Barcelona lost 1-0 at Real Sociedad on Saturday while Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both won to gain ground in the title race in La Liga.

Sociedad took the lead in just the fifth minute as 18-year-old Mikel Oyarzabal rose to head home Xabi Prieto's cross.

Barcelona failed to find a response without the suspended Luis Suarez in the squad and remain without a win at the Estadio Anoeta since May of 2007, a span of seven games.

Lionel Messi had a few chances to score his landmark 500th goal for club and country but was denied by Geronimo Rulli, most notably from close range with five minutes to play. Messi has gone four games without a goal for Barcelona for the first time since April and May 2011.

With six games remaining, Barcelona's lead atop the table shrunk to just three points over second-placed Atletico, while Real Madrid are four points off the lead in third.

Real Madrid eased the pain of their shock defeat at Wolfsburg in the Champions League as Cristiano Ronaldo scored and provided two assists in a resounding 4-0 win over Eibar.

James Rodriguez opened the scoring from a free kick after just four minutes and Madrid got all four goals before the break. Lucas Vazquez and Jese added to the scoring with the help of passes from Ronaldo, who grabbed Madrid's third of the afternoon to move on to 30 Primera Division goals for the season.

Madrid kept up the pressure on title rivals Atletico and Barcelona thanks to a sixth consecutive league win, while Eibar stretched their winless run to eight games, although the Basques remain in mid-table.

Fernando Torres, Antoine Griezmann and Koke were among the scorers as Atletico Madrid came from behind to beat Espanyol 3-1.

The home side took the lead from a corner from set-piece specialist Marco Asensio and Pape Diop climbed above Fernando Torres to head home.

Torres made amends six minutes later at the other end, combining with Koke for the third game in a row to score.

Koke also laid on the pass for Antoine Griezmann to put Atletico ahead on 58 minutes, the Frenchman smashing the ball in off both posts to grab a 20th league goal of the season.

At the other end Oblak dived low to deny Moreno again at the near post, and Spain midfielder Koke killed off Espanyol's hopes of a revival in the 88th minute, heading in a cross from Torres.

In the late game, Ruben Castro's 81st-minute goal fired Real Betis to a 1-0 home victory over Levante that leaves the Valencian club rooted to the bottom of the table with only six games remaining.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by PA Sport

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