MADRID, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona can go top of La Liga on goal difference this Monday after Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both dropped points over the weekend.
Real Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw away to Osasuna where the big talking point was Jude Bellingham's first-half sending off for swearing at referee Jose Luis Munuera Martinez.
Kylian Mbappe put Madrid ahead after 15 minutes from Fede Valverde's low cross, but Ante Budimir equalized with a 58th-minute penalty after Eduardo Camavinga had caught him.
A win for Atletico at home to Celta Vigo would have taken them top, but Los Colchoneros were down to 10 men after just eight minutes when Pablo Barrios was sent off for a dangerous challenge.
Iago Aspas' second-half penalty after a foul on Borja Iglesias put the visitors ahead, but Alexander Sorloth bullied past the Celta defense to score an excellent individual goal nine minutes from time.
Athletic Bilbao was unable to close the gap on the top three after being held to a 1-1 draw away to Espanyol, who remain just outside the bottom three.
An even game tilted Espanyol's way in the 62nd minute when Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon made a horrible mistake, allowing Roberto Fernandez to close him down and score as Simon took too long with the ball at his feet.
Oihan Sancet extended Athletic's unbeaten league run to 15 games in the 77th minute when his volley from a corner was deflected into the Espanyol goal.
Fifth-placed Villarreal was denied three points by Umar Sadiq's late header, which gave Valencia a big point in the battle to avoid relegation.
Real Betis took advantage of Real Sociedad going down to 10 men after just 10 minutes after Igor Zubeldia's red card to win 3-0, with the goals coming in the second half.
Leganes and Alaves shared six goals in a thrilling game between two sides battling to avoid relegation.
Bottom side Real Valladolid look increasingly doomed to relegation after a 4-0 thumping at home to Sevilla, who recovered from last weekend's defeat at home to Barcelona with two goals from Juanlu, one from Isaac Romero and another from Dodi Lukebakio.
Mallorca returned to winning ways, nailing a 3-1 win at home to Las Palmas who slipped to 17th on the table after five defeats from the last six matches.
Getafe continued its unbeaten start to 2025 with a 2-1 win away to Girona on Friday, with Borja Mayoral scoring the winning goal for the visitors after Yangel Herrera - who was later sent off - had canceled out Christiantus Uche's early opener for Getafe. ■
