrarse aún más en la liga durante algún mes. Ellos han ganado 14 de sus últimos 16 partidos nacionales, pero aún más impresionante que han ganado 14 de sus últimos 15 partidos fuera de casa en la Primera División. En esos juegos tienen un promedio de más de dos goles por partido y en sus últimos cinco partidos fuera de casa que han anotado 21 goles!

Creo que va a tener un tiempo duro en Valencia aunque, al menos por un tiempo. Levante tiene una defensa fuerte y aunque lo perdió por poco ante el Real Madrid por 1-2, que tuvo 4 victorias consecutivas y 7 juegos consecutivos sin conocer la derrota en casa. Han conseguido marcar en todos sus últimos partidos en casa 11. El Barcelona ha hecho admitido al menos un gol en 5 de sus últimos 6 partidos como visitante.

También hay una clara tendencia segundo tiempo para estos equipos, una creo que vamos a conseguir más goles en el segundo tiempo. De los 31 goles que han llegado en partidos fuera de casa de Barcelona, ​​13 han llegado en la primera mitad y 18 en la segunda mitad. De los 18 goles que han llegado en los partidos en casa del Levante, 8 han llegado en la primera mitad y 10 han llegado en la segunda mitad.

Malaga bury desperate Valencia 4-0 to climb to fourth

© Reuters Malaga returned to winning ways as they saw off a desperately poor Valencia 4-0 at home to climb to fourth in La Liga on Saturday.

Francisco Portillo, Javier Saviola, Roque Santa Cruz and Isco were all on target as Manuel Pellegrini's side notched their first win in November.

They laboured to make the most of Portillo's superb eighth-minute curler, however, with a bumpy pitch at the Rosaleda doing little to help their cause.

Malaga squandering a host of chances before Argentine Saviola struck a deflected second in the 74th minute, and Paraguayan substitute Santa Cruz followed up soon after. Isco fired in a long-range fourth at the end.

Malaga moved on to 22 points from 13 games, four behind champions Real Madrid in third, who were playing at Real Betis later on Saturday. Valencia were tenth with 18 points.

Both Valencia and Malaga had qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League during the week, but Valencia's exertions appeared to have taken a heavier toll.

Malaga rested a number of key figures for their 2-2 draw away at Zenit St Petersburg, while Mauricio Pellegrino's side battled back with 10 men to draw 1-1 at home to Bayern Munich.

Valencia also missed suspended top scorer Roberto Soldado, but were kept in the game by goalkeeper Diego Alves until the last 15 minutes, when a second yellow card for defender Adil Rami contributed to their late collapse.

Earlier, exciting young Brazilian forward Leo Baptistao was the difference as Rayo Vallecano ran out 2-0 winners over plummeting Real Mallorca, scoring both goals in the last three minutes.

The 20-year-old, who had already had a header ruled out for offside, broke the deadlock with a fierce low drive from outside the area, and then dribbled past two players to set up Andrija Delibasic for a tap in at the end.

A thumping shot from Manucho earned Valladolid a 1-0 win over Granada.

Hoy Real Betis - Real Madrid en vivo la cobertura

Real Betis y Real Madrid están en contra de esta noche cada otro en este partido Primera División. Este partido se jugará en el estadio Benito Villamarín de Sevilla y en mi opinión esto debe ser la única ventaja leve para el Real Betis para hacer una buena actuación en el país y asegurar un reuslt positiva frente a sus partidarios a pesar de que ellos saben muy bien que es un objetivo casi imposible conseguir algo contra el Real Madrid.

Real Madrid viajó a Sevilla en este fin de semana sin Michael Essien, Gonzalo Higuaín y Marcelo ya que todos estos tres jugadores se lesionan pero no son muy importantes para el equipo por lo que el técnico José Mourinho no se preocupa en absoluto de jugar sin ellos.

En el otro lado del Real Betis tiene que jugar en este partido difícil para ellos sin Mario, Paulão, Rodríguez y Sergio Perquis ya que todos estos jugadores están lesionados, mientras que Rubén Pérez está suspendido.

En mi opinión el Real Madrid lo tendría muy fácil de vencer al Real Betis en este fin de semana al anotar muchos goles tan enfermo tome el Real Madrid con handicap.