Raul scored his 200th league goal to move Real Madrid eight points clear in the Spanish Primera Liga after a 2-1 comeback win over Espanyol on Saturday.

Real Madrid striker Raul shoots and scores from the penalty spot against Espanyol during their Spanish league match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on Saturday.

The visitors went ahead in the first half through Valdo, taking advantage of a Real side suffering a hangover from its midweek Champions League exit at AS Roma's hands.

Gonzalo Higuain leveled before the break and Raul converted a penalty in the second half to earn Bernd Schuster's side a morale-boosting three points.

"It wasn't a match for the gallery but that wasn't the most important thing today," Schuster told Efe.

Second-placed Barcelona, which has 54 points, was hosting a Villarreal side in third spot with 47 yesterday.

Atletico Madrid stayed fourth on 44, two ahead of Espanyol, after Real Zaragoza came back to win 2-1 at home.

Zaragoza's fourth coach of the season, Manolo Villanova, got off to a winning start thanks to an own-goal from Atletico defender Pablo Ibanez and a second-half penalty from Argentina striker Diego Milito, his 15th goal of the campaign.

Portugal winger Simao Sabrosa had given Atletico the lead with a superb curling shot in the 26th minute, while Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan missed last-minute chances to equalize.

At the Bernabeu, a scrappy game turned Espanyol's way in the 29th when former Real player Valdo was left free to head home at the far post.

A nervous-looking Real was missing Fabio Cannavaro and Sergio Ramos in defense and Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben up front and did not test goalkeeper Carlos Kameni until the 37th.

The Cameroon international tipped Julio Baptista's free kick over the bar but was beaten six minutes later when Higuain got on the end of Marcelo's cross.

Daniel Jarque then tugged Raul's shirt in the 73rd and the Real captain scored from the penalty spot.