Barcelona winger Lionel Messi produced yet another masterclass to single-handedly destroy Real Zaragoza.
The Argentinean scored a hat-trick - he now has eight goals in three games - to propel Barca to a 4-2 win despite a late wobble at La Romareda.
Messi, who also scored a hat-trick against Valencia last weekend and two more in midweek against Stuttgart, opened the scoring after five minutes and completed his treble with further strikes in the 66th and 78th minutes.
Adrian Colunga threatened an unlikely comeback with two late goals but Messi had the final say with another jinking run which was curtailed by a pull from Matteo Contini inside the area.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who endured a miserable evening, scored from the spot to register his first league goal since February 14.
The win moved Barca back level with Real Madrid at the summit.
Second-half goals from Spain internationals Juan Mata and David Silva fired Champions League-chasing Valencia to victory over Almeria.
After a goalless first half in which the Almeria goal led a charmed life, Valencia finally made the breakthrough in the 63rd minute when Mata rifled home and Silva then made sure of the points with a second strike seven minutes later.
The triumph ended a run of five league and Europa League matches without a victory for third-placed Valencia and means it now boasts a four-point gap over Real Mallorca, which replaced Sevilla in fourth place this weekend.
Mallorca continued its sensational home form as it thrashed 10-man Atletico Madrid 4-1.
Victor Casadesus set the islanders on their way with the opener after just 10 minutes and although Diego Forlan hit back for the visitors halfway through the first period, that was as good as things got for Quique Sanchez Flores' side.
Aritz Aduriz restored Mallorca's lead moments later and there was only ever likely to be one winner after Raul Garcia was sent off 10 minutes into the second half.
And after Forlan had missed a good opportunity to equalise late on, Atletico defender Luis Perea gifted the home side the three points when he turned into his own net with just five minutes left.
Mallorca then rounded off a resounding victory with a fourth goal in the last minute, scored in some style by Felipe Mattioni.
Racing Santander brought its recent goal drought to an end with an impressive 3-1 win at Osasuna.
Since crashing out to Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey last month, Racing had failed to score in five matches.
But the Cantabrians had their shooting boots on in Pamplona, despite going a goal down in the first half.
Miguel Flano gave Osasuna the lead after 32 minutes, but Racing levelled proceedings through Gonzalo Colsa almost straight away and secured a deserved victory following second-half strikes from Christian Fernandez and Papakouli Diop.
Substitute Nabil Baha climbed off the bench to fire lowly Malaga to a much-needed victory over Villarreal at La Rosaleda.
With the game goalless, Baha was given his chance in the 53rd minute and he responded with both of his side's goals as the Andalusian outfit ended a run of three successive defeats with a deserved triumph.
The result lifted Malaga seven points above the relegation zone and in the process put a big dent in Villarreal's hopes of securing a European berth.