Barcelona reclaimed second spot in the Primera Liga behind arch-rivals Real Madrid after they maintained their 100 percent record at the Nou Camp with a 2-1 comeback win over Deportivo Coruna on Sunday.
Deportivo silenced the home crowd when they took a shock lead in the third minute, former Barca youth teamer Cristian beating Victor Valdes with a 20-metre swerver, but Barca equalised through a Ronaldinho penalty just before the break.
Depor looked as though they might hold out for a draw until midfielder Xavi side-footed home from close range 20 minutes from time after keeper Gustavo Munua had tipped a Carles Puyol cross into his path.
Barca striker Samuel Eto'o returned to action after over three months out with a thigh injury and came through unscathed.
Champions Real, who won 1-0 away at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, lead the table on 35 points, four clear of Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid moved into third spot, a point further back, after a 1-0 win over neighbours Getafe in a bad-tempered match at the Calderon in which four players were sent off.
Javier Aguirre's side clinched their barely deserved victory thanks to a well worked goal from Diego Forlan in the first half but the win was overshadowed by the dismissal of two players from each side in the space of 12 second-half minutes.
FOUR OFF
Atletico striker Sergio Aguero was the first to go when he picked up a second booking midway through the second half and Getafe defender Lucas Licht followed him down the tunnel for the same reason eight minutes later.
Getafe keeper Roberto Abbondanzieri was given his marching orders for a handball outside the area and Atletico winger Jose Antonio Reyes completed the display of indiscipline when he was shown a straight red moments later for a wild tackle.
Villarreal dropped to fourth after they went down 1-0 at home to struggling Real Betis who replaced Hector Cuper with reserve team boss Paco Chaparro after last weekend's defeat at home to Atletico.
Espanyol missed their chance to overtake Villarreal when they surrendered a two-goal advantage to draw 3-3 against Real Zaragoza at La Romareda.
Zaragoza took an early lead through Argentine striker Diego Milito but looked to be down and out when Espanyol hit back with three goals in the space of seven minutes.
Raul Tamudo claimed the first on eight minutes when he lobbed into the top corner from the left side of the area, Valdo added a second with a superb curler and Pablo Zabaleta ghosted in at the far post to make it 3-1 before a quarter of an hour was up.
Zaragoza suffered a further setback when midfielder Peter Luccin was sent off at the start of the second half but Espanyol failed to take advantage and Brazilian striker Ricardo Oliveira struck twice in the last four minutes to earn his side a point.