Villarreal moved into second place in the Spanish league thanks to a 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Ruben "Cani" Garcia put Villarreal ahead after nine minutes as he poked Nilmar's slick pass into the area past goalkeeper David De Gea to finish a quick counterattack.

Giuseppe Rossi's impressive individual effort inside the area ended with the Italy striker tucking a shot inside the near post past De Gea to double the lead in the 52nd against a frustrated Atletico team.

Coach Quique Sanchez Flores was sent from the touchline during halftime for protesting a penalty appeal in the first half's final moments, when Sergio Aguero was tripped up inside the area while chasing the rebound from Diego Godin's shot.

Nilmar and Rossi harassed Atletico's goal to the close and De Gea stopped the Brazil striker after he stole the ball for a one-on-one inside the area.

Atletico, which also had an early penalty appeal waved away, could not find its rhythm even after Diego Forlan's 58th-minute entrance as the Uruguay striker surprisingly started on the bench.

Goal difference

Villarreal leads Barcelona on goal difference with the two clubs tied on 19 points to trail leader Real Madrid by one point.

Luis Fabiano ended a two-month scoring drought with two goals on Sunday as Sevilla beat Athletic Bilbao 4-3 in a match marked by a dramatic last half hour. Fabiano controlled Frederic Kanoute's failed effort to score in the 35th minute for his first goal since August.

The Brazil striker then earned a 45th-minute penalty that Kanoute converted to deflate the Basque visitors, before racing past Athletic's defense to reach Ndri Romaric's long ball in the 62nd and tap a looping shot over goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz for 3-0.

But Athletic was given life by Fernando Navarro's sending off in the 64th as Fernando Llorente headed Markel Susaeta's cross into the bottom corner before scoring from the rebound for his sixth goal of the season.

"The game got crazy with the sending off," Sevilla coach Gregorio Manzano said. "But we were better than Athletic."