Real Madrid climbed back above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when goals from former Liverpool pair Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa helped them to a stirring 3-2 comeback win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
A 1-0 victory for Barca at fourth-placed Real Mallorca on Saturday put the champions three clear, but Real responded to draw level on 74 points with their arch-rivals and reclaim top spot on goal difference.
Atletico, who have not won a Madrid derby in more than 10 years, led 1-0 at the break thanks to a curled effort from former Real player Jose Antonio Reyes, before Alonso, Arbeloa and Gonzalo Higuain struck to put the hosts 3-1 ahead.
PHOTO: AFP
Diego Forlan pulled one back from the penalty spot with just over 20 minutes left after Alonso handled at a corner, but Real comfortably held on to claim the three points.
With nine matches remaining, the top two are 21 points ahead of third-placed Valencia and Real host Barca in the potentially decisive Clasico in two weeks.
The home fans unfurled an enormous banner shortly before kickoff at the Bernabeu showing a collection of Real ghouls standing menacingly over a young Atletico supporter cowering in bed and the slogan in giant letters: “Your worst nightmare.”
The match initially looked likely to turn into a bad dream for the hosts thanks to Reyes, who helped Real win the title with two goals on the final day of the 2006-20007 season while on loan from Arsenal.
Portugal midfielder Tiago drove toward the penalty area and fed Sergio Aguero, who flicked the ball wide to Reyes to curl a delicate shot past Iker Casillas.
The best first-half chance for a Real equalizer fell to Cristiano Ronaldo. Alonso floated a cross into the area and the unmarked Portuguese forward, usually so effective in the air, somehow failed to net his header with only keeper David De Gea to beat.
Los Merengues continued to pile on the pressure after the break and Alonso put them level in the 49th with a close-range header.
The midfielder’s cross-field pass sent Arbeloa clear to put Real in front six minutes later and a defensive lapse let Higuain in for a third in the 62nd.
An attempted Tiago clearance hit teammate Paulo Assuncao and Higuain stroked the ball home.
Alonso inexplicably threw up an arm to give away the penalty in the 68th and Forlan gave Casillas no chance with a powerful low drive.
Real have now won all 15 of their home matches this season and it was their 11th straight league win.
Sevilla’s troubled season took a turn for the worse when they crashed to a 3-0 defeat at Villarreal in new coach Antonio Alvarez’s first match in charge.
The Andalusians were toothless in attack and ragged in defense and fell behind at the Madrigal in only the fifth minute.
Nilmar raced clear on the left and Giuseppe Rossi lost his marker and swept the Brazil striker’s cross into the net.
Nilmar chalked up another assist 13 minutes later, sending over a deep cross from the right which Joseba Llorente nodded in.
Sevilla put up more of a fight in the second half but failed to score and Robert Pires netted a third for the hosts in added time.
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