Barca lose ground as Depor close on leaders Real

Barcelona lost further ground on leaders Real Madrid when they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at bottom club Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish first division on Sunday.

Athletic Bilbao and Valencia also missed chances to close the gap on Real, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Malaga on Saturday.

Deportivo Coruna were the only team to make up ground on last season's champions after an own goal from keeper Nacho Gonzalez helped them struggle their way to a 1-0 win over a hard-working Las Palmas side.

Athletic suffered only their second away defeat of the season when they crashed 3-0 at Real Mallorca, while Valencia lost their first home match of the campaign, going down 2-1 to rejuvenated Valladolid at the Mestalla.

Real remained on top of the standings with 39 points, three ahead of Alaves, who won 2-1 at Real Sociedad on Saturday and stay ahead of Deportivo on goal difference.

Celta Vigo, who came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at Tenerife, are in fourth on 34 points, ahead on goal difference from Bilbao, while Barcelona are a further point behind in fifth.

Rayo, looking anything but a side languishing at the foot of the table, took the lead on 25 minutes against an out-of-sorts Barcelona with a classy individual effort from Elvir Bolic.

Picking up the ball on the left, the Bosnian international cut past Gabri and Xavi towards the edge of the area before curling a superbly-struck shot past goalkeeper Jose Maria Reina and into the far corner.

FROZEN OUT

Barcelona were largely frozen out in midfield as Rayo gave them little time on the ball on the narrow pitch at Vallecas.

The Catalan side's only real chance of the half came through a Rivaldo freekick three minutes from the break.

The Brazilian's measured shot looked set to squeeze into the far corner, but goalkeeper Imanol Etxeberria managed to tip the ball on to the bar and keep his side ahead.

Barcelona finally sparked into action at the start of the second half and levelled with a well-taken opportunist goal from Xavi on 57 minutes.

Etxeberria sprinted out of his area to head clear a through pass, only to see Xavi clip the ball over his head with a delicate first time shot.

But Rayo refused to cave in under the Barca pressure and reclaimed the lead four minutes later after fine work by Jordi Ferron on the right.

The midfielder sent a teasing cross towards the far post where Ramon de Quintina headed over an out-of-position Reina to secure Rayo's first league win since mid-November.

Mallorca ended a run of six games without a victory as they secured an impressive 3-0 triumph over high-flying Athletic Bilbao.

The islanders took the lead on 36 minutes when Alberto Luque finished off a lightning break with a fine solo run and shot.

Vicente Engonga added a penalty 18 minutes from time and Roberto Losada wrapped things up with another individual effort deep into stoppage time.