Ronaldinho scored from two free kicks and Thierry Henry added a third goal to give second-place Barcelona a 3-0 win over Real Betis in the Spanish league on Sunday.
Barcelona's win maintained their perfect home record this season and moved it them one point behind leaders Real Madrid.
Third-place Villarreal are also a point off the lead after rallying for a 4-3 victory at Atletico Madrid thanks to two second-half goals from Nihat Kahveci.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Defending champions Madrid have 25 points, while Barcelona and Villarreal have 24. Valencia follow with 21.
Also on Sunday, it was: Athletic Bilbao 2, Recreativo Huelva 0; Zaragoza 2, Valladolid 3; Racing Santander 1, Espanyol 1; Osasuna 0, Getafe 2; Murcia 0, Deportivo La Coruna 2; and Levante 3, Almeria 0.
Barcelona, again lacking the injured Samuel Eto'o, Deco and Edmilson, dominated a Betis team which went into the game on the back of four straight losses.
The home side almost scored in the 22nd minute when Henry rattled the post with a drive.
The French striker enjoyed better fortune 11 minutes later when he seized on Andres Iniesta's through ball and poked it home for his fifth league goal since his offseason move from Arsenal.
Ronaldinho doubled the lead with a trademark free kick in the 53rd minute.
Lionel Messi almost added a third in the 70th, shooting just wide after a darting run from inside his own half.
Ronaldinho doubled his tally in injury time with a free kick which went in off a post.
Betis' defeat left them in 19th place with eight points, piling pressure on coach Hector Cuper, who took charge three months ago.
Pablo Ibanez headed Atletico into a ninth-minute lead, and Simao Sabrosa doubled the advantage with a fierce, inswinging shot in the 25th.
Villarreal battled back before the interval through a 31st-minute lob by Giuseppe Rossi, the striker's seventh goal since joining the club from Manchester United in the offseason, and Fabricio Fuentes' shot in the 42nd.
Sergio Aguero put Atletico back in front in the 62nd with a deft header from Simao's floated free kick.
Rossi's replacement, Nihat, then scored in the 69th and 90th to inflict Atletico's first home defeat of the season.
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