Real Madrid trimmed the gap to La Liga leaders Barcelona to 10 points when Gonzalo Higuain, Kaka and substitutes Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil struck in a 5-1 comeback win at home to Levante on Saturday. Coach Jose Mourinho left a number of key players out of his starting lineup as Real prepare to defend a 3-0 lead at Galatasaray in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final, second leg. Mid-table Levante took a surprise lead in the 31st minute when Michel finished off a swift attack before Higuain levelled with an acrobatic volley five minutes later. Kaka put Real ahead from the penalty spot in the 38th minute after Christian Lell's handball and Ronaldo volleyed into the net from close range and set up Ozil for Real's fourth after coming on in place of Jose Callejon at halftime. Ozil stroked in Real's fifth in added time as the champions moved on to 65 points from 30 matches. Barca can restore their 13-point cushion when they host relegation-threatened Real Mallorca in the late kickoff (2000) before Atletico Madrid, four points behind Real in third, play at Getafe on Sunday (1700). Real Sociedad took advantage of fifth-placed Malaga's European hangover and strengthened their grip on fourth with a 4-2 home win over the Costa del Sol club earlier on Saturday. Sociedad succeeded where Borussia Dortmund had failed in Wednesday's 0-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg draw as Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini gave several of his top performers a break ahead of Tuesday's return game in Germany. Carlos Vela fired the Basques ahead in the 21st minute at their Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian, Alberto De La Bella added a second three minutes later and Antoine Griezmann made it 3-0 just after the half hour. Pedro Morales pulled a goal back for the visitors just before the break and Inigo Martinez nodded a fourth six minutes into the second half. Roque Santa Cruz made it 4-2 with another header 20 minutes from time but Sociedad comfortably resisted Malaga's comeback attempt to move on to 51 points with eight games left. Malaga have 47 in fifth, the same as sixth-placed Real Betis after their 5-1 home win over Granada on Friday, and will be overtaken by Valencia if they win at home to Real Valladolid on Sunday (1900). Pellegrini immediately left for his native Chile following the match after learning of the death of his father earlier in the day. It was unclear whether he would be back in time for Tuesday's game in Dortmund. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO Sportsand on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports)##
