MADRID - FC Barcelona claimed a huge win in the race for the La Liga title, while Real Madrid, Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao overcame tired legs to claim big wins as well. Here are four things we learned this weekend in Spain.

1. Cup semifinal between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona to be fun

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid shared eight goals in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal at the end of February, while Sunday's meeting between the two produced a further six goals, with Barca scoring four in the last 20 minutes in a 4-2 win.

This win puts Barcelona four points clear of Atletico with a game in hand, leaving Atletico's title hopes looking very slim indeed.

The good news for neutrals is that the two teams will play the return leg of their semifinal at the start of April and if it is only half as good as the last two meetings, fans are in for a treat.

2. Factory settings mean nightmare week for Atletico

It's been a terrible week for Atletico Madrid after controversially crashing out of the UEFA Champions League on penalties to Real Madrid, before surrendering a 2-0 lead at home to Barcelona to eventually lose 4-2 and see its league title hopes badly dented.

In both of these games, and in its first Cup game against Barca as well, an attack-minded Atletico side looked good value for its lead before coach Diego Simeone's defensive instincts kicked in, and instead of continuing to take the game to its rivals, it sits deep and invite the opponents on.

Atletico paid a price for that lack of ambition on Sunday and in midweek, as time after time against top-level opponents, Simeone reverts to type and his team suffers for it.

ALSO READ: Real Madrid feel the heat as Atletico and Barcelona close in

3. Real Madrid asks for the impossible

Real Madrid has every right to be unhappy at playing Saturday's league game away to Villareal, less than 72 hours after the end of its epic Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid. It's hard to see why La Liga didn't choose to play the game on Sunday to give Real Madrid more recovery time.

However, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti's assertion that his side would refuse to play in the future with less than 72 hours of recovery time is completely unrealistic.

Sometimes it's impossible for teams playing in Europe to get 72 hours between the end of one game and the start of another, and the Italian should realize that teams playing in the Europa League and Conference League hardly ever get 72 hours between the end of a European tie on Thursday and a league game on Sunday.

4. Athletic Club, Betis overcome tired legs for big wins

Athletic Bilbao and Betis both took important wins after European triumphs in midweek, with Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde making eight changes as Yeray Alvarez's header gave it a 1-0 win away to Sevilla, while Betis fought back from 2-0 down to take a huge 3-2 win in Leganes, despite only 65 hours since its previous game.

READ MORE: Alvarez lifts Atletico to top spot with 1-0 win over Bilbao

Athletic's win lifts it eight points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal and sixth-placed Betis. With the top-five teams in La Liga probably going to play in next season's Champions League, Athletic now looks very likely to qualify for the tournament for the first time in 10 years.