Barcelona was in danger of being toppled from the top of La Liga standings Sunday after it suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly Deportivo La Coruna. Four days after its heroic 6-1 Champions League win over Paris St Germain, Luis Enrique's men could end the weekend knocked off their lofty perch if second-placed Real Madrid, which trails Barca by a point, beat Real Betis in Sunday's late kickoff.
Former Real Madrid youth trainee Joselu gave Deportivo a deserved lead in the 40th minute after an error from Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen although Luis Suarez restored parity in the 46th with a powerful drilled effort.
Depor defender Alex Bergantinos headed Deportivo back in front in the 74th minute and Barca, which was without Neymar through a thigh injury and clearly missed the Brazilian's creative impetus, failed to react.
Suarez was denied a second equalizer by a brilliant save from Deportivo goalkeeper German Lux and suffered a first defeat in 20 league games since it was beaten 4-3 at Celta Vigo, also in Galicia, on Oct. 2.
Barca tops of the standings with 60 points. Real also has an extra game in hand on Barca.
Depor went into the game one place above the relegation zone but are on the rise under new coach Pepe Mel, who has now taken eight points in four games since succeeding the sacked Gaizka Garitano last month.
Hat tricks by Icardi, Banega
Argentinians Mauro Icardi and Ever Banega struck a hat trick apiece as Champions League-chasing Inter Milan demolished high-flying Atalanta with a defiant 7-1 romp Sunday.
Atalanta traveled to the San Siro confident of causing an upset having beaten Inter, Napoli and Roma at home in a season that is turning out to be their best to date.
But Gian Piero Gasperini's men, who have got used to being welcomed back to Bergamo by hundreds of ecstatic fans whenever they play away, are set for a scolding after a dismal display that saw Atalanta drop two places to sixth.
Icardi completed his hat trick in nine first-half minutes — including one from the spot when he was tripped in the area — to fire the Nerazzurri 3-0 ahead by the 26th minute, with Banega netting twice and Remo Freuler hitting a 42nd-minute consolation as Inter took a 5-1 half-time lead.
Inter twisted the knife seven minutes after the restart when ex-Atalanta midfielder Roberto Gagliardini slammed the ball past stricken goalkeeper Etrit Berisha and into the top corner, before Argentina midfielder Banega completed his hat trick with a deflected free-kick on 68 minutes.
Inter moved up to fourth to sit five points behind Roma, which occupies the third and final Champions League qualifying place, although the capital club will pull eight points clear of Inter with a win away to struggling Palermo later Sunday.
Champions Juventus took another step toward a record sixth consecutive Serie A title with a controversial 2-1 win over AC Milan Friday.
Massimiliano Allegri's men are now 10 points ahead of Napoli, which saw Lorenzo Insigne hit a brace, one from the spot, and Belgian forward Dries Mertens add another from the penalty spot in a 3-0 home win over struggling Crotone.
Elsewhere, Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic saved Fiorentina's blushes when he struck in the dying seconds to secure a 1-0 home win over Cagliari.
Chievo got back to winning ways following a 3-1 reverse at AC Milan two weeks ago with a 4-0 romp over Empoli. — Agencies
