Bottom club Numancia hold leaders
 |  Marquez rescued Barcelona with a 47th minute equalizer |
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MADRID, Spain -- Spanish league leaders Barcelona could only draw 1-1 away to bottom club Numancia in almost unplayable conditions in freezing Soria.
Determined Numancia took the lead just before halftime when midfielder Juanlu cracked home a spectacular overhead kick.
Barca defender Rafa Marquez leveled two minutes after the break when he turned in a corner at the near post.
The draw left Frank Rijkaard's side eight points clear in the standings and closest rivals Real Madrid missed the chance to make up ground when they slumped to a 2-0 loss at Deportivo.
Barcelona's city rivals Espanyol moved up to fourth place after first-half strikes from Maxi Rodriguez and Raul Tamudo helped them to a 2-1 win at home to relegation-threatened Albacete.
Levante provided some much-needed relief for coach Bernd Schuster when they came from a goal down to snatch a 2-1 win away to Hector Cuper's Real Mallorca, who remain in deep trouble after this morale-sapping defeat.
Barca never really warmed to the task in the freezing conditions at Los Pajaritos and were unable to settle into their usual slick passing game on the icy pitch.
It was their modest opponents who adjusted better to the treacherous surface and created the first chance of the game when Juanlu lashed a shot past the post in the third minute.
Barca created just two clear chances in the first half, Xavi clipping a gentle effort into the arms of keeper Juanma after good work by Silvinho on the left and Samuel Eto'o sending a shot skidding past the post just after the half-hour.
Juanlu issued another warning to the visitors when he fired a low free kick past the post and two minutes later he put his side ahead when he smashed home with his close-range overhead kick after the Barca defense had failed to clear a long throw into the area.
Their lead was wiped out, though, just two minutes after the break when Mexico defender Marquez fired past Juanma on the turn after he had come short to meet a Xavi corner.
Numancia refused to fold and continued to look dangerous. They almost snatched a shock win when Juanlu cracked a fierce shot over the bar 15 minutes from time after Demetrio Albertini failed to clear his lines.
Real Madrid failed to continue their impressive midweek form against Juventus at the Riazor, where they have not won for 13 seasons.
The Madrid defense was particularly inept and they trailed 2-0 after 13 minutes.
Albert Luque glanced in a header from Sergio's ninth minute cross and four minutes later Pavan nodded Victor's center past his own goalkeeper.
Iker Casillas saved brilliantly from Victor and Thomas Gravesen cleared off the line as Real were outplayed by Deportivo.
