Real Madrid 3 - Sevilla 1

Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Heinze, Marcelo; Sneijder, Gago, Guti (Diarra 72'), Robben; Higuaín (Baptista 83'), Raúl (Robinho 87'). 4-4-2.
Sevilla: Palop; Crespo (Jesús Navas 33'), David Prieto, Mosquera, Adriano; Daniel Alves, Poulsen (Renato 46'), Keita, Diego Capel (Kone 763); Kanouté, Luis Fabiano. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Madrid: Heinze, Robben, Higuaín for Pepe, Baptista, Robinho / Sevilla: Crespo, David Prieto for Escudé, Jesús Navas.

Goals:
1-0. 07. Heinze. Got ahead of defence to head Sneijder's free kick past Palop.
1-1. 37. Kanouté. Swept shot past Casillas after Keita headed ball in.
2-1. 39. Raúl. Controlled Sneijder's cross and fired shot inside near post.
3-1. 65. Higuaín. Got on end of Guti's cross to poke shot past keeper.

Real Madrid moved six points clear at the top after beating sixth placed Sevilla 3-1 in the last match on Sunday evening. Barcelona's defeat the day before gave Bernd Schuster's side a chance to put more daylight between them and their arch-rivals, and they went into an early lead after Heinze headed Sneijder's free kick past Palop, referee Teixeira Vitienes waving away claims for offside.

Madrid could have gone further ahead, Palop doing well to keep out Higuaín, Raúl and Sergio Ramos. Heinze blocked an effort from Luis Fabiano at the other end though, and with eight minutes to go to half time Kanouté equalised, sweeping the ball past Casillas after Keita headed the ball back into the area following an Alves free kick. Just a couple of minutes later however the hosts were back in front, Raúl controlling Sneijder's cross on his thigh and holding off his marker to shoot inside the near post.

Navas and Kanouté went close either side of half time, and Luis Fabiano was frustrated once again by the defence. But Palop had to be at his best to keep out Higuaín a couple of times, and twenty minutes in to the second half the Argentinian striker finally latched on to Guti's pass to stab the ball in to the net. The Andalusians tried to come back after that, with Keita and Luis Fabiano both putting efforts wide, but there was no way through a well ordered defence. They ended the weekend in sixth place, still five points adrift of the Champions League spots.