First-half goals from Karim Benzema and Ricardo Carvalho decided the game as Jose Mourinho's men kept the pressure up on pacesetters Barca, who host Athletic Bilbao tomorrow.

The victory was Madrid's 22nd successive home win in all competitions and marked nine years since Mourinho last suffered a home defeat in the league, which came on February 23, 2002, when his Porto team lost to Beira Mar.

Elsewhere tonight, Sergio Aguero's second-half strike earned Atletico Madrid a 1-0 victory at Real Zaragoza, ending Los Rojiblancos' four-match losing run in La Liga.

The Argentina forward netted the game's only goal following a swift counter-attack to move Atletico up four places to seventh and ease the pressure on coach Quique Sanchez Flores.

In this evening's early game in Spain, Sporting Gijon again showed off their new-found resilience by holding third-placed Valencia to a goalless draw at the Mestalla.