Ronaldinho goal keeps Barca on top

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MADRID, Spain -- Ronaldinho continued his superb run of recent form when he earned Barcelona a 1-0 victory over struggling Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp on Saturday with his 11th league goal of the season.

The Brazilian, who was the architect of Barca's 2-0 Champions League win over Werder Bremen on Tuesday, steered a clever first-time shot wide of keeper Claudio Bravo into the far corner 16 minutes after the break to end Sociedad's resistance.

Barcelona ended the game with 10 men after left back Silvinho picked up two quick-fire bookings five minutes before the final whistle.

The win ensures the Spanish champions will remain top before their departure for the Club World Cup in Japan on Sunday.

Sociedad, the only Primera Liga side yet to win a match, remain in deep trouble with six points from 14 games, one above basement side Gimnastic Tarragona who host Levante on Sunday.

Ronaldinho, who scored the opener in the win against Werder Bremen that secured Barca's place in the last 16 of the Champions League, almost put the Catalans in front in the 12th minute with a dipping half-volley.

But the Brazilian was denied by an acrobatic one-handed save by Bravo after Edmilson scooped the ball over the Sociedad back four.

Barca had the ball in the net twice in the next 10 minutes but both efforts were disallowed for borderline offsides, while Ronaldinho went close with a crowd-pleasing overhead kick soon after.

Sociedad, who had not won at the Nou Camp in 15 years, frustrated Barcelona until the break but Ronaldinho broke the deadlock when he side-footed an angled shot past Bravo after Ludovic Giuly picked him out with a pass from the right wing.

Barca endured a nervous finale after Silvinho's dismissal and keeper Victor Valdes produced a stunning one-handed reflex save to tip Gaizka Garitano's header over the bar at the death.

Sevilla remain second

The Catalan club remain two points clear of Sevilla, who beat Barca's arch-rivals Real Madrid 2-1 at home in Saturday's late match.

Real are now four points behind the leaders.

The match started promising for Real with David Beckham, making a rare league start because of the thigh injury to Jose Antonio Reyes, netting a free-kick from the left in the 13th minute.

Goalkeeper Andres Palop came off his line thinking Beckham would float the ball across the area but could not backtrack in time to stop the ball finding the net just inside the far post.

Just four minutes later the match was level after French striker Frederic Kanoute scored for Sevilla from close range.

Ronaldo, fed by Ruud van Nistelrooy was through on his own with only Palop to beat on the hour but the keeper did well to save at the Brazilian's feet.

With 20 minutes to go, Real boss Fabio Capello decided to try something different and brought on Robinho for Ronaldo.

However, it was Sevilla who had the final say in the 77th minute when Ernesto Chevanton scored with a superb overhead kick.

Legal action

Meanwhile, Barcelona have revealed they will be taking legal action against French daily Le Monde for alleging the club had links to the doctor at the center of a Spanish doping investigation.

The European and Spanish champions reiterated that they had no relationship with Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes who has been accused of offences against public health following raids on a number of addresses in Madrid and Zaragoza in May this year.

Le Monde said it had accessed documents suggesting that Fuentes, who has collaborated with several cycling teams, had been involved in the physical preparation of the Barcelona and Real Madrid teams via their respective medical departments.

"Doctor Fuentes is not linked nor has ever been linked with the medical services of FC Barcelona neither officially nor unofficially," the club said in a statement.

"Barcelona have not used any unauthorised medical practices, nor have they used any unauthorised product or substance and as a consequence the information in the article is untrue."

Le Monde asserted that Barcelona had approached Fuentes to collaborate with the Primera Liga side in 1996 and 2006, but although the club admitted there had been an approach in 1996 they said there had been no contact since 2003.

Barca demanded that Le Monde issue an official apology before initiating legal action.

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