( CNN ) -- Spanish champions Barcelona remained five points clear of Real Madrid despite having two players sent off against Getafe on Saturday . Josep Guardiola 's team played more than an hour with 10 men after Gerard Pique was dismissed , then substitute Rafael Marquez was ordered off in time added on to concede a penalty , but Barca still managed to pull off a 2-1 victory and remain undefeated in 21 La Liga matches this season . Second-placed Real had no such problems in defeating Barca 's city neighbors Espanyol 3-0 in the late match , keeping within two victories of their great rivals . Barcelona took the lead after only seven minutes against visiting Getafe when world player of the year Lionel Messi curled in a superb left-foot effort for his 16th league goal in 18 appearances after a corner was not cleared . Defender Gerard Pique then saw red for a rash lunge in the 25th minute on Rafa Lopez , who prevented the hosts from doubling their lead just before halftime with a flying block to keep out striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic 's goalbound shot . Mali midfielder Seydou Keita also should have scored but hit Getafe 's sidenetting just before an hour , then a counter-attacking Messi set up stand-in captain Xavi to make it 2-0 on 67 . Mexico defender Marquez , who came on at halftime , was red-carded in the second minute of injury-time after crudely pushing Kepa Blanco from behind when he seemed set to score , and Roberto Soldado netted the resulting spot-kick . It came too late for Getafe , who were left in seventh place , 24 points behind the leaders . Kaka scored for the first time since November as Real Madrid cruised to victory at home to Espanyol despite being without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo . Defender Sergio Ramos headed home Esteban Granero 's fifth-minute free-kick , while Brazil playmaker Kaka pounced to score the second goal after half an hour after goalkeeper Carlos Kameni did well to block Raul 's header . Real seemed to take their foot off the pedal in the second spell until the 90th minute when Gonzalo Higuain showed silky skills to control a long ball , evade the defense and slot his 12th league goal of the season to clinch an 11th successive league win at the Bernabeu this season . Valencia consolidated third place with a 2-0 victory at home to Real Valladolid which left them eight points behind Real . Midfielder Ever Banega scored in the eighth minute and Spain striker David Villa doubled the lead after half an hour as Onesimo Sanchez made a losing start top his reign as coach of the 17th-placed visitors , who could drop into the bottom three after Sunday 's fixtures .
Barcelona remain five points clear of Real Madrid , beating Getafe 2-1 despite two red cards . - The first leg is played at Camp Nou on Saturday and the second in Valencia on Sunday. Second-placed Real cruise to 3-0 win over Espanyol as Kaka nets for first time in 2010 . Valencia consolidate third place with 2-0 victory at home to lowly Real Valladolid .