Atlético lead in Spain as Real Madrid win, Barcelona lose

MADRID: After Zinedine Zidane got some relief seeing Real Madrid end a winless streak in the Spanish league, Ronald Koeman was back under fire after another disappointing Barcelona loss.

Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid, meanwhile, won again to take the league lead for the first time this season.

Real Madrid edged Sevilla 1-0 Saturday for its first win after three straight league setbacks, while Atlético beat Valladolid 2-0 to win its seventh straight league game and Barcelona lost 2-1 at promoted Cádiz to stay far from the top.

Atlético moved two points ahead of Real Sociedad, which visits Alavés on Sunday and has played one game more than Atlético.

Third-place Real Madrid is six points off the lead and also has played one extra game compared to Simeone's team. Seventh-place Barcelona is now 12 points back.

"This was a huge step backward for us in the fight for the league title," Koeman said. "It's disappointing. A difference of 12 points against a team like Atlético is a lot."

Atlético, which has already beaten Barcelona this season, visits Real Madrid next weekend.

Barcelona lost in the league for the fourth time this season despite the return of Lionel Messi, who had been rested in the team's Champions League midweek match. Barcelona was trying to win its fourth consecutive match in all competitions but paid the price for a defensive mistake in the second half.

Clément Lenglet misplayed a ball inside the area and goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen wasn't able to fully clear it, allowing Álvaro Negredo to easily find the open net and give Cádiz the win in the 63rd.

Cádiz had opened the scoring with Álvaro Giménez Candela following an eighth-minute corner kick, and Barcelona equalized in the 58th with an own-goal by Pedro Alcalá while he tried to block a cross by Jordi Alba.