La Liga Table 2016: Sunday's Week 31 Results, Updated Standings and Title Odds

Barcelona are still firm favourites to win La Liga for a second straight season, a fact that didn't change after Sunday's games. All the latest fixtures proved is how fourth place and a Champions League spot are Villarreal's to lose.

The Yellow Submarine enjoyed a terrific weekend, winning in Eibar, while nearest rivals Celta Vigo, Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla all dropped points. The latter two stumbled in winnable home games on Sunday. Bilbao drew against lowly Granada, while Real Sociedad stunned Sevilla.

Here are the results from Sunday's fixtures:

Home	Score	Away
Athletic Bilbao	1-1	Granada
Malaga	1-1	Espanyol
Eibar	1-2	Villarreal
Sevilla	1-2	Real Sociedad

Here's the latest title odds, via Oddschecker.com:

Team	Odds
Barcelona	1-40
Atletico Madrid	33
Real Madrid	33
Villarreal	4500

The updated standings:

Position	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Goal Difference	Points
1	Barcelona	31	24	4	3	61	76
2	Atletico Madrid	31	22	4	5	36	70
3	Real Madrid	31	21	6	4	60	69
4	Villarreal	31	16	9	6	13	57
5	Celta Vigo	31	14	7	10	-8	49
6	Athletic Bilbao	31	14	6	11	9	48
7	Sevilla	31	13	9	9	7	48
8	Malaga	31	10	10	11	1	40
9	Eibar	31	10	8	13	-1	38
10	Real Sociedad	31	10	8	13	-3	38
11	Deportivo La Coruna	31	7	16	8	-4	37
12	Las Palmas	31	10	6	15	-9	36
13	Espanyol	31	10	6	15	-25	36
14	Real Betis	31	8	10	13	-17	34
15	Valencia	31	8	10	13	-4	34
16	Rayo Vallecano	31	7	10	14	-20	31
17	Granada	31	7	8	16	-24	29
18	Getafe	31	7	7	17	-26	28
19	Sporting Gijon	30	7	6	17	-20	27
20	Levante	30	6	6	18	-26	24

Villarreal Keep the Initiative in UEFA Champions League Race

Qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League now looks to be a foregone conclusion for Villarreal, after most of the main contenders for fourth spot slipped up.

The Yellow Submarine took full advantage of those slips in Eibar. As has often been the case this season, Villarreal relied on their retread forward line to earn the three points.

Goals from much-travelled duo Adrian Lopez and Roberto Soldado turned the game around for Villarreal, after Ander Capa had given Eibar a first-half lead.

Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

Some neat combination work from Denis Suarez and Soldado helped tee up crafty poacher Lopez for a tap-in to equalise. There was an element of controversy about the winner when Soldado appeared offside after Lopez and Suarez attempted a smart one-two.

But the ball bounced off a defender in the box, and Soldado's predatory finish on the turn was allowed to stand.

One more goal in Spain's top flight confirmed Soldado's remarkable revival following a disastrous spell in England's Premier League, as detailed by OptaJoe:

Villarreal's title odds naturally remain fanciful at 4500, given their whopping 19-point deficit. But their nine-point advantage over those who are chasing fourth is a testament to both manager Marcelino and the club's shrewd recruitment policy.

Villarreal have recycled journeyman players and got them playing at a high level. The club merits its position.

That position was strengthened by Sevilla surrendering two goals at home to Sociedad. Markel Bergara headed home from a corner for the away side after barely two minutes. Another set piece caused Polish holding midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak to head into his own net.

Frankly, Sociedad were also bossing the game from open play. In particular, ex-Arsenal striker Carlos Vela was running the home side ragged with lightning pace and perceptive movement.

Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

Vela is a wonderful natural talent, yet he's rarely in the mood to show it. But he had his groove back at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. Asier Illarramendi helped him by controlling the midfield.

Stunned by facing a two-goal deficit at the break, Sevilla made a fast start to the second half. Within 10 minutes, nippy striker Kevin Gameiro squirted a penalty under Sociedad goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli to halve that deficit.

But Sociedad held on for a superb win that eased any of their lingering relegation worries while damaging Sevilla's hopes of playing against Europe's elite next season.

OptaJoe revealed how this defeat snapped a lengthy unbeaten home run for Sevilla:

Earlier, Bilbao missed the chance to go fifth when they were pegged back at home by Granada. Intelligent target man Aritz Aduriz set up Inigo Lekue to put the hosts in front, but Adalberto Penaranda snatched a point for Granada inside the final 15 minutes.

Finally, Malaga and Espanyol fought to a stalemate in a game with few implications for either side. The pair drew 1-1 at La Rosaleda, after Duje Cop converted a penalty for Malaga to answer Pape Diop's early opener for Espanyol.

Little has changed in the title picture after this weekend. Barca remain favourites to retain the crown, despite losing the Clasico. Meanwhile, Villarreal have now all but nailed down fourth place and entry into Europe's premier club competition next season.