MADRID (AFP) - Ten-men Real Madrid allowed Barcelona to make up ground in the title race after stumbling to a 1-1 draw at Real Murcia on Saturday.

Brazilian international winger Robinho put Real ahead after just eight minutes but Enrique De Lucas equalised shortly after the interval.

Spanish international Guti was sent off late on for kicking out as Real's frustrations boiled over.

Real are now just two points ahead of Barcelona who made it a perfect seven home wins at their fortress Camp Nou with three second-half goals clinching a 3-0 victory over Recreativo Huelva on Saturday.

Argentine centre-back Gaby Milito made the breakthrough on 63 minutes with a bullet header before teenage prodigy Bojan Krkic showed great composure to score two minutes later.

The 17-year-old Bojan, tipped for a big future in the game, admitted he was still coming to terms with life as a football superstar.

"Just three months ago I was at college," said Bojan. "To be honest I still can't believe everything that is happening.

"The feeling of scoring here at Camp Nou and then celebrating with my team-mates was incredible."

Argentine Lionel Messi completed the scoring late on with his eighth goal of the campaign.

Barcelona climb to second level on points with Villarreal who can replace Real at the summit with three points over Almeria on Sunday.

Sevilla challenged for the title with Real and Barcelona last season but the troubled club fell to their seventh defeat of the season - they only lost nine in the whole of the last campaign - with a 2-1 home reverse against Real Mallorca on Saturday.

It does not get any easier for the UEFA Cup holders who host Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday looking to seal their passage to the knockout phase.

Real are in European action against Werder Bremen on Wednesday and their German coach Bernd Schuster, touted as a potential candidate for the vacant England manager's job, will hope for an improved display.

Robinho, keeping Dutch winger Arjen Robben out of the side, headed Real ahead after just eight minutes with his third goal in two games but they failed to build on the perfect start.

Murcia levelled four minutes after the break with De Lucas rising highest to power in a header.

The red mist then descended on Guti who was sent off for stupidly kicking his opponent and Murcia almost won it late on missing one guilt-edged chance.

Barcelona went into their match with criticism ringing in their ears after former favourite Edmilson, now at Chelsea, claimed there were several black sheep in the dressing room and that some of his former team-mates were slacking in training.

"There have been various things that have not helped us but we just concentrated on playing football," explained Bojan.

Brazilian Ronaldinho has been accused of letting his off-the-field antics affect his performances on it and manager Frank Rijkaard chose to leave him out of the squad with the official reason given as fatigue after he played in two 2010 World Cup qualifiers for his country.

Messi went closest for Barcelona missing two glorious opportunities, both of which he created with nimble footwork, either side of the interval.

His compatriot Milito showed him how to do it with a brilliant header to break the deadlock.

Bojan, tipped for a call-up to the full Spanish team, showed a touch of class receiving Thierry Henry's pass with a feint before dispatching his shot into the corner.

Messi got the goal he merited late on as Barca, who travel to Lyon in midweek, showed the home form of champions but six points from 18 away from home is the problem that needs to be solved.