MADRID — Angel Di Maria inspired Real Madrid to a 3-0 win at Sporting Gijon and Cesc Fabregas scored twice in Barcelona’s 5-0 drubbing of Levante on Saturday as the two rivals warmed up in style for next weekend’s “Clasico”.
Real eased to a 10th consecutive league victory, and their 14th in a row in all competitions, to cement their three-point lead over second-placed Barça who have played one game more than Jose Mourinho’s side.
Champions Barça have stuttered on their travels, but they maintained their superb home form against this season’s surprise packages Levante, taking their record at the Nou Camp to eight wins and one draw with 39 goals scored and none conceded.
Real have 37 points from 14 matches. Valencia are third, four points behind Barça with a game in hand after captain Roberto Soldado came off the bench to score the winner in a 2-1 victory at home to Espanyol. Levante are four points further back in fourth.
Argentina winger Di Maria opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 35th minute with a swerving low shot from an acute angle.
Joint La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo added the second in the 65th, the Portuguese forward’s 17th league goal of the season, before Brazil full back Marcelo made it 3-0 in added time after exchanging passes with France striker Karim Benzema.
Barça’s 4-0 win over Rayo Vallecano last Tuesday was a game brought forward because of their participation in the Club World Cup in Japan later this month and Pep Guardiola’s side produced another dominant display against Levante.
