Barcelona: A superb header from Marco Ruben earned Villarreal a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday that kept his side firmly in the race for European football next season.
After a dull first half, Ruben made the breakthrough for the Yellow Submarine in the 58th minute when he rose to head home Borja Valero's cross at the far post.
With Brazil striker Nilmar missing through injury, Villarreal had struggled to find a way through the Bilbao defense in the first half at San Mames stadium.
Bilbao didn't shine either, with winger Iker Muniain's pace on the left flank providing something of a threat, though the occasional cross to Fernando Llorente failed to reach its target.
Ruben's goal forced Bilbao to look for an equalizer and two minutes later Llorente controlled a pass with his chest before firing just past the post.
The game opened up and Giuseppe Rossi finally got free to test Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz with a shot in the 62nd minute.
Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez saw his header float wide in the 65th, and Muniain fired into the arms of Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez moments later.
Iraizoz deflected Santi Cazorla's volley over the crossbar in the 67th in the visitors' best chance to double their lead.
Lopez blocked a low strike by Bilbao's Mikel Susaeta in the 69th and stretched to make a great one-handed save to deny Llorente's header in the 86th to protect the victory.
With the loss, Bilbao remained a point behind Espanyol in sixth place.
Earlier, Osasuna scored twice in each half to thrash Hercules 4-0 for its third straight win.
Javier Camunas scored Osasuna's 10th-minute opener after Enrique Sola set the Spanish winger up inside the area.
Right back Nelson Tomar doubled the lead in the 35th for his first goal in Spain since arriving from Portuguese club Benfica in 2008.
Krisztian Vadozc made it 3-0 in the 61st, and Enrique Sola capped the win in the 67th.
Osasuna moved six points clear of the relegation zone and has now won four and drawn one of its six games since Jose Luis Mendilibar replaced Jose Antonio Camacho as coach.
Hercules is last after its fourth straight loss.
At La Rosaleda, Jose Rondon scored twice as Malaga defeated Espanyol 2-0 after a dominant first half.
The Venezuelan striker rifled in a long pass that Espanyol defender Jordi Amat failed to clear in the eighth minute, and he stabbed in a cross from Francisco Portillo in the 26th for his 12th goal of the season.
Espanyol striker Pablo Osvaldo returned to the pitch as a second-half substitute after missing 10 matches due to injury.
Malaga is only one point from safety after its second straight win.
Levante stayed undefeated in five matches after beating Deportivo La Coruna 1-0 from Ruben Suarez's 90th-minute free kick.
Miguel de las Cuevas scored to give Sporting Gijon a 1-0 win over Almeria, and Racing Santander beat Real Sociedad 2-1.
Bakircioglu Kennedy grabbed the lead for Racing with a strike from outside the area in the 43rd.
Xabi Prieto set up Antoine Griezmann for the 72nd-minute equalizer with his 12th assist of the season for Sociedad, but Giovani Dos Santos struck Racing's winner five minutes later.
Valencia plays Sevilla in Sunday's late game.
On Saturday, leader Barcelona beat Getafe 2-1 to remain five points clear of Real Madrid, which defeated Atletico Madrid 2-1 to claim its fourth Spanish capital derby victory this season.
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