Barcelona’s slip let Madrid move seven points clear of its fierce rival on top of the standings just past the season’s midway point, thanks to its earlier 3-1 comeback win over last-place Zaragoza.

The Catalan side’s troubles away from home, where it has won only four of 10 matches, compounded by an attack thinned by injuries took their toll at El Madrigal Stadium.

Lionel Messi missed with a chip shot early, and Cesc Fabregas hit the crossbar late in Barcelona’s best scoring chances against a Villarreal that did well to hold off the visitors’ late surge.

“Seven points is an important advantage,” said Barcelona right back Dani Alves. “But I have seen bigger ones, so we have to keep looking ahead.”

Zaragoza, which upset Madrid at home late last season, started well with Angel Lafita scoring an 11th-minute opener.

But Kaka leveled for Madrid in the 32nd at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, and Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Oezil added two more shortly after halftime to decide the game.

Madrid has won nine of 10 league home games this season, with its only home loss to Barcelona in December. And while Barcelona has dominated their head-to-head meetings with only one loss over the past three seasons, Madrid is proving to be better overall in the league.

Even so, Kaka wasn’t completely happy with his team’s showing.

“We can’t always have to rally to win and concede so many goals both home and away,” Kaka said about his Madrid which hasn’t kept a clean sheet in 10 straight home games. “These are things that we can improve.”

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola patched together a front line of Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Adriano, with the injured Andres Iniesta, Pedro Rodriguez, David Villa and Ibrahim Afellay all unavailable and Alexis Sanchez tagged as a reserve.

Villarreal pressed the European and world champions high up the pitch from the start, and the risky tactic almost cost the “Yellow Submarine” dearly in the 17th when Dani Alves’ long pass left Messi alone with only the goalkeeper Diego Lopez to beat. But Messi, usually so precise in front of goal, sent his lob bouncing wide.

Alexis, who was a late inclusion in the squad after hurting his shoulder in Wednesday’s elimination of Madrid in the Copa del Rey, went on as a substitute with half an hour to play.

Guardiola also sent on Thiago Alcantara and youth player Cristian Tello, and Tello set up Fabregas at the edge of the area in the 79th, only to see his shot come off the woodwork.

Messi had a chance to grab the win when he got through the defense in the 87th, but goalkeeper Diego Lopez blocked his close-range strike, and Fabregas sent the rebound sailing over the bar.

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