La Liga wrap: Weakened Barcelona, Real defeated

League leaders Barcelona and Real Madrid both lost in a remarkable day of La Liga action on Saturday.

Having all but conceded the title and with a Champions League semi-final return leg to worry about, a weakened Real Madrid line-up went down 3-2 against struggling Real Zaragoza.

However, the gap between second placed Real Madrid and Barca remains eight points after Pep Guadiola’s side was also defeated 2-1 by Real Sociedad.

At the Bernabeu, Jose Mourinho’s side were without key players Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Oezil, Angel Di Maria and Emmanuel Adebayor, and went two goals behind thanks to strikes from Lafita and Gabi on either side of half time.

Defender Sergio Ramos grabbed one back for Real, only for Lafita to double his tally on 77 mnutes and restore Zaragoza’s two-goal buffer.

French striker Karim Benzema again reduced the margin with five minutes remaining, but Ricardo Carvalho’s dismissal a minute later ended any hopes of a comeback.

Barcelona failed to take advantage of Real’s slip up, however Guardiola also took the chance to rest some of his stars.

Dani Alves, Sergio Busquets, Victor Valdes and David Villa were all rested, but Argentine superstar Lionel Messi did start, and it was he who provided the assist for Thiago Alcantara to score the opener on 29 minutes.

Barcelona had a second goal ruled out for offside early in the second half, and lowly Sociedad stunned the visitors on 71 minutes when Diego Ifran pounced on a loose ball in the six yard box and poked the ball past goalkeeper Jose Pinto.

Xabi Prieto then converted from the penalty spot with seven minutes remaining in regular time after Javier Mascherano brought down Antoine Griezmann in the area, and the hosts clung on to a memorable three points.

It was the first time the two Spanish powerhouses lost on the same weekend of league football since May 23-24 2009, when Barcelona lost 1-0 to Osasuna and Real lost to Mallorca 3-1.

Atletico Madrid consolidated fifth spot and the Europa League berth that goes with it following a 1-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna.

Neither side made much of an impact going forward in the first period, but Deportivo defender Alberto Lopo’s dismissal on the hour mark turned the match, with Sergio Aguero breaking through for the winner on 80 minutes.

The result leaves Deportivo just three points clear of the relegation zone in 14th.