Barca bulldoze way to 15th straight win
Runaway Spanish league leaders Barcelona moved another step closer to retaining their La Liga crown with a 2-1 win at city rivals Espanyol, Samuel Eto'o poaching his 18th goal in as many games to make it 15 straight wins for the Catalan club.
Portuguese international midfielder Deco fired Barca into a 43rd-minute lead and Eto'o then poached the second in classic predatory style barely a minute after the break to send the champions and champions-elect five points clear of the pack.
Barca's sixth away win in nine games moved them onto 43 points from 18 games, five clear overnight of Osasuna, who take on Racing Santander on Sunday.
Deco, a European champion with Porto two seasons ago but who recently felt moved to tell Portuguese media he would see out his remaining five years on his contract amid rumours he might be for sale at the right price, slammed home a low drive for the opener with home keeper Kameni badly-placed.
Eto'o then took a nonchalant pass from Ronaldinho in his stride to whip home the second and give the visitors some breathing space after a sluggish opening period.
Eto'o will join up with Cameroon for the African Nations Cup for as much as a month on January 16 after Barca coach Frank Rijkaard cleared his availability, giving Swedish veteran Henrik Larsson and Argentine Maxi Lopez a chance to increase what until now have been cameo roles in the Barca frontline.
Despite the buzzing form of blossoming youngster Leo Messi, Barca were on the back foot for periods after the break and Raul Tamudo pulled one back for Espanyol on the hour mark but Rijkaard's men redoubled their efforts thereafter to ensure the defensive lapse remained a solitary one.
In Saturday's earlier game, Champions League contenders Deportivo La Coruna bagged a useful 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao to move joint third with Valencia, who travel to Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Real Madrid, 14 points adrift of Barca, will bid to reduce the gap with a win at Villarreal, like themselves bidding for a Champions League slot.
New Real signing from Roma, Antonio Cassano, is likely to have to bide his time for a debut as club doctor Juan Ramon Lopez Caro said Friday he has a leg muscle tear, while the striker has also been told to lose four to five kilos.