MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Barcelona capped an unforgettable week by beating Real Madrid 2-0 in ‘El Clasico’ at the Santiago Bernabeu yesterday to take pole position in the La Liga title race.

Victory allowed the defending champions to open up a three-point lead over Real at the summit with seven games left.

Lionel Messi followed up his quadruple against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final win on Tuesday with the opener on 32 minutes for his 27th league goal of the season and 40th in all competitions.

Pedro Rodriguez struck the second on 55 minutes as Barca and their coach Pep Guardiola won their fourth consecutive Clasico and inflict a first home defeat on Real after a perfect 15 league wins.

Real had won 12 consecutive league games to go above Barca on goal difference in the table and were out to avenge the 6-2 drubbing by their old rivals at the Bernabeu last season.

However, treble winners Barcelona had other ideas and after reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League by swatting aside Arsenal, they are now in the box seat to retain their title.

Real must recover quickly as the league is their only hope of silverware and their fans will also fear seeing Barcelona lifting the Champions League in the May 22 final at their Bernabeu stadium home.

Real were boosted by the return of Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso from suspensions and both started

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who bagged the winner in the 1-0 Clasico win at Camp Nou in late November, had been ruled out for Barca so Guardiola chose to play without a recognised target man.

Carles Puyol played at right back giving Dani Alves a more attacking role down the right wing with Messi having a free role in the centre.

A bumper 80,000-plus crowd packed in to watch the duel between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two most recent Ballon D’or winners, and both were prominent early on.

Messi, full of confidence after his four goals against Arsenal, went down on 11 minutes under the challenge of Raul Albiol, but saw his penalty appeal turned away.

Ronaldo nutmegged Sergi Busquets only to over-run the ball and Gerard Pique cleared.

With half an hour gone neither goalkeeper had been called into action, but Barcelona made their first chance count.

Messi played a neat one-two with Xavi before controlling the ball on his chest and firing past Iker Casillas.