FC Barcelona followed up their weekend defeat 6f Real Madrid CF with a 3-0 victory against RC Deportivo La Coruña on Wednesday which extended their Liga leadership to six points.

Xavi Hernández was the architect of both Barcelona goals against Madrid and the Spanish international was quick to pick up from where he left off against Deportivo, perfectly laying on Bojan Krkić for a simple finish on 16 minutes. The visitors stood firm but were undone again on 69 minutes in uncharacteristically direct fashion.

Víctor Valdés expertly picked out marauding full-back Daniel Alves and although Deportivo goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubía reached the ball first, his swiped clearance landed at Pedro Rodríguez's feet and the 22-year-old found the unguarded net with consummate ease from 30 metres. Yaya Touré completed the scoring three minutes later, drilling the ball in from a corner, to leave Madrid six points adrift ahead of their trip to UD Almería on Thursday.

RCD Mallorca, meanwhile, moved into fourth despite being held to a 1-1 draw at Real Zaragoza. Rubén gave the islanders the lead on 13 minutes but Zaragoza levelled nine minutes later through Humberto Suazo. Gregorio Manzano's side are now a point clear of fifth-placed Sevilla FC and four behind Valencia CF in third having played a game more.

Elsewhere, CA Osasuna and Málaga CF both had a player dismissed in added time in their 2-2 draw, bottom-of-the-table Xerez CD moved to within six points of safety with a 2-1 triumph at UEFA Europa League semi-finalists Club Atlético de Madrid and Real Racing Club beat ten-man RCD Espanyol 3-1.