MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid showed the spirit of champions to grind out a 1-0 win over Real Murcia on Sunday despite playing 70 minutes of the match with ten men after Miguel Torres was sent off for a crude challenge.

Dutch international Wesley Sneijder scored the all-important goal on 59 minutes as Real surged nine points clear of Barcelona and ten of Villarreal.

Villarreal can close the gap to seven points by winning their game in hand at Almeria later on Sunday.

With Barcelona seemingly incapable of killing teams off - they drew 2-2 with Recreativo Huelva on Saturday after twice going ahead - Real look set to retain the league although it has been far from a high-quality title race.

Murcia started with a 4-5-1 formation to put a bottleneck in front of Real and Schuster responded with Robinho and Arjen Robben on the flanks to supply lone striker Raul.

But Schuster's gameplan was ruined on 19 minutes when Torres produced a foolish tackle from behind earning him a straight red card.

Murcia, second from bottom in the standings, made their extra man count at times but were indecisive in front of goal showing why they average less than a goal a game.

Real were jeered at half-time by their demanding home fans but winning is all the most important thing and Sneijder's goal lifted the gloom.

Real will be in the Champions League next season, almost certainly with Barcelona and Villarreal, but there is a thrilling three-way battle for fourth and the final spot.

Atletico Madrid currently hold the holy grail of fourth but dropped two vital points in a 1-1 draw with Valladolid on Sunday.

A late equaliser from substitute Bartholomew Ogbeche denied Atletico the points and weakened their grasp on fourth.

"I have said all along that the league will be decided at the end," said Atletico coach Javier Aguirre.

Racing Santander are now just a point behind Atletico and Sevilla closed to within three points of the capital club courtesy of a 3-2 win over Real Mallorca.

Brazilians Renato and Daniel Alves were on target along with Frederic Kanoute as Sevilla make a late sprint for the Champions League.

"We have to continue like we are and I am sure we will qualify for the Champions League with six wins," said Luis Fabiano.

However Fabiano, the league's top-scorer with 23 goals, was less than happy at being substituted at half-time.

"I was surprised by the change because I didn't expect to be taken off," he added. "No-one likes being substituted and I will talk with the coach about it."

For Getafe the league has low priority and they prepared for Wednesday's Kings Cup final against Valencia with a 0-0 draw against Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

"I only saw the first hour of Valencia's defeat against Racing," said Getafe coach Michael Laudrup. "They are in a difficult situation for a club of their stature but a cup final is unique and does not have anything to do with other matches."

It is a second successive cup final for Getafe - who lost to Sevilla last season - as they look for some silverware and a place in Europe to make up for the disappointment of their painful UEFA Cup quarter-final loss to Bayern Munich.

Zaragoza hoped to be challenging for silverware this season but now the only concern is staying in the top-flight.

Zaragoza stay in the bottom three and are three points from safety.

Levante are in the Spanish first division for another week at least after a surprise 1-0 win at Real Betis.

Levante prop up the table and are 15 points from safety with 18 available.

Ten games ago Espanyol were third and challenging for a Champions League spot but now a UEFA Cup spot is looking a tall order with a 1-0 loss at Osasuna seeing them fall six points adrift of sixth-placed Sevilla.