MADRID, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona stayed top of La Liga after a 3-0 home win over Oviedo, while Real Madrid continued its upturn with a 2-0 victory away to Villarreal. Here are four takeaways from the weekend.
1. Oviedo makes life hard, then gifts Barcelona control
Bottom side Oviedo frustrated Barcelona at Camp Nou in the first half of Sunday's game. Guillermo Almada's team defended resolutely and limited the hosts to few clear chances before the break.
Oviedo's resistance collapsed after halftime as three costly mistakes decided the match. A failure to clear the ball allowed Dani Olmo to open the scoring in the 52nd minute. Four minutes later, an under-hit backpass put Raphinha through and he chipped Aaron Escandell to make it 2-0. Escandell then misplaced a clearance and Lamine Yamal capitalized to seal the win.
2. Real Madrid's recovery looks on track
Real Madrid's trip to Villarreal was a test of how the team has responded since Alvaro Arbeloa replaced Xabi Alonso as coach.
The first half was short on chances and Villarreal suffered a setback when Juan Foyth went off with a serious tendon injury. Real Madrid was sharper after the break, created enough to win, and limited Villarreal's opportunities at the other end. Kylian Mbappe scored both goals, and Arbeloa will also be encouraged by the commitment his players showed.
3. Cruise control for Atletico
Atletico Madrid eased past Mallorca 3-0 to stay third in La Liga, with Alexander Sorloth, an own goal and Thiago Almada on the scoresheet in a comfortable win for Diego Simeone's side.
Atletico has won four and drawn one of its last five games since losing away to Athletic Club Bilbao. Mallorca ended the weekend above the relegation zone, but faces a difficult run of fixtures that could increase the pressure on coach Jagoba Arrasate.
4. Athletic dragged into a relegation fight
Athletic Bilbao's poor league run continued after a 2-1 defeat to Sevilla, with a handball from Yuri Berchiche allowing Akor Adams to score the decisive penalty.
There had been hopes that Wednesday's 3-2 Champions League win away to Atalanta would mark a turning point, but Athletic struggled to respond after falling behind. Injuries and fatigue from competing on three fronts have taken a toll, and with no league win since early December and only a three-point cushion above the bottom three, Athletic is now in a relegation battle. ■
