09 February,2009 02:00 PM IST | | PTI
Samuel Eto'o scored twice as Barcelona beat Sporting Gijon 3-1 at Camp Nou to re-establish their 12-point advantage over Real Madrid at the top of the Spanish table.
Eto'o scored in the 23rd and 40th minutes yesterday to take his personal tally to 21 for the season with Valencia's David Villa his nearest rival on 17. Brazilian Dani Alves added a third in the second half as Barcelona eased to their 10th successive league win.
"Alves never gets tired and is an extraordinary player while Eto'o is helping us a lot with his goals and work rate," said Barca coach Pep Guardiola.
"We got our intensity back tonight and switched well from defence to attack. There are fewer games left now but there are a lot of things that can still happen."
Champions Real notched their seventh win on the spin with a 1-0 triumph over Racing Santander Saturday but they were jeered off by their own fans for clinging to the slender lead rather than going for a second goal.
Guardiola reshuffled the Barcelona backline with central defenders Rafael Marquez and Gerard Pique, called into the Spain squad for Wednesday's friendly with England, both suspended.
