Madrid mastery in Barça's back-yard

Real Madrid CF won at FC Barcelona for only the third time in the last 24 years to open up a seven-point gap between the clubs at the top of the Primera División.

Tight contest
A solitary Julio Baptista goal in the 36th minute settled what proved to be a very tight contest at Camp Nou. After a first half where they offered only an occasional threat, Barcelona applied heavy pressure in the second period but could not find a way through the impressive Madrid back-line.

Worthy winner
The deciding strike came after Baptista played a superb one-two with Ruud van Nistelrooy which the Brazilian finished off with aplomb, placing his shot into the top corner. It was Madrid's fourth league win in a row while it was the first home game where Barça have failed to win this season and they remain second.

Double red
Earlier, RCD Espanyol won 2-1 at Club Atlético de Madrid to replace them in third position in the Primera División. In an incident-packed match the home side had both Sergio Agüero and Mariano Pernía sent off before the hour. Atlético had taken the lead through Simão Sabrosa but Raul Tamudo equalised and Luis García Fernández struck five minutes from time to seal the points. With Villarreal CF only managing a 1-1 draw at home against RC Recreativo de Huelva, Espanyol jump above both them and Atlético.

Fight for survival
Two games involving the league's bottom four sides produced just one goal as an 85th minute Sergio penalty gave RC Deportivo La Coruña three points at Levante UD. However, Deportivo remain 19th in the 20-team table after Real Valladolid CF's goalless draw with Real Betis Balompié kept both clubs ahead of the bottom two. CA Osasuna put some distance beween themselves and those four clubs after a 3-1 home win over RCD Mallorca. In Sunday's late evening game, Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Murcia CF shared the points with a 1-1 draw. Athletic took the lead when Koikili followed up Pablo Orbáiz's penalty on the stroke of half-time, but Fernando Baiano replied in the 54th minute with another penalty leaving the honours shared.