LEVANTE lost 3-2 at Atletico Madrid last night for their third straight defeat since they surprisingly went top of La Liga last month.

The tiny Valencia-based club, whose annual budget of around €20 million is less than a 20th of leaders Real Madrid, went on a seven-match winning run, including beating Real 1-0, that put them top for the first time in their 102-year history in October.

Goals from Portuguese forward Pizzi, Spain Under-21 international Adrian and Brazilian playmaker Diego secured victory for erratic Atletico at the Vicente Calderon, lifting them to ninth on 16 points from 12 matches.

Levante stay in fourth place on 23 points.

The table took on a more familiar look on Saturday when leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Barcelona pulled further away at the top thanks to victories over Valencia and Real Zaragoza respectively.

Real edged a thrilling and bad-tempered clash at the Mestalla 3-2 for their eighth win in a row, while champions Barca thumped Zaragoza 4-0 at the Nou Camp, La Liga top scorer Lionel Messi netting his 15th of the campaign.

Real, who host their great rivals in the opening Clasico of the season on December 10th, have 31 points from 12 matches, three ahead of Barca.

Play was suspended in last night’s late game between Granada and Mallorca after one of the referee’s assistants was hit by an object thrown from the crowd.

Granada were leading 2-1 at the time.