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European round-up: Barcelona show they’re the best whilst Inter’s grip on Serie A slips

Graham Fisher in Editorial, General Soccer News 13 Apr 2010

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Pedro scored the decisive goal

Pedro scored the decisive goal

  • La Liga
  • If ever a team announced their superiority over another it was on Saturday evening when Barcelona won 2-0 at the Bernabeu thanks to goals from Messi and Pedro. They dominated the game in terms of territory, possession and, most importantly, goals.

    Real Madrid looked shell shocked after a game in which they were given a footballing lesson. Barcelona move three points clear with seven games left and have the head-to-head advantage so will finish top if they end up on the same points.

    Valencia stay a distant third despite going down 3-2 at Mallorca and having Fernandes sent-off. There was a strange team selection in this one with Silva and Villa sitting on the bench.

    Sevilla hang on to fourth place courtesy of a better head-to-head record against Mallorca after Cala and Lolo gave them a 2-1 win at Malaga.

  • Serie A
  • For the first time in a long while Inter have slipped to second place, a point behind new leaders Roma with just five games left to play. Perhaps the demands of doing so well in the Champions League are taking their toll and the prospect of a game against Barcelona at the moment would be daunting for anyone.

    Inter could only draw 2-2 in an entertaining game at Fiorentina. The home side took an early lead and held on to it until fifteen minutes from the end. Goals from Milito and Edu in the space of six minutes looked to have given Mourinho’s men the points but Fiorentina came back with an equaliser just one minute later.

    Roma beat Atalanta 2-1 with goals from Vucinic and Cassetti in the first half.

    Milan remain third, three points further back, after a second half brace from Borriello rescued them a point after being 2-0 down at half-time at home to Catania.

  • Bundesliga
  • Bayern Munich are two points clear at the top in Germany, with four games still to play, ahead of Schalke in second place.

    Bayern could only manage a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen thanks to a Robben penalty. Vidal replied for the home side. Schalke had a horrible day losing 4-2 at struggling Hannover 96.

    Bayer Leverkusen are third and Borussia Dortmund are fourth, one point clear of Werder Bremen. Dortmund went down 1-0 at Mainz whilst Bremen had an emphatic 4-0 win over SC Freiburg.

  • Eridivisie
  • With three games to go FC Twente are still four points clear of Ajax at the top in Holland.

    It was another nervy day for Steve McClaren and his men as it took them until twenty minutes from the end to open the scoring at home to Heerenveen. As it was, goals from Tiote and de Jong gave them a 2-0 win.

    No such nerves for Ajax who were 3-0 up inside twelve minutes and 5-0 up at half-time at home to VVV Venlo. The final score was 7-0 with both Suarez and Pantelic helping themselves to hat-tricks. I wonder who gets to keep the match ball?

    PSV are three points further back and can’t be caught in third place. They were held to a goalless draw at home to Feyenoord.

  • Ligue 1
  • Marseille are two points clear at the top with a game in hand on the next three clubs. Auxerre are second by two points from Lyon and Montpellier, whilst Bordeaux are another two points back but have two games in hand on the three teams ahead of them.

    The leaders had a comfortable 4-1 at home to Nice, whilst Auxerre picked up three points with a 1-0 win at Nancy.

    Lyon and Montpellier could only manage draws whilst Bordeaux had something of a nightmare, losing 3-1 at PSG and having Rame sent-off after just half an hour.

  • Portuguese Liga Sagres
  • Benfica are almost home and dry in Portugal, three points clear of Braga with a game in hand. Porto are safe in third, five points further back.

    Braga kept the pressure on the leaders with a 2-1 win at Uniao Leiria courtesy of goals from Meyong and Renteria in three first half minutes.

    Farias gave Porto a 1-0 win at Rio Ave.

  • SPL
  • None of the top three in league action this week so Rangers remain thirteen points clear of Celtic who are five points ahead of Dundee United.

    Celtic’s absolutely miserable season continued when they were dumped out of the Scottish Cup semi-final 2-0 by first division Ross County. Ross County will play Dundee United in the final who beat Raith 2-0 in the other semi-final.

  • Greek Super League
  • Panathinaikos are champions as they lead by six points with just one game to play. Olympiakos are two points clear of PAOK Salonica in second place.

    The champions had an easy 2-0 win at home to Iraklis with both goals coming in the first half. Olympiakos won 2-0 at Panthrakikos and PAOK had a 1-0 home win over Kavala.

  • Turkcell Super Lig
  • Bursaspor are just one point ahead of Fenerbahce in Turkey with five games left to play. Galatasaray and Besiktas are locked together four points further back.

    Bursaspor missed the chance to open up a bigger lead at the top as they were held to a goalless draw at Genclerbirligi in their game in hand. Besiktas were also held 0-0 at home by Trabzonspor, whilst Galatasaray hammered Diyarbakirspor 4-1.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Graham Fisher


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