Owen on target as Madrid keep title hopes alive

Spanish Primera Liga/ Real Madrid 4 Barcelona 2: Real Madrid breathed new life into the Spanish title race when they produced their best performance of the season to claim a 4-2 victory at home to league leaders Barcelona last night.

First-half strikes from Zinedine Zidane, Raul and Ronaldo and a fourth from Michael Owen midway through the second secured Real an enthralling win at the Bernabeu that left them six points behind the Catalans with seven games left.

Barcelona suffered what could prove to be an even more important blow when leading striker Samuel Eto'o left the pitch with a knee injury.

Earlier Sevilla moved up into third place, a distant 11 points behind Real, after an authoritative 3-1 victory over fellow high-fliers Espanyol.

Sevilla's city rivals Real Betis missed their chance to stay in the Champions League places when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Levante and are now in fifth.

Knowing that nothing less than victory would keep alive their hopes of depriving Barcelona of the title, Real flooded forward from the first whistle and were rewarded with a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes.

Zidane helped himself to the first - colliding with the post in the process - when he scored with a diving header after Ronaldo had skipped his way down the right-hand side of the area and dinked a neat cross towards the far post.

Real made it 2-0 when the unmarked Ronaldo ended his recent scoring drought with a simple header at the far post after Beckham had sent a trademark free-kick into the box.

The second setback sparked Barcelona into a response and Mexican midfielder Rafael Marquez went close with a header from a corner before Eto'o continued his prolific scoring record against his old club. The African Player of the Year exchanged a one-two with Xavi, scorched past Ivan Helguera and Roberto Carlos and scored deftly with the outside of his foot.

Barcelona took control for the next 15 minutes and could have got back on level terms but Iker Casillas produced a fine reflex save to deny Giovanni van Bronckhorst before Beckham slid in with a last-ditch challenge to dispossess Eto'o.

Real scored again on the stroke of half-time when Raul stabbed the ball under Victor Valdes at the near post after Roberto Carlos had cut back a pass into the area from the left wing.

Barcelona had a number of chances to narrow Real's lead but a combination of top-class keeping from Casillas and desperate last-ditch defending kept the Catalans at bay.

Real went 4-1 up when Owen notched his 11th league goal of the season after latching on to a superb through-ball from Beckham and steering the ball past Valdes.

There was no relenting in the breathless pace, however, and Barcelona had a strong penalty appeal turned down when substitute Maxi Lopez was brought down by Roberto Carlos.

Ronaldinho then fooled Casillas with a sweetly-struck free-kick from the edge of the area 17 minutes from time but his side were unable to narrow Real's lead any further.

Meanwhile, Liverpool Rafael Benitez has left the door open for Owen to make a return to Liverpool.

Owen may have had a rare start for Madrid last night, but he has mainly been forced to make his contribution from the fringe of the team, behind Raul and Ronaldo in the pecking order.

And Benitez, who went in the opposite direction last summer when he arrived in England from Valencia, believes there will always be "an option" for Owen to return.

"Owen is a Liverpool supporter and it is always an option for him, and for us, for him to come back," he told a number of Sunday newspapers.

"He has the spirit that you need. He loves Liverpool so it is always an option for him to come back."

REAL MADRID: Casillas, Salgado, Carlos, Helguera, Pavon, Zidane, Gravesen, Beckham, Raul, Ronaldo, Owen. Replacements: Cesar, Bravo, Figo, Celades, Solari, Portillo.

BARCELONA: Valdes, Belletti, Marquez, Puyol, Van Bronckhorst, Oleguer, Xavi, Ronaldinho, Iniesta, Giuly, Eto'o. Replacements: Jorquera, Sylvinho, Fernando, Gerard, Albertini, Damia, Maxi Lopez.

Referee: Rafael Ramirez Dominguez (Cordoba)