Madrid - A 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao on Sunday has taken slick Sevilla up to second in La Liga. Star of the show in the Sanchez Pizjuan was rapid right-winger Jesus Navas, who set up first-half goals for Frederic Kanoute and Renato with precise centres.
Navas, 22, will surely be called up soon for Spain - as soon as he overcomes the anxiety attacks that afflict him periodically.
In the 76th minute Enzo Maresca set up Adriano to make it 3-0. Five minutes later eternal sub Ernesto Chevanton completed the rout from close range.
"We really enjoyed ourselves this evening," said Kanoute, "and I think the fans did too."
Sevilla now have 14 points from six games, two points less than leaders Villarreal, who on Saturday came from behind to beat Betis 2-1.
One point behind Sevilla are Barcelona and Valencia.
Barca turned on the style on Saturday to thrash feeble Atletico Madrid 4-0.
Valencia will go back on top of La Liga, on goal difference, if they win in Valadolid later on Sunday.
Sunday's late match will be between fifth-placed Real Madrid and midtable Espanyol.
Real currently have 12 points, one point more than tough Almeria, who battled out a 2-2 draw away to Getafe thanks to late goals from Alvaro Negredo and Jose Chico.
The disappointing draw leaves Getafe joint seventh with Atletico Madrid, on nine points.
UEFA Cup heroes Deportivo Coruna, meanwhile, were moving up to ninth by beating Numancia 1-0, on an early goal from Angel Lafita.
Mallorca have fallen down to 10th thanks to a shock 0-2 defeat at home to Sporting Gijon, who had zero points and 20 goals against until the game in Palma.
On Thursday Mallorca became the first Liga club to be owned by a foreigner, when British businessman Paul Davidson agreed to buy 90 per cent of the club's shares.
Malaga, for their part, moved out of the danger zone up to 12th with an impressive 4-0 win up the road in Huelva. Malaga's star was two-goal hero Eliseu Pereira.
Racing Santander, meanwhile, were winning 1-0 away to Osasuna thanks to late, late goal from Juan Valera.
This defeat leaves Osasuna fifth from bottom, just above Numancia, Huelva, Gijon and bottom team Betis.
