Lionel Messi (left) is hugged by Deco and Ronaldinho at the Nou Camp on Sunday. (Reuters)

Madrid: Second-half strikes from Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gonzalo Higuain earned Real Madrid a 2-0 win at home to Recreativo Huelva on Sunday that kept them top of the Primera Liga.

The game looked to be heading for a draw until Van Nistelrooy slotted a low shot past ’keeper Stefano Sorrentino after Raul had clipped a neat pass into his path on the edge of the area 17 minutes from time.

Substitute Higuain added the second just before the final whistle, rounding Sorrentino and steering into the open net after a fine through-ball from midfielder Guti.

Lionel Messi scored one and set up another as he helped Barcelona to a 3-0 win at home to Atletico Madrid that pushed them up into second place ahead of Villarreal who went down 2-3 at Osasuna.

Real head the standings with 19 points from seven games, two clear of Barcelona and four ahead of Villarreal and Valencia, who lost 1-2 at home to Espanyol on Saturday.

Real Zaragoza bounced back from exit in the Uefa Cup with a 3-0 win over Levante while Michael Laudrup’s Getafe remain without a win after surrendering a 2-0 lead to lose 2-4 to Real Mallorca in the game of the day.

Getafe midfielder Francisco Sousa scored two great goals at the start of each half, but the islanders staged a brilliant comeback despite having midfielder Guillermo Pereyra sent off with Juan Arango striking twice.

Meanwhile, in Serie A, Kaka and Alberto Gilardino both scored two goals to help AC Milan routed Lazio 5-1 and get their first victory in six rounds. Kaka converted a penalty kick in the 33rd and doubled his tally in the 52nd after holding off two defenders and shooting through the legs of Lazio goalkeeper Nestor Fernando Muslera on Sunday.

He then created an opening in the 70th for Gilardino, who beat Muslera for his first goal of the season. An 89th-minute Adrian Mutu penalty gave Fiorentina a 1-1 home draw with Juventus on Sunday.

Francesco Totti struck twice for AS Roma to claim a share of second place with Juventus after a 3-0 win at Parma.

(PTI)