Champions Barcelona produced another sparkling display to crush Racing Santander 4-1 at the Nou Camp and reclaim top spot in the Primera Liga on Sunday.
Dazzling individual goals from Samuel Eto'o and Argentine teenager Lionel Messi, a Ronaldinho penalty and a rare strike from fullback Silvinho earned the Catalans an eighth straight win in all competitions.
Frank Rijkaard's side lead the standings on goal difference ahead of surprise package Osasuna who came from a goal down to clinch an exciting 3-2 victory over Alaves and preserve their 100 percent record at home this season.
Both teams have 28 points from 13 games, five ahead of Villarreal who extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a 2-0 win at Deportivo Coruna, the goals coming from Argentine internationals Juan Roman Riquelme and Juan Pablo Sorin.
Real Madrid, who suffered a 3-0 mauling at the hands of Barcelona last week, are back in sixth place, a further point behind Villarreal after snatching a late 2-2 draw at Real Sociedad.
Real appeared down and out after Sociedad had gone 2-0 up thanks to a Xabi Prieto penalty and an opportunist strike from Oscar de Paula.
They were put in even deeper trouble when they were reduced to 10 men after defender Sergio Ramos was sent off for the third time this season 17 minutes from time.
LATE CHARGE
But Sociedad's Gaizka Garitano followed Ramos down the tunnel soon after and Real proceeded to mount a desperate late charge to grab a vital away point.
Bravo stabbed in from close range after a David Beckham corner in the 87th minute and Zidane pounced on a loose ball to make it 2-2
Barcelona forward Ronaldinho, who led Barca to spectacular victories over Real Madrid and Werder Bremen last week, proved he is human when he missed a penalty in the opening minutes at the Nou Camp.
The Catalans took the lead after half an hour thanks to a magnificent individual goal from leading scorer Eto'o.
The Cameroon international won the ball on the halfway line, scorched his way towards the Racing area, turned three defenders inside out and finished off with a fantastic right-foot strike.
Barca's second was almost as good. The 18-year-old Messi broke clear just inside the Racing half, cut inside a defender and fired low past Aouate seven minutes after the break.
Ronaldinho then atoned for his earlier miss when he blasted home from the penalty spot after he had been felled by desperate Racing defender Pablo Pinillos after beating him with a dazzling step over and jink.
Fellow Brazilian Silvinho completed the rout when he bundled into the net after a fine jinking run into the area.
Racing scored a consolation when Francisco Casquero converted a penalty, but their evening ended on a low note when forward David Aganzo was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.
Barca's victory leaves them with the awe-inspiring statistics of 28 goals for and just three against in their eight-match winning streak.
