Injury-hit Real Madrid were surprisingly beaten 1-0 at home by lowly Sporting Gijon on Saturday, ending the unbeaten league home record of Real coach Jose Mourinho after more than nine years.
The shock defeat kept Real five points behind Barca, who would stretch their lead to eight points with just eight games left if
they manage to win away to fourth-placed Villarreal later on Saturday.
Barca have a record-breaking 78 points from 29 games, Real have 73 from 30.
Gijon ruined Real's impeccable season home record thanks to some defiant defending - and thanks to a late goal, against the run of play, from Miguel de las Cuevas.
De la Cuevas' effort also ended a remarkable run of Mourinho who went unbeaten for 150 home games at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid until Saturday since a 3-2 home loss of Porto against Beira Mar on February 23, 2002.
The result will give hope to Tottenham Hotspur, who were due to visit the Estadio Bernabeu on Tuesday in a Champions League quarter-final first leg clash.
Mourinho said that "winning the league is now practically impossible," whilst Real's sporting director commented that "we have received a very hard blow today."
Before the match there was an emotional homage to former Brazilian forward Ronaldo, who starred for Real from 2002 to 2007. The whites could have done with the Brazilian on the field, so uninspired and toothless were they in attack.
They went into the game without Pepe, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. They had a goal from Ricardo Carvalho disallowed after just two minutes, but then created little danger.
The only goal came 11 minutes from time, when De la Cuevas silenced the Bernabeu by making it 1-0 with a low shot which went in off the post, after good work down the left by Nacho Navo.
Gonzalo Higuain, out for five months with a back injury, came off the bench and almost broke the deadlock on three occasions, Emmanuel Adebayor was foiled by keeper Juan Pablo at the end.
Real left the field to the boos of their fans, who were infuriated at the prospect of Barca cruising to a third successive league title.
The other big news on Saturday was Valencia's 4-2 win away to troubled Getafe, in which Roberto Soldado scored four goals in an astonishing 31-minute burst.
Soldado, who joined Valencia from Getafe last summer, sunk his former team-mates with four quick-fire goals. Getafe are seventh from bottom but could fall down two more places if Sunday's results go against them.
The romp in Getafe took Valencia up to third, three points above Villarreal ahead of their game against Barca. Author: Duncan Shaw
The shock defeat kept Real five points behind Barca, who would stretch their lead to eight points with just eight games left if
they manage to win away to fourth-placed Villarreal later on Saturday.
Barca have a record-breaking 78 points from 29 games, Real have 73 from 30.
Gijon ruined Real's impeccable season home record thanks to some defiant defending - and thanks to a late goal, against the run of play, from Miguel de las Cuevas.
De la Cuevas' effort also ended a remarkable run of Mourinho who went unbeaten for 150 home games at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid until Saturday since a 3-2 home loss of Porto against Beira Mar on February 23, 2002.
The result will give hope to Tottenham Hotspur, who were due to visit the Estadio Bernabeu on Tuesday in a Champions League quarter-final first leg clash.
Mourinho said that "winning the league is now practically impossible," whilst Real's sporting director commented that "we have received a very hard blow today."
Before the match there was an emotional homage to former Brazilian forward Ronaldo, who starred for Real from 2002 to 2007. The whites could have done with the Brazilian on the field, so uninspired and toothless were they in attack.
They went into the game without Pepe, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. They had a goal from Ricardo Carvalho disallowed after just two minutes, but then created little danger.
The only goal came 11 minutes from time, when De la Cuevas silenced the Bernabeu by making it 1-0 with a low shot which went in off the post, after good work down the left by Nacho Navo.
Gonzalo Higuain, out for five months with a back injury, came off the bench and almost broke the deadlock on three occasions, Emmanuel Adebayor was foiled by keeper Juan Pablo at the end.
Real left the field to the boos of their fans, who were infuriated at the prospect of Barca cruising to a third successive league title.
The other big news on Saturday was Valencia's 4-2 win away to troubled Getafe, in which Roberto Soldado scored four goals in an astonishing 31-minute burst.
Soldado, who joined Valencia from Getafe last summer, sunk his former team-mates with four quick-fire goals. Getafe are seventh from bottom but could fall down two more places if Sunday's results go against them.
The romp in Getafe took Valencia up to third, three points above Villarreal ahead of their game against Barca. Author: Duncan Shaw
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