Herik Larsson scores Barcelona?s matchwinner against CD Numancia at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on Sunday. (AFP)

Madrid: Barcelona beat Numancia 1-0 at the Nou Camp to move two points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday, while Real Madrid?s woes continued with a 0-1 defeat at home to Deportivo La Coruna.

Barcelona dominated throughout against a defensive Numancia side but created few clear chances before Swedish international striker Henrik Larsson thumped in a header from Xavi?s corner to make the breakthrough in the 70th minute.

Victory put Frank Rijkaard?s unbeaten side top on 16 points from six games, two points ahead of champions Valencia following their 1-1 draw at Real Betis on Saturday.

Sevilla edged into third place on 11 points with a goalless draw at Racing Santander, while Malaga climbed to fourth after their 2-0 win at home to Osasuna. Real Madrid slipped to 10th place on nine points after Albert Luque?s brilliant strike in the final minute of the first half was enough to give Deportivo victory at the Bernabeu.

England striker Michael Owen, starting in place of the injured Ronaldo, missed a good chance to score his first Real Madrid goal early on but then disappeared from the game before being substituted seven minutes into the second half. By that time, Real were behind through a lightning counter-attack from Deportivo. Walter Pandiani piled a long ball forward and Luque outpaced Michel Salgado before chipping the ball past Iker Casillas and in at the far post.

Barcelona have been in sparkling attacking form for most of the season but Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto?o, Ludovic Giuly and Larsson were collectively uninspired in a frustrating first half.

With 20 minutes to go, and the home crowd starting to get restless, Rafael Marquez forced a corner with a run on to a Ronaldinho pass and Larsson pounced to batter a header past Alvaro Nunez.

In Italy, AS Roma, with new coach Luigi del Neri in charge for the first time, fought back from a two goal deficit for an entertaining 3-3 draw with Inter Milan in Serie A on Sunday.

At the top of the table, leaders Juventus and champions AC Milan picked up wins while surprise package Messina continued their impressive form with a 4-1 victory over Siena.

Vincenzo Montella fired Roma ahead in the ninth minute, bringing down a Mancini cross and firing past Francesco Toldo.

Inter got back on level terms through Esteban Cambiasso on the stroke of halftime. Juan Sebastian Veron put Inter in front after the break and Recoba looked to have put the game beyond Roma when he made it 3-1 in the 54th minute.

Roma?s fightback began three minutes later when Francesco Totti claimed his 100th Serie A goal with a magnificent curling free-kick into the top corner. Then the Roma captain provided the cross into the area which led to Daniele De Rossi?s 74th minute equaliser. (Reuters)