Madrid - Valencia moved up to fifth Sunday in the Spanish Liga with a 4-1 thrashing of lowly Getafe.

Euro 2008 top scorer David Villa put Valencia on the road to victory by calmly putting away two penalties. Fellow Spanish internationals Juan Mata and Raul Albiol scored Valencia's other goals.

"It was important for us to win tonight," said Albiol, "in order to keep our Champions League chances alive."

Albiol and company are now just two points behind fourth-placed Villarreal, who crashed 3-0 Saturday at Almeria.

According to a study released on Thursday, Spanish researchers from the Complutense University in Madrid, together with scientists of other universities, found that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the main chemical in the infamous narcotic agent, marijuana - likely helps the annihilation of brain cancer cells.

The research, which proposes to bring to improve the prospects of anti-cancer therapies, said that THC causes cancer cells to go through a process called autophagy - the breakdown that takes place when the cells fundamentally self-digest.

Madrid - Villarreal and Spain winger Santi Cazorla will be out for the rest of the season after breaking his right leg in Saturday's 3-0 defeat away to Almeria.

Cazorla, 24, suffered the injury in the 64th minute and was immediately stretchered off.

He has become a key man for Villarreal in recent seasons, thanks to his hard work, his crosses from the right and his important goals.

Madrid - Barcelona stay six points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid in the Spanish Liga, with both of the twin giants scoring tight away wins on Saturday.

Barca won 1-0 in Valladolid on a goal from league top scorer Samuel Eto'o. Real triumphed 1-0 in Malaga thanks to a solitary strike from Gonzalo Higuain.

The big two won despite the fatigue and injuries caused by the recent international matches.

Barca now have 72 points from 29 games, Real have 66.

Madrid  - Barcelona took another step towards the Spanish title on Saturday, with a tight 1-0 win away to midtable Valladolid on a goal from league top scorer Samuel Eto'o.

Eto'o struck five minutes before half-time in Valladolid, with his 26th Liga goal. He played a classy one-two with Xavi and made it 1-0 with a calm lob.

Barca coach Josep Guardiola decided to give Lionel Messi, Dani Alves and Thierry Henry a welcome rest after their national team exertions.