Barcelona close as Real slip up at Betis
Barcelona snatched only their fourth away victory of the season when substitute Ronaldinho fired home from the penalty spot seven minutes from time after Zaragoza defender Juanfran was adjudged to have handled the ball as he cleared from the area.
Real Madrid started strongly against struggling Betis, midfielder Royston Drenthe putting them ahead on six minutes when he angled a shot in at the far post after fellow Dutchman Arjen Robben cut the ball across the area.
But Betis turned the tables on the leaders with two quickfire goals in four minutes.
Brazilian forward Edu grabbed the first when he got in between defenders Marcelo and Sergio Ramos to power in a header at the far post after a cross by Mariano Pavone.
Winger Mark Gonzalez scored a carbon copy second when he nodded in at the far post, outjumping Ramos and Marcelo after Edu had turned fullback Michel Salgado inside out and whipped the ball in from the left.
The win earned Betis their first points in three games and lifted them four clear of the drop zone.
Barcelona took the lead against the run of play in Zaragoza when Thierry Henry steered the ball past keeper Cesar after appearing to control a through pass from Deco with his arm on 34 minutes.
Zaragoza striker Diego Milito had the chance to level before halftime when centre-back Rafael Marquez conceded a penalty after bringing Ricardo Oliveira down in the area but the Argentine fired his spot kick over the bar.
Milito was frustrated again early in the second half when Barca keeper Victor Valdes got a foot to his goal-bound shot but strike partner Ricardo Oliveira spared his blushes when he drilled home a minute later.
The game looked to be heading for a draw until the referee awarded a fiercely disputed penalty for a hand ball when Juanfran cleared after the ball appeared to hit his shoulder.
Improving Sevilla moved up to sixth with an entertaining 4-2 victory over 10-man Espanyol at Montjuic.
Brazil striker Luis Fabiano took his tally for the season to 17 when he fired Sevilla's opening goal and African Footballer of the Year Frederic Kanoute added the second.
Denmark midfielder Christian Poulsen and in-form winger Diego Capel were also on target for the visitors.
Espanyol, who had Pablo Zabaleta sent off after 65 minutes, have lost five out of six games but remain fifth, three points clear of Sevilla.