Manchester United's Jose Mourinho, humbled for the second time this season in front of the Chelsea fans who once idolised him, did not go quietly on Monday as he declared that he remains the London club's number one manager.
The win took second-placed Real to 62 points after 29 games, two behind champions Barca who beat Leganes 2-0 on Tuesday.
Images from La Liga matches played on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur gained a slender advantage in their League Cup semi-final against London rivals Chelsea as Harry Kane's penalty earned them a gritty 1-0 first-leg win.
In case they needed it, the short trip to Crystal Palace will re-focus Chelsea's globe-trotting players on matters at home as the Premier League slips back into gear this weekend after the second international break of the season.
Divock Origi's late strike earned Belgium a 1-0 Group H win over Russia at the Maracana Stadium on Sunday to seal a spot in the knockout round of the World Cup.
Chelsea banished any fears of a repeat of last season's shock FA Cup fourth-round exit to Bradford City when they crushed Championship (second-tier) side Milton Keynes Dons 5-1 away to reach the fifth round on Sunday.
Germany defender Nico Schulz scored a late winner as their new-look side snatched a 3-2 win away to the Netherlands in their opening Euro 2020 Group C qualifier on Sunday, an absorbing clash that swung in fortunes from one side to the other.
Guus Hiddink is set to take over as Chelsea manager until the end of the season.
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City beat champions Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday to extend their lead to 18 points and leave the London side further adrift from the Champions League qualification spots.
The second-half strike gave Belgium a 1-0 win that saw them move into the second round as Group G winners over England, though victory means they face much the tougher half of the draw.
Belgium make Wales wait after Hazard's strike, while Czechs beat Latvia to qualify
Real Madrid swatted aside Granada 4-1 on Thursday to ensure the La Liga title race will go down to the wire.
A compelling cast of players, two attacking teams propelled by great pace and a clash between neighbours to boot.
Chelsea plucked a performance straight from the Jose Mourinho textbook -- with John Terry writing a chapter all of his own -- as they grafted to a 0-0 draw at Arsenal on Sunday that leaves them almost certain to claim the title.
Diego Costa scored twice but could not prevent Chelsea losing their 100 percent Premier League record in a controversial 2-2 draw at Swansea on Sunday.
Manchester United cemented third spot and moved four points clear of neighbours Manchester City.
Belgium passed a test of character with a display of true grit that bodes well for a World Cup quarter-final against Brazil, coach Roberto Martinez said after they came from 2-0 behind to beat Japan 3-2 in injury time.
Chelsea are brimming with confidence and, fortified by a seven-day break, go into Wednesday's Champions League last-16 return match as favourites to knock Paris St Germain out for the second season in a row.
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures:
ManchesterCity moved up to third in the Premier League on Saturday while Newcastle United boosted their hopes of survival by coming back from two goals down at Liverpool to draw 2-2 and secure a precious point.
Chelsea moved within three points of clinching the Premier League title with a 3-0 victory that condemned Middlesbrough to relegation on Monday after goals from Spaniards Diego Costa and Marcos Alonso plus a tap-in by Nemanja Matic.
Last season's FA Cup runners-up Chelsea struck four times before the break to crush second-tier Hull City 4-0 and stroll into the quarter-finals at Stamford Bridge on Friday.
The draw pushed Chelsea up a place into fourth spot in the Premier League, level on points with third-placed Spurs and one point ahead of Arsenal, both of whom have a played a game less.
Premier League leaders Chelsea moved 10 points clear at the top on Sunday despite being held by Burnley in an entertaining game played amid flurries of sleet and snow.
Key moments in Chelsea's Premier League title-winning season.
Newly-acquired Spain forward Pedro highlighted his potential worth to Premier League champions Chelsea with a goal, assist and eye-catching performance in their 3-2 win at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
Danny Rose scored a second-half equaliser to cancel out James Milner's penalty as Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to draw 1-1 with Liverpool at White Hart Lane on Saturday.
Rampant Wales defeated Belgium 3-1 to reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals with a victory that included a sensational strike by Hal Robson-Kanu and a goal for captain Ashley Williams on Friday.
Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Spain playmaker Juan Mata from Premier League rivals Chelsea.
Bosnia captain Edin Dzeko struck a hat-trick to kick-start their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign as they beat no-hopers Andorra 3-0 in a one-sided Group B match in Andorra La Vella on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho believes football is only about winning and that managers who favour a possession-dominated beautiful game and neglect steely defence and lethal counter-attacking are "stupid".
Antonio Valencia's early thunderbolt put Manchester United en route to a 4-0 Premier League victory over Everton on Sunday, but they needed a flurry of late goals to finally subdue their unfortunate visitors.
The FIFA 2022 World Cup will kick-off in Qatar on Sunday, November 20. Here is a list of the 26-man squads playing in the quadrennial global football extravaganza.
Chelsea went second in the Premier League with a comfortable 4-0 win at Burnley, on Sunday, which maintained their unbeaten start to the season.
Belgium went through to the last-16 at Euro 2016 on Wednesday when Radja Nainggolan's late strike gave them a 1-0 win over Sweden, who were knocked out after scoring only once in three games.
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling struck twice as the Premier League champions beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park on Sunday to go top of the table and heap pressure on title rivals Liverpool.
Liverpool had been the better side for great swathes of the Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge, but a combination of poor finishing and resilient Chelsea defending meant they entered the dying minutes trailing 1-0 to Eden Hazard's superb finish.
Jose Mourinho was purring like a cat that had devoured the leftovers from Christmas dinner but it did not stop him showing his professional claws after his Chelsea side eased past West Ham United 2-0 on Friday.
If, as former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said, a week is a long time in politics, four and a half months in football clearly represents an eternity.
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