Roberto Carlos saves Real Madrid's blushes

Roberto Carlos's penalty 12 minutes from time was sufficient for Spanish giants Real Madrid to get a barely deserved 1-0 win over Real Zaragoza.

The Brazilian World Cup winner got the only goal of the game after his compatriot Robinho had been brought down by Leonardo Ponzio.

The penalty-taking duties had fallen to Carlos only because Robinho himself had an effort from the spot saved by Zaragoza keeper Cesar Sanchez just five minutes earlier.

Cesar, an ex-Madrid player who won the 2002 Champions League title with the club, showed no favouritism to his former team mates by pulling off a series of good saves.

Madrid had their moments prior to Carlos scoring with Robinho and Raul Gonzalez both going close, but Zaragoza were also unlucky not to take the lead when Diego Milito hit the crossbar 11 minutes into the second half.

Savio, another former Real Madrid player, also had a number of good opportunities which required Madrid's Spanish number one keeper Iker Casillas to be at his best.

The victory means that Madrid move up to second place, three points behind league leaders Osasuna, ahead of the late game between Getafe and Barcelona.

One negative note for Madrid was English defender Jonathan Woodgate limped off after 23 minutes, still struggling with the left thigh strain he acquired against Rosenburg in Real's 2-0 win in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Celta Vigo continued their strong start to the Spanish league season with a 2-1 victory over struggling Alaves on Sunday and are guaranteed to finish the weekend in the top four.

Uruguayan midfielder Nestor Cannobio, one of the Celta stars of last season's promotion campaign from the Spanish second division, opened the scoring with an angled shot from just inside the area after 27 minutes.

Jonathan Aspas put Celta further ahead midway through the second half scoring on the rebound after Borja Oubina had his penalty saved by Alaves keeper Franco Constanzo.

Martin Astudillo got one back for Alaves shortly afterwards but the Basques couldn't score again to salvage a point and remain anchored in the relegation zone.

Real Mallorca are gradually putting space between themselves and the bottom three and they were helped with a 2-1 win at Cadiz, the island side's first away win of the season.

Cadiz's Enrique Fernando caught the Mallorca defenders napping and took the ball into the box almost unhindered before slotting the ball home with a right foot shot to open the scoring.

Victor Casadesus equalised for Mallorca after 26 minutes, finding the net from just beyond the six yard box after a neat pass over the heads of the Cadiz defence by Cristiano Doni.

Mallorca were then reduced to 10 men after midfielder Guillermo Pereyra picked up his second yellow card six minutes before the break but they managed to upset the odds and Juan Arango got a winner when he scored from a 20-yard free kick seven minutes from time.

Dani Martin, Real Betis's hero of their Champions League victory over Chelsea on Tuesday, was on target again but the Seville-based side had to this time settle for a share of the points in a 1-1 draw with Racing Santander.

The Betis striker scored with a diving header from a Joaquin Sanchez free kick after 21 minutes but Antonito Ramiro equalised 17 minutes before the end, his shot from 10 yards going through the hands of Betis keeper Pedro Contreras.

Headed goals from Raul Garcia and Carlos Cuellar helped continue the fairytale for Osasuna as they won 2-1 at Real Sociedad on Saturday to remain the Spanish league leaders for the third consecutive week.

Osasuna have never been top of the table for so long but they showed that their championship challenge is not just a flash-in-the-pan by handing Sociedad their first home defeat of the season.