Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric demonstrated his enduring value with a goal and a brilliant assist in a 4-1 home win over Villarreal on Sunday to put his side top of LaLiga but they lost defender David Alaba to an ACL injury in the first half.
Following a disappointing 1-1 draw at Real Betis last weekend, Real returned to winning ways and lead the standings on 42 points, one ahead of Girona who host lowly Alaves on Monday.
Real also opened a seven point gap over third-placed Barcelona, who drew 1-1 at Valencia on Saturday and are without a win in their last three games in all competitions.
Modric the maestro, struck the bar and then helped Real open the scoring through Jude Bellingham in the 25th minute as his first-time cross from the edge of the area found LaLiga's top scorer who headed past goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
Rodrygo extended Real's lead with a close-range strike from a Modric corner in the 37th, a goal that was initially ruled out by the linesman for offside with the decision overturned by VAR.
Jose Morales pulled a goal back for the visitors after 54 minutes with a tidy finish after a counter-attack.
However, Brahim Diaz scored Real's third in the 64th with a fine individual effort and Modric got on the scoresheet four minutes later, striking a loose ball inside the box.
It was a bittersweet night for Carlo Ancelotti's side though as Alaba had to be helped off the pitch by medical staff after twisting his left knee running to make a challenge in midfield.
French league
Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint Germain threw away two points as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Lille when substitute Jonathan David headed a last-minute equaliser after the visitors had taken the lead through a Kylian Mbappe penalty on Sunday.
PSG had gone in front through Mbappe's spot kick in the 66th minute after Bafode Diakite tripped Lucas Hernandez.
The result leaves PSG with 37 points, five clear of second-placed Nice. Lille's win leaves them in fourth with 28 points.
Bundesliga
Kane double helps Bayern's title chase in 3-0 win over Stuttgart. Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane struck once in each half to steer Bayern Munich to a 3-0 victory over fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart on Sunday and leave them four points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen with a game in hand.
The England captain, Kane is only the third player in the league's history to reach that mark by or before the halfway stage and required also the fewest-ever Bundesliga appearances to score 20, who is the league's all-time record signing after his 100 million euro ($108.94-million) move from Tottenham Hotspur this season.
While at Leverkusen, hosts’s Victor Boniface scored and helped set up two more goals in a 3-0 victory over visitors Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday as the Bundesliga leaders stayed four point clear.
Unbeaten in the league this season, Xabi Alonso's team took a 14th-minute lead with 22-year-old Nigeria forward powering into the box and threading a low shot past two defenders and goalkeeper Kevin Trapp for his ninth goal of the campaign.
Serie A
Inter Milan extended their lead at the top of Serie A to four points after goals by forwards Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram gave them a 2-0 win at Lazio on Sunday.
After their seventh win in the last eight league games, Inter top the standings on 41 points from 16 games and have stretched their lead over second-placed Juventus (37), who missed the chance to go top when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Genoa on Friday.
While, AS Roma suffered a 2-0 defeat at Bologna when a Nikola Moro strike and Rasmus Kristensen's own goal saw the fired-up hosts climb to fourth spot in Serie A on Sunday.