Xavi free-kick sends Barca back to summit

A Xavi Hernandez free-kick returned Barcelona to the top of the La Liga table on Tuesday as they made heavy work of beating nine-man Granada 1-0 and extended their club record run to seven games without conceding a goal. Levante and Real Madrid have the chance to go back above them on Wednesday after Barca surrendered their lead at the weekend with a goalless draw at home to Sevilla. Barca coach rested Andres Iniesta and David Villa while youngster Juan Cuenca was given his debut in attack. The visitors dominated the game from start to finish but as against Sevilla they struggled in front of goal. Lionel Messi and Pedro Rodriguez went close before Xavi Hernandez hit a fine free-kick from distance after 32 minutes which flew into the top corner. At the start of the second half Granada’s Jaime Romero was given his marching orders after receiving his second yellow card but Barca still couldn’t wrap the game up with a second goal. At the back though their club record run continues and they have now gone over a month without conceding a goal. In injury time Daniel Benitez was also red carded after being cautioned for a second time. Later Sevilla take on Racing Santander without strikers Frederic Kanoute and Alvaro Negredo through suspension and injury respectively. Kanoute was sent off against Barca for grabbing Cesc Fabregas around the neck after receiving racist abuse it is claimed by the Sevilla camp. Modest Levante shot to the top of the table at the weekend with victory over Villarreal and they play Real Sociedad aiming for their seventh consecutive win. The side which are more used to fighting relegation battles have already reached 20 points but are not getting carried away. "We realise that this is an anecdote but we are still going to defend our position one hundred per cent and see how far we can go. "The further we go on this run will be all the better in our aim of survival," said midfielder Valdo Lopes. Cristiano Ronaldo hit form with a hat-trick as Real Madrid tore apart Malaga 4-0 and now he has his sights set on Villarreal. His last goal in the league came almost a month ago against Rayo Vallecano but his three at the weekend have made him joint top scorer on ten goals with Messi. Ronaldo hit a 15-minute hat-trick during the first half taking him to 98 goals for Real. "It will be great to reach 100 goals this season but the team is what is important and now we have another important game against Villarreal."