Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 2-1 in the Nou Camp on Saturday to keep alive their title hopes and remain seven points behind leaders Madrid, who earlier beat Getafe 1-0 thanks to a Sergio Ramos goal.
Barca coach Pep Guardiola put his trust in youth and was repaid when 20-year-old Cristian Tello opened the scoring in his first full game for the club.
Lionel Messi extended Barca’s lead on 72 minutes – a minute before Carlos Vela pulled one back for Sociedad.
The game kicked off in freezing temperatures.
Barca lost Sergi Busquets to what seemed to be a nasty knee injury in the closing stages but held on for the all-important three points.
Real Madrid overcame windy conditions to win 1-0 at Getafe when Ramos outjumped Getafe defender Juan Valera to head home a Mesut Ozil corner for the only goal of the game on 18 minutes.
Without ever getting into top gear, ‘los blancos’ did enough to deserve the points at the scene of Barcelona’s only defeat this season, but they had to survive a clear shout for a penalty by the home team in the second period.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, repeatedly linked to a return to the English Premier League in the past week, again refused to speak to media afterwards and left his assistant Aitor Karanka to sum up the game.
“Sergio (Ramos) is a player with a lot of personality and he showed it tonight. It was not easy because of the conditions but we controlled the game throughout,” he said.
Mourinho decided to leave Gonzalo Higuain, linked this week with Chelsea, on the bench, preferring Karim Benzema up front and recalled Xabi Alonso and stayed loyal to an improving Kaka in midfield.
Levante drew 1-1 at home to struggling Racing Santander to remain in fourth place in La Liga as Athletic Bilbao drew with Espanyol 3-3 in the clash between their two closest rivals.
The results mean Levante stay ahead of Espanyol on goal difference with both teams on 32 points, four points behind third-placed Valencia, who play on Sunday, and two points ahead of sixth-placed Bilbao.
Mallorca beat Real Betis 1-0 thanks to a well-struck Chori Castro free-kick on 23 minutes.
