Athletic Bilbao enhanced their chances of playing Europa League football next season with a 2-1 win at Osasuna on a day when fellow European hopefuls Club Atletico Madrid drew with Espanyol.
Having fallen behind to Kike Sola’s effort (51), victory seemed beyond Athletic when defender Xabier Castillo was sent off soon after. However, Fernando Llorente equalised with 21 minutes remaining and, in added time, 18-year-old Iker Muniain scored his fourth Liga goal of the campaign.
That leaves Joaquín Caparrós’s team in fifth, two points ahead of Sevilla, who lost to Getafe on Saturday, and Atletico Madrid. Atletico got off to a perfect start in Barcelona against Espanyol when Koke (2) scored after an Espanyol defensive lapse. Pablo Osvaldo and Sergio Agüero, with a deft chip, then traded goals before the former equalised on 58 minutes.
Levante, meanwhile, are up to ninth after an eighth game without defeat, a 2-1 home win against second-bottom Hércules, who are three points from safety. Elsewhere, Deportivo La Coruña eased their relegation fears, winning 2-0 at home to Racing Santander , and Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Real Sociedad beat Sporting Gijón 2-1.
The 32nd round of Liga action concludes on Monday with the meeting of Villarreal and Real Zaragoza.
