Sports Mole's La Liga Team of the Week

Real Madrid took control of the La Liga title race this weekend following surprise defeats for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, who sit second and third respectively.

The battle for fourth also intensified as Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal and Real Sociedad all picked up maximum points on what was another pulsating round of fixtures in Spain's top flight.

Week 25's action opened on Friday evening as Real Valladolid held high-flying Levante to a 1-1 draw, with that result moving the home side to within three points of safety.

Real Madrid moved to the top of the table and continued their long unbeaten run – which stretches back to October – with a 3-0 win over Elche on Saturday, before Celta Vigo and Getafe shared the points in a 1-1 draw.

Barcelona's poor recent record at Sociedad continued in the penultimate match on Saturday as the champions lost 3-1 in San Sebastian, before Almeria and Malaga completed the evening with a drab goalless draw.

Sevilla got their European challenge back on track with a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano in Sunday's opener, but basement side Real Betis's problems continued as they lost 2-0 at home to Bilbao.

Valencia's 2-1 victory over Granada preceded the shock result of the weekend as Osasuna put three unanswered goals past Atletico, who have now lost four of their last six in all competitions.

The week's action concluded on Monday evening as Villarreal moved above Sociedad into fifth with a 2-1 success over in-form Espanyol in Barcelona.

Here, Sports Mole selects its 11 star performers following another terrific weekend in La Liga.

Sergio Asenjo (Villarreal)
Asenjo's last-minute penalty save against Espanyol on Monday ensured that Villarreal picked up all the points with a 2-1 win. Throughout the contest, the on-loan Atletico Madrid goalkeeper was dominant in the air and composed in possession. It was a brilliant all-round display from the Spanish shot-stopper.

Jordan Loties (Osasuna)
The 29-year-old saved his best performance in an Osasuna shirt for Sunday's 3-0 win over Atletico in Pamplona. The French defender won his personal battle with Diego Costa, who cut an isolated figure for the entirety of the match. Loties also used the ball intelligently before departing to a standing ovation 10 minutes from time.
Mikel Gonzalez (Real Sociedad)
Gonzalez was in fine form on Saturday as Sociedad recorded a 3-1 win over Barcelona in San Sebastian. The Spaniard coped impressively with the interchanging Barcelona attack, while he came close to finding the back of the net on a couple of occasions. It was arguably the 28-year-old's best performance of the season.
Ruben Vezo (Valencia)
The Portuguese scored his first Valencia goal on Sunday and it was a big one as his stoppage-time strike secured his side all the points in a 2-1 victory over Granada. The 19-year-old will be remembered for that one moment, but the centre-back was also brilliant in defensive areas alongside the ever-improving Jeremy Mathieu.

Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia)
The 24-year-old continued his sparkling run of form with an assist in Valencia's 2-1 success over Granada on Sunday. After a quiet first period, the midfielder came alive in the second half, with Granada simply unable to deal with his pace and movement in the final third. His performances have been key in Valencia's recent six-match unbeaten league run.
Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla)
Is there a better set-piece deliverer in La Liga than Rakitic? The Croatian notched another assist on Sunday as Sevilla won 1-0 at Rayo. The midfielder has long been linked with a move away from the Estadio Ramon, but a new deal is believed to be close. Every single week it is an 8/10 or above for the 25-year-old playmaker.
David Zurutuza (Real Sociedad)
Zurutuza was handed a rare Sociedad start on Saturday and he played a key role as his side secured a 3-1 win over Barcelona. The midfielder scored the all-important third goal just before the hour mark, but it was overall work that gains him a spot this week. The 27-year-old was simply everywhere in a brilliant all-round midfield performance.
Alvaro Cejudo (Osasuna)
The 30-year-old opened the scoring after six minutes in Osasuna's 3-0 win over Atletico on Sunday. His strike, which came from a well-rehearsed corner routine, set the tone for the remainder of the evening. The Spaniard and his teammates were starved of the ball in the second period, but the damage had already been done.
Nahuel Leiva (Villarreal)
On his first La Liga start, 17-year-old Nahuel was terrific in Villarreal's 2-1 win over Espanyol. The Argentine played a key role in the first goal of the evening as his cross was turned into the back of the net by fellow youngster Moi Gomez. It was panic stations for the home side each time the attacker had possession in the final third.

Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad)
The 22-year-old took his goal tally to 19 for the season with Sociedad's second in Saturday's 3-1 win against Barcelona. The Frenchman also assisted Zurutuza as the home side scored twice in the early stages of the second half. It seems extremely unlikely that the Basque outfit will be able to keep hold of the talented attacker this summer.
Jhon Cordoba (Espanyol)
Had the Colombian started Espanyol's 2-1 defeat to Villarreal on Monday, then it might have been a different result. The explosive forward entered proceedings at the interval and ran the show in the second period. He netted after 78 minutes before playing a key role in the award of a late penalty, but his skipper Sergio Garcia missed the chance to level for the home side.