Argentine striker Lionel Messi ensured Barcelona shake off the deliberations from their midweek defeat by AC Milan as the winners cruised to a 2-1 win at home to fellow King's Cup semi-finalists Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday.
Barca were left aghast with 2-0 away in a Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday and Sevilla struck with a similar gameplan for the Italians, denying the hosts space and breaking to take the lead just before halftime.
David Villa and FIFA Ballon d'Or recipient Messi finished the second-half comeback to leave Barca top with 68 points from 25 games, 15 ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid, who host Espanyol on Sunday.
Real Madrid are third with 52 points after also having to lead from behind to beat bottom side Deportivo La Coruna 2-1 with late goals from Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain.
Both Real and Barca, who competed in a Cup semi-final second leg at the Nou Camp on Tuesday, with the tie level at 1-1, limped as they fielded depleted sides to rest crucial players.
"We knew we hadn't played a good first half and needed more," Barca's Argentine defender Javier Mascherano told Spanish television.
"In the second half, we played with a greater intensity and luckily we got a quick equaliser.
"We have a game that is like a final on Tuesday and we have a slight advantage. They are a great rival and we still have to finish the job."
Sevilla, who require to overturn a 2-1 deficit in their semi-final at home to Atletico on Wednesday, had also rested players but struck against the run of play when Alberto Botia rose above Dani Alves to nod past Victor Valdes in the 42nd minute.
Barca enhanced win in the second period and Alves crossed for Villa to head the equaliser in the 52nd.
A cheeky passing move resulted in Cristian Tello feeding Messi in the region and the Argentine slotted away his 38th league goal of the season on the hour.
Sevilla had chances to equalise as Barca wobbled near the end with substitute Alvaro Negredo blazing a good chance over the bar late on.
At the Riazor, a determined Depor created problems to a Real side who had left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench.
Depor, who had lost five successive ties coming into the game, were lethal on the break and from one such move striker Riki beat Diego Lopez at his near post with a superb low drive in the 34th minute.
Real were having problems as Marcelo routed a Pizzi effort off the line, Riki swept a shot past the post and Lopez denied Bruno Gama with a rollicking save.
After coach Jose Mourinho brought on Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira in the 57th minute, Real upped their game and Brazil's Kaka swept in the equaliser with a curling shot from outside the area in the 73rd minute.
Kaka also was part of the second goal, playing Ronaldo into the area and he squared for Argentine striker Higuain to roll the ball home in the 88th minute.
