BARCELONA BROUGHT THE gap to LaLiga leaders Real Madrid back to three points as they thumped Athletic Bilbao 4-0 at the Nou Camp.
Ousmane Dembele headed a 12th-minute opener and subsequently set up goals for Sergi Roberto on 18 minutes and Robert Lewandowski four minutes later as Barca swiftly took control against a Bilbao outfit managed by their former boss Ernesto Valverde.
Substitute Ferran Torres then wrapped up the win for Xavi’s second-placed side with a 73rd-minute effort as Dembele completed a hat-trick of assists.
Antoine Griezmann notched a brace as Atletico Madrid moved into third with a 2-1 victory at fifth-placed Real Betis.
Griezmann put Atletico ahead in the 54th minute by curling the ball in direct from a corner, and added a second strike in the 71st before Nabil Fekir pulled one back with six minutes to go.
Bottom side Elche secured a 2-2 draw at Espanyol thanks to an 82nd-minute equaliser from Gonzalu Verdu, and Girona moved out of the relegation zone as David Lopez’s leveller secured a 1-1 draw at home with Osasuna.
Villarreal pulled off a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 win at home against Almeria despite being reduced to 10 men.
In Serie A, Napoli are three points clear at the top after winning 1-0 at Roma courtesy of a Victor Osimhen goal with 10 minutes remaining – a seventh successive league victory for Luciano Spalletti’s team.
AC Milan are second, with Lazio and Atalanta two points behind in third and fourth respectively.
