Talking points from Primera Liga Matchday 16

While Real Madrid were in Japan winning the World Club Championship there was plenty happening in Spain's Primera Liga in a weekend which taught us some key points.

1:)Messi produces perfect response to Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have won the Balon D' Or and produced a hat-trick in the World Club Championship final, but on Sunday evening Leo Messi produced the perfect reply for anyone who doubts he is the best player of the world. The Argentinean was brilliant as Barcelona defeated a tough Espanyol side 4-1 in the Camp Nou, with his run and shot to set up Luis Suarez for Barca's second of the game a thing of true football beauty.

After a dip in form, the return of Andres Iniesta has inspired Barca and Messi back to their best and all of a sudden it looks as if it's game on again in the race for the LaLiga title.

2) Write Sevilla off at your peril

Sevilla are just a point behind Barca and four behind Madrid in the title race on the back of their 4-1 destruction of Malaga on Saturday night. It looked as if Jorge Sampaoli's side were in a hurry to get their holidays underway as they were 4-0 up at halftime with Luciano Vietto netting a brace that will do his confidence a power of good. Overall Sevilla's forwards have miss-fired this slightly this season, but when that has happened, others such as Samir Nasri, Vicente Iborra and even Nico Pareja have scored vital goals. That adaptability has stood Sevilla in good stead so far and if their forwards can find their best form, there is no reason Sevilla can't challenge until the end of the season.

3) Real Sociedad are on fire: Can they keep it up?

A dejected Sergi Samper said it all after Granada's revival was halted by a 2-0 defeat to Real Sociedad on Saturday. "They were tactically and technically better than we were," said Samper after goals from Jon Bautista and Juanmi kept 'La Real' fifth in the table. Even more important was that the win was achieved without cornerstones of the season, David Zurutuza and Willian Jose, hinting that the Basque side can overcome the loss of at least two key players. They lost Carlos Martinez to injury on Saturday and the big question is: when injuries and suspensions bite in the New Year, does Eusebio Sacristan have enough depth in the squad to challenge for a top-four finish? The signs on Saturday at least were positive.

4) Roque Mesa. A name to remember

Las Palmas were unlucky to lose 1-0 to Atletico Madrid on Saturday afternoon after controlling the game in the Vicente Calderon Stadium for long periods. The side coached by Quique Setien play lovely touch football and at the heart of it is 27-year-old Roque Mesa.

Mesa, who recently said he won't shave his mustache off until he gets a Spain call up, was at the heart of everything good his side did on Saturday and almost opened the scoring for the visitors only to be denied by Atletico keeper, Miguel Angel Moya. His control, touch and change of pace was excellent and with Spain coach Julen Lopetegui watching from the stands, there is a chance he may need a shave sooner than expected.

5) Osasuna look doomed

Osasuna sacked coach Quique Martin and replaced him with Joaquin Caparros after an unfortunate home defeat to Alaves left them with seven points from 11 games. After five consecutive defeats under Caparros (six including a cup defeat in Granada) they have seven points from 16 games, scoring just one goal in those 6 matches, while conceding 14 into the bargain.

While Caparros will argue his side have faced Atletico Madrid and Barca in those matches, the fact is they have also lost to direct rivals such as Leganes, Sporting Gijon and Deportivo la Coruna. Nobody could argue the players aren't giving 100 percent, but they were doing that under Martin. The fact is the squad just isn't strong enough and even if signings arrive in January, it would take a miracle to save the Pamplona based outfit from the drop. Endit