MADRID, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Matchday 27 saw a change of leader in the Spanish Liga Santander after FC Barcelona were beaten away to Deportivo la Coruna and Real Madrid overcame a dogged Betis in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium: here are some things we learned this weekend in Spain.
1) It's Best to keep quiet about referees.
For several days following FC Barcelona's qualification for the quarter-finals of the Champions League at home to Paris Saint Germain, with refereeing controversy included, the Madrid based press has been trying to take away the merit for the comeback, insisting the referee blatantly favored Barca.
What then do they say about referee Mateu Lahoz, who on Sunday made perhaps the worst mistake of the season in failing to send Real Madrid goalkeeper off for a clear foul on Betis striker Tony Sanabria with the game between the two sides 0-0 after 20 minutes in the Santiago Bernabeu?
The answer is very little, while in Barcelona, the decision makes headlines: All of which tells us something: best to let the referees get on with their jobs, because if there is one thing the 'big two' in Spain can't moan about it is refereeing decisions going against them on a regular basis.
2) Are Sevilla's title hopes over?
Two draws in two games have seen Sevilla drop four points in the race for the title, with both games giving cause for concern to coach Jorge Sampaoli ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash away to Leicester City.
If last Monday saw them run out of gas away to Alaves, the same happened on Saturday as a much changed side was lucky to take a point out of Leganes.
While it is true that Samir Nasri was absent from both of those performances, several key players were below their best and it is starting to look as if Sampaoli's hgh-energy approach to football is starting to leave his players looking exhausted just as they come to the finishing sprint.
If Sevilla can beat Leicester then they have to make a difficult choice: keep fighting for the league or give everything in Europe? Because it looks as if both will not be possible.
3) Athletic Bilbao top dogs in Basque derby
Conditions were perfect for Sunday's Basque derby between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club Bilbao...pouring rain, strong winds, exactly what you want to produce the typical epic confrontation between two local rivals with Europe in their sights.
Athletic travelled to their high-flying rivals with the lowest away goals total in the entire league and just three goals on the road since September. They returned home with three points and a morale boosting win after a Raul Garcia penalty and an Inaki Williams goal gave them a 2-0 triumph.
Real Sociedad never gave up, but were unable to reproduce the crisp passing and movement of their best performances. Their strength this season has been the relatively unchanged starting 11 fielded by Eusebio Sacristan, but as the season reaches the final stretch, some players are looking stale.
4) Next week's Sporting Gijon - Granada will decide relegation issue
Second from bottom Sporting Gijon claimed a point away to Valencia on Saturday which will help raise their morale, although it does little to lift the up the table, while third from bottom Granada saw a run of three home wins come to an end with a 1-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid.
Next weekend sees the two sides go head to head in Sporting' s El Molinon Stadium in a game that could decide the fates of one or both of the two sides; something that has to worry Granada coach Lucas Alcaraz, whose side have not won away all season.
Meanwhile neither team did themselves any favors at the weekend with Sporting seeing goalkeeper Pichu Cuellar, striker Duje Cop and midfielder Nacho Cases pick up suspensions, while Wakaso's red card means Granada will miss his midfield bite.
