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Post by Bismarck on Mar 4, 2008 13:41:05 GMT
MADRID, March 3 (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero fulfilled a childhood ambition with his match-winning display against Barcelona, sports daily AS reported on Monday.
The 19-year-old grabbed the headlines with two goals in a 4-2 Primera Liga victory on Saturday after Ronaldinho had given Barca the lead with a spectacular overhead kick.
'In Argentina I watched these types of games on the television and thought one day I hope I can play against big clubs like Barcelona and do well,' the Argentine teenager told AS.
'It's the best game I've played so far. I have had other good games, but Barca are one of the best clubs in the world and that makes it special.
'I am pleased with the way I played but more importantly for the three points which we really needed.'
Ronaldinho's goal was forgotten as Aguero levelled, set up Maxi Rodriguez for the second, won a penalty for the third which Diego Forlan scored, and then brought the Calderon to its feet with a jinking run and shot from outside the area.
Aguero, nicknamed 'El Kun' after a Japanese comic book hero, took his league tally to 11.
'My favourite was the second goal when I gave Maxi a good pass that he put away very well. It was a nice move and Maxi needed this goal. It turned the game and gave us a 2-1 lead just before halftime. I think it was the key moment.'
The win allowed Atletico to stay fourth in the standings but dented Barca's title challenge, as leaders Real Madrid beat Recreativo Huelva 3-2 away to move five points clear at the top.
More importantly for Atletico, it gave them a psychological lift after their exits from the King's Cup and UEFA Cup, and a run of four games without a win in all competitions.
Asked which of the compliments he received after the Barcelona game meant the most to him, Aguero said the ones from his godfather Dario.
'He watched the game live in Argentina with all my family. They told me he went mad when I scored the fourth. He took his shirt off like I did and shouted and jumped all around the room. Being so far away, this really got to me,' he said.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 4, 2008 13:51:13 GMT
MADRID, March 3 (Reuters) - Valencia's turbulent season took another twist when the club said on Monday that Argentine midfielder Ever Banega had failed a roadside alcohol test.
But they received some good news later in the day when David Albelda's legal challenge against the club was rejected by the judge in charge of the case.
'Banega committed a traffic offence last night and as a result was given an alcohol test where he gave a positive,' the Primera Liga club said on their website.
'Until the details of the incident become clear, Valencia will not make any comment.
'After the local police have completed their procedures the club will open an internal inquiry in accordance with its disciplinary code.'
The 19-year-old Banega, who was signed from Boca Juniors for a fee of around $26.5 million in January, has been one of the club's outstanding players in recent games.
His performances on the pitch had helped put behind him the embarrassment of having a video of him naked put on the internet and played widely over the Spanish media just after he signed.
Valencia have suffered a tumultuous four months under coach Ronald Koeman, going out of the Champions League and dropping off the pace in the Primera Liga.
The decision to drop experienced stalwarts Santiago Canizares, Miguel Angel Angulo and Albelda for the rest of the season in December caused shockwaves that still reverberate around the club.
On Monday, however, media reported Spain midfielder Albelda's bid through the courts to be paid out of his contract had been rejected. The player has five days to lodge an appeal.
Tipped as potential title contenders at the start of the season, Valencia are ninth in the standings, 24 points behind leaders Real Madrid, but in the King's Cup semi-finals.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 4, 2008 13:51:51 GMT
MADRID, March 3 (Reuters) - Javier Irureta handed in his resignation as Real Zaragoza coach on Monday after a 2-1 defeat at bottom club Levante left them closer to the relegation zone.
A club spokeswoman confirmed media reports Irureta had quit after only six league matches at the helm.
Zaragoza's fourth straight loss in the Primera Liga on Sunday left them 17th in the table and just goal difference above the drop zone.
'I am really worried. We need to win soon because things are getting very difficult for us,' Irureta had been quoted in Monday's sports daily Marca as saying after the game. 'We need to be looking up the table not at the relegation zone.'
Zaragoza were tipped as contenders for a Champions League place at the start of the season, having reinforced a side that finished sixth last year with the likes of Brazilian striker Ricardo Oliveira and Argentina defender Roberto Ayala.
These were added to existing talents such as Argentina internationals Diego Milito, Pablo Aimar and Andres D'Alessandro, but the team have struggled for consistency.
Coach Victor Fernandez was sacked in January and his replacement Ander Garitano only lasted a week before quitting to be replaced by former Deportivo Coruna boss Irureta.
D'Alessandro has been sold and Aimar is out with a long-term injury. Irureta has only managed to steer them to one win in six games since he took charge, despite Oliveira and Milito being two of the league's leading scorers.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 4, 2008 18:32:15 GMT
Real Madrid’s 2-3 victory at Recreativo put their advantage over second place Barcelona back to five points this weekend after Barça went down 4-2 at Atletico Madrid. Brazilian star Robinho came on as a substitute to win the game for Madrid with two goals in the last twenty minutes, but the performance of the week came from Atletico’s 19-year-old Argentinian Kun Agüero who tore apart Barça’s defence and made the likes of Puyol and Milito look like amateurs.
Madrid were without the injured Guti, Sneijder and Van Nistlerooy while Robinho and Pepe who were returning after injuries both started on the bench. Recreativo took the game to Madrid and when Caceres stole in at the far post to stab home the opening goal it looked like Madrid would be on the end of their fourth defeat in as many visits to Andalusia this season. However, Raul headed Madrid back into the game after 28 minutes, bravely taking a solid punch in the face from Recre’s keeper Sorrentino for his trouble. Replays suggested that Raul was in an offside position when Drenthe crossed.
Recre were reduced to ten men in the 51st minute when Beto was sent off for pushing Heinze in the face, but things were evened up soon after when Sergio Ramos saw his second yellow of the match for using his elbow too much as he jumped for a header. It became ten men against nine in the 68th minute when Alvarez got a straight red for a horrific lunge at Robben which leaves the Dutchman doubtful for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Roma.
With the numerical advantage, Schuster decided it was time to throw on Robinho in place of Cannavaro and the move was rewarded with a goal almost immediately, Robinho firing past Sorrentino from just outside the area. Then on 90 minutes Robinho beat the offside trap and produced an exquisite chip over the advancing keeper to seal the three points for Madrid. Recre got a late goal with a fine free kick from Martins, but it was little consolation.
Frank Rijkaard confounded Barça’s fans by leaving out Toure Yaya and Leo Messi for the difficult trip to Atletico Madrid. It was claimed both players had physical problems but Rijkaard had no problem putting Messi on as a sub when Barça were losing. Rijkaard’s tactics were also questionable as he chose to play Samuel Eto’o on the right wing with Ronaldinho in the middle. It didn’t seem to matter after 30 minutes as Ronaldinho put Barça in front with a spectacular overhead kick.
However, Atletico came alive near the end of the half thanks to the splendid Agüero. He scored the equalizer with a shot that took a big deflection off Carles Puyol, and then he set up Maxi Rodriguez to score from a tight angle. In the second half Atletico went further ahead when Puyol pulled down Agüero in the area and Forlan sent Valdes the wrong way from the penalty. Then Agüero scored the goal of the game leaving Puyol and Milito in his wake before curling a perfect shot past Valdes. Eto’o pulled one back for Barça who will be kicking themselves for a poor all-round performance. Click here for a full report on Atletico-Barça.
Sevilla’s good run came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at Deportivo. Sevilla started well and took the lead in the 25th minute when Maresca robbed the ball in midfield before threading the ball to Freddie Kanoute who was in an offside position, the linesman’s flag, however, stayed down and Kanoute coolly slotted the ball past Aouate. Ten minutes later Wilhelmsson equalized from the penalty spot after Maresca had brought down Bodipo. Depor’s winner came after 65 minutes when a strategic free kick ended with Lafita scoring at the near post. The victory moves Depor out of the bottom three.
Espanyol moved above Sevilla into fifth place with a 2-0 win at home to Valencia. Luis Garcia got them off to a good start getting in front of the hesitant Hildebrand to score. Valencia did very little to get back into the game and Espanyol got their second early in the second half when Silva brought down Valdo in the area after an excellent counter attack, Luis Garcia fired home the penalty. Valencia’s Maduro was sent off near the end for his second yellow card and Espanyol held on comfortably for their first win after a run of three consecutive defeats.
Villarreal remain in third place after their 0-0 home draw with Osasuna, but this is their third consecutive draw at home and they only remain so high in the table thanks to their rivals’ failures. Both teams had chances but Diego Lopez for Villarreal and Ricardo for Osasuna made good saves to keep the game goalless. This was Osasuna’s first away point for three months.
Racing Santander move above Sevilla and back into the top six with a 0-1 victory at Valladolid. Aldo Pedro Duscher scored the only goal of the game in the 85th minute converting a cross from Oscar Serrano.
Betis move up to 11th place after their 4-0 win against whipping boys Murcia, but are still only three points above the relegation zone. Arzo’s own goal set them on their way after 14 minutes, then goals from Edu, Pavone and Sobis from the penalty spot gave them the three points.
Mallorca staged a fine comeback to draw 3-3 at Getafe. Cotelo and Albin scored two early goals for the home team before Güiza pulled one back. Mallorca then had Scaloni sent off after 35 minutes for his second bookable offence. In the second half Getafe went 3-1 up when Ramis scored in his own goal, but the ten men fought back with two goals in the last fifteen minutes through Arango and Ramis to earn a creditable point.
Bottom of the table Levante continue to show signs that they could make a miraculous escape, this week beating Zaragoza 2-1. Geijo and Riga put the home team two goals up before Oscar got one back for the visitors. Zaragoza have now lost four on the trot and find themselves precariously positioned just one place above the relegation zone.
Finally, Almeria and Athletic Bilbao shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Alvaro Negredo put Almeria ahead from the penalty spot after Ortiz was fouled by Yeste, but Fernando Llorente equalized for Athletic with a header in the 72nd minute.
Top Six: Real Madrid 59 points, Barcelona 54, Villarreal 47, Atletico Madrid 44, Espanyol 42, Racing Santander 41.
Top Scorers: Luis Fabiano (Sevilla) 19, Diego Milito (Zaragoza) 14, Joseba Llorente (Valladolid) 12, Van Nistlerooy (Real Madrid) 12, Raul (Real Madrid) 12.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 4, 2008 18:33:05 GMT
For much of the season, FC Barcelona were in crisis (and if you follow Marca or AS, then you would be led to believe that Barca are immersed in turmoil almost forever). The team wasn’t playing too well, the players appeared physically under par, the Ronaldinho fracture was threatening to boil and spill all over Catalonia, the coach was being hounded by the press to dash to the border, top striker Samuel Eto’o and Argentine wonder kid Lionel Messi were falling preys to the injury monster and by January end Barca had tumbled down the ropes to a seemingly unassailable 9 point off the pace.
And at the end of last weekend, it was Real, Real Madrid that is, who were at the receiving end. Then it was the Castilian giants who were enveloped in a crisis that wasn’t so much as forcefully rammed down the throat as willingly embraced like a lost lover rediscovered after ages. It appeared that the pendulum of panic had swayed from the Camp Nou cathedral to the Santiago Bernabeu church with Lady Luck moving in the opposite direction.
Because after Week 25 reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid had their lead over second placed Barcelona slimmed down to just 2 points. Because Real had dropped points at home for the first time in La Liga this season. Because Getafe inflicted Real’s first defeat at the Bernabeu in 19 matches. Because Bernd Schuster’s not-so-appealing side had then lost 6 games in their last 10 matches in all competitions. Because in the past one month while Barca had been climbing the ladder with a consistent pace, Real had been gleefully performing the parachute-jump.
But after this weekend the Spanish league mistress has galloped back to the Bernabeu with pores wide open. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid’s games were on Saturday this time and both played away from home. While Barca had Ronaldinho scoring the best goal of the weekend anywhere in Europe and had over 65% of the possession at Atletico Madrid and still managed to be thumped 4-2, Real played gruelingly morose football against relegation threatened Recreativo de Huelva but still won 3-2. The gap between Real and Barca is restored to 5 points and they are crackling their heads off in Madrid.
When los Merengues went 9 points clear at the end of Week 21 in January end, most, including this writer, were convinced that the only way back for Barca relied on a miracle shot down from the heavens. That or a dramatic, and at the time unlikely, withering of form of Real Madrid. And boy, didn’t Real’s form wither! Although Schuster has gifted the Madridistas more flair and entertainment than Fabio Capello did last season, the team’s football this season hasn’t been within a 50-mile radius of being great. It was Real’s efficiency more than anything else that has been their game’s best element. And now their efficiency looks vulnerable.
Real Madrid’s last weekend’s defeat against Getafe at the Bernabeu was no fluke and certainly not a one-off. Getafe are Real’s bogey team and on Sunday Schuster’s old club, now managed by the increasingly impressive Michael Laudrup, demonstrated the host of weaknesses that have plagued the side since that marvelous 1-0 win over Barca at Camp Nou in late December. Sunday last, in spite of a severely depleted starting line-up with no Wesley Sneijder, no Robinho, no Pepe, no Christoph Metzelder, no Mahamadou Diarra, no Marcelo and with only six players on the substitutes bench, Real were still the better side (on paper) and after having won 11 out of 11 matches at home, they were touted to sustain that perfect home record.
Yet it was modest Getafe trapped in the mediocrity of the mid-table with one ear open for the sound of the relegation-stamped chariot storming closer and closer who taught their more illustrious rivals a bitter footballing lesson. Getafe’s football was not attractive but they tightened their defense with 6 bodies, trimmed space in midfield and with just Uche upfront seduced the Real Madrid backline to play a bit higher up the line. Real had all the possession in the world but the dense traffic refused them any gap to exploit. So much so that they were comically caught out in the 64th minute when Arjen Robben thought he had scored a goal which he hadn’t and Uche, who had ripped Real apart in his last visit to the Bernabeu with Recreative de Huelva, punished them on the counter-attack.
Contrast that with what Barcelona did to Levante just 90 minutes earlier. True, the make-me-laugh of Spanish football are rock-bottom in La Liga and are virtually guaranteed of playing Segunda Division football next season but it was Barcelona’s thumping self-conviction and smug self-assurance that were the highlights of the evening in the Catalan capital. Coach Frank Rijkaard’s side played some lovely football at Camp Nou and the 5-1 scoreline in their favour isn’t something that they didn’t deserve.
Xavi Hernandez scored while playing as an attacking midfielder rather than as a Pep Giurdiola many suppose him to be, Andreas Iniesta was dominant in midfield possession despite his slender build, Carles Puyol and Gabriel Milito didn’t flinch in defense, Lionel Messi was again flashing the same old ridiculous sorcery and Samuel Eto’o finally exorcised his injury demons by scoring a sensational hat-trick which was not without a touch of comedy though. That Eto’o is back is a clarion-like ring in the Camp Nou faithful’s ears and as for Ronaldinho, his sole contribution to the game was to fly the ball miles above the Levante crossbar in the 16th minute as in a rugby match. In fact, the 27-year old Brazilian ace is already a shoe-out of Barcelona and the Barca fans wouldn’t as much dab at the corners of their eyes as walk him to the Barcelona station and see him off in the train that departs for Milan in the summer.
But this weekend the fortunes were reversed and it was the Catalans who were taking the bath much to the gloating gladness of the Madrid dailies. As Barcelona were being blown away 4-2 Down Melancholics Way at the Calderon by an Atletico side whose season has somewhat derailed in the last month, Real were dancing to the Samba tune of Robinho to a 3-2 win at Recre. Barca were guilty of not creating enough to rattle the Atletico defense and were caught flat-footed when the Rojiblancos came on the counter. Coach Frank Rijkaard must have had half an eye on midweek’s UEFA Champions League tie with Glasgow Celtic and decided to play Lionel Messi off the bench. That subtracted a significant slice of edge from the Barcelona attack and although Real Madrid boss Bernd Schuster too played his ace (read Robinho) off the bench, he had (and has) more cause for concern as AS Roma visit the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Real won against Recre due to the instant influence of Robinho who came on in the 73rd minute of the second half and scored in the 74th minute and added one again to virtually wrap up the match. In the end the Madridistas picked up all 3 points and stretched their lead over second placed Barcelona back to 5 points.
Yet the celebration in the all-white half of Madrid isn’t without a touch of apprehension. True, Real emerged as the better side in their La Liga match against Recreativo but they didn’t look like champions at all in the first 45 minutes when Recre even had the audacity to take an impossible lead against the 9 times European champions. And then there is this February crisis that could well come back to haunt Real later in the season.
If Real Madrid were pants against Almeria in their 2-0 away defeat in early February, then they were stripped to their undies at Real Betis in the middle of the month and the 7-0 hammering of Real Valladolid sandwiched in between was more like a temporary nightclub distraction to a teenager desperately unable to recover from a broken relationship. The Merengues were again defeated at AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League and then came the Getafe shock. On the other hand, Barcelona have won 4 out of their last 7 matches in all competitions losing only once in that period and have become convincing once again having scored 11 goals in their last four matches even if they had lost to Atletico in the weekend.
The final conclusion is this: the Spanish title race has been blown wide open. One week ago Barcelona are just TWO close to self-destructive Real Madrid to be written off. Now of course the Whites are giving themselves a high FIVE. Yet if the last four weeks are any indicators, then there will be more twists and turns as the season progresses. The race to the chequered flag in La Liga is still on. So sit back and enjoy the roller-coaster.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 10, 2008 15:09:30 GMT
MADRID, March 9 (Reuters) - Villarreal beat Barcelona 2-1 at the Nou Camp to leave Real Madrid eight points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday
Real came back to beat Espanyol 2-1 at the Bernabeu on Saturday but second-placed Barca failed to repeat the feat after going behind to a first-half penalty from Marcos Senna.
Xavi equalised in the second half but substitute Jon Dahl Tomasson crowned an impressive all-round display from Villarreal with a winner nine minutes from time.
Real have 62 points, Barca 54 and Villarreal, who completed a double over Barca in the league, move on to 50.
Earlier, Racing Santander beat 10-man Real Betis 3-0 at home to climb to fifth on 44 points, the same as fourth-placed Atletico Madrid who lost 2-1 away to Real Zaragoza on Saturday.
The King's Cup semi-finalists made the most of the extra man when Betis had defender Melli sent off just after half time.
Argentines Aldo Duscher and Ezequiel Garay, and striker Mohamed Tchite wrapped up the win.
Sevilla recovered from their midweek Champions League exit to beat bottom club Levante 2-1 at the Sanchez Pizjuan to go sixth on 42.
They had to come from behind after Riga caught Andres Palop off his line from 35 metres, and struggled back to win through Mali midfielder Seydou Keita and Brazil striker Luis Fabiano, who took his tally for the season to 20.
Elsewhere, the worst defensive performance of the day came as Recreativo Huelva folded to a 7-1 defeat away to Real Mallorca.
Venezuela forward Juan Arango scored a hat-trick while Spain striker Daniel Guiza and midfielder Borja Valero each bagged a pair inside the game's opening 50 minutes for the islanders' biggest ever win in the top flight.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 12, 2008 11:28:56 GMT
MADRID, March 10 (Reuters) - Spanish media predicted the end of the Primera Liga title race on Monday after leaders Real Madrid went eight points clear of Barcelona at the weekend.
Real's 2-1 comeback win at home to Espanyol on Saturday, coupled with Barca's 2-1 defeat by Villarreal at the Nou Camp on Sunday, restored a healthy advantage that had been trimmed to just two points two weeks ago.
'Real Madrid escape again,' sports daily Marca said on Monday, while Mundo Deportivo wrote: 'Without (injured Lionel) Messi there is no Barca and no title race.'
Barca president Joan Laporta described Sunday's game as 'disastrous' as Villarreal played a sensible holding game, packing the midfield, breaking rapidly and effectively to a deserved win with goals from Marcos Senna and Jon Dahl Tomasson.
Villarreal are now just four points short of Barca in third place, with 11 games left in the season.
Real also went behind in their game against Espanyol at the Bernabeu, and like Barca had to endure murmurs of unrest and whistles from their fans before coming back with a goal from Gonzalo Higuain and a dubious penalty from Raul.
'It wasn't a game for the gallery,' a taciturn coach Bernd Schuster observed.
While the top two struggled it was the likes of lesser-lights Villarreal, Racing Santander, Getafe and Real Mallorca who provided the entertainment over the weekend.
Copa Del Rey semi-finalists Racing were the surprise package of the first half of the season, and have recovered from a dip in form to climb to fifth place, level on 44 points with fourth-placed Atletico Madrid.
The Cantabrians beat 10-man Real Betis 3-0 at home on Sunday to stay on course for a possible first appearance in a major European competition.
'Our objective from the start of the season was to avoid relegation and we have achieved that mathematically with this win. Now we can start to dream of other things,' said coach Marcelino.
Their Cup semi-final opponents Getafe made it nine games unbeaten in all competitions with a 3-0 away win over Real Murcia on Sunday, spoiling new coach Javier Clemente's first game at the helm of the hosts.
Michael Laudrup's modest side show little sign of fatigue as they chase a potential cup double. They are 2-1 up from the away leg of their UEFA Cup last-16 tie against Benfica.
Real Mallorca ended a run of five consecutive league draws with a spectacular 7-1 demolition of Recreativo Huelva, with Venezuela forward Juan Arango bagging a hat-trick in the islanders' biggest ever win in the top flight.
'It's a game every coach dreams of witnessing, but we haven't really won anything. It is still only three points,' Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano said.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 12, 2008 11:29:34 GMT
Getafe coach Michael Laudrup insists he is not thinking about taking Avram Grant's job at Chelsea as he has no time for anything other than his current club.
Grant has been under intense pressure at Stamford Bridge after his side's shock FA Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Barnsley, which came hot on the heels of defeat in the Carling Cup final to Tottenham.
Speculation in the British media suggests Grant will not be at Chelsea beyond May unless he manages to win either the Champions League or the Premier League and a host of names, including Laudrup, are now being touted as possible replacements.
However, the Getafe coach, whose team hold advantages going into the second legs of the UEFA Cup last 16 and the Copa del Rey semi-finals, claims he has no time to even contemplate such things with his side still fighting on three fronts.
'With three games a week there's no time to think about anything that is unrelated to Getafe,' Laudrup said prior to Getafe's second leg UEFA Cup tie with Benfica.
'We're in three competitions, there are three months until the end of the season, and there's no time for these other things.
'If these things come out, it means we're doing a good job here and we should be satisfied.'
On Monday, Laudrup dismissed claims he had held talks with Chelsea directors.
He told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet,/i>: 'I've learned to live with rumours, no matter how stupid they are.'
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 16, 2008 22:52:12 GMT
MADRID, March 16 (Reuters) - Barcelona were held to a 2-2 draw at promoted Almeria in the Primera Liga on Sunday as they failed to make the most of leaders Real Madrid's 1-0 defeat away to Deportivo Coruna on Saturday.
Bojan Krkic and Samuel Eto'o put Barca on course to cut Real's lead to five points, but after they had Gabriel Milito sent off late on, Almeria grabbed an 85th-minute equaliser through Kalu Uche.
Real have 62 points, seven ahead of second-placed Barca on 55, while Villarreal climbed to 53 after they saw off Real Zaragoza 2-0 at home.
Building on their 2-1 win at the Nou Camp last weekend, Turkish striker Nihat Kahveci gave Villarreal an early lead and Italian striker Giuseppe Rossi made sure of the points from the penalty spot in the second half.
But much of the credit must go to their goalkeeper Diego Lopez who denied Zaragoza on numerous occasions.
Sevilla are fourth after beating Valencia 2-1 away on Saturday, and they were joined on 45 points by Espanyol who came from behind to beat Real Mallorca 2-1 at home with a brace from Spain striker Luis Garcia.
Sixth-placed Atletico Madrid, on 44 points, are at home to bottom club Levante in the late game.
Getafe made it 11 games unbeaten in all competitions as they came from behind to beat their King's Cup semi-final opponents Racing Santander 2-1 at the Coliseum.
Goals from Nigeria striker Ikechukwu Uche and Jaime Gavilan give Getafe the psychological edge for when the sides meet again on Wednesday for the second leg of their semi-final at the Sardinero. Getafe are 3-1 up from the first leg.
Portugal winger Simao Sabrosa headed Atletico Madrid's opener against Levante after good work from Diego Forlan midway through the first half, and Simao returned the favour with a great set-up for Forlan before the break.
The Uruguayan striker grabbed his second just after the interval pouncing on a loose ball after the keeper was unable to hold Sergio Aguero's shot, and killed off the game.
Almeria made life tough for Barca crowding the midfield and breaking quickly at every opportunity, so it was against the run of play when Andres Iniesta's shot was only parried as far as Krkic to score in the 17th minute.
However, the set-piece specialists were soon level from a corner in the 33rd when defender Ruben Pulido was left with a free header at the near post.
Frank Rijkaard brought on Thierry Henry just after the restart and he cut to the line to pull back for Cameroon striker Eto'o to net, with one of his first interventions.
Argentina centre back Milito collected his second yellow card with 18 minutes to go, and Almeria punished Barca once again from a corner as Nigerian Uche rose to head past Victor Valdes in the 85th.
Barca have taken one point from the last nine available.
Struggling Valladolid edged out of the relegation places drawing 0-0 with Osasuna - who made it four games unbeaten.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 16, 2008 22:54:24 GMT
March 15, 2008
Valencia 1-2 Sevilla FC Real Betis 1-2 Athletic Bilbao Recreativo Huelva 4-2 Murcia Deportivo La Coruña 1-0 Real Madrid
March 16, 2008
Atlético Madrid 3-0 Levante Almeria 2-2 Barcelona Getafe 2-1 Racing Santander Valladolid 0-0 Osasuna Villarreal 2-0 Real Zaragoza Espanyol 2-1 Mallorca
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Post by arover on Mar 17, 2008 13:22:56 GMT
Home | Away Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS 1 Real Madrid 28 12 0 1 35 11 8 2 5 24 14 34 62 2 Barcelona 28 12 0 2 34 8 4 7 3 20 17 29 55 3 Villarreal 28 8 5 2 24 15 8 0 5 23 21 11 53 4 Atletico Madrid 28 9 2 4 34 20 5 3 5 14 12 16 47 5 Sevilla 28 10 1 3 36 13 4 2 8 20 24 19 45 6 Espanyol 28 8 2 4 19 13 5 4 5 21 22 5 45 7 Racing Santander 28 8 3 2 17 8 4 5 6 12 19 2 44 8 Getafe 28 6 4 4 18 16 5 2 7 19 20 1 39 9 Almeria 28 7 4 4 14 10 3 4 6 11 17 -2 38 10 Valencia 28 4 3 7 16 25 6 3 5 15 16 -10 36 11 Mallorca 28 5 5 3 23 14 2 8 5 22 28 3 34 12 Osasuna 28 7 4 3 22 15 2 3 9 8 17 -2 34 13 Deportivo La Coruna 28 5 3 6 15 20 4 4 6 18 20 -7 34 14 Athletic Bilbao 27 4 7 3 14 11 4 2 7 12 16 -1 33 15 Real Betis 27 6 3 4 22 17 2 5 7 9 22 -8 32 16 Real Zaragoza 28 7 5 2 29 18 1 3 10 10 30 -9 32 17 Valladolid 28 4 7 4 15 16 4 1 8 17 29 -13 32 18 Recreativo Huelva 28 5 4 5 18 19 3 4 7 13 27 -15 32 19 Murcia 28 4 3 6 11 15 1 5 9 11 30 -23 23 20 Levante 28 4 3 7 16 22 1 1 12 7 31 -30 19
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 17, 2008 19:56:50 GMT
It seems as if neither of Spain’s big two really want to win La Liga this season. Real Madrid’s defeat at Deportivo was their eighth defeat in 2008 and thet have now lost four of their last seven league games. Barcelona have consistantly blown their chances of capitalizing on their rivals mistakes: this weekend they twice surrendered the lead and had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Almeria which leaves them seven points behind Madrid with ten games remaining.
Real Madrid were again without the injured Ruud Van Nistlerooy, and Bernd Schuster decided to play Roberto Soldado in attack alongside Raul, leaving Robinho, Baptista and Higuain on the bench. However, they could find no way through the packed Deportivo defence and failed to manage one shot on target in the first half.
Deportivo playing a 5-4-1 formation were just as uninspired going forward and the game looked like it would be a boring 0-0 draw. But in the 57th minute Deportivo’s left back Filipe Luis got past Torres and sent in a cross which Pepe deflected past his own goalkeeper. Madrid failed to react to the goal and despite the appearance of Robinho, Higuain and Baptista near the end, could not manage a decent chance. Deportivo had a couple of chances on the counter attack to wrap things up but in the end they were delighted with the 1-0 win which now makes it 17 seasons that Madrid have failed to win in the league at Riazor.
Barcelona had the chance to reduce the gap to five points but their inability to defend at corners cost them dearly. With Messi and Ronaldinho injured it was a surprise to see Thierry Henry left on the bench which meant a forward line of Bojan, Eto’o and Iniesta. After seventeen minutes Diego Alves failed to hold an Iniesta shot and Bojan was quick to pounce and give Barça the lead. However, Almeria were threatening and just past the half hour Pulido got in unmarked at the near post to head home a corner from the right.
Early in the second half Rijkaard brought on Henry for the ineffective Edmilson and the Frenchman immediately had an effect setting up a goal for Samuel Eto’o. Barça were reduced to ten men for the last twenty minutes after Gabi Milito was sent off for two yellow cards. They might have held on for the win but for poor defending again at a corner with just five minutes to go, this time it was Uche who headed in a corner from the left. Click here for a full report on Almeria-Barça.
Villarreal move to within two points of Barça after a 2-0 win over Zaragoza. Nihat opened the scoring after ten minutes with his twelfth goal of the season, but for much of the rest of the game Zaragoza were on top. Zaragoza were, however, without their top scorer Diego Milito and Villarreal were saved by a fine performance from goalkeeper Diego Lopez. In the second half a rare break from Villarreal resulted in a penalty that Rossi converted to seal the three points.
Atletico Madrid stay in fourth place after beating bottom of the table Levante 3-0 in El Calderon. Simao Sabrosa was the architect of the victory, scoring the first with a header after Serrano failed to clear Diego Forlan’s cross, and setting up the second for Forlan before half time. Forlan got his second of the game and thirteenth of the season in the 53rd minute after Levante goalkeepewr Kujovic failed to hold a shot from Kun Agüero.
Sevilla kept up their challenge for a Champions League place by winning 1-2 in Valencia. Valencia’s president Juan Soler resigned this week and the team he left behind looked a mess against Sevilla who went 0-2 up after just 20 minutes. Luis Fabiano scored the first with a direct free kick and then got a lucky one deflecting in a shot that was going wide from Keita. With the work done Sevilla eased up and Valencia finally got a last minute consolation goal through Albiol.
Espanyol moved back into the top six with an agonizing 2-1 victory over Mallorca. Dani Güiza gave the visitors an early lead and Espanyol had to wait until the 57th minute for an equalizer when Hector brought down Luis Garcia for a penalty that Luis Garcia got up to score. Then in the 88th minute Luis Garcia got the wrong side of Ramis to head home Angel’s cross for the winner.
Racing Santander slipped down to seventh place after a 2-1 defeat at Getafe. Euzebiusz Smolarek put Racing in front with a header in the 54th minute, but Ikechukwu Uche equalized for the home team ten minutes later. Jaime Gavilan scored Getafe’s winner thirteen minutes from the end and Racing keeper Toño was sent off for kicking Gavilan after the goal. Getafe’s Braulio was also sent off for a second yellow card for getting involved in the incident. The teams meet again on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey semi final.
The ugly side of football was seen when the Betis-Athletic Bilbao was suspended in the 70th minute after Athletic keeper Armando was hit by a bottle thrown from the crowd. The bloke who threw it looked to be at least thirty-five years old and he is now sitting in a police cell awaiting trial. Armando was stretchered off with a cut under his right eye. Athletic were winning the match 1-2 and the league will now have to decide whether the result will stand and what punishment will be given to Betis. In February 2007 Juande Ramos was also hit by a bottle at Betis when he was managing Sevilla.
Ex-coach of the Spanish national team, Javier Clemente, has taken over at struggling Murcia, though his first game in charge did nothing to end the run of defeats as Recreativo beat them 4-2. De Lucas gave Murcia hope when he scored in the 16th minute but Sinama equalized two minutes later. In the second half Ruben put Recreativo in front and then Murcia lost Arzo to two yellow cards. Sinama got his second to make it 3-1 before Ivan Alonso pulled one back from the penalty spot. With five minutes left Marquitos made it 4-2 to Recreativo who despite the win are still in the bottom three but are now level on points with Valladolid, Zaragoza and Betis. There is going to be a mighty struggle to see who goes down with Levante and Murcia who both look doomed.
Finally, Valladolid and Osasuna fought out a poor 0-0 draw which suggested that both teams will be in danger of going down until the final week of the season.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 19, 2008 10:11:24 GMT
MADRID, March 18 (Reuters) - Athletic Bilbao were awarded a 2-1 victory and Real Betis were given a two-match stadium ban by the Spanish Football Federation's competition committee on Tuesday. The ruling came after Saturday's Primera Liga match at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium was abandoned in the 69th minute after Bilbao goalkeeper Armando was hit in the face by a bottle thrown from the stands. Bilbao were winning the game 2-1 at the time and the RFEF said in a statement on their Web site (www.rfef.es): 'The result will stand from when the game was stopped. 'Betis will be fined 9,000 euros ($14,230) and will have their sporting facilities closed for two matches.' Both teams have the right to appeal the decision. A Betis fan was standing in the front row just behind the goal at Saturday's game, when he threw a small plastic water bottle full of liquid at Armando, as he went to get a ball for a goal kick. The visiting keeper was struck just below the right eye and required a number of stitches for a cut. Fans nearby quickly identified the aggressor, who was taken away by stadium security and handed over to the police. A 40-year-old Betis fan with the initials CPR, a builder from near Seville, has been charged with a public disorder offence and with causing injury. He was released on bail on Monday. 'My client is deeply sorry. He didn't want to injure Armando. Carmelo is really affected by all this because he is a true Betis fan,' the accused's lawyer Alvaro Pimentel was quoted as saying in Spanish media on Tuesday. 'All he asks now is that people show respect towards his family.' Betis had been petitioning for the remaining 21 minutes of the game to be completed, while Bilbao had called for tough sanctions and to be given the points. Both teams are involved in the battle to avoid relegation. It is not the first time such an incident has occurred at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera. soccernet-akamai.espn.go.com/design05/images/jb2/riveieiriro_ap41222.jpgLast season, Sevilla coach Juande Ramos, now at Tottenham Hotspur, was knocked out after being hit by a bottle thrown from the stands during a King's Cup quarter-final match there. That game was abandoned and the remaining 33 minutes played behind closed doors at Getafe's stadium while Betis were given a three-match stadium ban.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 21, 2008 11:38:33 GMT
WREXHAM, March 20 (Yr Herald Cymraeg) - Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are battling it out for a Champions League place for next season and can take a big step towards that goal with a victory in the Sanchez Pizjuan on Saturday.
The Primera Liga's fourth-placed side Atletico, with 47 points, are two ahead of Sevilla in fifth, and also have the edge in meetings between them having won a 4-3 thriller at the Calderon back in October.
If the sides finish level on points in May the head-to-heads come into play and that makes Saturday's game even more important, Sevilla's sports director Ramon 'Monchi' Rodriguez said.
'I would say it is a seven-pointer. The three you win, the three you take off the other side and one more for the goal average,' he told the club's Web site (www.sevillafc.es).
'A victory would give us confidence but also fire out a warning to our rivals that we are in the mix as well.'
The encounter pitches two of the La Liga's most exciting forward lines against each other. Sevilla boast the league's top scorer in Brazilian Luis Fabiano (22 goals) and Mali's Frederic Kanoute (10).
Atletico have in-form duo Diego Forlan of Uruguay (13) and Sergio Aguero of Argentina (11).
At the top of the table, leaders Real Madrid host 11th-placed Valencia on Sunday reeling from the news that they will be without Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy for around six weeks after ankle surgery.
With 10 games left Bernd Schuster's men hold a seven-point lead over second-placed Barcelona, who have 55 points, but are struggling for form and have lost three of their last five league outings.
Valencia's title challenge has long since fallen by the wayside and their spirits will be conditioned by the outcome of Thursday's King's Cup semi-final second leg against Barcelona, probably their last chance to take something positive from the season.
Barca host relegation-threatened Valladolid on Sunday having only taken one point from the last nine.
Breathing down Barca's necks in third are Villarreal on 53 points, who are unbeaten in their last seven. They make the short trip to visit bottom club Levante on Sunday.
'Our primary objective is to secure a Champions League place,' Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez said.
'We'll see how our games go, and how Real and Barca do, and if things continue the way they are doing at present perhaps we could push for second place or even something more.'
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 23, 2008 12:27:50 GMT
OBAN, March 22 (Glasgow Echo) - Atletico Madrid earned a rare 2-1 win at 10-man Sevilla on Saturday thanks to goals by Argentine forwards Maxi Rodriguez and Sergio Aguero to tighten their grip on fourth place in the Primera Liga.
The victory, Atletico's first in over 15 years at the Sanchez Pizjuan, puts them on 50 points, five clear of fifth-placed Sevilla and only three behind Villarreal who visit basement side Levante on Sunday.
Clashes between the two sides have traditionally been fiery affairs and this was no exception with Sevilla midfielder Enzo Maresca receiving his marching orders on the hour after headbutting goalscorer Aguero.
Atletico took the lead midway through the first half when Maxi squeezed a precise shot inside the far post after a cross from Portugal winger Simao Sabrosa found its way to him on the far side of the area.
Sevilla had the lion's share of possession, but never looked comfortable as Atletico snapped at their heels in midfield.
However, they caught Atletico cold at the start of the second half, winger Diego Capel steering the ball in at the far post after Atletico goalkeeper Christian Abbiati had pushed a Frederic Kanoute shot into his path.
Atletico remained focused and restored their lead before the hour, Aguero stroking the ball past keeper Andres Palop on the volley after he had sneaked in behind two defenders to meet an Antonio Lopez cross.
Sevilla appeared unhinged by the new setback and substitute Maresca was sent off two minutes later for headbutting Aguero after he was fouled by the Argentine.
RELEGATION FEARS
Real Mallorca eased their relegation fears with a 1-0 win at home to Deportivo Coruna that pushed them up to 10th place.
Venezuelan striker Juan Arango scored the winner midway through the first half when his free kick from wide on the right flew over a huddle of defenders, bounced in front of keeper Dudu Aouate and ended up in the back of the net.
Deportivo, a shadow of the side that beat Real Madrid 1-0 last weekend, suffered an additional blow when striker Riki was sent off for a second booking deep into injury time.
Defeat left the Galicians just two points above the relegation zone with all their immediate rivals yet to play.
League leaders Real Madrid meet Valencia at the Bernabeu on Sunday, while second-placed Barcelona entertain Valladolid.
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Post by arover on Mar 25, 2008 13:34:00 GMT
| Home | Away Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS 1 Real Madrid 29 12 0 2 37 14 8 2 5 24 14 33 62 2 Barcelona 29 13 0 2 38 9 4 7 3 20 17 32 58 3 Villarreal 29 8 5 2 24 15 9 0 5 25 22 12 56 4 Atletico Madrid 29 9 2 4 34 20 6 3 5 16 13 17 50 5 Racing Santander 29 9 3 2 19 8 4 5 6 12 19 4 47 6 Sevilla 29 10 1 4 37 15 4 2 8 20 24 18 45 7 Espanyol 29 8 2 4 19 13 5 4 6 21 26 1 45 8 Athletic Bilbao 29 5 7 3 15 11 5 2 7 14 17 1 39 9 Getafe 29 6 4 4 18 16 5 2 8 19 21 0 39 10 Almeria 29 7 4 4 14 10 3 5 6 12 18 -2 39 11 Valencia 29 4 3 7 16 25 7 3 5 18 18 -9 39 12 Mallorca 29 6 5 3 24 14 2 8 5 22 28 4 37 13 Real Betis 29 6 3 5 23 19 3 5 7 10 22 -8 35 14 Osasuna 29 7 4 4 22 16 2 3 9 8 17 -3 34 15 Deportivo La Coruna 29 5 3 6 15 20 4 4 7 18 21 -8 34 16 Real Zaragoza 29 7 6 2 30 19 1 3 10 10 30 -9 33 17 Valladolid 29 4 7 4 15 16 4 1 9 18 33 -16 32 18 Recreativo Huelva 29 5 4 5 18 19 3 4 8 13 29 -17 32 19 Murcia 29 5 3 6 15 15 1 5 9 11 30 -19 26 20 Levante 29 4 3 8 17 24 1 1 12 7 31 -31 19
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 26, 2008 4:46:07 GMT
Barcelona closed to within four points of Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday after the leaders lost 3-2 at home to Valencia while the Catalans beat Valladolid 4-1 at the Nou Camp.
Real slipped to only their second home defeat of the season when former Atletico Madrid forward Angel Arizmendi struck a dramatic 89th-minute winner in a frenetic encounter which featured two goals apiece from Raul and David Villa.
Bernd Schuster's side, who have lost five of their last eight games, lead the table on 62 points, Barca follow on 58, while Villarreal, 2-1 winners at basement side Levante, are in third spot on 56.
Atletico Madrid tightened their grip on the final Champions League berth with a 2-1 win at Sevilla on Saturday, their first win at the Sanchez Pizjuan in over 15 years.
Valencia were first to strike at the Bernabeu, Villa sweeping the ball past Iker Casillas 11 minutes from the break after he had beaten the offside trap to latch on to a clever through ball from David Silva.
But their celebrations were cut short when Raul equalised just over a minute later.
The Real skipper scored his 14th of the season when he headed in from six metres out after getting the better of former club colleague Ivan Helguera who had came on as a substitute moments earlier.
Raul struck again early in the second half, squeezing a shot inside the post after Guti had threaded the ball through the Valencia defence.
PENALTY
But Valencia, who reached the final of the King's Cup after a 4-3 win over Barcelona in midweek, caused plenty of problems for the Real defence with their fast-breaking attacks and Fabio Cannavaro gave away a penalty when he pushed Silva in the back.
Villa sent Casillas the wrong way with his spot kick to make it 2-2 with his second.
Real peppered the Valencia goal with shots in a frantic final quarter.
But German keeper Timo Hildebrand pulled off a succession of brilliant reflex saves to deny the home side and Arizmendi complete a great week for Ronald Koeman's side when he rounded Cannavaro and beat Casillas at the near post with a pin-point shot.
Barcelona claimed their first win in four outings thanks to an outstanding display from Spain under-21 forward Krkic.
The Catalans had headed into the match under heavy pressure after taking just one point from their previous three league games and losing to Valencia in the Cup.
They looked edgy after Valladolid midfielder Jonathan Sesma had cancelled out a Samuel Eto'o goal with a penalty on the half hour, but Andres Iniesta settled their nerves when he restored their lead at the start of the second half.
Krkic made it 3-1, clipping in from a tight angle just after the hour and then capped an outstanding display when he poked home from a metre out after Eto'o had swerved round the keeper and slid a pass across the face of the goal. Relegation-threatened Real Murcia claimed their first win since Javier Clemente took charge as coach at the start of the month with an emphatic 4-0 win at home to Espanyol.
In Sunday's later game, Athletic Bilbao beat Getafe 1-0 thanks to a 29th minute strike by Joseba Etxeberria.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 29, 2008 16:06:07 GMT
Roberto Assis, the brother and agent of Barcelona's Ronaldinho, has denied claims the 28-year-old forward has already made up his mind to leave the Catalan club in the summer.
Reports originating yesterday in Brazil suggested Ronaldinho and his brother were considering the possibility of invoking article 17 of FIFA's transfer regulations, which allows players to buy out the remainder of their contract under certain circumstances.
The news ignited speculation that Ronaldinho was certain to leave the Nou Camp in the summer, but Assis told Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo his comments did not constitute a statement of intent.
'It's not that we intended to go to FIFA and use article 17 to free Ronnie from his contract,' he said.
'What I said was merely a response to a question asking if we were aware of this legislation.'
Assis also denied speculation that he was engineering a deal to take his brother to Real Madrid, saying: 'It is not true, there has been nothing between us and them.'
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 29, 2008 16:17:43 GMT
Real Betis will be allowed to play Barcelona at their own ground on Saturday despite being given a two-match stadium ban after a visiting player was hit in the face by a bottle thrown from the crowd.
Betis had been ordered to play the match at Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon stadium by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), but Spain's Sporting Discipline Committee (CEDD) agreed to an appeal from the club asking for a delay to the sanction.
Betis argued that playing the game in Madrid could cause problems because city rivals Sevilla play Real Madrid in the Spanish capital the following day.
'Justice has been done, we are relieved at the decision,' said Betis president Pepe Leon. 'Someone has had the good sense to do what had to be done.
'It would have been madness to make people travel to Madrid and make us play at the Vicente Calderon.'
Betis received the punishment after Athletic Bilbao keeper Armando was cut on the face when a fan threw a bottle of water at him during a league match at their Ruiz de Lopera stadium on March 15.
The game was abandoned with Bilbao leading 2-1, with the RFEF subsequently deciding that the result should stand and that Betis be banned from their stadium for two matches.
Concern about violence in Spanish football was also raised when television showed images of an Atletico Madrid fan being kicked and beaten by Sevilla supporters before last Saturday's league match in Seville.
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Post by Bismarck on Mar 30, 2008 14:48:34 GMT
March 29, 2008
Villarreal 3-0 Atlético Madrid Real Betis 3-2 Barcelona
Real Betis produced a stunning second-half comeback to inflict a painful 3-2 defeat on Barcelona and severely damage the Catalan side's Primera Liga title hopes.
Frank Rijkaard's team ended the day in third spot after Villarreal leapfrogged them with a 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
Barca had looked set to move to within a point of rivals Real Madrid after they stormed into an early two-goal lead at the Ruiz de Lopera Stadium.
Bojan Krkic and Samuel Eto'o struck within three first-half minutes to give the visitors a comfortable cushion at the interval, but Betis hit back shortly after the break through Edu.
The Brazilian then had a penalty saved by Victor Valdes, but Betis equalised a minute later through Juanito and stole a dramatic win when Edu atoned for his earlier miss with a stunning strike late on.
Betis were allowed to play the game at their own ground despite being given a two-match stadium ban after Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Armando Ribeiro was struck in the face by a bottle thrown from the crowd two weeks ago.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) had ordered the game to be played at Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon stadium, but Spain's Sporting Discipline Committee (CEDD) overturned the decision following an appeal.
In contrast to Barca, Villarreal had no such worries as they stormed to a comfortable win over Atletico.
Santi Cazorla's strike five minutes before half-time and Nihat Kahveci's brace either side of the interval gave Manuel Pellegrini's side a fourth straight league success.
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Post by Bismarck on Apr 1, 2008 13:24:20 GMT
After weeks of inconsistency Real Madrid found their form again to defeat Sevilla this weekend and take a big step towards their 31st La Liga title. Barcelona, however, threw away a two-goal lead at Betis which sees them slip back to seven points behind Madrid and allowed Villarreal to move above them into second place after a fine 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid needed a victory like this after all the recent problems. Bernd Schuster left Robinho, Baptista and Diarra on the bench, and gave another chance to 20-year-old Gonzalo Higuain in attack. The game started well for Madrid and they took the lead after just seven minutes when Sneijder delivered a perfect cross for Heinze to head past Palop. Cannavaro who was in an offside position was deemed not to be interfering with play.
Sevilla couldn’t get into the match until coach Jiminez rectified a decision to leave out Jesus Navas, by bringing him on as a first half substitute and moving dani Alves back to his more natural right back decision. Four minutes after the decision Sevilla equalized when Keita’s header found Kanoute whose low shot beat Casillas from close range. Madrid reacted swiftly, Sneijder sent another ball into the area which Raul controlled on his thigh before swivelling to find just enough space to shoot left footed past Palop for his 290th goal for Madrid. Raul is now just seventeen goals short of Alfredo Di Stefano’s 307 goals record.
The second half produced some more great football from Madrid and Higuain might have scored a handful but for the fine performance from Palop. Eventually, however, the excellent Sneijder sent Guti racing down the right and he played a great cross with the outside of his left foot into the path of Higuain who this time couldn’t miss. With eight games to go Madrid have the finishing line within their sights, but after such an up-and-down season there is still time for a few more surprises.
Barcelona will only have themselves to blame if Madrid do win the title. Having been given so many chances to get back in the fight they once again messed up horribly this weekend. After just fifteen minutes they had coasted into a 0-2 lead at Betis through Bojan and Eto’o, and looked to be on the way to a comfortable win. However, after the two goals they only played to keep possession instead of trying to kill Betis off. As soon as Betis pulled a goal back after Edu headed in Sobis’s cross Barça were panicked into defending too deeply and Betis seized their chance. Despite Valdes saving a penalty in the 75th minute Betis stunned culés with two quick goals from Juanito and Edu again. Barça failed to react and now find themselves in a full blown crisis going into Tuesday’s Champions League game with Schalke 04. Click here for a full report on Betis-Barça and 117 comments from angry culés.
Villarreal took full advantage of Barça’s disaster to move above the Catalans with a sublime 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid. Villarreal defenders Gonzalo Rodriguez and Godin dealt perfectly with Kun Agüero and Forlan, while Pires and Cazorla set about creating the chances. Cazorla himself scored the opener on 37 minutes after Perea failed to clear. Then just before half time Rossi crossed for Nihat to score the second. In the second half Cazorla found Nihat who finished the job with his 14th goal of the season. Villarreal are the team in form and with just six points separating them from Madrid are still in with a chance of causing an almighty upset.
With Sevilla and Atletico losing, Racing Santander did their European hopes no harm whatsoever with a thumping 0-3 win over a tired looking Espanyol. Two goals in the first 25 minutes from Serrano and Munitis left Espanyol without ideas to come back against a well ordered and disciplined Racing. In the last minute of the game Bolado put the icing on the cake with a classy goal shooting with his right foot behind his left leg.
Almeria moved up to eighth place with a comfortable 2-1 victory over bottom of the table Levante. Fernando Soriano gave Almeria the lead after just two minutes and then before half time Felipe Melo added a second. Levante had to wait until the 90th minute for a consolation goal but it was too little too late. Levante will now need an authentic miracle if they are going to avoid the drop.
After beating Madrid and Barça in the space of a week, Valencia proved they still have enormous problems when they lost 0-3 at home to Mallorca. The excellent Dani Güiza scored the first after 12 minutes after getting the better of Caneira, then Ivan Ramis made it two with a free kick on twenty minutes. Güiza got his second and Mallorca’s third with a header from Ibagaza’s cross in the second half. Valencia have now conceded 28 goals in their stadium in the league this season, which is more than ever in their history.
Zaragoza are another team with serious problems after losing 2-1 in a relegation six-pointer at Valladolid. Zapater gave the visitors the lead after 28 minutes, but second half goals from Victor, from the penalty spot, and Llorente turned the game in favour of Valladolid. To add to Zaragoza’s problems Juanfran got a straight red card in the last minute for kicking Capdevila who was wasting time by the corner flag.
Murcia are also in deep deep trouble after their 3-1 loss at Deportivo. Murcia’s hopes were raised when De Lucas gave them the lead after just two minutes, but three goals from Xisco leave Murcia staring relegation in the face.
Recreativo are also in desperate need of points, and they will not be happy at only gaining one in the 1-1 draw at home to Athletic Bilbao. An Amorebieta own goal gave Recre the lead after 14 minutes and they held on until the 81st minute when Aduriz broke their hearts with Athletic’s equalizer. Bouzon showed Recre’s frustration by getting sent off in injury time.
Finally, Osasuna somewhat eased their relegation worries with a 0-2 win over Michael Laudrup’s Getafe. Osasuna made the most of Getafe’s Contra being sent off after 30 minutes, and goals from Miguel Flaño and a Puñal penalty earned them the three points.
Top Six: Real Madrid 65, Villarreal 59, Barcelona 58, Atletico Madrid 50, Racing Santander 50, Sevilla 45.
Bottom Six: Deportivo 37, Valladolid 35, Zaragoza 33, Recreativo 33, Murcia 26, Levante 19.
Top Scorers: Luis Fabiano 22, Güiza 17, Raul 16, Diego Milito 15 Nihat 14.
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Post by Bismarck on Apr 1, 2008 13:36:59 GMT
Frank Rijkaard has dismissed all talk of resignation.
The Barcelona coach has come under fire in recent weeks, with his side winning just one of their last seven games in all competitions, culminating in a 3-2 defeat at Real Betis on Saturday.
And while Rijkaard admits it has been difficult coming to terms with his side's latest slip-up, he is confident they will come through their difficulties and show their true colours.
'We cannot waste our time thinking of resignation,' said the Dutchman. 'It was just a defeat and it will not affect me as we have a big game in the Champions League against a good team, away from home, and I hope we can play great again tomorrow.
'The anger of the fans is justifiable - they have the right to be angry - but that could serve as motivation for this game and we will try to show the good side of Barcelona.
'It is our chance to put things in order.'
Rijkaard said he would 'not point the finger' at any individual and claims they are 'working together as a team' to put the disappointment behind them, and quickly.
'I think it is only normal to be down after a defeat and this is a difficult and complicated moment. It is incredible that we lost that game, but this is part of football.
'When you lead away from home 2-0, then you should not lose 3-2 and that has left a bitter taste in the mouth.
'But I am sure my team will find its rhythm and I am convinced that we can dominate any team over 90 minutes.'
Defender Rafael Marquez, who is set to return to the Barcelona defence for the first time in over a month, claims too much has been made of the club's troubles and feels the atmosphere inside the dressing room has not suffered.
He said: 'The team and the club has full confidence in the coach and he has obtained some very good results so he deserves our faith.
'This game is not about being a last chance for us, it is about us being a team and rediscovering the strengths which have always been part of this club in the past.'
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Post by arover on Apr 1, 2008 14:14:04 GMT
Home | Away Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS 1 Real Madrid 30 13 0 2 40 15 8 2 5 24 14 35 65 2 Villarreal 30 9 5 2 27 15 9 0 5 25 22 15 59 3 Barcelona 30 13 0 2 38 9 4 7 4 22 20 31 58 4 Atletico Madrid 30 9 2 4 34 20 6 3 6 16 16 14 50 5 Racing Santander 30 9 3 2 19 8 5 5 6 15 19 7 50 6 Sevilla 30 10 1 4 37 15 4 2 9 21 27 16 45 7 Espanyol 30 8 2 5 19 16 5 4 6 21 26 -2 45 8 Almeria 30 8 4 4 16 11 3 5 6 12 18 -1 42 9 Mallorca 30 6 5 3 24 14 3 8 5 25 28 7 40 10 Athletic Bilbao 30 5 7 3 15 11 5 3 7 15 18 1 40 11 Getafe 30 6 4 5 18 18 5 2 8 19 21 -2 39 12 Valencia 30 4 3 8 16 28 7 3 5 18 18 -12 39 13 Real Betis 30 7 3 5 26 21 3 5 7 10 22 -7 38 14 Osasuna 30 7 4 4 22 16 3 3 9 10 17 -1 37 15 Deportivo La Coruna 30 6 3 6 18 21 4 4 7 18 21 -6 37 16 Valladolid 30 5 7 4 17 17 4 1 9 18 33 -15 35 17 Real Zaragoza 30 7 6 2 30 19 1 3 11 11 32 -10 33 18 Recreativo Huelva 30 5 5 5 19 20 3 4 8 13 29 -17 33 19 Murcia 30 5 3 6 15 15 1 5 10 12 33 -21 26 20 Levante 30 4 3 8 17 24 1 1 13 8 33 -32 19
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Post by Bismarck on Apr 5, 2008 11:36:08 GMT
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has revealed his club are interested in signing Barcelona's troubled star Ronaldinho.
The Brazilian playmaker is looking ever more likely to leave the Nou Camp at the end of the season and the 28-year-old will have no shortage of offers, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Milan among the clubs keen to acquire his services.
'Ronaldinho is a great player,' admitted Ancelotti. 'Milan's interest in him has been there for a long time.
'At this time he is a Barcelona player and the club is evaluating the development of this situation.
'He is a champion that interests several clubs.'
Ronaldinho, who has struggled to make an impact this campaign with the Catalan giants, could miss the rest of the Primera Liga season having been ruled out for six weeks with a thigh injury sustained on Thursday.
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Post by arover on Apr 7, 2008 13:11:27 GMT
| Home | Away Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS 1 Real Madrid 31 13 0 2 40 15 8 3 5 25 15 35 66 2 Barcelona 31 13 1 2 38 9 4 7 4 22 20 31 59 3 Villarreal 31 9 5 2 27 15 9 0 6 25 24 13 59 4 Atletico Madrid 31 10 2 4 40 23 6 3 6 16 16 17 53 5 Racing Santander 31 9 3 3 20 11 5 5 6 15 19 5 50 6 Sevilla 31 11 1 4 39 15 4 2 9 21 27 18 48 7 Espanyol 31 8 2 5 19 16 5 4 7 21 27 -3 45 8 Athletic Bilbao 31 6 7 3 16 11 5 3 7 15 18 2 43 9 Almeria 31 8 4 4 16 11 3 5 7 15 24 -4 42 10 Mallorca 31 6 6 3 25 15 3 8 5 25 28 7 41 11 Real Betis 31 7 3 5 26 21 4 5 7 13 22 -4 41 12 Getafe 31 6 4 5 18 18 5 3 8 19 21 -2 40 13 Deportivo La Coruna 31 6 3 6 18 21 5 4 7 21 22 -4 40 14 Valencia 31 4 3 8 16 28 7 3 6 18 19 -13 39 15 Valladolid 31 5 7 4 17 17 5 1 9 21 33 -12 38 16 Osasuna 31 7 4 5 22 17 3 3 9 10 17 -2 37 17 Recreativo Huelva 31 5 5 5 19 20 4 4 8 14 29 -16 36 18 Real Zaragoza 31 7 6 3 30 22 1 3 11 11 32 -13 33 19 Murcia 31 6 3 6 16 15 1 5 10 12 33 -20 29 20 Levante 31 4 3 9 17 27 1 1 13 8 33 -35 19
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Post by Bismarck on Apr 8, 2008 14:10:39 GMT
Barcelona and Villarreal failed to put the pressure on leaders Real Madrid as they dropped points in the Primera Liga on Sunday.
Real Mallorca had held the champions to a 1-1 draw on Saturday but Frank Rijkaard's Barcelona side drew 0-0 at home to UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Getafe, while Villarreal's nine-game unbeaten run ended with a 2-0 defeat away to Sevilla.
Real have 66 points, and are seven clear of Villarreal and Barcelona tied in second and third respectively on 59 points, with seven games left to play.
Getafe's well-organised defence gave Barca few sights of goal at the Nou Camp -- the woodwork and Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri did the rest. Samuel Eto'o struck a post in the first half and Giovani dos Santos repeated the feat at the start of the second.
Xavi hit an upright at a free kick as Barca's attacks became more desperate and Abbondanzieri saved Eidur Gudjohnsen's point-blank header. Barca were whistled off the pitch at the end.
Villarreal were always up against it at the Sanchez Pizjuan and were pegged back by Sevilla's Brazil striker Luis Fabiano, who raced clear to score his 23rd of the campaign midway through the first half.
Diego Lopez made a string of important saves to keep the visitors in the game, but gave away a penalty three minutes from time, which Mali striker Frederic Kanoute put away.
BRAVE RESISTANCE
Atletico Madrid beat nine-man Almeria 6-3 to strengthen their grip on fourth place with 53 points.
The home side were cruising inside six minutes after a free kick from Antonio Lopez, a penalty from Uruguay's Diego Forlan, and a red card for visiting defender Ruben Pulido. But Almeria stormed back to level by the 17th minute.
Portugal winger Simao Sabrosa restored Atletico's lead with a free kick which the keeper fumbled into his own net, but again Almeria equalised.
Unai Emery's side were reduced to nine men in the 40th minute, and Simao's breakaway goal just before the break effectively ended their brave resistance.
Argentine striker Sergio Aguero wrapped up the scoring for Atletico with two in the second half.
Racing Santander stumbled to a 3-1 home defeat to Deportivo Coruna and are fifth on 50 points, two ahead of Sevilla in sixth. At the foot of the standings, Real Zaragoza's 3-0 home defeat to Real Betis left them deep in relegation trouble in 18th with 33 points, three adrift of 17th-placed Recreativo Huelva. Real Murcia, who beat King's Cup finalists Valencia 1-0, are 19th with 29 and bottom club Levante, who lost 3-0 against Valladolid, have 19
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Post by Bismarck on Apr 11, 2008 1:15:55 GMT
Real Zaragoza are a team built to push for a Champions League place, but their slide down the Primera Liga standings could leave them in the second division.
They travel to Getafe on Sunday in 18th place, three points short of safety, with seven games left to play. Zaragoza's away form is the second worst in the league and they have suffered seven defeats in their last nine outings.
'The players are down and we need to lift them. We have to transmit a fighting spirit that we can do this,' club President Eduardo Bandres said.
'We are still in the top flight and will continue to fight to stay here.'
After finishing sixth last year, they are on their fourth coach of the current campaign and were barracked by their own fans after last weekend's 3-0 home defeat to rivals Real Betis put them in the bottom three.
Zaragoza's woes are in a stark contrast to the situation at modest Getafe, who play Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg on Thursday. They take on Valencia in their second consecutive King's Cup final next week.
The team Zaragoza are trying to overhaul are 17th-placed Recreativo Huelva, who host title-chasing Barcelona on Saturday.
The Catalans' hopes of catching leaders Real Madrid have faded in recent weeks as they have only managed one win in their last six league matches.
They have slipped back to third, level on 59 points with Villarreal, who have the edge ini head-to-head meetings.
Barca qualified for the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday, but tension between the club and its fans over the side's stuttering form continue to dominate the headlines.
Villarreal's nine-game unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-0 defeat at Sevilla last weekend, and they visit Almeria on Sunday.
Leaders Real have a seven-point cushion as they close on their 31st league title and host relegation-threatened Real Murcia on Sunday.
Murcia are seven points from safety in 19th-place and have never won at the Bernabeu, but their well-travelled coach Javier Clemente has already sought to spice up the match.
'I have always gone there with modest teams and they always have a go at me saying I simply park a bus in front of the goal,' the former Spain and Real coach said.
'I'm not going to listen to my critics and suddenly play an open game, which is what they want me to do.
'We are going to put a bus and a train in front of the goal and do what we can to stop them scoring.'
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Post by Bismarck on Apr 13, 2008 15:04:07 GMT
Barcelona missed the chance to close the gap on Primera Liga leaders Real Madrid after struggling Recreativo twice pegged them back to draw 2-2.
Samuel Eto's gave the visitors the lead after just two minutes, nodding home from close range.
But the hosts hit back when the linesman adjudged Marco Rubén's header crossed the line, after Barca keeper Victor Valdes had fumbled - replays suggesting the goal should not have counted.
Eto'o regained the lead for the Catalan side with a fine solo effort - crashing a shot from outside the area in off the bar.
But again, Barca couldn't hold the lead and Rubén, on loan from Villarreal, claimed his second of the game with an angled header after Valdes found himself out of position.
Barcelona are six points behind leaders Real Madrid, who play Murcia on Sunday.
High-flying Racing Santander piled the pressure on struggling Valencia when a late Mohamed Tchite strike gave them a 2-1 win in the Primera Liga at the Mestalla on Saturday.
Racing took a deserved lead on the hour, midfielder Gonzalo Colsa steering in an angled shot after powering a header against the bar.
Valencia equalised three minutes later when substitute David Villa converted a penalty after fellow striker Fernando Morientes had been brought down in the area.
But Tchite snatched the win when he slotted home at the far post from an offside position after Pablo Alvarez charged down the right and swept a fine pass behind the Valencia back four.
Ronald Koeman's Valencia, who meet Getafe in the King's Cup final on Wednesday, have won just one of their last nine league games and are only six points above the relegation zone in 14th place with all their closest rivals yet to play.
They have won only once at the Mestalla in the last five months and have the joint worst home record in the league with basement side Levante.
Racing remain in fifth place but are now level on 53 points with Atletico Madrid who visit Valladolid on Sunday.
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Post by arover on Apr 14, 2008 11:32:56 GMT
Home | Away Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS 1 Real Madrid 32 14 0 2 41 15 8 3 5 25 15 36 69 2 Barcelona 32 13 1 2 38 9 4 8 4 24 22 31 60 3 Villarreal 32 9 5 2 27 15 9 0 7 25 25 12 59 4 Atletico Madrid 32 10 2 4 40 23 6 4 6 17 17 17 54 5 Racing Santander 32 9 3 3 20 11 6 5 6 17 20 6 53 6 Sevilla 32 11 1 4 39 15 5 2 9 24 29 19 51 7 Almeria 32 9 4 4 17 11 3 5 7 15 24 -3 45 8 Espanyol 32 8 2 6 19 17 5 4 7 21 27 -4 45 9 Deportivo La Coruna 32 7 3 6 21 21 5 4 7 21 22 -1 43 10 Athletic Bilbao 32 6 7 3 16 11 5 3 8 15 21 -1 43 11 Mallorca 32 6 6 4 27 18 3 8 5 25 28 6 41 12 Getafe 32 6 5 5 18 18 5 3 8 19 21 -2 41 13 Real Betis 32 7 3 6 26 22 4 5 7 13 22 -5 41 14 Osasuna 32 7 4 5 22 17 4 3 9 11 17 -1 40 15 Valladolid 32 5 8 4 18 18 5 1 9 21 33 -12 39 16 Valencia 32 4 3 9 17 30 7 3 6 18 19 -14 39 17 Recreativo Huelva 32 5 6 5 21 22 4 4 8 14 29 -16 37 18 Real Zaragoza 32 7 6 3 30 22 1 4 11 11 32 -13 34 19 Murcia 32 6 3 6 16 15 1 5 11 12 34 -21 29 20 Levante 32 4 3 9 17 27 2 1 13 9 33 -34 22
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Post by Bismarck on Apr 15, 2008 18:44:07 GMT
Real Madrid moved another step closer to their 31st La Liga title with an uninspiring 1-0 victory over relegation bound Murcia. Barcelona have more or less said adios to their title hopes after only drawing at Recreativo, but the big news this week is the almost certain sale of Ronaldinho to AC Milan. The Brazilian will reportedly be on a meagre €150,000 a week for his new club. Villarreal slipped back down to third place after losing 1-0 at Almeria.
Bernd Schuster decided to bring back Robinho to the starting lineup in place of Higuain, and Torres came in at right back for the suspended Sergio Ramos. Torres, however, only lasted 20 minutes before being sent off for a tackle from behind on Aquino. With just ten men Madrid found it hard to create chances against a well ordered Murcia who only came to defend. Then in the 58th minute a throw in from Pepe was flicked on by Raul and Sneijder took advantage of the defence’s failure to clear to hit a fine right-footed strike past Carini in the Murcia goal. Murcia failed to react to the goal and Madrid held on comfortably, with a nine point advantage over nearest rivals Barcelona, it will take a monumental collapse now for Madrid not to win the title.
Barcelona once again threw away a victory through poor defending and a failure to take control of a game against weaker opponents. Samuel Eto’o twice put the Catalans in front away at Recreativo only for Marcos Ruben twice to equalize for the Andalucians. Eto’o has now bagged fourteen in fourteen games and perhaps if he hadn’t missed three months through injury he would be challenging Luis Fabiano for the Pichichi top scorer award. Unfortunately for Eto’o his team mates were not so inspired, the only good news for Barça was the return to action of Leo Messi who played the last 25 minutes and will surely be fully fit to play Manchester United in the Champions League. Click here for a full report on Recreativo-Barcelona
Villarreal paid the price of a mistake by goalkeeper Diego Lopez in the 16th minute of their game at Almeria. He failed to control a back pass from Javi Venta and was forced to bring down Crusat who had robbed the ball. Lopez was sent off but fortunately for Villarreal Negredo blasted the penalty over. Villarreal held on until the 84th minute when Acasiete finally beat substitute keeper Juan Carlos to give the home team a 1-0 victory which leaves Villarreal ten points behind Real Madrid.
Atletico Madrid stay in fourth place but missed out on victory at Valladolid due to an Ogbeche goal in the 91st minute. Maxi Rodriguez gave Atletico the lead in the 69th minute after a counter attack led by Diego Forlan. Luis Garcia and Forlan then missed chances to seal the victory and Ogbeche’s late equalizer made it 1-1 at the final whistle.
Racing Santander moved to within a point of Atletico with a 1-2 win at Valencia who find themselves falling into a relegation battle. Racing had the better of the first half but didn’t take the lead until the 60th minute when Colsa’s header was superbly saved by Hildebrand but Colsa was on hand to hit home the rebound. David Villa equalized from the penalty spot four minutes later after Morientes was brought down, and Morientes had two great chances to put Valencia ahead, hitting the crossbar and later the post. In the 84th minute Racing won it with a swift move which ended with Tchite getting on the end of a Pablo Alvarez cross to score at the far post.
Sevilla kept up their challenge for a Champions League spot with a deserved 2-3 win at Mallorca. Renato gave the visitors the lead just before half time after a mistake from Mallorca keeper Moya. Güiza equalized straight after half time but then goals from Kanoute and Alves put the result beyond doubt despite a late consolation goal from Webo.
Espanyol suffered their fourth defeat on the trot going down 0-1 at home to Osasuna, and now find themselves six points below the Uefa cup placings. Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni failed to hold a cross in the 30th minute and the ball bounced into the net off Astudillo for the game’s only goal. For Osasuna it was an important win which will relieve their relegation worries.
Deportivo now look to be safe after a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Athletic Bilbao. Depor have looked a much better team since Lafita and Wilhelmsson came into the team and have taken 19 points from their last eight games. Coloccini, Sergio and Filipe scored their goals this week.
Zaragoza are still looking the most likely to accompany Levante and Murcia in the drop after only managing a point in a 0-0 draw at Getafe. Michael Laudrup made several changes to the Getafe lineup after their agonizing Uefa Cup exit to Bayern Munich and they are now concentrating on Wednesday’s Copa del Rey final with Valencia. Zaragoza’s hopes of taking advantage of Getafe’s possible relaxation ended when Matuzalem was sent off after 70 minutes.
Finally, Levante are still just holding on to their Primera Division status after a 0-1 win at Betis. A goal after 52 minutes from Pedro Leon gave the bottom team a victory which ends any slight chance Betis might have had of making it into next season’s Uefa Cup.
Top Six: Real Madrid 69, Barcelona 60, Villarreal 59, Atletico Madrid 54, Racing Santander 53, Sevilla 51.
Bottom Six: Valencia 39, Valladolid 39, Recreativo 37, Zaragoza 34, Murcia 29, Levante 22.
Top Scorers: Luis Fabiano 23, Güiza 18, Raul 16, Diego Milito 15, Nihat 14.
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