Real Madrid maintained their three-point lead over Barcelona in Spain while Racing bagged just their second win of the season.
Real, Barca and Racing all triumph in Spain
Real Madrid maintained their three-point lead over Barcelona in Spain while Racing bagged just their second win of the season.
Real Madrid maintained their impressive form at the top Spain's top flight with a 3-0 at
Sporting Gijon.
Cristiano Ronaldo drilled over in the 25th minute, before Argentinian international Angel di Maria opened the scoring 10 minutes later, taking advantage of slack defending to advance on goal and tap in from close to the byline.
Sporting's best chance of the game came in the 57th minute, after Roberto Canella was fouled by Mesut Ozil. Canella took the free-kick himself and found Alberto Botia, but he headed wide of the target from seven yards out.
Ronaldo was the man who doubled the lead, beating the offside trap to receive an inch-perfect ball from Di Maria, before rounding goalkeeper Juan Pablo and tucking inside the near post in the 64th minute.
After Pablo had again denied Karim Benzema, the scoring was completed in injury-time when Karin Benzema put Marcelo in the clear and the defender beat the exposed goalkeeper with a high shot.
Barcelona responded to Real's victory with an emphatic 5-0 success over
Levante at Camp Nou.
With Madrid having taken control of the title race over recent weeks, Barca kicked off this clash six points behind their bitter rivals having played the same number of games.
But, with El Clasico on the horizon next weekend, they put on a show that suggested they are ready to fight to retain their title.
Cesc Fabregas got them going with a first-half brace, while Isaac Cuenca, Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez also found the net.
Roberto Soldado emerged from
Valencia's bench to nod in the winner as Unai Emery's men secured a 2-1 home success over
Espanyol.
Third-placed Che had looked set to draw when Hector Moreno cancelled out Tino Costa's sixth-minute penalty prior to Soldado's intervention.
However, Soldado, rested on the bench owing to a thigh injury ahead of the midweek do-or-die UEFA Champions League clash with Chelsea, rode to his side's rescue by scoring within four minutes of his introduction.
Racing Santander moved off the bottom of the table with only their second win of the season thanks to Christian Stuani's first-half header against
Villarreal.
Hector Cuper resigned as Racing manager on Tuesday and Juanjo Gonzalez did his case to get the job on a permanent basis no harm at all as the hosts got the only goal just inside half an hour.
Gonzalo Costa fed Manuel Arana on the right and his fantastic cross was powered home from close range by Stuani.
