Madrid make most of Barcelona blip

Real Madrid CF pulled five points clear at the top of the Primera División on Saturday night with a 3-2 win at RC Recreativo de Huelva while FC Barcelona lost 4-2 at Club Atlético de Madrid.

Red-card spate
Consecutive defeats by Real Betis Balompié and Getafe CF had reduced Madrid's lead over Barcelona down to two points but they arrested their slide in a feisty contest against struggling Recreativo in which three players sent off. Bernd Schuster's side had to come from behind too after Martin Cáceres sneaked in at the far post to volley in a cross from Carlos Martins on 17 minutes.

Robinho double
Eleven minutes later, the visitors levelled when Raúl González rose above home goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino to head in Royston Drenthe's cross before the spate of red cards after the interval. Beto was first to go after an altercation with Gabriel Heinze on 52 minutes and he was shortly followed by Madrid's Sergio Ramos. Quique Álvarez came off the bench but lasted just five minutes before being dismissed for a foul on Arjen Robben and the away side profited against the nine men when another substitute, Robinho, scored twice to complete the turnaround despite Martins's late reply.

Atlético cruise
Barcelona left Lionel Messi on the bench for their visit to Atlético and were made to pay despite Ronaldinho's 30th-minute opener. Sergio Agüero and Maxi Rodríguez put the hosts in front by the break, Diego Forlán's penalty made it 3-1 and Agüero's second on 71 minutes secured the points, although Samuel Eto'o did reduce the deficit.

Sevilla slip
Elsewhere, RC Deportivo La Coruña reacted to Frédéric Kanouté's early goal to overcome Spain's other UEFA Champions League contenders, Sevilla FC, 2-1 and move out of the relegation zone – Christian Wilhelmsson's penalty and Ángel Lafita providing the three points. That meant RCD Espanyol were able to move three points ahead of Sevilla in fifth place with a 2-0 win against Valencia CF, Luis García scoring twice against a team reduced to ten men late on by Hedwiges Maduro's red card.