BARCELONA: Villarreal cruised to a 3-0 win over last-place Zaragoza Saturday to protect its third-place standing in the Spanish league, and Getafe rallied to beat Sevilla 3-1 to end a four-game losing streak. Marcos Senna gave Villarreal the lead in the ninth minute with a shot from outside the penalty area, and Santiago Carzola added the second before the 20-minute mark. Zaragoza played the last 25 minutes with 10 men after Matteo Contini was sent off, and moments later Villarreal's Nilmar sealed the win. The win gives Villarreal 27 points, five behind leader Real Madrid ahead of its game at second-place Barcelona Monday. “Winning today was fundamental,” said Villarreal head coach Juan Carlos Garrido, who renewed his contract until 2014 on Friday. “We played in a difficult stadium, regardless of Zaragoza's place in the standings.” After only collecting one point in the last two games, Villarreal needed the win to keep pace with Real Madrid and Barcelona. Zaragoza midfielders Angel Lafita and Jorge Lopez each tested Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez with shots from the edge of the area. But it was Senna's night as he set the record for the most matches played for Villarreal with 220. The Brazilian midfielder did so in style, collecting a loose ball and firing it from 30 yards out into the left corner of the net to put the visitors ahead. Carzola then lobbed Zaragoza goalkeeper Leo Franco to double Villarreal's score in the 18th. Zaragoza improved after the break, but Carzola exploited the hole left by Contini's absence with a pass that Nilmar converted into his eighth goal of the season in the 65th. Zaragoza's loss spoiled manager Javier Aguirre's home debut at La Romareda stadium. “I continue to believe that we haven't had much time to work, that we are still getting to know a method and style, but the reality is that in two weeks we have only got one point,” Aguirre said. Sevilla has now lost two straight home games and remained seventh with 20 points. AC Milan held In Milan, Giampaolo Pazzini scored a second half equalizer to give Sampdoria a 1-1 draw with AC Milan Saturday in the Serie A. Robinho had put Milan ahead shortly before halftime. AC Milan, which won its four previous games, leads Serie A with 30 points. Juventus in the late match shared the spoils with Fiorentina with a 1
