Barcelona and Real Madrid both enjoyed big home wins in La Liga as Deportivo La Coruna breathed life into their fight for survival.
Leaders Barcelona maintained their 13-point gap at the top after a much-changed team hammered Real Mallorca 5-0 at the Nou Camp in a match which marked Eric Abidal's return to action.
Cesc Fabregas scored a hat-trick for Barcelona and he opened the scoring on 20 minutes before Alexis Sanchez doubled the lead two minutes later.
Former Arsenal midfielder Fabregas netted again on 37 minutes and a minute into the second half, after Sanchez had made it 4-0 before half-time.
In the 70th minute, Abidal made his first appearance for Barcelona's first team following a liver transplant 12 months ago and he was given a standing ovation when he replaced Gerard Pique.
A much-changed Real Madrid recovered from another slow start to secure a regulation 5-1 home win over European hopefuls Levante.
Jose Mourinho made seven changes from the team that beat Galatasaray 3-0 to take control of their Champions League quarter-final in midweek.
Real fell behind to Michel's 31st minute goal for Levante, but the hosts' response was swift, however, as Gonzalo Higuain hooked in before a Kaka penalty sent Madrid ahead within eight minutes of falling behind.
Cristiano Ronaldo was introduced at the break and killed the game off on 84 minutes before fellow substitute Mesut Ozil added two more to lift Real four points clear of third-placed city rivals Atletico.
Real Sociedad opened up a four-point lead on their rivals for fourth place in the Primera Division with a resounding 4-2 win at home to Malaga.
The hosts took a commanding lead in the first half thanks to a frenetic nine minutes in which they found the net three times, through Carlos Vela, Alberto de la Bella and Antoine Griezmann.
Pedro Morales pulled one back for Malaga before the break, but any hope of a comeback was then vanquished by a goal by Inigo Martinez shortly after the re-start.
Roque Santa Cruz scored a second consolation goal with 20 minutes remaining, but a home victory was never in doubt, which means Sociedad are ever closer to qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 10 years.
Deportivo La Coruna gave their hopes of avoiding relegation from the Primera Division a fillip by beating fellow strugglers Real Zaragoza 3-2 in a thriller at the Riazor.
Bruno Gama put Deportivo ahead early in the first half but Helder Postiga levelled from the penalty spot and then Paco Montanes put Manolo Jimenez's visitors ahead.
However, Carlos Marchena equalised before half-time and Depor took the lead for a second time 10 minutes into the second half thanks to an own goal by Abraham Minero, whose night was made even worse when he was sent off with nine minutes remaining.
Depor have now won three consecutive games and moved off the bottom of the table for the first time since December 2. Meanwhile, Zaragoza, who have not been in the relegation zone once all season, could find themselves in it by Sunday lunchtime.
The move comes after the former owner apparently claimed he was behind the original Ibrox newco.
Whyte has threatened legal action against Green and former Rangers director Imran Ahmad, demanding ?1million a year for life or 25 per cent of Green's shares.
Whyte, whose own Rangers takeover remains the subject of a police inquiry, claims he was the main driver behind the Sevco 5088 company which purchased the assets and business of the oldco Rangers company he had put into administration.
Days later Green transferred the assets, which were bought for ?5.5million in June last year, to a different company called Sevco Scotland which then became The Rangers Football Club.
Whyte's main argument appears to be that such a transfer was illegal and he remains the rightful owner of the club's assets.
Green released a statement last night in a bid to clarify the situation and has moved to explain things further this evening following talks with McCoist, who had asked the new owner for answers.
"I spoke with Ally McCoist today and we are agreed that, despite the wild and outlandish allegations tossed around by Craig Whyte, the one thing that matters most is the rebuilding of this club," Green said.
"I am totally committed to that and Ally is exactly the same. Neither of us will be deflected from our task. We share the same goal and we will be successful no matter who or what attempts to get in our way.
"I made it absolutely clear to Ally that there was never any possibility of Whyte returning to Ibrox and I also stressed that this man has no claim on any of the club's shares or assets.
"I wanted to make sure he understood what Whyte is trying to do because, like every other fan, our manager has a right to know if the disgraced former owner still has any involvement in this club.
"I told Ally that is not the case and that there was never any possibility of Whyte being involved with my group.
"Ally knows and accepts that I cannot be held responsible for Whyte's ramblings or his ridiculous claims. But Ally is a fan and he would have been alarmed at the re-emergence of Whyte and his claims.
"Along with all the good and loyal Rangers fans Ally has lived through the brief but calamitous Whyte era and the very mention of this man's name is enough to have even the strongest of them concerned. But there is no need for any anxiety.
"Rangers FC, no part of it and none of the assets will ever fall into Whyte's hands. If I have to I will stand at the front door and deny him entry.
"I can guarantee every single fan that I will not let them down and that Whyte has no claim on any part of this great club."
McCoist added: "Yes we spoke and I'm glad we did. I never believed that Charles had entered into any kind of agreement but it was important to have a chat after what the former owner had been putting about in the papers.
"I am a fan and it would be devastating to have this man back anywhere near the club he almost destroyed."
