Zaragoza investment pays off

Real Zaragoza's heavy investment during the January transfer window continued to pay dividends after it upset high-flying Sevilla, for whom Spain international Alvaro Negredo had a night to forget.

Zaragoza brought in seven new faces last month in a bid to turn its fortunes around, and that is now looking to be an inspired move with Sunday's victory following on from last weekend's triumph over fellow strugglers Tenerife.

Those two triumphs have helped lift Zaragoza out of the relegation zone, and it is now two points above 18th-placed Real Valladolid.

But while Zaragoza celebrate another important victory, Sevilla will wonder if the match could have gone any worse as it slumped to a fifth league defeat in seven games.

Negredo in particular had a miserable time, scoring the own goal that would end up giving Zaragoza victory before receiving a straight red card in the 82nd minute after kicking out at Zaragoza's other goalscorer, Matteo Contini.

That was one of three dismissals in the final 10 minutes of an incident-packed encounter, with Sevilla defender Marius Stankevicius also earning a straight red for scything down Ander Herrera, while Zaragoza's Adrian Colunga earned a second yellow from fouling Jesus Navas.

Fredi Kanoute cancelled out Contini's opener but it was not enough to prevent Sevilla slipping out of the top four.

Real Mallorca has replaced it after improving its stunning record at the Ono Estadi to 10 wins from 10 games with a 1-0 defeat of Villarreal, Jose Carlos Nunes grabbing a late winner.

The result meant it was a losing start for new Villarreal coach Juan Carlos Garrido.

Sixth-placed Deportivo La Coruna held on for a 0-0 draw at Malaga despite playing for 53 minutes with 10 men following the first-half dismissal of Pablo Alvarez while Athletic Bilbao had to work hard to edge out Xerez 3-2.

Despite trailing to Iker Muniain's early goal, the Primera Division's bottom side responded valiantly to take a half-time lead thanks to strikes from Vicente Moreno and Mario Bermejo.

But Spain forward Fernando Llorente brought Athletic back on level terms before hitting the winner four minutes from time to snatch the points for the home side.

Carlos Aranda scored the only goal as Osasuna continued its climb up the table with a slender victory over relegation-threatened Tenerife at Estadio Reyno de Navarra.

Almeria came from behind to beat Sporting Gijon 3-1.

Diego Castro gave the visitors the lead but Albert Crusat levelled the scores soon after and Domingo Cisma gave the hosts the lead shortly before half-time.

Guilherme wrapped up the points with the third goal 10 minutes from time as Juan Manuel Lillo's men prevailed in a game of three dismissals.

Almeria's Jose Chico was dismissed just 12 minutes in with Sporting's David Barral and Arnolin Gregory also seeing red in the final 10 minutes.

In the late match, Racing Santander failed to gain revenge for its Copa del Rey humbling against Atletico Madrid after a fiercely-fought draw at El Sardinero.

The hosts were thrashed 4-0 at the Vicente Calderon in the first leg of their semi-final tie in midweek, rendering the return in Santander as surely nothing more than a formality for the capital club.

And while Racing was the better side for much of the contest, Miguel Angel Portugal's men were unable to build on Gonzalo Colsa's 37th-minute equaliser after Diego Forlan had put Atletico ahead after 24 minutes.