By DPA,
Madrid : The Spanish football league table had a familiar look to it Sunday, with twin giants Real Madrid and Barcelona in the top two places.
However, Villarreal still have the chance to snatch top spot. If they win away to Hercules on Monday, in the last game of the seventh round, then they will be one point above Real and two above Barca.
Real, who enjoyed a 4-1 romp in Malaga Saturday, have 17 points. Barca beat Valencia 2-1 on Saturday and both teams now have 16. Villarreal currently have 15.
In fifth place, on 13, are Atletico Madrid, who beat Getafe 2-0 Saturday.
Espanyol are sixth, on 12, after winning 1-0 away to Mallorca on a goal from former Spain striker Luis Garcia.
Espanyol are one point above Sevilla, who lost 2-0 away to Sporting Gijon in Sunday’s late game, with goals from Gaston Sangoy and Diego Castro.
Athletic Bilbao are now eighth, one point below Sevilla, after a pleasant 2-1 home win over bottom team Zaragoza. Spain internationals Andoni Iraola and Fernando Llorente scored Bilbao’s goals.
Llorente, 25, is the toast of Spanish football at the moment after scoring three goals in the last two matches of the national team. On Tuesday, he came off the bench and volleyed home the late winner in the 3-2 win away to Scotland.
Zaragoza were even less able to cope with Llorente’s power and presence than were Scotland. They have just three points from seven games and coach Jose Gay is in jeopardy.
Another coach in danger is Miguel Angel Lotina of fallen giants Deportivo Coruna, who were held 0-0 at home Sunday by Osasuna, which played with a man less for most of the match after having Javier Camunas sent off.
The match ended with the Riazor faithful jeering their own team and baying for the blood of the embattled Lotina, who might be sacked.
Lotina said: “I am not going to resign and I would like to continue, but that is not a decision for me to make.”
Lotina hit the headlines on Saturday when it was revealed that he had ordered all of his players – who again looked low on morale and self-confidence – to see a leading sports psychologist next week.
Deportivo, who won La Liga in 2000 and almost reached the final of the Champions League in 2004, are now second from bottom, with just four points, one more than Zaragoza.
Levante, meanwhile, were beating Real Sociedad 2-1, on goals from Asier del Horno and Felipe Caicedo.
Sunday’s other early game was a tight 1-0 home win for Racing Santander, thanks to a handsome goal from tiny ageless veteran Pedro Munitis.