Barcelona and Madrid suffer surprise setbacks

FC Barcelona squandered the chance to move within a point of retaining the Liga title when they lost 2-1 at Real Sociedad de Fútbol, after Real Madrid CF came unstuck against Real Zaragoza.

Not since 31 August 2008 had the clubs lost a league match on the same day. Defeat for Madrid in the early fixture offered Barcelona the opportunity to extend their lead to 11 points with four matches to play, but Josep Guardiola's team surprisingly had their 31-game unbeaten run in the top flight ended, despite taking the lead through Thiago Alcántara's deft strike (29).

Diego Ifrán (71) equalised with a neat finish beyond José Pinto in the Barcelona goal, before Xabier Prieto beat the reserve keeper from the spot (82) following Javier Mascherano's foul on David Zurutuza. The Azulgrana's disappointing night was compounded by the news that full-back Martín Montoya, one of several changes, suffered a broken collarbone and dislocated left shoulder in the first half.

Madrid – who made eight changes from the team which lost 2-0 to Barcelona in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final − succumbed 3-2 at home to Zaragoza, who are four points clear of the bottom three as a result. Ricardo Carvalho was sent off late on for a second booking, two minutes after Karim Benzema had reduced the Merengues' deficit to one.

Club Atlético de Madrid prevailed 1-0 at ten-man RC Deportivo La Coruña in the late game.

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