Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain both grabbed hat-tricks as Barcelona and Real Madrid maintained the status quo at the top of the Primera Division.
Barca was up first and had to rely on Argentina winger Messi to see it past third-placed Valencia at the Nou Camp.
Los Che held their own in a cagey first half before Messi took centre stage with a wonderful treble.
The visitors never threatened a comeback once Hedwiges Maduro became the seventh Valencia player to be sent off in seven games shortly after Messi's opener.
That saw the Catalans pull three points clear but it was an advantage which stood for just two hours as Madrid responded with an emphatic 4-1 win at Real Valladolid.
Cristiano Ronaldo put Manuel Pellegrini's side ahead with a trademark free-kick after 28 minutes and two Higuain strikes either side of half-time all but settled the issue.
Raul Albiol bundled home a comical own goal before Higuain notched his third, tapping in Ronaldo's cross-shot.
Villarreal moved to within six points of the Europa League spots after winning 2-0 against bottom club Xerez, who slips ever closer to the relegation trap-door after seeing its recent mini-revival come to an end.
Villarreal has badly under-achieved this season but it could yet salvage a European berth after trimming the difference to the top six by two points thanks to goals from Joseba Llorente and Damian Escudero.
Midfielder Fernando Soriano continued his recent run of goalscoring form by firing Almeria to a 1-0 victory over local rivals Malaga at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos.
Malaga, however, is now only four points above the bottom three after failing to improve its poor record against fellow Andalusian sides this season.
Racing Santander's search for a first home league win since early January continues after it was held to a goalless draw by Primera Division relegation rivals Real Zaragoza at El Sardinero.
Goalkeeper Fabio Coltorti was the hero for the hosts as he made a string of excellent saves to deny a Zaragoza side that created the better clear-cut chances of a scrappy encounter.
Tenerife boosted its hopes of survival with a vital 4-1 win at home to Espanyol as the Catalans' miserable away form continued.
Richi gave the Canary Islanders the lead after 20 minutes and Nino doubled the home side's lead early in the second half.
Espanyol got back into the game through Joan Verdu 20 minutes from time, but Alejandro Alfaro and Nino later rounded off a deserved victory for Jose Luis Oltra's in the closing stages.