MADRID (AFP) - Sevilla squandered the chance to take over the lead of the Spanish first division when they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Racing Santander on Sunday.

Barcelona had gifted Sevilla a great opportunity to replace them as the league leaders when Diego Milito scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win for Real Zaragoza on Saturday.

It means Barcelona remain on course for their third successive La Liga crown.

The Catalan club have 56 points from 29 games, and nine games remaining in one of the closest title races of recent years, with Sevilla having now reduced their advantage to one point.

"We did everything we could to try and get a goal but Racing defended well and managed to contain us whenever we went forward," lamented Sevilla coach Juande Ramos.

Sevilla's Brazilian international right back Daniel Alves hit the crossbar after 32 minutes while Duda and Alexandr Kerzhakov also spurned chances to grab a late winner for the hosts.

The Spanish league's leading scorer Fredi Kanoute, although the Malian striker has now been joined at the top of the rankings by Milito with 19 goals, started on the bench for the second successive game.

Ramos intended to rest Kanoute ahead of their UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg match at Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday but sent him on after 68 minutes in an ultimately fruitless bid to break the deadlock.

Third-placed Real Madrid took advantage of the leading pair dropping points to edge closer to their championship rivals with a 2-0 win over Osasuna.

Real are now only one point behind Sevilla and two behind their bitter rivals Barca.

"I'm not going to talk about the percentage chance of taking the title. We will have to go game-by-game to the end of the season," said Real coach Fabio Capello.

"We've clawed back the points, we're in good physical condition and the good spirit of the team is important. Also, when we win games like this its good psychologically, and that's the most important thing," added the Italian.

Raul Gonzalez opened the scoring midway through the first half with a left foot shot from just outside the six yard box after being left unmarked.

Robinho added Real's second goal 10 minutes from time, after Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo Lopez had batted away a Gonzalo Higuain cross straight to the feet of the Brazilian striker.

Atletico Madrid remain sixth after their 1-0 win at Villarreal, the only goal of the game coming from a Fabiano Eller header after 31 minutes.

Fernando Torres had a chance to put Atletico further ahead but the Spanish international striker missed his fourth penalty in the league this season three minutes from time.

Recreativo Huelva move up to seventh and maintain their dreams of playing in Europe for the first time next after their 4-2 win over relegation-threatened Celta Vigo.

A penalty apiece preceded a tumultuous last five minutes which saw four goals.

Romanian striker Laurentino Rosu pounced on Celta's wobbly defence to score twice in little more than two minutes to put Recreativo seemingly in control.

Nene then got one back for Celta in the dying seconds of normal time before Recreativo midfielder Cheli Gonzalez secured three points in injury time.

Relegation looks increasingly likely for Gimnastic Tarragona and Real Sociedad after they suffered 1-0 losses away from home.

Deportivo La Coruna's Iago Iglesias got the only goal of their game to beat bottom club Gimnastic, his free kick from just outside the area finding the net after 58 minutes.

Espanyol's Ferran Corominas inflicted the damage on Real Sociedad, scoring with his right foot after a pass from Jonatas Domingos on 57 minutes.

The two bottom clubs are now eight points away from climbing out of the relegation zone after Levante drew 1-1 with Real Betis.

Levante opened the scoring after 33 minutes when Inaki Descarga got his first goal in the top flight of Spanish football from close range but Betis' Brazilian striker Robert equalised 11 minutes from the whistle.