MADRID – Celta Vigo thrashed Alaves 6-0 on Sunday to pull clear of the relegation zone, making the most of the visiting side having a player sent off in the first half.
Jeison Murillo headed Celta in front in the 14th minute from a corner before their leading scorer Iago Aspas scored from the penalty spot, making amends for spurning a spot kick in the 0-0 draw at Real Valladolid in mid-week.
Things got worse for Alaves when Martin Aguirregabiria was shown a straight red card in the 27th minute and Celta twisted the knife further into the visitors as Rafinha scored twice in the space of two minutes before the break to make it 4-0.
Nolito enjoyed an ideal return in his first match back for Celta after signing from Sevilla in mid-week by scoring from the penalty spot soon after coming on as a substitute then laid on a pass for Santi Mina to complete the rout in the 86th.
Celta were hovering one point above the relegation zone before kick off but the win took them up to 16th on 30 points, four ahead of 18th-placed Real Mallorca with eight games left. Alaves are 13th on 35.
Later on Sunday, Valencia host Osasuna needing a win to kick-start their bid to get back into the top-four while Real Madrid visit Real Sociedad with a chance to go top of the standings.