Barcelona cruised to a 2-0 win at Levante and regained its three-point lead at the top of La Liga Sunday, as Real Madrid maintained its pursuit with a labored 2-1 win at Granada. Third place Real remained four points behind Barca and one short of Atletico Madrid after a superb late strike by Luka Modric gave it victory at Granada. Gary Neville's Valencia, however, suffered another defeat, losing 1-0 at Real Betis to extend its winless run to 12 matches and nine under the former Manchester United defender. Karim Benzema gave Real the lead on the half hour at Granada when Dani Carvajal found him unmarked in the middle of the penalty area to score his 19th league goal, one less than Suarez and level with teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. Granada scored a deserved equalizer on the hour through substitute Youssef El-Arabi who shot through keeper Keylor Navas's legs from the right. Real needed a moment of inspiration to overcome a tough Granada side and Modric delivered it with a fine strike from the edge of the box into the far top corner for his first league goal of the season five minutes from time. Ten-man Sevilla, which had Argentine defender Federico Fazio sent off in the 25th minute for a second yellow card in his first match since returning from Tottenham Hotspur on loan, hung on for a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo. Sevilla remains fifth with 37 points, two more than seventh-placed Celta. PSG keeps winning Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the first goal and set up the winner for Angel di Maria as Paris Saint-Germain won 2-1 away at bitter rival Marseille Sunday, extending its record unbeaten league run to 34 matches and maintaining its massive 24-point lead. Earlier Sunday, Saint-Etienne romped to a 4-1 win at Bordeaux to move level on points with third-place Nice. Nice leads Saint-Etienne on goal difference, six points behind Monaco. Also, striker Eder scored his first goal for Lille, but Ousmane Dembele's 89th-minute penalty earned Rennes a 1-1 draw. Roma snatches Samp win In Milan, on-loan Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny produced late heroics as Roma held on to snatch a 2-1 win at home to Sampdoria Sunday and maintain its bid for a place in Europe next season. Roma remain in fifth at 12 points behind leader Napoli, but after Fiorentina and Inter Milan drew with Bologna and Verona respectively, Spalletti's men are one point behind Inter and two behind Fiorentina in third. Atalanta and Empoli played out a goalless draw. Cologne holds Hamburg Hamburger SV was lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw against Cologne as the home side's slump continued Sunday in its sixth Bundesliga game without a win. Promoted Darmstadt won 2-0 at relegation-threatened Hoffenheim in a bad-tempered late game. — Agencies
