THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADRID — Samuel Eto’o’s league-best 26th goal led Barcelona to a 1-0 victory at Valladolid, while Gonzalo Higuain’s second-half score helped Real Madrid beat Malaga 1-0 to keep pace with the Spanish league leader on Saturday.
Xavi Hernandez chipped Eto’o’s pass back to him as he ran into the area in the 40th minute, and the Cameroon striker volleyed a lob over onrushing goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo to secure Barcelona’s fifth straight league win.
Barcelona has 72 points from 29 games, while second-place Madrid stayed within six of its classic rival by stretching its unbeaten league run to 14 games thanks to Higuain’s fifth goal against Malaga this season.
The Argentine striker, who notched four against Malaga at Santiago Bernabeu in November, picked up a ball inside his own half in the 49th and finished off his long run by sliding a right-footed shot inside the far post for his 16th goal.
Sevilla has 57 points in third thanks to a 1-0 victory at Recreativo Huelva.
Frederic Kanoute, who signed a two-year contract extension this week, converted a penalty in the 32nd for his 10th goal in eight games. Sevilla is unbeaten in seven games, with six wins, as it tries to secure a Champions League spot for next season.
Also, Villarreal lost 3-0 at Almeria to remain in fourth with 48 points, five ahead of Atletico Madrid, Valencia, Deportivo La Coruna and Malaga.
After losing 6-0 at Barcelona last November, Valladolid held its free-scoring visitors in check at Jose Zorrilla Stadium.
Barcelona, which welcomed back midfielder Andres Iniesta (thigh) and captain Carles Puyol (ankle), nearly took the lead after four minutes, but Seydou Keita headed Xavi’s cross wildly over goal with only Asenjo to beat.
Xavi, coming off a strong performance in Spain’s 2-1 win at Turkey in midweek, sidefooted a clear chance from the top of the area over goal in the 35th.
Marcos Aguirre had a chance for Valladolid but curled his shot straight at Victor Valdes in the 55th, and the Barcelona goalkeeper got a hand out three minutes later to deny Damian Escudero.
Lionel Messi went on as a substitute following Argentina’s 6-1 loss at high altitude in Bolivia on Wednesday, but Valladolid continued to create better chances.
"These are three important points to help recover our rhythm," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. "After 10 days off, winning helps to reinforce the morale."
Sergio "Duda" Barbosa helped Malaga enjoy the better run of play in the first half to test Iker Casillas four times, with the Madrid goalkeeper doing well to save Manuel "Lolo" Ortiz’s header in the 37th.
But Higuain’s goal lifted Madrid to life, with Rafael Van der Vaart chipping high in the 51st before Higuain set himself free from two defenders with a quick move in the 69th only for Inaki Goitia to save his rising shot.
Goitia parried chances by Sergio Ramos and Higuain over the crossbar as Madrid made up for a first half when it didn’t register a shot on goal.
At Almeria, Alvaro Negredo headed in his 17th goal of the season in the seventh minute before setting up Pablo Piatti in the 20th to double the lead. Jose Manuel Jimenez also scored as Almeria picked up important points in the relegation fight. The club was five clear of 18th-placed Osasuna with 34 points.
Villarreal, which finished with 10 men after Robert Pires was ejected in the 60th, must rebound against Arsenal on Tuesday in the Champions League. The "Yellow Submarine" will be without Santi Cazorla for the remainder of the season after the Spain midfielder left the game with a broken right leg.
Javi Martinez slid an 84th-minute shot under substitute goalkeeper German Lux to give Athletic Bilbao a 2-1 win over Mallorca and end a four-game losing skid.
Fran Yeste’s fourth-minute penalty had put Athletic ahead but Jose Manuel Jurado drew level in the 72nd. Mallorca goalkeeper Dudu Aouate was substituted shortly afterward because of an injury.
Carlos Aranda scored two goals, including an injury-time penalty, as second-bottom Numancia drew 3-3 at 10-man Real Betis. Betis striker Sergio Garcia
On Sunday, it’s: Espanyol versus Deportivo La Coruna; Atletico Madrid versus Osasuna; Valencia versus Getafe; and Sporting Gijon versus Racing Santander.