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MADRID, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona slipped to six points behind Real Madrid a week ahead of the first 'Classico' between the two sides in the Camp Nou season on December 3rd.
Sunday saw Barcelona salvage a 1-1 draw from their visit to play Real Sociedad in what was perhaps their worst performance of the season, if not several seasons.
Real Sociedad totally dominated the first half against an unrecognizable Barca, but despite six chances, failed to score until the second half when Willian Jose headed home after good work from Carlos Vela.
The lead barely lasted five minutes before Leo Messi equalized in a rare Barca chance, but Real Sociedad should have won, as Juanmi had a legal goal wrongly ruled out for offside and Vela saw a shot off the outside of the post.
Real Madrid won their game on Saturday, but can also can consider themselves lucky, as they beat a struggling Sporting Gijon side 2-1. Sporting Gijon has now taken just 2 points from their last 10 matches.
Had it not been for a missed penalty from Sporting striker Duje Cop, Madrid would have dropped two vital points ahead of next week's Classico.
Cop sent his spot kick into the crowd and Cristiano Ronaldo's two first half goals were enough to ensure the three points stayed in the Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid got back to winning ways after defeats to Real Sociedad and Real Madrid with a comfortable 3-0 win away to Osasuna.
Things might have been different for Diego Simeone's side had Jan Oblak not saved Roberto Torres' 13th minute penalty, but the game was as good as over when two goals within 2 minutes from Diego Godin and Kevin Gameiro put Atletico 2-0 ahead in the 37th minute.
Yannick Carrasco sealed the win in the last minute of the game in which the penalty was Osasuna's only worthwhile shot on target.
Villarreal drop out of the top four after a 2-0 home defeat to Alaves. Ibai Gomez's 7th minute volley put the Basque side ahead, and with Villarreal half asleep in defense, Victor Camarasa doubled the lead in the 18th minute.
Villarreal improved in the second half but failed to beat Alaves' in-form goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco.
Spanish international Iago Aspes opened the door for Celta Vigo's 3-1 win at home to bottom of the table Celta, who remain bottom-dwellers without a win all season.
A tired Sevilla recovered from their midweek defeat in the Champions League to beat struggling Valencia 2-1 thanks to an own-goal from Ezequiel Garay and a shot from Nico Pareja following a corner 15 minutes from time.
Munir had scored for Valencia 10 minutes earlier to give them hopes of a draw, but Cesare Prandelli's side are still in trouble, while Sevilla are level on points with Barca.
Malaga claimed a record-equaling fifth successive home win as they won a crazy game 4-3 against Deportivo La Coruna in a game settled by an injury time goal from teenage midfielder Javier Ontiveros.
Deportivo look an early lead thanks to a Borges penalty, but Michael Santos equalized from the penalty spot and Sandro Ramirez's free kick made it 2-1, before Santos scored Malaga's third goal 10 minutes after the break.
Florin Andone then scored a header to give Deportivo hope, and an error from Carlos Kameni saw Borges equalize in the closing minutes, before Ontiveros sealed the win in the end.
Pablo Piatti scored twice as Espanyol upped the pace to claim their first home win of the season with a 3-0 victory over Leganes, with Gerard Moreno also scoring in a game that came to life in the second half.
