Barcelona, Spain (SportsNetwork.com) – Barcelona climbed back to the top of the La Liga table on Sunday after rolling to a 3-0 victory over Malaga at the Camp Nou.


The Catalan club began the day in second place in the table thanks to a

victory by Real Madrid on Saturday and were a bit sluggish to begin the match.

But the defending champions used a well-executed set piece to break the

deadlock in the 40th minute.


Alexis Sanchez made the crucial play on Barcelona’s first goal as his headed

pass following a corner kick fell to the feet of Pique in the penalty area and

the defender smashed it past Malaga goalkeeper Wilfredo Caballero.


After the break the hosts doubled their advantage in the 55th minute when

Lionel Messi spotted Pedro at the back post with a pinpoint pass for an easy

tap in and a 2-0 lead.


Six minutes later Barcelona put the result away when Sanchez fired one home to

wrap up the points for the league leaders, who remain ahead of second-place

Atletico Madrid on goal difference.


Elsewhere in La Liga on Sunday, Atletico Madrid kept pace with the Catlans

after rolling to a 4-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Campo de Futbol de

Vallecas.


David Villa opened the scoring for the visitors after just eight minutes. Rayo

had an opportunity to grab an early equalizer but Jonathan Viera missed his

penalty kick.


Rayo would rue their missed chance as Arda Turan made it 2-0 for Atletico on

the half-hour mark. Viera then atoned for his earlier miss as he slid one home

five minutes before the break. But Turan buried his second of the day four

minutes later to give Atlertco a 3-1 lead at the break.


After the interval, Diego Costa gave the visitors a 4-1 lead with a goal in

the 74th minute before Joaquin Larrivey answered for Rayo two minutes later.


Markel Susaeta handed Athletic Bilbao a quick 1-0 lead over Osasuna three

minutes in before Emiliano Armenteros equalized for Osasuna in the 10th

minute.


Aritz Aduriz added a pair of goals to make it 3-1 just past the hour mark and

Ibai Gomez and Kike Sola scored inside the final 14 minutes as Athletic Bilbao

rolled to a 5-1 victory at the Estadio El Sadar.


In Sunday’s final La Liga fixture, Sundy Jonathan’s 49th minute goal held up

as the difference to lift Almeria to a 1-0 victory over Getafe.