In his weekly column, Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague reflects on the competitiveness of La Liga after the top two slip up, what happened in Atletico Madrids shock defeat and Reals best performance of the season... La Liga as competitive as any, Barcelona are just extraordinarily goodA lot of people think the Spanish league is not competitive because they see the likes of Barcelona nine points ahead of Atletico Madrid, and 10 points ahead of Real Madrid. The problem is that if Barcelona were in the Premier League there would be that difference or even more, and it would be the same in the German league or the Italian league as well. We are seeing something extraordinary from Barcelona. It hasnt been seen before, certainly not this consistency at this level for that long. However, when you see a team like Villarreal, who are fourth in the table, doing well in Europe, in fact the top six teams in La Liga are still in Europe, that should kill any suggestion the league is not competitive.Sporting Gijons energy was too much for over-confident Atletico Celebrations for Sporting Gijon after surprise win over Atletico Madrid In the last 15 years the difference between top and bottom in England and Spain is shorter. That may surprise some but it is the case. These kind of games like the one between Villarreal, who only made one change from the game against Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday, and Barcelona where the visitors went 2-0 up before being pegged back to 2-2, suggests the teams in Spain are very sophisticated. Tactically they work very hard without the ball, they run a lot, they are more aggressive than people think, but what makes them difference is the variation of what they do with the ball.People say that doesnt happen in La Liga but it happens more than you think, and Sporting Gijon were proof of it. Atletico were too conservative after scoring the first goal. They were partly tired and they thought they had the job done, and Sporting with their youth, exuberance and the fans managed to turn it around. Atletico Madrids hopes of winning La Liga were dealt a huge blow as they were beaten 2-1 by Sporting Gijon Real Madrid produced best performance of the season, thanks to the reformation of their deadly front three Real Madrids Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale celebrate It was interesting to see what happened at the Bernabeu. It was the best Real Madrid of the season. They had the BBC [Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo] up front and that has only happened 11 times this season in the league. Imagine if Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar had only joined forces 11 times this season, we may be seeing a story!It feels like a good point in the season for Real. Everybody is fit and they are all playing well, especially Karim Benzema, Keylor Navas and Casemiro. It is a more balanced team and that is what Rafael Benitez was working towards, but he had everyone working against him. Ronaldo fluffed his lines as he tried to extend Real Madrids lead against Sevilla from the penalty spot Zinedine Zidane has found the same need to balance the team with Casemiro, the same need to get rid of Isco and James Rodriguez from his line-up and what you saw against Sevilla is the team he is going to use more often with Sergio Ramos and Pepe, who were absent at the weekend, at the back.They are too far away to win the league, but they seem to have been lifted by the fact Wolfsburg is the next team they have to face in the Champions League. It probably means they will be in the semi-finals and then they are getting closer and closer to glory. Karim Benzema scored a stunning volley as Real Madrid opened the scoring against Sevilla When that happens it seems everyone has shaken off their injury problems and are ready for battle. Real Madrid certainly looked that way against a Sevilla side that could have got something from the match at the Bernabeu, if Kevin Gameiro had scored the penalty they had missed, and then there was the disallowed goal that should have counted after Gameiro fired past Navas.However, Real also had decisions go against them with Gareth Bale also have a goal wrongly chalked off. Sevilla caused Real problems for a while but the home side were playing at a very high level with key performances from Benzema, Navas, Casemiro and also Marcelo, who makes the team tick. For me he is as important as any forward in the team. Also See: Real win as Bale makes history Barca throw away lead to draw Zidane ready for El Clasico Guillem Balague Joe Flacco Jersey . The triple gold medallist from the 2010 Paralympics tweeted on Tuesday: "Woke up with a virus yesterday. Timing couldnt be much worse. Not the ideal prep for the . Cheap Ravens Jerseys . -- Barry Bonds is all set to return to the San Francisco Giants. http://www.cheapravensjerseysauthentic.c...ferguson-jersey. Torres scored the first goal by an English team in the knockout phase of the Champions League this season when he met Cezar Azpilicuetas cutback in the ninth minute of their first leg match in the last 16. But Chelsea failed to make the most of its counterattacks and the Turkish champions equalized in the second half after gaining in confidence and cutting out their defensive mistakes. Wholesale Baltimore Ravens Jerseys . It was well worth the wait. Manning and the Denver Broncos waited eight long months, then another 33 minutes to get the season started because of a lightning storm. Ray Lewis Jersey . Johns, N.L., to Thunder Bay, Ont., after a deal was announced to build a new $106-million "event centre" in the Lake Superior community.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Hornets have placed the teams future personnel decisions in the hands of Rich Cho after Rod Higgins has stepped down as the teams president of basketball operations on Friday. Higgins had been with the team for the last seven years. Hornets owner Michael Jordan thanked Higgins in a statement. "Rod has been a consummate professional throughout his time with the team," Jordan said. "Thanks to his hard work and commitment, we have an improved roster and we are poised for success in the future. Rod was of great help to me as I navigated my first four years as majority owner of this franchise. I wish him all the best." Cho will remain in his capacity as general manager and assume responsibility for the teams basketball operations, according to a press release issued by the team. Cho will report to Jordan and vice chairman Curtis Polk. Cho declined comment through team spokesman Mike Cristaldi. The move comes two weeks before the NBA draft and what is expected to be a busy off-season for the Hornets. The Hornets have the ninth, 24th and 45th overall picks and more than $13 million to spend under the salary cap. Jordan has already said the team hopes to make a "big difference" in upgrading the roster this off-season. Higgins declined comment on the matter via text message to The Associated Press. Coach Steve Clifford, entering his second season with the Hornets, said he had a great working relationship with Higgins. "He helped me a lot -- helped our staff a lot.dddddddddddd. He is a terrific basketball guy and a great person, and were going to miss him," Clifford said. "With that being said, you know change is a big part of this league. We need to quickly focus and move forward and continue to build the right culture, roster, so we can be a good team year in and year out." When Jordan took over as part owner in Charlotte in 2006, Higgins was one of his first hires the following year. Hes long been one of Jordans most trusted friends. Jordan was a rookie in the 1984 when he joined the Chicago Bulls and became teammates with Higgins, a veteran forward at the time. After a 13-year NBA career, Higgins went on to work with Jordan as an assistant general manager with the Washington Wizards. Higgins later left the Wizards to become general manager of the Golden State Warriors before joining Jordan again in Charlotte. Cho was hired by Jordan in 2011 as Charlottes new general manager and Higgins title became president of basketball operations. From that time, the two shared player personnel duties and regularly appeared together and press conference to discuss personnel moves with the media. Clifford said hes confident Cho will do a great job moving forward. "Rich is very organized, on top of things," Clifford said. "I know well be prepared, we will be prepared for the draft, for free agency and you know just like we have in the past. I dont see that part being an adjustment at all. Weve been working together for a year." 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