Malaga draws 1-1 at Bilbao, Granada stays last in Spain
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - Malaga fought back for a 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league on Sunday, four days before the two play for a spot in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.
Christian Stuani scored two goals to help Espanyol beat visitors Almeria 3-0 as the Barcelona-based side won its fourth game in a row before it too turns back to the cup competition.
Abel Resino also debuted as Granada's new manager in a 2-2 draw at Deportivo La Coruna, as the league's bottom side recorded a 16th round without a victory.
Bilbao midfielder Mikel San Jose headed in Markel Susaeta's corner kick at the near post in the 70th minute, only for winter reinforcement Javi Guerra to tap home Miguel Torres low cross eight minutes later.
Bilbao's winless run in the league reached seven rounds as it stayed in 13th place. Malaga remained in seventh after four rounds without a victory.
The two sides had already drawn 0-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal last Wednesday. Now, they will prepare to return to the same San Mames Stadium for their second-leg decider on Thursday.
In Barcelona, Stuani headed a ball off the crossbar in the 15th as a warning of what was to come for Almeria
The Uruguay forward fended off Francisco Velez to reach Sergio Garcia's short cross and head it home in the 37th. He needed three more minutes before rolling in another centered pass from Garcia pushed on by Lucas Vazquez for this team-leading 11th goal of the season in all competitions.
Substitute Felipe Caicedo completed the rout by extending his scoring run to five goals in four games with a goal in the 74th. Espanyol, in ninth place, will face Sevilla in the Copa del Rey on Thursday looking to protect a 3-1 lead.
Granada's Francisco "Piti" Medina curled in an exquisite left-footed strike to put the visitors ahead seven minutes into the match at Deportivo.
Deportivo rallied after Jose Rodriguez scored from a rebound in the 34th. Four minutes later center back Sidnei won the ball and led a counterattack finished off by Lucas Perez.
But Granada's Robert Ibanez fired in a free kick headed back to him in the 83rd to share the points.
Deportivo finished with 10 men after Luis Farina saw a direct red card for slapping Fran Rico with four minutes left.
"The team wanted to take a step forward," Resino said. "It's true that we are still green in some aspects, but our intentions were good."
Later, Sevilla visits Valencia with both teams vying for fourth place.
Real Madrid, which also has a game in hand against Sevilla, leads the league by one point over Barcelona after both won on Saturday. Defending champion Atletico Madrid also won to remain in third place, four points behind Madrid.