None of the top three in La Liga faced each other this weekend, and they are all tuning up for another week of Champions League matches, this being their second leg. League leaders FC Barcelona showed no signs of slowing down with four goals against Eibar, second-place Atlético Madrid went down to Valencia and puled out a 3-1 win and finally Real Madrid started out the weekend fun with a whopping seven; with four coming from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Starting with the leaders Barcelona, who traveled to Basque Country to face Eibar. Eibar while traditionally a team with a small budget and swining between the first and second divisions in Spain, have had a successful year by their standards. They have played well enough to be in the running for a Europa League spot for next year, and have done so with a formidable defense. However any team with Leo Messi is a much different beast than any middling La Liga outfit. Unless young term a 36 match unbeaten streak middling.

Messi played true to form scoring two goals and setting up the younger Munir for a goal of his own. Uruguay international Luis Suarez added another goal, giving the "MSN" trio of Messi, Suarez and Neymar 100 goals since they joined forces. Neymar was out due to suspension. But that's how deep and talented Barça is right now, they can afford to an international superstar to sit out and still cruise to victory. Moreover, it would be nice to have one of the world's greatest as merely your second or third scoring option.

Real Madrid opened the weekend hosting Celta Vigo in the Spanish captial. Much like Eibar, Celta Vigo is a side that finds themselves fighting relegation more than for a European tournament spot. They too have done so through being apt at defending their goal, but the looked anything but at the Bernabeu. Ronaldo grabbed the headlines with four goals to himself, although everyone in a white shirt played brilliantly. 

Isco set up Ronaldo with a beautiful cross where all the Portuguese star had to do was tap it in with anything but his hands, and Gareth Bale made his first appearance in over a month and a half as a substitute, marking the occasion with a goal to make it 7-1.

Iago Aspas for Celta Vigo had a masterful goal, chipping the ball over goalkeeper Keylor Navas' head after beating Sergio Ramos and Pepe back in counter attack, almost making it a game before the half.

In Valencia, Gary Neville's misery continued as Atlético handed Valencia a 3-1 defeat on their home turf. Antoine Greizmann, Yannick Carrasco and familiar face Fernando Torres found the scoresheet for los rojiblancos. With the win Diego Sineone and co. were able to keep pace with Barcelona and second place in the standings.

Photo: Flickr/El Renzo