MADRID (AFP) - Real Zaragoza blew the Spanish title race wide open with a 1-0 home win over reigning champions Barcelona on Saturday, the only goal of the game coming from Argentine sharpshooter Diego Milito.

Barcelona still lead La Liga by two points but will lose pole position with nine games remaining if Sevilla beat Racing Santander on Sunday.

"It wasn't our night but they deserved this result. They scored and we didn't have the capacity to change the result," admitted Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.

Milito found the net after 58 minutes, chipping the ball past Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes from close range after an oustanding pass from close to the touchline by his Argentine compatriot Andres D'Alessandro.

"This was revenge for Barca beating us here and knocking us out of the (Spanish) Cup in February. I think we were up for this game from the very first minute," added Milito.

Milito's 19th goal of the season makes him the joint top scorer in the Spanish first division, and was a just reward for Zaragoza being the best side up to that point.

First half chances fell to D'Alessandro, Carlos Diogo and Sergio Garcia but Barca grimly held on until the break.

Barca almost equalised within seconds of Milito's goal but Zaragoza goalkeeper Cesar Perez came out on top a one-on-one situation with Deco and the visitors never had a better chance in the remaining half hour.

Zaragoza are now unbeaten in seven games and are in contention to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.

"Overall this was our best 90 minutes of the season. They way that Barca play means that this was always going to be an open game and so we had the chance to surprise them. We beat them by playing football," reflected Zaragoza coach Victor Fernandez.

Barcelona were without their three-time African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o, who sustained a muscle strain at the top of his right leg in training earlier this week.

Media speculation in Spain suggested Eto'o had actually been left out to prevent more racist taunting of the Cameroon striker, but it was a suggestion strongly refuted by Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.

"His absence is because he's not fit to play. For us, it's always better if he's with the team," said Rijkaard on Friday.

Eto'o threatened to walk off the pitch during last season's match at Zaragoza after receiving racist abuse from the home crowd.

Zaragoza move up to fourth place, ahead of Valencia on goal difference, after the 2002 and 2004 Spanish champions went down 1-0 at struggling Athletic Bilbao later on Saturday.

Athletic's Igor Gabilondo got the only goal of the game with a cheeky right foot back-heel after 27 minutes, following a pass from Joseba Etxeberria.

Valencia piled on the pressure in the second half in a bid to get an equaliser but just came up short.

David Villa hit the cross bar after 78 minutes and then, six minutes from time, Valencia's Spanish international striker sent a free kick from 30 metres just inches past the post.

The victory means Athletic climb out of the relegation zone and improves their chances of keeping their historic status of being ever-present in the Spanish first division although every other team in the bottom half of the table plays on Sunday.

Real Madrid are three points behind Sevilla in third and face Osasuna looming on Sunday.

Both sides have been hit by suspensions, with Real losing midfielder Fernando Gago and Jose Maria 'Guti' Gutierrez while Osasuna will be without their own midfield pair of Hector Font and Juanfran Torres.

Osasuna will also be without top scorer Roberto Soldado who is on loan from Madrid and cannot play against his old club because of a clause in the deal.

Former England captain David Beckham will miss his fourth straight league game for Real Madrid following a knee injury last month.

However, Roberto Carlos and Jose Antonio Reyes have recovered from their injuries and coach Fabio Capello included both men in the Real squad to face the Pamplona-based side.