MADRID, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona maintained their five-point lead at the top of La Liga Santander following a 2-0 win away to Girona in the 21st round of games in Spain.
Although it wasn't a game for purists as Girona worked hard to try and close Barcelona down in midfield, the visitors' extra quality in attack was enough to give them their eighth consecutive league win on Sunday afternoon.
Nelson Semedo took advantage of some poor defending to score his first league goal for Barca with a left foot shot from inside the area, and Leo Messi doubled Barca's lead after good work from Jordi Alba midway through the second half after Bernardo's second yellow card of the game left Girona with 10 men early in the second half.
Atletico Madrid remain second after a routine 2-0 win at home to a surprisingly timid Getafe on Saturday.
First half goals from Antoine Griezmann and Saul Niguel were enough to keep all three points in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium and continue a run which means Getafe have failed to score in their last 15 meetings against Atletico.
Real Madrid remain third as their positive results continued with a 4-1 win away to Espanyol.
Karim Benzema scored two first half goals, while Sergio Ramos also got on the score-sheet with a 15th minute header to put Madrid 3-1 up at the break.
Leo Baptistao gave Espanyol hope in the first half, but a goal from the fit-again Gareth Bale killed the home side off, although Madrid were reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes remaining after Rafael Varene was sent off for a professional foul.
Rosales took advantage of a defensive error to make it 4-2 with 10 minutes left to play, but Madrid held on without any problems.
A 21st minute goal from Iker Muniain gave Athletic Club Bilbao a 1-0 win at home to Betis in a game the Basques could have sewn up before halftime, but ended up defending stubbornly for a draw after Oscar de Marcos was sent off with 6 minutes remaining.
Real Sociedad again struggled to win at home as they were held to a 0-0 draw by bottom of the table Huesca.
Meanwhile, Celta Vigo's struggles continue as they lost 2-1 to Valladolid after leading through a Pione Sisto goal after 16 minutes. Oscar Plano and Keko turned the result around for Valladolid in the 55th and 69th minutes and Celta have now lost their last five league matches.
On Saturday, Sevilla rounded off a good week which also saw them beat Barca 2-0 in the Copa del Rey with a 5-0 thrashing of Levante.
Levante held Sevilla to 0-0 until the break, but collapsed in the second half as goals from Wissam Ben Yedder, Andre Silva, Fran Vazquez, Pablo Sarabia and Quincy Promes gave Sevilla an easy win.
Fans at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium were at last able to cheer an easy win as goals from Mouctar Diakhaby, Denis Cheryshev and Rodrigo saw them brush past a hapless Villarreal, who continue to punch well below their weight and remain second bottom of the table.
Finally Eibar coach Jose Luis Mendilibar was not a happy man after watching his side squander a 2-0 lead away to Leganes.
Kike's header and Joan Jordan's excellent free kick put Eibar in the driving seat, but Leganes were transformed after the break and Youssef El Nesyri scored twice to give his side a well-deserved point.
