article_snippet.sent: This gritty, barely-deserved triumph helped Barcelona stay four points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, after Ancelotti’s side's almost-harrowing 9-1 demolition of Granada .
article_snippet.sent: After Barcelona's Halloween nightmare against Celta Vigo, the directive from Luis Enrique here was not to leave with egg on egg faces on Easter Sunday.
article_snippet.sent: Barcelona's own website stated that 'a dose of retribution' was in order, after the 1-0 defeat by Eduardo Berizzo’s side in late autumn.
article_snippet.sent: Before the game Spanish media wondered if the international break had happened at just the wrong time for Barcelona and just the right time for Real Madrid –
article_snippet.sent: something reflected in Madrid’s big win at lunchtime.
article_snippet.sent: With Los Blancos in disarray, a couple of weeks spent healing wounds away from the Santiago Bernabeu seemed an agreeable plan, while Barcelona's momentum was disrupted.
article_snippet.sent: Neither were successful.
article_snippet.sent: It didn’t matter; they held on to earn the three points and maintain the four-point lead over Real Madrid that they started the week with.
article_snippet.sent: And one game less for each side to play.
article_snippet.sent: It’s not ‘the Barca way’, but if Messi lifts La Liga, nobody will be worrying about that.