Andres Iniesta gave Pep Guardiola's side the lead just short of the 30-minute mark and Gerard Pique headed a second three minutes into the second period to give Barca a routine win over their local rivals and see them move to within reach of another title.

With Real Madrid thrashing Sevilla 6-2 at the Sanchez Pizjuan yesterday, Barca were unable to clinch the title in this match but the win saw Guardiola's side stay eight points clear with only nine left to play for - while they also boast a superior head-to-head record in the games against Mourinho's men.

In the big relegation tussle of the day, Osasuna came from behind to win 3-1 at Real Zaragoza and move out of the drop zone.

Manuel Lolo's mistake gifted an opener to Zaragoza's Angel Lafita and it seemed a matter of when and how often the visitors' consistently porous defence would be breached again.

But home keeper Toni Doblas failed to keep out Javier Camunas' effort and the resulting equaliser sparked a turnaround, with Sergio Fernandez and Kike Sola clinching a vital victory.

Osasuna jumped four places to 14th, Deportivo La Coruna slipping into the drop zone with Zaragoza ahead of them only on head-to-head record.

Real Mallorca and Villarreal played out a dull goalless draw in the early fixture.

The game was scheduled for midday in an experiment by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) with a view to staging more matches earlier in the day next season, thus allowing audiences in Asia the benefit of watching Primera Division football.

But on this evidence, they may not bother.

Villarreal came closest to a winner when Giuseppe Rossi hit the post after 19 minutes.

Mallorca, with 43 points, should be safe from the drop with three rounds of the championship remaining, while Villarreal are now five points adrift of third-placed Valencia.