Real Madrid [ Images ] and Barcelona [ Images ] were made to work hard before grinding out wins in La Liga [ Images ] at the weekend while Inter Milan [ Images ] scored a surprise derby victory over AC Milan [ Images ] in Serie A.

SPAIN

Leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Barcelona ground out victories over Real Mallorca [ Images ] and Real Betis respectively and were far from convincing ahead of their King's Cup quarter-final first leg in the Spanish capital on Wednesday.

Jose Mourinho's side came from behind to overcome Mallorca 2-1 while Barca conceded their first home league goals of the season as they defeated Betis 4-2.

Playmaker Xavi [ Images ], who became the first Barca player to reach 400 La Liga appearances, scored the opening goal and Lionel Messi [ Images ] netted twice (one a penalty) either side of an Alexis Sanchez strike.

With just under half the season played Real have 46 points from 18 matches while Barca are on 41. Third-placed Valencia slipped seven points behind the Catalans when they lost 1-0 to Real Sociedad.

ITALY [ Images ]

Diego Milito, struggling for form for most of this season, scored early in the second half to give Inter Milan a surprise 1-0 win over arch-rivals AC Milan in their Serie A derby on Sunday.

Milan, who began the weekend on the same points as Juventus [ Images ], dropped to second place. They are now one point behind the leaders after the Turin side drew 1-1 at home to Cagliari.

Inter's sixth straight victory kept them in fifth spot, six points behind Juventus. Former Italy coach Roberto Donadoni made a winning start in charge of Parma as they beat Siena 3-1.

ENGLAND [ Images ]

Champions Manchester United [ Images ] beat Bolton Wanderers 3-0 on Saturday to move level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City [ Images ] who meet Wigan Athletic on Monday.

Paul Scholes scored United's opening goal in his first league match since coming out of retirement.

Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur [ Images ] missed the chance to keep pace with the Manchester clubs when they were held to a 1-1 home draw by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Chelsea [ Images ] defeated Sunderland 1-0 to stay fourth while Arsenal's [ Images ] Champions League [ Images ] hopes suffered a blow when they were beaten 3-2 at Swansea City.

FRANCE [ Images ]

Paris St Germain retained their Ligue 1 lead with a 3-1 home triumph over Toulouse, a Nene double giving new coach Carlo Ancelotti [ Images ] a winning start at the Parc des Princes.

PSG, who have not won the league since 1994, have 43 points from 20 games. They lead Montpellier, 1-0 winners over Olympique Lyon [ Images ], by three points.

France striker Olivier Giroud scored the only goal for Montpellier to take his tally to 14 this season.

Third-placed Lille's [ Images ] hopes of retaining their title suffered a blow when they were sunk by a Loic Remy double in a 2-0 defeat at Olympique Marseille [ Images ].

PORTUGAL

Leaders Benfica [ Images ] drilled four goals past Vitoria Setubal at the Luz stadium to reach the halfway point of the season with 39 points from 15 matches.

Beanpole striker Oscar Cardozo claimed a double to take his league tally for the campaign to 11 goals but he was also sent off. Nolito and Nemanja Matic also netted in Benfica's 4-1 win.

Champions Porto, two points behind Benfica, kept up their chase thanks to 20-year-old Colombian James Rodriguez who scored both goals in a 2-0 home victory over Rio Ave.