La Liga Week 13: Messi scores as Barcelona stay top

After a good week for the Spanish clubs in the Champions league, all four teams returned to La Liga action at the weekend with mixed results.

The big game of the weekend saw Malaga face Valencia, on an awful pitch at the Rosaleda stadium, with the home side triumphing emphatically 4-0 after a tremendous display.

Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini rested Joaquin, Javier Saviola, and Isco for the match against Zenit St Petersburg last week, and it proved to be a masterstroke with the three players controlling the game.

Valencia were completely outplayed, and fatigue from playing against Bayern Munich with 10 men for over an hour midweek may have been a factor, but if Malaga took more of their chances it could have been a cricket score.

The win moved Malaga up to fourth, while Valencia slip to 11th place, and with no away wins all season, Los Che face a battle if they are to regain their top four status.

Real Madrid traveled to Seville to face a Real Betis side low on confidence after their derby humiliation at the hands at Sevilla last week, and many thought Mourinho’s men would cruise to an easy win.

However after a brilliant display it was the home side that came out on top, with Benat scoring the only goal of the game, to condemn the champions to their third loss of the season.

With Barcelona facing a tricky tie away to a Levante side that are very good at home, they knew a win would see them move 11 points clear at the top of La Liga.