(CNN) -- Barcelona's Sunday celebrations started early with a 6-1 romp over Getafe, and ended late with a slip-up by second-placed Atletico Madrid which has all but ended the Spanish title race.
Atletico's 2-1 defeat at Rayo Vallecano gave Barca a commanding 12-point lead with 15 matches to play, as third-placed champions Real Madrid languish another four points adrift.
"It was an unusual time to play but we had a party in the stadium," the Catalan side's assistant coach Jordi Roura said after the midday kickoff at the Camp Nou, where more than 85,000 fans turned up.
"The players were at an extraordinary level. They were intense from the first minute," added Roura, who is running the team while Tito Vilanova is receiving cancer treatment in New York
Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring in the sixth minute with his first league goal this season before Lionel Messi netted for a record-extending 13th successive La Liga game before quarter of an hour had been played -- his 35th in the competition from 23 appearances.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (right) celebrates after scoring from the penalty spot in the 1-1 draw against Valencia.
Messi and Balotelli spot on
Nicknamed "El Tigre" as a boy by his friends, Radamel Falcao has torn apart defenses all over the world. Atletico paid out $53 million to take him to Spain from Porto in 2011 and he more than repaid that fee, firing 36 goals in his first season and leading the club to the victory in the Europa League.
El Tigre: Falcao on fire
Real Madrid ($650.5 million) and Barcelona ($613 million) lead the way at the top of the chart by some considerable distance over English champion Manchester United ($502.4) . The top six places remain unchanged from last year.
Spain dominates football's rich list
David Beckham waves after his team Paris St. Germain played Brest in his final home match in Paris on Saturday, May 18. Beckham signed on with the team just a few months ago, and now he is retiring. Click through for a look back at Beckham through the years.
David Beckham through the years
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David Villa and substitute Cristian Tello scored in the second half before Getafe hit back through striker Alvaro Vazquez, but then Andres Iniesta and defender Gerard Pique netted in time added on.
"We felt great on the pitch, a lot of people were able to make it to the stadium and the atmosphere was fantastic," Pique said.
"It wouldn't be an inconvenience if we had to play at the same time in the future."
Read: Messi signs new Barca contract
Atletico striker Radamel Falcao scored his 19th league goal this season, putting him third in the Pichichi standings behind Real's Cristiano Ronaldo -- who took his tally to 24 with a hat-trick in Saturday's 4-1 win over Sevilla.
However, it came far too late -- the last kick of the match -- as Vallecano moved up to fifth place on goal difference above Valencia thanks to first-half goals from Guinean striker Alhassane Bangoura and Brazilian forward Leo Baptistao.
Real Sociedad moved up to eighth with a 2-1 win at Zaragoza, while Barcelona's city rivals Espanyol eased relegation worries with a 4-0 win at Athletic Bilbao.
Italy
Mario Balotelli scored his second successive penalty for AC Milan to rescue a 1-1 draw at Cagliari, but his team surrendered fourth place in Serie A to city rivals Internazionale.
Balotelli took his tally to three goals in two games since signing for $30 million from English champions Manchester City with an 82nd-minute spot-kick, but the Italy striker also missed a late chance to snatch victory.
Inter won 3-1 at home to Chievo to move within a point of third-placed Lazio, as striker Antonio Cassano scored in the second minute then defender Andrea Ranocchia restored the lead with a header after Luca Rigoni's equalizer, and Diego Milito added the third in the second half.
Germany
Freiburg moved up to fifth in the Bundesliga following Sunday's 1-0 win at home to lowly Fortuna Dusseldorf.
An 87th-minute goal from Czech player Pavel Krmas put Freiburg above Mainz and Hamburg on goal difference.
Mainz drew 1-1 at second-bottom Augsburg, while Hamburg crushed second-placed defending champions Borussia Dortmund 4-1 on Saturday.
France
Lyon's title hopes suffered a blow in Sunday's 3-1 home defeat by Lille, which meant Paris Saint-Germain ended the weekend with a six-point lead.
Third-placed Marseille also dropped points, drawing 1-1 at Evian -- who moved out of the bottom three on goal difference.
PSG beat Bastia 3-1 on Friday, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring a penalty for his leading 21st goal this season.
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Mario Balotelli marked his return to Italy's Serie A with both goals in AC Milan's 2-1 win over Udinese, the second coming from the penalty spot deep into time added on.
Balotelli had opened the scoring just 25 minutes into his debut with a left-foot volley at the San Siro.
Falcao's impressive form has seen him mentioned in the same breath as Barcelona magician Lionel Messi. The Colombian scored a wonderful goal at the Camp Nou to open the scoring in December but Messi grabbed two as Barca eased to a 4-1 win.
Atletico is enjoying a successful season with the club second in La Liga, through to the semifinals of the Spanish Cup and also in contention to retain its Europa League title. Falcao has been central to the team's impressive run of form, scoring 18 goals in the league so far this term.
Falcao hopes to lead the line for Colombia at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. His nation has not appeared at the finals since 1998 but holds the third of four automatic qualifying places in the South American group.
Falcao and his singer songwriter wife Lorelei Taron are both in the celebrity spotlight. It's a role to which the player has had to grow accustomed since becoming a worldwide phenomenon.
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has become an integral part of the club's success both on and off the pitch with the Spanish giant leading the Football Money League table for the eighth year in a row.
Leo Messi's goals and success has been key to Barcelona's ability to draw in fans and broadcasters at will. It is the fourth year in a row that the club has finished second in the Football Money League table behind arch-rival Real Madrid.
Robin van Persie, a $38 million summer signing, has helped Manchester United reach the top of the Premier League as it looks to wrestle the title back from rival Manchester City. United, which has recently signed a record shirt deal with General Motors, has been tipped to overhaul the top two over the coming years.
Bayern Munich, which recently appointed Pep Guardiola as its new manager for the 2013/14 season, remain in fourth position. The German giant reached the Champions League final last season where it was beaten by Chelsea.
Last year's European Champions League finalists Bayern Munich and Chelsea remain in fouth and fifth but it is Manchester City which has surged up the table. The English champion was 12th last year but is now up to seventh with revenue of $362.4 million.
European Champions League holder Chelsea is fifth in the money list. The London club has spent big money in recent years including the $80 million purchase of Spain striker Fernando Torres.
Borussia Dortmund leads the average attendance count with 79,900, beating Manchester United into second place. The matchday experience at Bundesliga clubs has seen attendances rise across the board with safe standing and cheaper tickets both key to its success.
.Arsenal stays sixth in the table despite it's failure to win a single trophy since 2005. The club has also seen big name departures with Cesc Fabregas joining Barcelona and Robin van Persie moving to Manchester United
Manchester City's Premier League title win catapulted the club up the Football Money League table and into seventh position. City's revenue grew to $452.6 million, the largest absolute and relative growth of any Money League club.
Beckham poses with Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, left, and PSG sports director Leonardo during a press conference announcing his new gig in January 2013.
Beckham makes his England debut at a World Cup Europe Qualifying Round Group 2 match against Moldova in 1996.
Beckham celebrates his goal in the 1998 World Cup Finals versus Colombia in 1998.
Becks as a member of Manchester United cools down during the FA Charity Shield match against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in London in 1998.
At the 1998 World Cup in France, in a second-round match against Argentina, Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone. England lost the match on penalties and was eliminated, with Beckham becoming a hate figure for some fans.
Beckham poses after a press conference in Awaji-shima Island, Japan, in 2002.
Beckham poses with Beyonce, left, and Jennifer Lopez during a presentation of the new Pepsi "Samourai" in Madrid in 2004.
Becks waves after a la Liga match between Real Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna in Madrid in 2007.
The midfielder celebrates with his sons in 2007 after Real Madrid won the Spanish League title by beating Mallorca.
Beckham makes an appearance to promote his fragrance "David Beckham Intimately Night" in Sydney in 2007.
Beckham reveals his new No. 32 Adidas jersey as part of an announcement of the start of his loan move to AC Milan from the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2008.
Beckham controls the ball during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier of European Group 6.
Beckham unveils the new Emporio Armani underwear ad campaign for the fall/winter of 2009-2010.
Beckham, No. 23 of the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team, walks toward the line judge to have a chat during Game 1 of the MLS Western Conference Semifinals against Chivas USA in 2009.
Becks arrives at Sydney International Airport in 2010.
David and Victoria Beckham arrive at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in 2011.
The Beckhams attend the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in West Hollywood, California, in 2012.
Beckham celebrated his second MLS Cup success with the Los Angeles Galaxy in December 2012, when he decided to leave with a year left on his contract as he sought one final career challenge in Europe.
Beckham passes under Tower Bridge in a speedboat which carries the Olympic Torch and its torchbearer in 2012.
Beckham acts as England's captain during the 2004 European Nations Championship football match against Croatia in Lisbon, Portugal.
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