5 things we learned in La Liga this weekend
Madrid - It is as you were at the top of La Liga as all of the top five were victorious this weekend to leave Real Madrid still leading the way at the top of the table.
Here are five things we learned in La Liga this weekend:
Horror injuries mar routine wins
Routine wins for Madrid and Barcelona were overshadowed by two horror injuries suffered by Barca's Aleix Vidal and Tano Bonnin of Osasuna.
Vidal has been ruled out for five months with a dislocated ankle that required reconstructive surgery.
Tano's season is also over due a double fracture of the tibia and fibula in his right leg.
Atletico nearly pays the penalty
Atletico battled back from 2-1 down four minutes from time to beat Celta Vigo 3-2.
However, Los Rojiblancos very nearly paid once more for their awful record from the penalty spot as for the third straight game and with a third different taker, they failed to find the net.
Watch: Preposterous Torres goal levels Atletico's visit from Celta
Fernando Torres scored a sensational equaliser to make it 1-1, but joined Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro to have misfired from the penalty spot over the past week.
After missing out on the Champions League in a shootout to Real Madrid at the end of last season, Atletico has missed six of their nine spot-kicks this season.
Sociedad shows Champions League credentials
Real Sociedad briefly moved ahead of Atletico into fourth thanks an impressive 2-1 win at Espanyol on Friday.
Asier Illarramendi's stunning long range strike was a worthy winner as the Basques inflicted Espanyol's first home defeat since September.
Watch: Illarramendi's 30-yard beauty gives Sociedad vital win
Moreover, Sociedad should have the upper hand in coming weeks as it is free of European commitments whilst Sevilla, Atletico, Villarreal, and Athletic Bilbao return to Champions and Europa League duty.
Barca fires Cup final warning
Whilst Cup finals have become routine for Barcelona as it progressed to a fourth straight Copa del Rey final in midweek, Alaves' celebrations in reaching the final for the first time ever showed as the two clashed on Saturday.
It took Barca half an hour to break through, but afterwards the Spanish champion was relentless in racking up a 6-0 win.
Sporting Gijon enlivens relegation fight
Sporting Gijon's first win since early December finally put life back into the battle to avoid the drop.
Leganes was the loser as its alarming slide towards the drop zone leaves it just two points above Sporting in 18th.
Granada can also move to within three points of safety should it win at Eibar on Monday.
Meanwhile, Valencia's 0-0 draw at Real Betis means it remains perilously close to the drop zone, just four points ahead of Sporting.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)