Madrid follow Barcelona's lead

FC Barcelona continue to hold the slenderest of advantages over Real Madrid CF in the Liga after the Catalan side's 3-1 victory at home to bottom-side Xerez CD was followed by the capital club's 2-1 success at Real Zaragoza.

Josep Guardiola's team selection suggested he had Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg at home to FC Internazionale Milano in mind – Lionel Messi and Pedro Rodríguez were among the regulars on the bench – but their fluency remained as Jeffrén confidently struck a 14th-minute opener.

Zlatan Ibrahimović broke through the Xerez rearguard and unselfishly squared for Thierry Henry (24) to add a second, but the arrears were quickly reduced when Dmytro Chygrynskiy's error culminated in a terrific finish from Mario Bermejo. The visitors missed a number of chances after the break and Ibrahimović (56) slid in the third to confirm the victory before Xerez had two players dismissed in stoppage time.

Madrid, therefore, needed a triumph to move back within a point of the European champions and went close early on through Cristiano Ronaldo and Raúl González who struck the post. Los Merengues finally went in front on 50 minutes when Roberto made a double save from Gonzalo Higuaín and Ronaldo only for the latter to cross for Raúl to tap in.

The contest appeared over when Matteo Contini was dismissed seven minutes into the second half yet Adrián Colunga latched on to Abel Aguilar's pass and rounded Iker Casillas to level the score just nine minutes later.

Madrid were to have the final say, though, with Sergio Ramos heading against the post before Kaká fired the winner from Ronaldo's pass on 82 minutes. The last of Saturday's games saw third-placed Valencia CF move seven points clear of RCD Mallorca as David Villa's penalty downed RC Deportivo La Coruña.