Tuesday, April 29 2008 -- It must be agonizing edgy for the Real Madrid unit these days to have La Liga trophy teasing and toying with them even though it has been clear for weeks that the Spanish league championship trophy would sleep at the Bernabeu. And the teasing persisted this weekend too.

It was Week 34 in the Spanish first division this weekend and this was more sweet agony for the defending champions Real Madrid. They had the town hall and the open-top bus booked in anticipation of their 31st la Liga title but have to wait for a week or two. Because while they comfortably brushed aside Basque giants Atheltic de Bilbao 3-0 at the Bernabeu on Sunday with Javier Pedro Saviola, Arjen Robben and Gonzalo Higuain scoring in an entertaining match, Villarreal too won their match piping Real Betis 1-0 at the Ruiz de Lopera also on Sunday, Marcos Senna scoring the goal of the season in the 16th minute from the halfway line. The results imply that Real remain in control of the pole position with 75 points, 10 ahead of second place Villarreal.

FC Barcelona though relinquished all the hopes of an unlikely title triumph as they were deservedly beaten by Deportivo la Coruna 2-0 at the Riazor, Juan Rodriguez and Pablo Amo hammering the final nail in Barca's league coffin this season. The Catalans are now 4 points behind Villarreal and have only the UEFA Champions League straw to rescue their season, Depor are 7th, just 4 points off a UEFA Cup spot.

The fight for the fourth and final UEFA Champions League position is very much alive and kicking. Just like last week, this time too none of the three sides involved in the wrestle to garner the prized spot could really attract the momentum. Atletico Madrid stay fourth but only just—Javier Aguirre's side needed a 69th minute Sergio Aguero equalizer to earn a 1-1 draw at Getafe.

Atletico have 55 points from 34 matches, 1 more than Racing Santander who lost their second successive match. Marcelinho's side were beaten 3-1 away at Real Mallorca on Sunday. Sevilla FC failed to leapfrog Racing as they were held to a 0-0 draw at second from bottom Real Murcia on Saturday. Sevilla remain sixth, 1 pint off Racing.

Onto the darker end of the tunnel then and there was some movement amidst the dense traffic near the foot of the table. Levante are officially relegated after losing 2-0 to Recreativo de Huelva, thanks to goals from Kaita and Canoras. Recrea climb out of the relegation zone into 17th but the gap between them and 18th place Real Zaragoza is only 2 points. Zaragoza stretched their unbeaten run to three matches when they drew 1-1 at Espanyol Barcelona but slipped into the bottom tree. Los Manus have 38 points, 8 more than Murcia.

There are no fewer than 4 other sides in serious danger of going down into the Segunda Dvision at the end of the season and Valencia are one of them. Valencia got rid of Ronald Koeman on Monday and installed Voro in his place and the new coach got off to a flying start as Valencia played some convincingly good football to beat fellow relegation candidates Osasuna 3-0 at the Mestalla, striker David Villa drafting in a man of the match performance. Valencia and Osasuna both have 40 points in 15th and 16th positions respectively.

Immediately above Valencia are Valladolid who won 1-0 at home against this season's surprise package Almeria who slip down to 8th, 1 point off Depor. Valladolid, meanwhile, remain 4 points above safety and have the same number of points as do Getafe whose coach, Michael Laudrup, must certainly be feeling the heat.