Rival watch: How FC Barcelona's opponents in all competitions fared over the weekend

Rival watch: How FC Barcelona's opponents in all competitions fared over the weekend

We take a look at the domestic results of Barça's opponents in La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey

While FC Barcelona clinched a berth in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League with a 6–1 rout of AS Roma at Camp Nou, on Saturday the Catalans beat Real Sociedad 4–0 to stay four points clear at the top of the league table. Here's a look at how Barça's rivals in both competitions — plus the Copa del Rey — fared in domestic league action over the weekend.

Champions League

Despite having clinched Group E, Barça still have one game remaining. That match will be at Bayer Leverkusen on 9 December at 8.45pm.

Leverkusen, for the time being, are sixth in the Bundesliga table with 21 points after drawing 1–1 at home versus Schalke 04. Bayer managed to salvage the point in the waning moments of the game when a play by Chicharito ended up resulting in an own-goal by Schalke's Riether.

Meanwhile, AS Roma, who were blown out by Barça at Camp Nou last Tuesday, fell to Atalanta by a score of 2–0 on goals that came late in each half, the second on a penalty kick. The loss leaves Roma with 27 points after 14 games in Serie A.

La Liga

In the Spanish First Division, FC Barcelona's 4–0 shutout of Real Sociedad at Camp Nou had provisionally stretched their lead at the top of the league table to seven points over second-placed Atlético Madrid and to nine points over arch-nemesis Real Madrid in third.

But in the game immediately following Barça's, Atlético hung on for 87 minutes after Antoine Griezmann scored the game's lone goal at the three minute mark, beating Espanyol at the Vicente Calderón. The victory brought the Colchoneros right back to within four points of leaders Barça.

On Sunday, Real Madrid were able to keep pace as well, getting goals from Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo in a 2–0 win at Eibar.

Barça travel to Valencia for an 8.30pm kick-off on Saturday. Earlier in the day, Real Madrid host Getafe at 4.00pm while Atlético visit Granada at 6.15pm. Valencia are currently in ninth place in the table after going down to a 1-0 defeat at Sevilla with Nuno Santo's team reduced to nine men in the second half due to the dismissals of Joao Cancelao and Javi Fuego. Both players are now almost certain to miss the visit of FC Barcelona to Mestalla next weekend.

Copa del Rey

Finally, Second Division B squad Villanovense, who are set to visit Camp Nou on Wednesday for the return leg of the Cup's last 32 — and managed a scoreless draw with Barça in the first leg — continue to disappoint in Group IV play. Villanovense were defeated by Cartagena 2–1 on Saturday for their fifth straight loss, which leaves them mired in the relegation zone, 17th in the table.

All times Central European Time

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