Real Madrid 1 - Valencia 0 (La Liga, December 20, 2008) (Longer highlights here.) Gonzalo Higuain gave Juande Ramos a perfect start against Valencia, cracking home a fine left-foot strike after great work from Robben inside 3 minutes. Real pressed for the second, Robben shot on target before Van der Vaart’s curling effort strike the post (both chances here). (First half highlights here.) Valencia gave the hosts a scare when Iker Casillas had to produce a wonder save to push Ruben Baraja’s header onto the post. At the other end, Real should have doubled their lead but Higuain hit the bar when clean through.

Espanyol 2 - Atletico Madrid 3 (La Liga, December 20, 2008) Maxi scored after seven minutes, and that is the way things stayed until Nicolas Pareja set up Sergio Sanchez, and the right-back made it 1-all with a fierce drive. Nine minutes from time Sergio Aguero restored Atletico’s lead after the sluggish Espanyol defence had given him three bites at the cherry. Maxi Rodriguez then added his second in stoppage time with a classy solo goal. Valdo pulled a goal back for the hosts three minutes later, but it came too late to save them from another defeat.

Tenerife 3 - Hercules 2 (Segunda Division, December 14, 2008)

Sevilla 1 - Villarreal 0 (La Liga, December 14, 2008) Renato gave Sevilla the lead over Villarreal on the stroke of halftime. The visitors’ job got that much harder when Joseba Llorente was sent off for a high kick on Julien Escude in the second half.

Valladolid 3 - Deportivo La Coruna 0 (La Liga, December 14, 2008) Valladolid moved ahead of Depor when Pedro Leon broke free down the right and crossed for Jonathan Sesma to score. And the lead was soon doubled when Pedro Lopez scored an incredible 45-yard lob the sailed over keeper Arnazubia. Pedro Leon completed the win with a special third goal, the winger skipped down the right hand channel before looking up, spotting the keeper barely out of position, and lofting an angled lob into the far corner.

Getafe 4 - Mallorca 1 (La Liga, December 14, 2008) Aritz Aduriz found the target for Mallorca on 32 minutes but Getafe were far too strong with Cosmin Contra, Ikechukwu Uche (brilliant chip), Manu del Mora and Jaime Gavilan all getting on the scoresheet.

Athletic Bilbao 3 - Sporting Gijon 0 (La Liga, December 14, 2008) The damage was done in the first half with Fernando Llorente netting from the penalty spot after six minutes and Andoni Iraola and David Lopez also scored.

Almeria 1 - Racing Santander 1 (La Liga, December 14, 2008) Ezequiel Garay opened his goalscoring account for the season to put the visitors ahead in the first half, but Almeria levelled after the hour mark through Santiago Acasiete. Mehdi Lacen’s dismissal 18 minutes from time gave Almeria the upper hand, but they could not find a winner.

Recreativo Huelva 1 - Osasuna 0 (La Liga, December 14, 2008) Basement boys Osasuna remain four points from safety after going down at relegation rivals Recre, Adrian Colunga fired home six minutes from full time to see the hosts take all three points at the Nuevo Colombino for the first time since April.

Malaga 2 - Numancia 0 (La Liga, December 14, 2008) Apono put the visitors in front from the penalty spot late on and Nabil Baha sealed the points when he added a second a minute from time as the home side moved up to 10th.

Barcelona 2 - Real Madrid 0 (La Liga, December 13, 2008) (Longer highlights here.) Barca began El Clasico on the attack, Lionel Messi forcing an early save from Casillas before Theirry Henry tried his luck from 25-yards a minute later. Real Madrid then found their feet with several good chances, Wesley Sneijder narrowly fired over the bar and Royston Drenthe did terribly when clean through on goal against Valdes. Barca hit back as Henry and Eto’o both tested Casillas without success. (Real Madrid’s first half chances can be seen here, first half highlights here.) Samuel Eto’o had a shot saved within 90 seconds of the restart, and Eto’o then flashed a volley narrowly wide as Barca cranked up the pressure. Iker Casillas pulled off a wondrous penalty save to deny Eto’o in the 70th minute, Casillas then saved brilliantly again to stop an Eto’o drive and Messi on the follow-up. Eventually Barca scored and the goal came from a basic corner, Puyol kept the ball in the box and Eto’o fired home to send the Nou Camp wild. And in injury time it was two, a quick breakaway freed Messi, who calmly lifted the ball over Casillas (and Cannavaro ran into the post).

Valencia 2 - Espanyol 1 (La Liga, December 13, 2008) (Longer highlights here.) Slack defending from David Albelda gifted the ball to Espanyol’s Roman Martinez and the midfielder thrashed home a 25-yard beauty. The visitors lost Rufete in the 38th minute for his second bookable offence on his return to the Mestalla and Valencia made their extra man count after the break as Raul Albiol found the equaliser from a scrappy corner. Valencia stole all the points in the final ten minutes, an attack built up on the left and Vicente ran in to touch home the winner.

Albacete 2 - Real Sociedad 1 (Segunda Division, December 13, 2008)

Real Madrid 3 - Sevilla 4 (La Liga, December 7, 2008) After just three minutes Iker Casillas flapped at a cross that fell to Sevilla’s Correira who converted at the back post. Raul headed home the equaliser from Guti’s free-kick, only for Sevilla to retake control minutes later through Romaric’s header. And Real fell further behind as Freddie Kanoute hit the third to cap a fine first half for the visitors. It the 67th minute Real began their fightback after a patient build-up ended with Gonzalo Higuain striking a fine 20-yard drive into the bottom corner. And two minutes later it was all-square as Fernando Gago headed home Guti’s set play. Both sides then pressed for a winner, before Real lost Robben for two bookable offenses. And Sevilla capitalised five minutes from time as Renato bagged the winning header from Kanoute’s cross.

Mallorca 2 - Recreativo Huelva 3 (La Liga, December 7, 2008) In a ding-dong first half, Navarro put Mallorca ahead only for Ruben to level, and the sequence was repeated when Jurado’s goal was cancelled out by Adrian. Recre then stole all three points as Fuego bagged the winner early in the second half.

Osasuna 3 - Valladolid 3 (La Liga, December 7, 2008) A Dady brace (18 & 57) and a first half effort from Javad Nekounam (43) looked to have Jose Antonio Camacho’s side on course to claim only their second win of the season. Henok Goitom started the comeback on the hour mark and an own goal from Miguel Flano five minutes later gave Valladolid hope. With four minutes remaining Bartholomew Ogbeche then stepped off the bench to break Osasuna hearts and round off a six-goal thriller.

Racing Santander 1 - Athletic Bilbao 1 (La Liga, December 7, 2008)  Francisco Yeste’s 49th minute strike looked for a long time as if it would prove decisive, but Bilbao were unable to hang on after Pablo Orbaiz saw red on 77 minutes. Gonzalo Colsa found the equaliser in the 83rd minute.

Numancia 2 - Almeria 1 (La Liga, December 7, 2008) Javier Del Pino (20) and Asier Goiria cancelled out Esteban Solari’s 12th minute penalty, condemning Almeria to back-to-back defeats.

Deportivo La Coruna 2 - Malaga 0 (La Liga, December 7, 2008) Angel Lafita opened the scoring at the Riazor on 65 minutes and Omar Bravo wrapped up the points from the penalty spot four minutes later.

Real Betis 1 - Espanyol 1 (La Liga, December 7, 2008)

Hibernian 2 - Celtic 0 (SPL, December 7, 2008) After the break the hosts took the lead incredible circumstances, Scott Brown lost possession in the centre of the pitch, John Rankin picked up the ball 40-yards from goal and let rip with a shot that slightly swerved to beat Boruc, leaving the keeper with egg on his face.