20 Sep 2009

Spanish football wrap

6:24 pm on 20 September 2009

Champions Barcelona turned on the style to hammer Atletico Madrid 5-2 and consolidate their position at the top of La Liga.

The visitors, who were thumped 6-1 in the same fixture last season, have had a poor start to the campaign and came out with an ambitious attacking lineup.

But they were quickly on the back foot as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, Daniel Alves and Seydou Keita put Barca 4-1 up halftime.

Atletico's Sergio Aguero pulled one back just before the break and Diego Forlan bagged another goal near the end, before Messi cracked home his second of the night.

Barca maintained their 100 percent record to stay top with nine points ahead of Real Mallorca on seven, after the islanders cruised to a 4-0 victory over Tenerife.

Sevilla won 2-0 at Osasuna with goals from Alvaro Negredo and Frederic Kanoute, while Espanyol dragged themselves off the foot of the table with 3-2 win at Deportivo Coruna.

Racing Santander earned their first league win of the season by overcoming Malaga 2-1 away.

Adriano Correia set up Sevilla's opener after 37 minutes when he spun clear of his marker and crossed for Negredo to score from close range.

Mali striker Kanoute scored from outside the area, shortly after coming on as a substitute, in the 71st minute and Osasuna's threat faded with a late red card for Sergio Fernandez.