Valencia topple nine-man Real

Getafe crushed Real Zaragoza 5-2 to go top of the Primera Liga on Sunday, leapfrogging Real Madrid who had David Beckham and Thomas Gravesen sent off in a dramatic 2-1 home defeat by Valencia.

Zinedine Zidane missed an early penalty in the Bernabeu and that miss proved costly when Valencia's Ruben Baraja scored from a free kick in the 22nd minute.

Raul levelled for Real in the 36th minute, but David Villa restored the lead from the penalty spot almost immediately.

Real finished the game with nine men after England midfielder Beckham and Denmark midfielder Gravesen were sent off near the end.

Getafe are top with 17 points, a point ahead of Celta Vigo who beat Espanyol 1-0.

Real are third on 15 points along with Valencia and Osasuna who are fourth and fifth respectively.

Barcelona, who beat Osasuna 3-0 on Saturday, are sixth with 13 points.

Forward Veljko Paunovic put Getafe in front early on against Zaragoza and Daniel Guiza doubled the lead from the penalty spot after 20 minutes.

Guiza broke away to score a third five minutes later and Ruben Pulido headed a fourth before halftime.

Zaragoza pulled two back in the second period before Getafe's Pablo Redondo sealed the win with a spectacular volley.

Real Betis, who were thumped 4-0 by Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday, suffered another mauling as they went down 5-0 in Malaga.

MISSED PENALTY

Real Madrid were awarded a penalty after just eight minutes when Valencia's Italian defender Emiliano Moretti pushed Real centre back Sergio Ramos in the area at a free kick.

With leading scorer Ronaldo out injured Zidane stepped up to take the spot kick but he hit the outside of the post.

Valencia were enjoying a lot of possession when Ramos conceded the visitors a free kick just outside the area.

Baraja curled a shot over the wall and past a motionless Iker Casillas.

Raul hauled Real level when he was allowed to control Roberto Carlos's long throw in the area, swivel and shoot into the far corner.

But the lead only lasted three minutes before Valencia struck back with Ramos once the protagonist.

Vicente's low cross hit his elbow and a penalty was awarded which Villa dispatched high into the goal, for his seventh of the season.

Valencia effectively stifled Real in the second half and Real's lack of possession and inability to create clear chances led to fraying tempers.

Gravesen earned a straight red card nine minutes from time, just after coming on the field as a substitute, for a cynical foul.

Beckham earned two quick yellow cards in the 87th minute. He was first booked for dissent and then shown a second by referee Arturo Dauden Ibanez for applauding the decision.