Higuain strike gives Real Madrid coach Ramos´s first win

An early goal for Gonzalo Higuain was enough to give Real Madrid a 1-0 victory over Valencia on Saturday and the first win for Juande Ramos as coach.

Real bounced back from the 2-0 defeat in the clasico against Barcelona last weekend to score after just three minutes with Higuain firing home after good work from Arjen Robben.

In fact Robben was the key player in the early stages of the match and a constant threat for Valencia, setting up Rafael van de Vaart who hit the post and then he himself saw a shot cleared off the line after he had rounded the keeper.

Valencia though gradually came back into the contest and Iker Casillas made a series of stops from David Villa.

In the second half Real, were hanging on with Casillas parrying a Ruben Baraja strike on to a post but the pressure eased mid-way through the half following the expulsion of Carlos Marchena for his second yellow card.

Real had chances to add to their lead but Higuain and Juan Guti in particular missed excellent chances.

Later Atletico Madrid face Espanyol with their confidence sky high after 14 matches without defeat and they now have the Champions League in their sights.

“For us this is the most important game of the year. We have to continue climbing and secure ourselves a place in the top four, I do not want Espanyol to stop us from achieving that,” said coach Javier Aguirre.

For Espanyol it is a very different story and it will be a year that the club will happily forget as they have won just seven games in the last 12 months.

On Sunday, Barcelona face a Villarreal side who will be looking for the visit of the leaders to give them extra impetus as they try and bounce back from a poor run of form.

Barca's Rafa Marquez has been ruled out with a thigh strain while Villarreal will be without the injured Javi Venta and Joseba Llorente who is suspended.

Sevilla aim to keep on the trail of the leaders with a visit to struggling Mallorca who have fallen into the relegation zone and coach Gregorio Manzano's position is becoming increasingly insecure.

Even victory for Osasuna this weekend would not see them move off the bottom of the table and they take on an in-form Getafe side.

Above them Recreativo Huelva face a Deportivo La Coruna team who have European places in their sights and are riding high in this year's UEFA Cup.