BEIJING, April 28 -- Javier Saviola, Arjen Robben and Gonzalo Higuain scored yesterday to help Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 and maintain its 10-point lead in the Spanish league. However, Madrid's hopes of clinching the title yesterday were thwarted when second-place Villarreal won 1-0 at Real Betis and kept the race alive.

Villarreal's Marcos Senna scored a spectacular 16th-minute goal when he lofted the ball from just inside the Betis half to catch goalkeeper Casto Espinosa off his line.

Madrid had already made plans with Madrid's city hall for celebrating immediately after the game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Fans were to gather at the downtown statue of the goddess Cybele around which the club's scarf would have been tied by captain Raul Gonzalez.

The team will now be proclaimed champion next Sunday at lowly Osasuna if it equals or betters Villarreal's result against Getafe the same day.

With four rounds remaining, Madrid has 75 points, while Villarreal has 65. FC Barcelona, which lost 2-0 at Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, follows with 61.

Also, Levante became the first team to be relegated this season when it lost 2-0 to Recreativo Huelva.

Real Madrid players celebrate after their Spanish First Division soccer match against Athletic Bilbao at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid April 27, 2008.

Levante, which last played in the second division two seasons ago, has 25 points, 13 from safety.

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