Bilbao go third with Mallorca win

Athletic Bilbao registered their first home league win at San Mames defeating Real Mallorca 3-0 on Tuesday to go third in the Spanish top-flight.

Winger David Lopez put Bilbao ahead before 21-year-old defender Mikel San Jose, who signed from English side Liverpool in the summer, struck the second from the penalty spot just after the hour mark.

Inigo Perez added a third in stoppage time for Bilbao who move above Real Madrid on goal difference, two points behind leaders Valencia, and their next match is at home to champions Barcelona on Saturday night.

In other matches, Osasuna produced their first league win of the season with a 3-1 home triumph over promoted Real Sociedad on Tuesday.

Raul Tamudo, 32, put visitors Sociedad ahead on 16 minutes with his third goal of the season after ending his 14-year love affair with Espanyol in the summer.

Uruguayan Walter Pandiani, another veteran at 34, equalised on 37 minutes and Javier Camunas struck five minutes later to change the course of the match.

Sociedad had no answer to the quick-fire goals and substitute Carlos Aranda notched a third as Sociedad fell to their second successive defeat having lost 2-1 to Real Madrid on Saturday.

Real Madrid are in action later on Tuesday hoping to go top of the table with a home win over Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real lie fourth two points behind leaders Valencia and are hoping to maintain their 100 percent home record under coach Jose Mourinho.

Pacesetters Valencia, at the summit with a perfect nine points, host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in a mouthwatering tussle at the Mestalla Stadium.

Valencia have taken everyone by surprise with three wins from three in the league and come up against an Atletico side without star striker Sergio “Kun” Aguero who is injured.

Atletico are also without Czech defender Tomasz Ujfalusi who has been handed a two-match ban for his tackle on Messi in the 2-1 loss at Barcelona on Sunday.

“The scale of everything that has happened is determined by the profile of the player,” insisted Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores.

“I have seen many of these challenges and often there is no injury. But we all know that if it happens at the feet of (Lionel) Messi or Cristiano (Ronaldo), it causes people to cry out to heaven.”

Barcelona go in search of their first league home win of the campaign on Wednesday when they host Sporting Gijon at Camp Nou.

The defending champions, lying in seventh, will be without star man Messi for the next two league matches due to his ankle injury, however, the Argentine could be back for the Champions League match at Rubin Kazan on September 29.

“Leo (Messi) is irreplaceable but we will go on,” said coach Pep Guardiola. “He needs time to recover from his ankle injury and if he is fine he will travel with us for the Rubin Kazan match.”