Real Madrid remain top of the Primera Liga standings following yet another win, but defending champions Barcelona are hot on their heels.
Real remain top; Barca's goal rush continues; Villarreal victorious
Real Madrid remain top of the Primera Liga standings following yet another win, but defending champions Barcelona are hot on their heels.
Spain's big two were both victorious on Saturday, while Villarreal picked up another morale-boosting success.
Real Madrid secured an eighth straight win in the league to maintain their three-point lead at the summit.
Jose Mourinho's side knew a weekend meeting with
Valencia would provide them with their toughest test of the season so far, but they passed with flying colours.
Third-placed Los Che pushed Los Blancos close at the Mestalle, but were ultimately left to reflect on a 3-2 defeat.
Karim Benzema broke the deadlock on 20 minutes and Sergio Ramos doubled Real's lead on 72 minutes.
Former Real striker Roberto Soldado pulled one back for Valencia three minutes later, before Cristiano Ronaldo added to his impressive goal tally 11 minutes from time.
The hosts refused to lie down and Soldado bagged his second of the game on 83 minutes, but there was to be no late twist in the tale.
Prolific
Barcelona continued their prolific home form this season with a 4-0 victory over
Real Zaragoza.
Gerard Pique (18) and Lionel Messi (43) netted in the first half to put Barca on course for the win and second-half strikes from Carles Puyol (53) and David Villa (75) completed the scoring.
The result means Barca have now netted 30 times in their seven Primera Division home games this season, while it is 11 matches since the European champions conceded a league goal at the Nou Camp.
For Zaragoza, the loss means they have now taken just one point from their last five games and they remain in trouble near the relegation zone.
Villarreal leapfrogged
Real Betis to move into the top half of the table for the first time this season thanks to Borja Valero's solitary first-half goal.
After an evenly matched opening 20 minutes, the hosts took the lead when Hernan Perez and Marco Ruben combined to set Valero free down the left and he calmly chipped over Casto from just outside the area.
Villarreal have still only won three of their 12 fixtures this season, but they are heading in the right direction.
