Rival Watch: Real Madrid top Málaga, Paris Saint-Germain win at Nice, Athletic Club win

FC Barcelona are sitting pretty at the moment following a week of outstanding performances, including their exhilarating 2–0 victory over Valencia at Camp Nou on Saturday afternoon and Wednesday night's gargantuan 3–1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. The Catalans currently sit atop the table in La Liga and have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals as they patiently await the final of the Spanish Cup, to be played on Saturday 30 May at Camp Nou.

Barça's three rivals in the three competitions — Real Madrid in La Liga, PSG in the Champions League, and Athletic Club Bilbao in the Spanish Cup — all won over the weekend.

Real Madrid keep pace

Second-place Real Madrid avoided a setback with a 3–1 win over Málaga on Saturday evening at the Santiago Bernabéu, maintaining a two-point deficit behind FC Barcelona in La Liga. Madrid went up 1–0 on 24 minutes thanks to a goal from defender Sergio Ramos. Cristiano Ronaldo hit the post on a penalty kick in the 66th, but James Rodríguez picked up Ronaldo with a goal just one minute later.

Juanmi struck right back in the 69th and Málaga were threatening to draw even when Ronaldo — who had been imprecise all evening — tapped in to make it 3–1 in the first minute of injury time.

PSG back on top

Paris Saint-Germain bounced back from Wednesday's painful 3–1 home defeat to FC Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals by reciprocating that score in a big road win at Nice on Saturday afternoon. The victory puts the Parisians back into first place in Ligue 1 after they temporarily ceded the top spot to Lyon, who had beaten Bastia on Wednesday night in midweek French League action. 

PSG's Javier Pastore opened the scoring on 39 minutes but Nice's Mathieu Bodmer struck back six minutes later. Pastore secured a brace with his second goal of the day at the 63 minute mark and Edinson Cavani set the final 3–1 score in stone by converting a penalty kick with just over 20 minutes left to play.

Athletic Club win in rout

Currently eighth in La Liga and with a Spanish Cup final matchup versus FC Barcelona in the back of their minds, Ernesto Valverde's squad shutout Getafe at San Mamés on Saturday by a score of 4–0. The Basques still have an outside shot at a berth in the UEFA Europa League next season, although this season's success looks like it may hinge on what happens when they face the Catalans at Camp Nou on 30 May.

Striker Aritz Aduriz scored on a penalty kick just before halftime and then netted his second goal two minutes after the intermission to pace Athletic Club. Midfielder Ibai Gómez added another in the 79th and Markel Susaeta rounded out the scoring in the 87th.  Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz only faced one shot on goal.