DEFENDING champion Real Madrid moved six points clear at the top of the Spanish league after scoring a 3-1 win over Sevilla at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

Gabriel Heinze, Raul Gonzalez and Gonzalo Higuain scored to help Madrid snap a two-game home losing streak. Frederic Kanoute scored for Sevilla.

Madrid leads the league with 65 points, followed by Villarreal with 59 and FC Barcelona with 58.

Barcelona surrendered a two-goal lead to lose at Real Betis 3-2 Saturday, and Villarreal moved ahead of the Catalans after routing Atletico Madrid 3-0.

At the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, Wesley Sneijder and Jose Maria “Guti’’ Gutierrez were steering Madrid’s quick charge.

Sneijder picked out Heinze with a free kick in the eighth minute, and the Argentina defender headed in the opener.

Madrid looked to dig itself a hole in the 38th when Kanoute equalized at 1-1 with a low volley inside the near post. But only a minute later, Raul controlled Sneijder’s pass in the box with his chest before turning to shoot over Palop at the short side for his 16th goal this season.

Madrid maintained pressure in the second half, with Higuain missing wide in the 59th and then immediately being denied by Palop’s reaction save.

But the Argentine finally beat Palop in the 65th after poking in a side-footed pass by Guti from the right.

Striker Luis Fabiano headed wide in the 83rd as sixth-ranked Sevilla stayed with 45 points.

(SD-Agencies)