Madrid  - Barcelona scored an important 2-0 home win Saturday over historic rivals Real Madrid, with late goals from star strikers Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi.

The win leaves Barca way out atop La Liga, eight points above second-place Valencia, who came from behind earlier Saturday to beat Espanyol 2-1.

Villarreal, who play Sunday at fourth-placed Sevilla, are nine points behind Barca.

Real, who have lost four of their last six games, are now fifth, no less than 12 points behind Barca - and practically out of the title race.

"We are now a considerable distance from them," said Real captain Raul. "But we shouldn't throw in the towel. We must keep on fighting."

The veteran striker bemoaned: "We created good chances but didn't take them."

Barca President Joan Laporta said that the "fans have been wonderful tonight. ... It was a difficult game against tough opponents."

Laporta gave special praise to keeper Victor Valdes, Messi and Eto'o. He said that the league title race "is not decided yet, though we are in a solid position."

In front of an expectant 97,000 capacity crowd in the rainy Camp Nou, Barca enjoyed almost 70 per cent possession - but lacked their usual fluidity.

The defensive plan of new Real coach Juande Ramos worked perfectly until fatigue took its toll in the last 20 minutes.

The clearest chance of a tight first half fell to Royston Drenthe, whose dubitative shot was well-saved by Barca keeper Victor Valdes.

Barca huffed and puffed throughout the game but seemed to lack the imagination to blow the Real house down.

Twenty minutes from time, they were given a penalty for a clumsy push by Michel Salgado on Sergio Busquets, but Euro 2008 hero Iker Casillas smartly saved Eto'o's penalty.

Eto'o had his revenge 13 minutes later, making it 1-0 by pushing the ball home with his thigh after Carles Puyol had headed a high corner across the 6-yard area.

Eto'o's goal, his 15th of the season, forced Real to belatedly come out of their shell. In stoppage time, Thierry Henry squared for Messi - having a surprisingly quiet game - to make it 2-0 with an exquisite chip.

Earlier Saturday, Valencia had moved up to second with a 2-1 defeat of 10-man Espanyol, who are now third from bottom.

Valencia needed a goal eight minutes from time from supersub Vicente to break the resistance of an Espanyol side that had played with one man less for most of the game, due to the sending-off of veteran Francisco Rufete.

The late win leaves Unai Emery's team eight points behind runaway leaders Barcelona.

"We had to work very hard for this win," said Vicente. "Just because you are playing with an extra man doesn't mean that the game will be easy."

Argentine midfielder Roman Martinez gave Espanyol a shock lead in the 29th minute, with a hopeful shot that took a wicked deflection off David Albelda.

Ten minutes later, Rufete was harshly sent off for handball, and Espanyol had little option but to fall back and soak up the pressure.

Spain defender Raul Albiol made it 1-1 with a powerful low drive, after the Espanyol defence had failed to clear a corner.

The winning goal came in the 82nd minute, to the delight of the Mestalla crowd. David Villa set up Vicente down the left, and the winger scored with a low shot under keeper Carlos Kameni.

The other good news for Valencia was the return to action of Euro 2008 star David Silva, after three months out with an ankle injury. (dpa)