Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the last eight minutes for Real Madrid to rally for a 3-1 win over Hercules to stay top of the Spanish league on Saturday, while Barcelona romped to another home victory against Sevilla to keep pace.
Hercules went ahead after three minutes through a David Trezeguet header before Angel Di Maria volleyed past goalkeeper Juan Calatayud for a 53rd-minute equalizer.
Ronaldo latched onto a Karim Benzema rebound to put Madrid ahead at Jose Rico Perez Stadium before adding his league-leading 12th goal of the season four minutes later after converting substitute Benzema's 86th-minute pass. The Portugal forward nearly had a hat trick, but shot high in the closing stages.
"Psychologically it is good for us to come from behind, but the most important thing is to get the three points and stay first," Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said.
Madrid leads with 23 points from nine games, while Barcelona trails by only one point after beating Sevilla 5-0. Barcelona scored consecutive 4-0 wins over the Andalucian team in its last two visits to the Camp Nou.
The Spanish champion's win was never in doubt, and Lionel Messi confirmed it with the first of his two goals in the fourth minute, blasting a rebound that bounced off defender Antonio Luna and across the line.
Luis Fabiano missed on a crossing shot for Sevilla's best chance almost 10 minutes into the match.
But Barcelona kept pouring it on and David Villa snapped his more than monthlong scoring drought by perfectly curling a left-foot shot inside the far post in the 24th.
Pedro Rodriguez caused problems for the Sevilla defense throughout and the visitors were left to play with 10 men when Abdoulay Konko was sent off for barging into Pedro as the first half expired.
Dani Alves added the third in the 52nd when midfielder Ndri Romaric headed the ball back to goalkeeper Javi Varas and the Barcelona right back darted in and tipped it over Varas into goal.
Messi scored his seventh goal of the season- second to only Ronaldo - after he robbed the ball from Diego Capel near midfield, dribbled to the edge of the area and slotted the ball right by the post.
Villa took his season tally to four after gliding across the front of the area before beating Varas with a left-footed shot to close the match.
Hercules came out more aggressively and Calatayud made clutch stops as Madrid pressed for an answer to Trezeguet's opener.
The French striker tallied his fifth goal of the season off a long cross from David Cortes to put Madrid behind for the first time this season.
Calatayud made consecutive saves on Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain in the 23rd, while Trezeguet tested keeper Iker Casillas three minutes later.
While Hercules was the better side in the first half, Madrid took control after the break.
"I prefer winning from the beginning instead of a comeback, but the adversary was well organized and aggressive," said Mourinho. "In the second half we almost played by ourselves."
The absence of Royston Drenthe - who helped Hercules to a pair of wins over Barcelona and Sevilla - was noted, however, as the Alicante team lost some of its spark. The Dutch winger could not play because he is on loan from Madrid.
Calatayud could do nothing as the Argentina winger picked the top corner of goal to equalize before Marcelo found Benzema for a chance that Calatayud saved but Ronaldo was perfectly positioned to bury the rebound into goal.
Ronaldo scored for the fourth straight game after sending Benzema's centering pass into the roof of the net.
Earlier, Valencia was held to 1-1 at home against 10-man Zaragoza to go to 17 points.
At Mestalla Stadium, Maurizio Lanzaro struck for Zaragoza three minutes in when the defender fired a spinning shot off a corner that the Valencia defense failed to clear.
Zaragoza, which was coming off its first victory of the campaign thanks to a Copa del Rey win, had the better opportunities throughout the first half and tallied four chances inside the first 11 minutes.
Valencia went close through Ricardo Costa and Aritz Aduriz before Lanzaro scored again into his own goal in the 43rd as his attempt to head out a cross ended up in the back of the net.
Valencia - which is winless in three games - couldn't score a winner despite Ander Herrera's sending off in the 68th.
Zaragoza provisionally moved out of last, although it remained winless after nine games.
On Sunday, it's: Sporting Gijon vs. Villarreal; Racing Santander vs. Osasuna; Malaga vs. Real Sociedad; Deportivo La Coruna vs. Espanyol; Atletico Madrid vs. Almeria; and Athletic Bilbao vs. Getafe.
Mallorca plays Levante on Monday to close the ninth round.
