Sevilla move to within five points of Real Madrid with a game in hand; they also open up an eight-point gap over local rivals Real Betis in third place; Athletic Bilbao see off Osasuna; Gerard Moreno nets twice as Villarreal beat last-place Levante
Tuesday 4 January 2022 10:51, UK
Sevilla cut into Real Madrid's lead of La Liga after winning at Cadiz 1-0 on Monday, while Oihan Sancet scored a hat-trick for Athletic Bilbao.
Lucas Ocampos second-half goal helped pull Sevilla to within five points of Real with a game in hand.
Madrid gave Sevilla the chance to tighten the title race after Carlo Ancelotti's side lost at Getafe on Sunday, a defeat that ended an unbeaten run of 15 games across all competitions.
Joan Jordan hit the post early for Sevilla, who were without seven players - which the club did not identify - due to Covid-19 infections. Defender Jules Kounde was also suspended, while Suso Fernandez, Erik Lamela and Jesus Navas were recovering from injury.
Ocampos broke through Cadiz's tightly-packed defense in the 58th minute. Ivan Romero controlled a loose ball in the area, slipped a pass to Ivan Rakitic, who used one touch to find Ocampos to score from an angle.
Sevilla opened up an eight-point gap over Real Betis in third place. Atletico Madrid are another point back in fourth, followed by Barcelona trailing by one more point. Cadiz remain in 19th place.
Athletic Bilbao midfielder Sancet netted three times to lead his side to a 3-1 victory at Osasuna.
His treble came after he scored his first goal of the season in a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid before the winter break.
Villarreal demolished last-place Levante 5-0 thanks to a Gerard Moreno brace.
Villarreal, who struggled earlier in the season, have won six straight across all competitions. Levante remain winless in all 19 league games, and are eight points from safety.
Holders Paris Saint-Germain eased into the French Cup last 16 after a second-half hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe following Presnel Kimpembe's opener gave them a 4-0 win at fourth-tier Vannes on Monday.
With several regular starters absent, PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino fielded a makeshift side which dominated throughout, although they played at walking pace for much of the contest.
Home goalkeeper Clement Petrel denied Ander Herrera and Georginio Wijnaldum with fine saves before central defender Kimpembe fired the visitors ahead with a diving header from close range in the 28th minute.
Mbappe, who had a quiet first half, doubled the lead in the 59th after he raced clear of his markers from Kimpembe's pass and beat Petrel, with the keeper unlucky not to keep the ball out after getting his body to it.
There was nothing fortunate about Mbappe's 71st-minute strike, however, as he unleashed a first-time thunderbolt into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area after good work by 18-year-old Xavi Simons.
Mbappe completed his hat-trick five minutes later with a simple close-range tap-in into an empty net after a one-two with substitute Eric Ebimbe.
Edouard Michut, another 18-year-old prospect given the nod by Pochettino, rattled the crossbar before Petrel pulled off another good save to deny Ebimbe in the closing stages.
The home side missed a gilt-edged chance to grab a consolation in stoppage time as PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma tipped away Jordan Henry's shot at the back post from point blank range.
