Real Madrid reclaimed top spot in the Primera Liga from Barcelona as they won at Real Valladolid on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola's Barcelona had briefly returned to the summit after a win over Valencia, but Real edged back in front on goal difference later in the evening.
Relegation rivals Racing Santander and Real Zaragoza drew, Tenerife boosted their hopes of survival against Espanyol, Villarreal defeated bottom club Xerez and Almeria overcame Malaga.
Real Madrid were under pressure, having seen Barcelona win and with their midweek UEFA Champions League exit to Lyon still fresh in the memory, but a Gonzalo Higuain hat-trick helped them to a 4-1 victory at relegation-threatened Real Valladolid.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 28th minute of a feisty first half as his deflected free-kick nestled in the back of the net, before Higuain added a second on the stroke of the interval.
Ronaldo limped off at the break after sustaining a cut to his leg following a stamp from Valladolid substitute defender Nivaldo, but the Portuguese maestro returned for the second half.
Seven minutes after the break Higuain doubled his personal tally for the match, but Valladolid pulled a goal back in the 58th minute when Raul Albiol was unfortunate to deflect into his own net.
Higuain, though, ended any hopes of a comeback as he applied a simple finish to a Ronaldo cross for his third of the night.
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona beat Valencia 3-0 for Guardiola's men to briefly return to the top of the table prior to Real's win.
Messi controlled a pass from Xavi Hernandez on the edge of the area and dribbled past three men before firing in a left-footed shot in the 56th minute.
The Argentina forward struck again in the 81st when he controlled a long pass on the right, cut inside and shot past Cesar Sanchez. Messi's 22nd league goal of the season came two minutes later when he ran onto Thierry Henry's pass to tap the ball in.
Valencia's Hedwiges Maduro was sent off 20 minutes from the end for his second yellow card after a challenge on Messi.
Racing Santander's search for a first home league win since early January continues after they were held to a goalless draw by relegation rivals Real Zaragoza at El Sardinero.
Goalkeeper Fabio Coltorti was the hero for the hosts as he made a string of excellent saves to deny a Zaragoza side that created the better clear-cut chances of a scrappy encounter.
Tenerife boosted their hopes of survival with a vital 4-1 win against Espanyol as the Catalans' miserable away form continued.
Richi gave the Canary Islanders the lead after 20 minutes and Nino doubled the home side's lead early in the second half.
Espanyol got back into the game through Joan Verdu 20 minutes from time, but Alejandro Alfaro and Nino later rounded off a deserved victory for Jose Luis Oltra's men in the closing stages.
Villarreal moved to within six points of the Europa League spots after easing to a 2-0 win against bottom club Xerez, who slipper closer to the relegation trap-door after seeing their recent mini-revival come to an end.
Villarreal, runners-up in La Liga in 2008 and Champions League quarter-finalists last year, have badly under-achieved this season but they could yet salvage a European berth after trimming the difference to the top six by two points thanks to goals from Joseba Llorente and Damian Escudero.
Midfielder Fernando Soriano continued his recent run of goalscoring form by firing Almeria to a 1-0 victory over local rivals Malaga at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos.
Having only netted twice in his first 19 league appearances this season and rarely been a regular scorer throughout his career, Soriano has now struck three times in five games and his 56th-minute effort helped Almeria take another step towards Primera Division survival.
LA youngsters eye fresh starts in 2010Primera Liga round-up
