Madrid - Spanish giants Real Madrid and Sevilla were both held to disappointing 0-0 draws on Saturday, against Sporting Gijon and Espanyol. The results leave Real level on top with Barcelona, both on 19 points. However, Barca will regain the lead if, as expected, they beat midtable Zaragoza at home on Sunday.
Sevilla are third, on 16 points.
In Gijon, Real were more solid and stable than in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat against AC Milan, but still lacked imagination and penetration in attack.
"The first half was well balanced," according to Real coach Manuel Pellegrini."In the second half we looked for a goal from the beginning."
The Chilean added that he was "not pleased because we came here for the three points."
Veteran Real playmaker Guti, for his part, said that "this team is still missing some things."
Gijon coach Manolo Preciado said that "we have played against a good team and we have managed to draw."
Prceidao's teammade a lively start but without creating clear goal chances. The hosts were gradually pushed further and further back by Kaka and company but their defence kept its shape and composure.
Raul - Real's only forward in the absence of injury victims Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain, Karim Benzema and Ruud Van Nistelrooy - almost put the whites ahead on the half hour after a goalmouth scramble.
In the 54th minute Juan Pablo Colinas did well to save a powerful shot from Esteban Granero. And 15 minutes later the Gijon keeper got down well to a Kaka free-kick.
Real left the field with the sensation of having squandered two points rather than having gained one.
Sevilla had the same feeling later on Saturday, after their goalless draw at home to Espanyol.
Espanyo had Argentine defender Nico Pareja sent off midway through the second half but managed to hang on for a point, thanks mainly to keeper Carlos Kameni.
Earlier on Saturday, Atletico Madrid continued their crisis with a 1-1 home draw against fifth-placed Mallorca, which had two players sent off.
Diego Forlan missed one penalty for Atletico, but then converted ed a second one. Borja Valero levelled for Mallorca right at the death - with the help of a blunder from teenage goalkeeper David de Gea.
As usual, Atletico left the field to the jeers of their long-suffering fans, and club president Enrique Cerezo had to endure another post-match protest.
"We should really have won tonight," said Atletico left-back Antonio Lopez.
"We cannot continue to throw points away like this."
The draw leaves Atletico seventh from bottom, with just seven points from eight matches.
On the Atletico bench was 1996 double-winning hero Santi Dena, caretaker coach for just one match until Quique Sanchez Flores takes charge on Monday. On Friday Abel Resino was sacked by Cerezo.
Atletico made a bright start and were given a penalty in the 27th minute for a handball by Josemi, who was harshly sent off. Forlan, last season's league top scorer, put his spot-kick wide.
It was a case of deja vu in the 54th minute, when Ivan Ramis was sent off for another handball in the area, leaving Mallorca with nine men. This time Forlan made no mistake from the spot.
But Atletico failed to build on their lead and paid the price in the 91st minute, when a nervous De Gea pushed a centre from Borja into his own goal.
Typical Atletico: a moment of clumsy misfortune which served as a metaphor for another evening of frustration.
