Real beat Villarreal to go nine clear

By Mark Elkington

MADRID (Reuters) - Leaders Real Madrid beat Villarreal 3-2 at home to pull nine points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday, as all their nearest rivals dropped points.

Brazil forward Robinho scored a goal in each half in a pulsating match at the Bernabeu, in which Giuseppe Rossi and Joan Capdevila had twice levelled for third-placed Villarreal.

Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder scored the winner as Real made the most of second-placed Barcelona's 1-1 draw away to Athletic Bilbao.

Real's eighth consecutive win puts them on have 53 points, Barca have 44 and Villarreal 38. Atletico Madrid and Espanyol both lost as their vague pretensions of challenging for the title were knocked back even further.

Fourth-placed Atletico, on 37 points, fell to a goal from Venezuela striker Juan Arango at Real Mallorca, making it three defeats in a week for Javier Aguirre's side.

Espanyol, a point back in fifth, lost 2-1 at home to Real Betis for their third consecutive league defeat.

Elsewhere, problems mounted for under-fire coach Ronald Koeman as Valencia made it nine games without a win, losing 1-0 at home to promoted Almeria.

Real got the ideal start against Villarreal when Guti picked out Robinho's run with a diagonal pass and the Brazilian's first-time shot flew inside the far post after nine minutes.