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Barça slip opens door for Madrid

Real Madrid CF replaced FC Barcelona at the top of the Liga after Gonzalo Higuaín scored the only goal against Real Racing Club Santander before the Spanish champions drew with Athletic Club.

Madrid replaced Barcelona at the summit
Madrid replaced Barcelona at the summit ©Getty Images

Real Madrid CF replaced FC Barcelona at the top of the Liga after Gonzalo Higuaín scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Real Racing Club Santander before the Spanish champions were held 1-1 at Athletic Club.

Higuaín winner
Daniel Alves put Barcelona in front eight minutes after the break when he turned in Xavi Hernández's low pass through the centre only for Athletic substitute Gaizka Torquero to restore parity nine minutes later. Barcelona enjoyed much of the possession, but struggled to create many clear chances and Athletic held on for a hard-earned draw. The result leaves Barcelona on 27 points, one behind Madrid who had earlier defeated Racing thanks to Higuaín's 22nd-minute strike. It was Higuaín's fifth Liga goal of the season, with the 21-year-old pouncing after Ezequiel Garay had headed the ball goalwards after Toño had failed to clear Kaká's cross.

Sevilla rise
Sevilla kept up the pressure on the leading pair with a 2-1 win over CD Tenerife. Diego Perotti (32) and Renato (48) scored in each half before Nino's 75th-minute reply for Tenerife, but it was not enough to prevent Sevilla claiming their third straight Liga win. In contrast, things go from bad to worse for Club Atlético de Madrid who lost for the third successive match, this time 2-1 at RC Deportivo La Coruña who climbed to fourth with victory.

Atlético struggle
Atlético got off to a bright start and went ahead through Sergio Agüero in the second minute. Diego Colotto restored parity on 21 minutes, but it looked as if Atlético would escape with just their eighth point of the season until the sixth minute of added time when Pablo Ibáñez tripped Alberto Lopo in the area to allow Andrés Guardado to hit Depor's winner from the spot. Atlético's sixth defeat in eleven games leaves them third from bottom just two points ahead of bottom side Málaga CF who have played a game less.