BARCELONA, Spain -- Cesc Fabregas scored late to give Barcelona a hard-fought 1-0 win over Levante, while Real Madrid beat Real Betis 3-1 on Saturday as both Spanish powerhouses prepared for the Champions League semifinals. cheap jerseys from china . With top-scorer Lionel Messi out trying to heal his right hamstring in time for Tuesdays first leg at Bayern Munich, Barcelonas attack lacked the pace and creativity to break through Levantes disciplined defence until Fabregas struck six minutes from time. The victory kept Barcelona well on pace to reclaim the Spanish league title with a 13-point lead and six rounds to play. "It was important to win this game, even though some people want to think that the league is no longer interesting," Fabregas told Spanish sports daily AS. "We know how much we have worked to win it, and we are going to keep fighting until the end." David Villa had a golden chance to score for Barcelona in the 17th minute after Levantes Papakouly Diop fouled Andres Iniesta in the area. But goalkeeper Keylor Navas blocked Villas spot kick and sprung to his feet in time to parry Fabregas point-blank rebound attempt. Barcelona responded after coach Tito Vilanova sent on Xavi Hernandez and Alexis Sanchez in the second half, with the Chile forward finding Fabregas in the area to rifle the ball just inside the far post before two defenders could close him out. Barcelona has 84 points, and with 18 left to play for, it can match or surpass Madrids record of 100 points from last season. Barcelona defender Eric Abidal played well -- and the full 90 minutes -- in his first start since playing for France in a friendly against Germany in February 2012. Mesut Oezil scored twice to lead Madrid as it honed its attack before Wednesdays visit to Borussia Dortmund in Europes final four. Oezil worked a clever one-two passing combination with Karim Benzema to net Madrids opener in the 45th minute, before the France striker polished off a counterattack in the 57th from a pass by Cristiano Ronaldo. Oezil scored again in stoppage time after Betis substitute Jorge Molina pulled one back with a penalty kick in the 72nd following defender Nacho Fernandezs foul of Ruben Castro in the area. "We know what kind of player Oezil is, everything that he creates (for the team)," said Madrid assistant Aitor Karanka. "He has had some (physical problems). Playing all he can is important for him. Now he can rest up for Wednesdays match." Madrids win came at a cost, however, with Marcelo and Luka Modric both needing to be substituted for injuries. Karanka said Modric hurt a leg muscle. Benzema was also favouring his right leg after a collision with a defender and was subbed late. "The injuries are too bad because they are important players for us, but we have a deep squad," said Madrid defender Pepe, who went on for Modric in the second half. Madrid coach Jose Mourinho rested several first-choice players, including his entire defence and holding midfielder. Brazilian midfielder Casemiro got his first start for Madrid after joining its reserve side from Sao Paulo this winter, while the little-used Fernandez stepped in at right back. Betis, which stayed in seventh place and in the hunt for a Europa League spot, had its opportunities to get a good result. Dorlan Pabon clipped the crossbar in the 43rd just before Oezils opener, and Castro also hit the bar in the 89th before Oezil put the game away. A minute of silence was held at the start of the matches at the Santiago Bernabeu and at the Camp Nou in honour of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Elsewhere, Valencia routed Malaga 5-1 at home thanks to a brace by Roberto Soldado and goals from Dani Parejo, Sergio Canales, and Ever Banega, with Julio Baptista scoring for the losers. Valencias commanding win lifted it three points clear of Malaga and gave it sole possession of fifth place, one point behind fourth-place Real Sociedad before it visits Osasuna on Sunday. Granada, meanwhile, outplayed Valladolid but had to settle for 1-1 as the Andalusian side edged one point clear of the relegation zone. On Friday, Rayo Vallecano drew 1-1 at Mallorca. Also on Sunday, its: Getafe vs. Espanyol, Deportivo La Coruna vs. Athletic Bilbao, and Sevilla vs. Atletico Madrid. Celta Vigo hosts Real Zaragoza on Monday. cheap jerseys . Shortstop Hanley Ramirez had a CT scan on his left ribs Sunday, and the results were not yet available. He got hit by a pitch from Joe Kelly in the opener but stayed in to play all 13 innings of a 3-2 loss Friday. Cheap Jerseys Deals . The moment Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday backed off Hill in order to defend against a possible pass or drive, Hill sprung into his shooting motion and drained a 3-pointer with 31.1 seconds left. The shot provided a four-point cushion, and Indiana went on to complete a 16-point, second-half comeback for its second victory in as many nights, 95-90 over New Orleans on Wednesday night. http://www.michaelkors-blackfri... . The 32-year-old from Lachute, Que., attacked from the back to jump from 56th to ninth after the first run and then finish 18th overall, with his teammate Mike Janyk of Whistler, B.C., close behind him in 21st. Cousineaus standout performance represented a huge personal victory after two difficult years in which he first battled back from injury and then was unable to qualify for a second run in a World Cup race. [url=http://www.salechinajerseys.com/]wholesale jerseys . Club chairman Rob Veenstra said the 47-year-old Van Basten signed a two-year contract to return to coaching after a three-year absence. Financial details were not revealed. "This is an ambitious club that wants to play at a higher level, but is also realistic," Van Basten said. cheap jerseys wholesale . The superstar forward made the announcement on Tuesday, one day after being suspended three games by the league for a hit to the head of Pittsburghs Zbynek Michalek.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Everywhere Sabres rookie forward Marcus Foligno turns these days, he is reminded of his father, Mike Foligno, and the grit and goal-scoring legacy the former captain established in Buffalo 30 years ago. Whether its fans he meets on the streets, Sabres alumni at the arena, or simply leaving the locker room and passing the wall honouring the franchise greats, the Foligno name -- his fathers name -- is inescapable. And Marcus, who was born in Buffalo during his fathers playing days and then drafted by the Sabres some 18 years later, wouldnt have it any other way. "I just think its awesome that my dads created something here in Buffalo that fans really appreciate," the 20-year-old said. "Theres no better feeling than having people recognize who you are, and say how much they loved it when my dad played." Folignos intention is to build on those recollections, saying: "Im hoping they can one day say how much they loved it when I played." One step or -- in the unique goal-celebrating tradition first made popular by his father in the 1980s -- one leap at a time. The familiar Foligno arms-raised, two-foot hop is back in fashion in Buffalo, and providing jump to the Sabres late-season surge. With his father watching from the stands, Foligno reintroduced the patented family celebration after scoring the first of his two goals in a 5-4 shootout loss to Colorado last week. "It was something to pay tribute to him," he recalled. "It was huge, and it was emotional, too." The youngster has hardly hit the ground since. Since being called up from AHL Rochester on March 9, Foligno has five goals and two assists in six games to further propel the teams 16-5-5 run. Thats helped Buffalo (35-29-10) chase down Washington for the Eastern Conferences eighth and final playoff spot with 2 1/2 weeks left in the season. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Folignos big-bodied presence has complemented a line rounded out by undersized playmaking centre Tyler Ennis, and sniper Drew Stafford. Before the line was held without a point in a 3-0 win over Montreal on Wednesday, the trio had combined for 11 goals and 26 points in its previous five games. Coach Lindy Ruff has been impressed by Folignos performance, and amused by the goal celebration, particularly considering Rufff and Mike Foligno were Sabres teammates. wholesale nfl jerseys. And yet, Ruff remains cautious when it comes to making projections. "Marcus isnt on an amazing run yet for me," Ruff said. "Hes put together a good number of games, and there will be a dropoff. There always is. It happens with all young players. But I just have to love the way (the lines) playing right now and the hope is they can maintain a pretty good level." Selected in the fourth round of the 2009 draft, Foligno is aware hes not earned anything yet. Hes so wary of taking this NHL stint for granted that hes yet to pick up his car in Rochester. "Im going to keep the car there until things go wrong," Foligno said with a laugh. Foligno has shown hes unafraid to drive to the net, where hes scored four times. He has a solid shot, which he displayed against Colorado by scoring on a 25-footer from the left circle off a face-off. And Folignos also proven to be a sound back-checker. His dad was an all-around player, too, during a 15-year NHL career, in which his blue-collar style left a lasting impression during eight-plus seasons in Buffalo. Foligno ranks sixth on the team list with 247 goals, eighth in points (511) and second with 1,450 penalty minutes. Through a team spokesman, Mike Foligno declined an interview request, saying he didnt want to draw attention away from his son. "Marcus is bigger. Mike was a wiry type of guy," recalled former Sabres player-turned broadcaster Mike Robitaille. "But they kind of have the same body language. And he certainly has the same body language as his brother. So the DNA runs deep in that family." Robitaille was referring to Marcus older brother Nick Foligno, who is in his fifth season with Ottawa. Nick also paid tribute to his father by making the leap after scoring his first goal in 2007. The Foligno boys have been hopping after scoring goals since they were kids. Marcus recalls how theyd both mimic their fathers celebration playing street hockey. Last weeks leap felt even better. "Theres no better feeling than having your father at the game, after seeing him guide you throughout your whole hockey career and help you make it to the NHL, and hes there for your first NHL goal (in Buffalo)," Foligno said. "So, it was a perfect script." ' ' '