Barcelona: Karim Benzema's third brace in three games lifted Real Madrid 2-0 over Hercules in the Spanish league on Saturday.
Madrid remained perfect in 22 games in all competitions at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium this season and provisionally moved to within four points of league leader Barcelona ahead of its visit to Sevilla on Sunday.
With top-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo recovering from a leg injury, Benzema's quality stood out in an otherwise uninspiring performance from his team.
The France striker grabbed the lead for the hosts in the 24th minute finishing off a nice team buildup and sealed the win in the 56th with a great individual effort.
"I am (playing) well and I have been lucky to score two goals, but I have to give thanks to all the team," Benzema told TV's Canal Plus.
"The league isn't over and we have to work to win the games we have left."
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid squandered a double by Sergio Aguero to settle for a 2-2 draw at Almeria and Zaragoza beat third-place Valencia 4-0 to move four points clear of the relegation zone.
Hercules started well but it failed to convert its good football into a goal and has gone 11 games without scoring away from Alicante.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho rested midfielder Xabi Alonso and defender Pepe with the return leg of his team's Champions League round of 16 series against Lyon set for Wednesday.
Madrid lacked the creative team attack that was showed without Ronaldo last week at Racing Santander when it played its most attractive football of the season in an electric first half.
Hercules had the first shot on goal in the 10th when former Madrid striker Javier Portillo weakly rolled the ball into the arms of goalkeeper Iker Casillas and defender Noe Paramot sent a header over the crossbar in the 17th.
But Mesut Oezil sparked Madrid with a pass to right back Alvaro Arbeloa, who crossed low for Benzema to fire in unmarked.
Despite going behind, Hercules did not fold as goalkeeper Juan Calatayud saved a header from Emmanuel Adebayor in the 28th and Casillas had to make saves to deny Olivier Thomert and Fransisco Femenia before halftime.
Adebayor came close to Madrid's second right after the restart when his header rattled the crossbar before Benzema decided the match.
Benzema received the ball in the left corner, advanced along the end line before cutting back and shooting inside the far post with a beautiful right-footed strike.
Benzema, much questioned during the first half of the season, has nine goals in league play.
"We have to take full advantage of Benzema's state of grace," Casillas said. "We hope that he continues the streak as long as possible."
Calatayud made a number of saves as time ran down to prevent Hercules from suffering a worse defeat.
At Juegos Mediterraneos stadium, Aguero gave Atletico the lead once in each half but his team's lackluster defence relinquished the advantage on both occasions.
Almeria's Albert Crusat canceled out Aguero's 39th-minute opener with a volley in the 49th.
The Argentina forward made it 2-1 for the visitors in the 61st, perfectly placing a left-footed shot inside the post of Diego Alves' goal, but substitute striker Henok Goitom headed home to pull Almeria even in the 77th.
"I am very angry we didn't win this game," Aguero told Spanish sports daily AS. "Almeria also showed its merits but I don't care. We can't let points escape like this."
Atletico is 11 points out of the Champions League positions.
Aguero leads Atletico with 11 goals this season.
In Zaragoza, Javier Aguirre's team went ahead in the fifth with a header from Czech defender Jiri Jarosik and Ander Herrera made it 2-0 slotting the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Vicente Guaita in the 40th after Ikechuwku Uche played through the defence.
Valencia — fresh off its midweek exit from the Champions League — struggled to manufacture scoring chances throughout the game.
Gabi Fernandez capped the rout with a pair of spot kicks in the 65th and 75th after Marius Stankevicius was sent off for fouling Nicolas Bertolo and David Albelda tripped Braulio Nobrega in the area.
On Sunday, Barcelona visits Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium looking to equal a club record of 26 league games without a loss set in 1973-74.
Also, it's Osasuna vs Racing Santander, Real Sociedad vs Malaga, Espanyol vs Deportivo La Coruna, Levante vs Mallorca and Villarreal vs Sporting Gijon.
Athletic Bilbao travels to Getafe on Monday to close round 28.
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