MADRID, Jan 7 (Xinhua) -- Matchday 18 in the La Liga Santander was a good one for league leaders FC Barcelona, as they and Alaves were the only sides in the top-7 to win their matches. Here are some things we learned as football returned to Spain after the Christmas break.

1. Business as usual for Barca

Barca moved five points clear at the top of the table thanks to a 2-1 win over Getafe with Leo Messi and Luis Suarez scoring for Barca.

Getafe had only conceded four times at home this season and made Barca work hard for the points, but with Sergio Busquets rested after a stomach bug and their strikers again in fine form, it was a great start to 2019 for the 'Blaugranas' after they had watched their main title rivals drop points earlier in the day.

2. Solari in trouble

Although he was given a contract until June 2020 a fortnight after replacing Julen Lopetegui as Real Madrid coach at the start of November, Santiago Solari always looked like a short-term option at the club.

A dreadful start to 2019 which has seen Madrid pick up just 1 point from a 2-2 draw in Villarreal and 2-0 home defeat to Real Sociedad have all but ended their title hopes before the halfway point of the season for the second successive year.

Although Solari's side were not awful on Sunday, the amiable coach has overseen a 3-0 home defeat to CSKA Moscow, a 3-0 thrashing in Eibar and fortunate 1-0 wins over relegation threatened Rayo Vallecano and Huesca in recent games and doesn't look equipped to turn the club around.

3. All square and no surprises in Sevilla

With two sides as well worked as Sevilla and Atletico Madrid it was little surprise that the game between the teams third and second in the Liga Santander ended in a 1-1 draw.

Sevilla deserved to open the scoring thanks to Wissan Ben Yedder's ninth goal of the season, but a typical Antoine Girezmann free kick and the excellent work of both goalkeepers ensured the game ended honors even.

Atletico will probably be the happier of the two with a point which leaves them above their rivals with a home game against Levante next weekend, while Seville travel to face Athletic Club Bilbao

4. Write nobody off in the relegation battle

The past weekend saw Villarreal take a valuable point away to Eibar, while Alvaro Medran's first minute goal away to Valladolid gave second from bottom Rayo Vallecano their first away win of the season and Huesca came behind from a goal down to claim their first ever home win in the Liga Santander.

Rayo have won six points from 2 games to go level of points with Athletic Club Bilbao (who play Celta Vigo on Monday night), while Huesca finally got the luck their recent performances have deserved.

The newly promoted side give everything for 90 minutes of their matches and maybe those writing them off as doomed to the drop have spoken too soon.

Meanwhile, Athletic Club are unbeaten in three games since Gaizka Garitano replaced Eduardo Berizzo at the club and this season clubs may need at least 40 points to avoid relegation. Enditem

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