After eight months of frustration and disappointment, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are finally getting their act together — and pushing hard for a return to Europe.
They have probably left it too late to snatch a place in the Champions League, but they are on course to return to the Europa League, in which they both flopped this season.
On Sunday, Sevilla beat fourth-placed Villarreal 3-2, while Atletico drubbed Levante 4-1 in Spanish football League.
They now share the sixth place with 49 points from 33 games, two less than fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao. Sevilla and Atletico are now four points above Espanyol, which crashed 1-0 at Sporting Gijon.
In the Sevilla-Villarreal clash, Ivan Rakitic shot the host ahead after just 10 minutes, then Alvaro Negredo made it 2-0 five minutes later.
Carlos Marchena pulled a goal back for Sevilla only for Koffi Romaric to restore Sevilla's two-goal lead.
Guiseppe Rossi pulled a second goal back for Villarreal, but it was then crippled by the sending-off of Marchena.
Atletico thrashed hapless Levante 4-1, with two second-half goals from Sergio Aguero. Elias gave Atletico the lead in the 19th minute with a free-kick.
Six minutes before the interval, Felipe Caicedo levelled for Levante from the penalty spot, after being pulled down himself by Mario Suarez. The second half belonged to Aguero. In the 51st minute he made it 2-1 with a low drive. Then he made it 3-1 with a calm penalty, after Diego Costa had been pulled down.
Six minutes from time, Levante goalkeeper Gustavo Munua clumsily turned an Elias corner into his own goal. Sunday's early games all had relegation significance. Hercules and Malaga posted important wins and now have a fighting chance of avoiding relegation.
The results: Sporting Gijon 1 (Nacho Novo 71) bt Espanyol 0; Hercules 1 (Gomes 59) bt Deportivo 0; Santander 1 (Rosenberg 73) lost to Malaga 2 (Julio Baptista 31, Seba 35); Mallorca 2 (Nunes 25, Ienaga 67) bt Getafe 0; Atletico 4 (Elias 19, Aguero 50, 70-pen, Munua 84-og) bt Levante 1 (Caicedo 39-pen); Sevilla 3 (Rakitic 9, Negredo 14, Romaric 62) bt Villarreal 2 (Marchena 56, Rossi 73). — Agencies
