Barça benefit from Madrid slump

Real Madrid CF slumped to a fourth successive home Primera División defeat on Sunday to allow rivals FC Barcelona to claim a place in next season's UEFA Champions League.

Suspended quartet
Madrid, who took just three points from their last eight games of the season, had David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Guti and Michel Salgado all suspended as they lost 4-1 against Real Sociedad de Fútbol, extending their club record run of league defeats to five.

Clinical Kovacevic
Real striker Darko Kovacevic scored his tenth goal in eleven games against Madrid when he headed in at the near post after 14 minutes and Xabi Prieto grabbed one for himself on the half-hour mark when he was gifted the ball on the edge of area by Iván Helguera.

Pair of penalties
Oscar de Paula was afforded a free header on 32 minutes as Real stretched their lead still further and although Luís Figo scored a penalty after Ronaldo went to ground, Prieto calmly chipped in a spot-kick of his own on the hour to complete Madrid's gloom.

Tide turned
Madrid's defeat meant Barça finished above their old rivals for the first time since 2000, despite losing 2-1 away against Copa del Rey winners Real Zaragoza. Javier Saviola gave Frank Rijkaard's side the lead but goals from Cani and Fernando Soriano turned the tide.

Valencia comfortable
Barça nevertheless finished second and with RC Deportivo La Coruña winning 1-0 at Real Racing Club Santander, Madrid slipped to fourth. Spanish champions and UEFA Cup winners Valencia CF, whose celebrations were not dented by a 1-0 loss at home against Albacete Balompié, finished with 77 points, five clear of Barcelona.

European places
Sevilla FC joined Athletic Club Bilbao in next season's UEFA Cup after a 1-0 win at home against CA Osasuna in a bad-tempered match marred by three red cards. It meant Club Atlético de Madrid's 4-3 win at Bilbao was to no avail as, although they finished level on points with Sevilla, they lost out on the sides' head-to-head record.

Tremendous Tamudo
At the other end of the table, RCD Espanyol's 2-0 defeat of bottom-club Real Murcia CF preserved their top-flight status. Leading striker Raúl Tamudo calmed the nerves of the 50,000 watching Espanyol fans with his 71st-minute goal and defender Albert Lopo made sure of the win, despite Claudiu Raducanu's late sending-off.

Relegated duo
Espanyol's win means RC Celta de Vigo and Real Valladolid CF will join Murcia in the Segunda División next season after being relegated. Celta lost 2-1 at home agianst RCD Mallorca to drop out of the top flight for the first time in 12 years while Valladolid, despite defeating visitors Villarreal CF 3-0, also failed to avoid the drop. In the day's other game, Dani scored twice as Real Betis Balompié came from two goals down to defeat Málaga CF 3-2.