Real battle to a win

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos (L) celebrates with teammate Pepe after scoring the equalising goal against Osasuna during their Primera Liga clash at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.Photo: AFP

Real Madrid came from a goal down to cut Barcelona's lead at the top to 12 points with a hard-fought 3-1 home victory over basement boys Osasuna on Sunday and end a week of boardroom infighting on a high.
In contrast to Barcelona's dazzling 5-0 thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, Real were fortunate to survive two strong penalty claims as they laboured to a win that lifts them into second above Sevilla on goal difference.
"We scored three goals and got three points which is what we wanted," said Real boss Juande Ramos.
"Barcelona are playing magnificent football and that is why they are getting good results.
"We are not playing so well but are getting good results and wins give you confidence and the ability to play better."
Osasuna went ahead through Iranian international Javad Nekounam's 19th-minute header but gifted Real an equaliser early in the second half with goalkeeper Roberto allowing Sergio Ramos's tame shot to creep in.
Argentine Gonzalo Higuain struck his 12th goal of the season just after the hour mark to turn the game in Real's favour and Arjen Robben added a third they scarcely deserved.
Valencia lost ground on Real and Sevilla after falling to a 3-2 defeat at Athletic Bilbao.
Valencia twice took the lead but Fernando Llorente, recently capped by Spain, scored a 90th-minute penalty to win the game and Valencia are now four points behind second-placed Real.
Atletico Madrid failed to take full advantage of Valencia's slip drawing 1-1 at Almeria who played with ten men from the 53rd minute.
Atletico now sit sixth, three points off the Champions League places.
Osasuna took a 19th minute lead on Sunday when Jaroslav Plasil got down the byline and whipped in a great cross for Nekounam to head home.
It was the first goal Real had conceded since the 2-0 defeat to Barcelona in mid-December.
Ramos thought he had equalised in the 37th minute but the goal was ruled out for offside.
After the break the Spanish international got his goal with his speculative shot fumbled by keeper Roberto who allowed the ball to loop over his body.
Robben then set up Higuain for a simple tap-in and scored himself in the dying seconds.
Real had been let off the hook six minutes from time when Pepe appeared to foul Juanfran in the penalty area.
The referee waved away the appeals and Juanfran, already booked, was sent off for diving.
Villarreal ended a miserable run with a 2-0 triumph over Real Mallorca to rise to fifth, a point behind Valencia.
The club had taken one point from their last 12 before the Mallorca match but a Joan Capdevila strike and a Giuseppe Rossi penalty got them back on the winning trail.