Real Madrid and Barcelona's simultaneous kick-offs on Saturday meant that if results went Real's way they could move to within 1 point of the Catalan league leaders. The form book was certainly with them, having won their last 10 league games compared with Barcelona's run of 5 fixtures without a win, and then there was the fact that Atlético Madrid hadn't won in the Bernabeu for over 10 years.
Real then, perhaps unsurprisingly, started strongest. Arjen Robben crafted some good opening chances for the home side, only to let himself down with poor selection when it mattered - twice choosing to shoot when Raul and then Marcelino looked to be in better positions (for which the latter was visibly frustrated).
Meanwhile at the Nou Camp, Athletic Club Bilbao should have gone ahead through Yeste but he sent his effort just wide. Then, only a minute later, promising young box-to-box midfielder Sergio Busquets glanced a header past Iraizoz’s near post for Barcelona to take the lead. Shortly after that Andres Iniesta was brought down in the box and Messi steped up to make it 2-0.
As news of the goals filters through to the Bernabeu, Atletico, having ridden the early bout of home pressure, began to have more possesion and zip about them. And on 35 minutes the game's first real clear-cut chance fell their way, with Kun Agüero finding himself through with just the goalkeeper to beat.
However when that goalkeeper happens to be Iker Casillas the task is always made much more difficult - as Kún Agüero soon found out , seeing his firmly struck shot parried away for what was not to be the first time.
Nevertheless, undeterred, his strike partner Forlan would indeed find a way through just two minutes later. Atlético - in a stunning piece of counter attacking football - played the ball in under 10 seconds and 5 passes from box-to-box for the Urugayan striker to calmly tuck away for the lead.
It was a lead that would only last for 20 minutes, however, as in the second-half Huntelaar's clever turn in the box created enough space for him to blast into the net with his right. Real were back in the game, but replays show the dutchman coming back from an offside position when Higauin's ball was played.
There was no time to ponder it, though, as moments later Casillas could only stand and watch as Forlan's side footed strike passed him only to rebound off the post and away.
That was to signal the start of a series of gilt-edged chances for Atlético, as first Pongole snatched at a shot just yards in front of goal, then Agüero missed not one, but three clear cut chances to find the winner.
In the end Atlético will have to wait at least another year for a victory, with this game finishing level. Infact it was Real who almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the final moments with a few decent chances of their own.
In the end then Barcelona took their lead back up to 6 points at the top of La Liga. However, their inability to finish in the second-half, with Eto'o spurning 4 or 5 chances alone, together with the late injury to Puyol, who now faces up to 3 weeks on the sidelines, might well have taken a little gloss off this triumph - especially with Karim Benzema coming to town this Wednesday (although I'm led to believe he too has injury concerns).
Elsewhere, Sevilla and Villareal both tightened their grip on 3rd and 4th place respectively with wins.
For all Atléti's great play of late under new boss Resino, Deportivo's sensational 5-3 win against Racing and Malaga's 2-1 win at Getafe, mean Atletico Madrid find themselves in 7th place - not even in the 2 automatic UEFA places.
Valencia, nevertheless, are in even worse shape as they now drop down to 8th after losing 2-1 to 2nd from bottom Numancia. Sporting Gijon nudge up to 13th to sit behind their other bay of biscay rivals, Racing and Bilbao. Whilst Mallorca pulled off the comeback of the week scoring 3 times in 10 minutes to rescue a point at Betis, and both teams now sit 3 points clear of the relegation places.
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Results
Recreativo 2 Valladolid 3
Numancia 2 Valencia 1 .
Osasuna 1 Sporting 2
Deportivo 5 Racing 3 .
Mallorca 3 Betis 3
Sevilla 2 Almería 1
Getafe 1 Málaga 2
Barcelona 2 Athletic 0
Real Madrid 1 Atlético 1
Villarreal 1 Espanyol 0