AC Milan?s Hernan Crespo (right) vies with Reggina?s Batista Mozart during their Serie A match on Sunday. (AFP)

Madrid: Late strikes from Michael Owen and Ivan Helguera enabled Real Madrid to scramble a 2-1 win at Osasuna that kept them in touch with arch-rivals Barcelona at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday.

Trailing 0-1 to a Pierre Webo strike with just 13 minutes left, Owen threw himself at the ball to head home from close range and moments later Helguera stabbed in from a metre after Osasuna keeper Richard Sanzol spilled a David Beckham free-kick.

The victory, Real?s seventh in a row, left them four points behind Barcelona after 23 games, although the Catalans showed no sign of loosening their grip on top spot when they overpowered Real Zaragoza 4-1 at La Romareda on Saturday.

Sevilla leapfrogged Valencia into third place, a distant nine points behind Real, after a double from Brazilian striker Julio Baptista helped them to a 2-1 win at home to Villarreal on Sunday, a first defeat in 10 games for the Mediterranean side.

Valencia, Real Betis and Espanyol are level a further three points back.

Betis moved up to fifth thanks to a thrilling 4-4 draw at Athletic Bilbao in the game of the day and a candidate for game of the season.

Osasuna set a breathless pace in the driving rain at El Sadar as they outfought Real in midfield, dominated possession and then proceeded to lay siege to the Madrid goal.

The Real back four struggled to cope with Osasuna striker Morales and it was the towering Uruguayan who provided a neat headed assist for Webo to open the scoring after 36 minutes.

Osasuna, however, were paid for their wastefulness when they shipped two late goals from set pieces to gift Real a vital win.

Owen began the comeback when he launched himself to head across the line after a Raul shot rebounded off keeper Sanzol into his path from a Roberto Carlos free-kick. Three minutes later, Helguera poked home from a metre after Sanzol spilled Beckham?s swirling free kick in the driving rain.

Meanwhile, Serie A leaders Juventus got their title charge back on track with a 2-1 win over fourth-placed Udinese in Turin on Sunday.

Second-placed AC Milan kept up the pressure, though, with a 1-0 win at Reggina in Sunday?s late game to leave Juve just two points clear at the top with 53 points from 24 matches.

Juve?s advantage was slashed from eight points after they lost their previous two matches against Sampdoria and Bologna and they needed to quickly find some form.

The 27-time champions had scraped past a well-organised Udinese side 1-0 when they met earlier this season but the return promised to be a much easier affair for the hosts when they went in front with less than a minute gone.

Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic squeezed between two defenders to score his 10th goal of the season and calm the fans? nerves.

In Germany, Bayern Munich were left clinging onto the Bundesliga leadership on goal difference after suffering a 1-3 defeat at Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday. Bayern remain top with 41 points from 21 games, with Schalke 04 level on points in second place after their excellent 3-0 win at home to VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Werder Bremen are third with 37 points after a 2-0 win to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday. (Reuters)