Raul returns but Ronaldinho rules

Real Madrid legend Raul returned to action for the first time in three months and the team responded in style as they won for the sixth successive league match beating Alaves 3-0.

Real - who rested Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Carlos ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match with Arsenal - cut Barcelona's lead to four points through goals by Guti, Robinho and Cicinho.

However, the Catalan side regained their seven point advantage later and ended a two match losing run in the league as an inspirational display by their world footballer of the year Ronaldinho - returning after a two match suspension - saw them trounce a rather unfortunate Real Betis 5-1.

It set themselves up nicely for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Chelsea.

Another of the Champions League contenders Villarreal gave themselves a confidence boost ahead of their match with Rangers by beating Barca's city rivals Espanyol 4-0 with former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan among the scorers.

Barca's goals were all orchestrated by Ronaldinho - he got one of his own for his 12th of the campaign - as he returned from suspension and ensured there was to be no three successive league defeats for the league leaders.

A stunning run from the halfway line and then a perfectly weighted pass to newly anointed African footballer of the year Samuel Eto'o saw the Cameroon ace pass across the byline and on hand was 34-year-old Swedish veteran Henrik Larsson to score his seventh in the last nine games.

Larsson, who is to return home at the end of the season, should have scored a second a few minutes later but inexplicably he headed wide from three metres out after another inch perfect cross from Ronaldinho.

Ronaldinho was on fire and his next surge and pass saw a petrified Melli stick out a boot and divert the ball past 'keeper Toni Doblas.

The unfortunate Melli - who was sent off in the World Under-20 final in 2003 which Spain lost 1-0 - had little or no knowledge of his second effort as a Ronaldinho freekick was deflected off the wall and as he turned away it hit his bum and rolled into the net with an openmouthed Doblas stranded.

Doblas was left looking redfaced in the second-half when he let a freekick from Ronaldinho slip through his arms and leave them 4-0 adrift.

However almost immediately the highly-rated Joaquin reduced the deficit as he caught out Barca keeper Victor Valdes, firing in a freekick which eased in at the near post.

Valdes, though, redeemed himself a minute later as he saved bravely from Dani to allay any fears of a collapse and then the sublimely talented Argentinian teenager Lionel Messi rounded off the rout with a goal five minutes from time.

Madrid virtually won the match in the first 15 minutes as they scored twice, displaying all the confidence of a side unbeaten in the league since December 21.

Inspirational captain Guti rifled the ball home from outside the box in the sixth minute after Robinho had passed back to him and then the skipper turned provider five minutes later.

He delivered a delightful chip over the Alaves defence to find the muscular Julio Baptista who headed the ball up and then with amazing agility for such a big man proceeded to connect with an overhead kick.

The 'keeper was soundly beaten but the ball came back off the post only for it to fall to Robinho and he made no mistake.

Australian international striker John Aloisi was the only Alaves player to test Iker Casillas in the first-half but his header fell safely into the hands of the 'keeper.

The largest roar of the night, though, in Madrid - where Oscar winning actor Adrien Brody was a spectator - was reserved for Raul as he entered the fray in the 66th minute to replace Baptista.

The Real icon was to play a part in the third goal as he passed to Antonio Cassano and the Italian's slide rule pass found Cicinho, whose shot took a deflection on the way into the net for his second goal for the club since joining them in late December.

Raul did manage to net the ball on the stroke of full-time but his return was not to be capped by a goal as the referee ruled it out for offside.

Casillas was to ensure that Real kept a clean sheet by saving with his legs from Aloisi in injury-time and temporarily turn up the pressure a little bit more on Barcelona.