Atletico Madrid remained on course for a surprise La Liga title triumph when Raul Garcia’s header secured a 1-0 victory for the leaders at home to Villarreal yesterday as Barcelona and Real Madrid also won.

Lionel Messi scored twice for Barca in a laboured 3-1 home success against bottom side Real Betis as the champions stayed hard on Atletico’s heels, a point adrift with six matches left in-cluding a clash between the sides at the Nou Camp on the final day of the season.

Real are still in the hunt, two points behind Barca, after Gareth Bale smashed in a brilliant long-range effort and Asier Illarramendi scored against his former club in a 4-0 win at sixth-placed Real Sociedad.

Atletico have 79 points from 32 matches, three more than their tally from last season when they finished third. Barca are second on 78 and Real have 76.

Not since Real and Barca finished tied on 76 points in 2006-07, with Real crowned champions by virtue of a superior head-to-head record, and Sevilla stayed in the hunt down to the wire has there been such a close three-way fight for the title.

Atletico were missing top scorer Diego Costa through injury but dispatched seventh-placed Villarreal with an efficient performance in front of their boisterous fans enjoying the club’s best campaign since they last won Spain’s domestic league in 1996.

Primera Liga
A. Madrid vs Villarreal - 1-0
Barcelona vs Real Betis - 3-1
R. Sociedad vs Real Madrid - 0-4
R. Vallecano vs Celta Vigo - 3-0

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