Madrid - European champions Barcelona turned in another majestic performance on Tuesday to thrash Racing Santander 4-1 away for their fourth win in as many games. Lionel Messi - who has completely left his Argentina blues aside in the past two weeks - led the rout with two goals, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gerard Pique scored the other Barca goals.
Messi, who last week extended his Barca contract until 2016, is now top of the scorers' chart with five goals.
The only bad news for Barca was that Ibrahimovic limped off with a twisted ankle that might put him out of action for a week or more.
Barca are now three points ahead of Real, who have a difficult game on Wednesday away to Villarreal.
Level with Real on nine points are Athletic Bilbao - who are away to Tenerife on Wednesday - and Sevilla, who beat Mallorca 2-0 earlier on Tuesday.
Ibrahimovic headed Barca ahead in the 21st minute, after a clever move between Xavi and Lionel Messi.
Three minutes later Messi made it 2-0 with one of his left-foot drives, after being played through by the elegant Xavi.
And just two minutes after that Ibrahimovic set up defender Pique - sporting a blood-stained bandage around his forehead - to make it 3-0 with a right-foot blast.
After just 27 minutes the match was as good as over. Barca understandably eased up, confident that the shell-shocked hosts could do them little damage.
In the 64th minute Messi scored another classy goal with his golden left foot. Oscar Serrano then pulled back a consolation goal for the beleaguered hosts, who were already desperate to hear the final whistle.
Earlier on Tuesday Sevilla had moved up to joint second - level on nine with Real and Bilbao - with a 2-0 home defeat of sixth-placed Mallorca.
Manolo Jimenez' talented team set off like an express train and were 2-0 up within 26 minutes, thanks to goals from Sebastien Squillaci and Diego Perotti.
Sevilla's French Connection gave them their first goal, in the 18th minute. Julien Escude glanced an Adriano corner across goal and Squillaci headed home powerfully.
Eight minutes later the promising Perotti made it 2-0 by heading in a Jesus Navas centre from the right.
Mallorca never managed to come out of their defensive shell and never threatened to spoil the fiesta in the Sanchez Pizjuan. Luis Fabiano and Alvaro Negredo came close to increasing Sevilla's lead in the second half.
"We should really have won by more goals," said Negredo. "Now we are running into good form, and are enjoying our matches."
