Real Valladolid have climbed out of the bottom three in La Liga courtesy of a 1-0 victory against Espanyol.

Sergio Garcia almost fired the visitors ahead inside the opening minute, only to be denied by a fine save from Jaime Jimenez.

It was Valladolid who took a first-half lead, however, when Antonio Rukavina found the net with a strike from outside the box.

Garcia latched onto a precise pass shortly after and found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but Jimenez came out on top to retain the Pucela's lead.

Espanyol's hopes of finding an equaliser took a blow on 73 minutes when Pizzi was shown a second yellow card by referee Cesar Muniz Fernandez, and Valladolid managed to hold out for the vital three points.