Sunday, April 22, 2012

Madrid Players Celebrate A Potentially Decisive Victory Against Barcelona


Madrid Players
There were decisive results across Europe this weekend and not least in Germany and Spain, with Borussia Dortmund ending the tension in the Bundesliga title race and Real Madrid CF beating FC Barcelona to take a firm grip on the Liga. There were significant developments elsewhere too, as Manchester City FC closed on their neighbours in England and Juventus moved three points clear in Serie A. UEFA recaps the action.

Germany
Dortmund wrapped up their second consecutive Bundesliga title and eighth overall thanks to a 2-0 triumph against VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach. Closest rivals FC Bayern München also grabbed a victory, beating SV Werder Bremen 2-1, but with two games remaining this term they remain eight points off the top. "That was the biggest challenge I've ever had," said Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp. "I'm speechless after what the boys did today against a team as good as Mönchengladbach. To play so well was madness." The result also played into the hands of FC Schalke 04, who moved two points clear of Mönchengladbach in third with a 1-1 draw at FC Augsburg.

Spain
The Liga title appears destined to be reclaimed by Madrid for the first time in four years after the capital side picked up a precious 2-1 Clásico win at champions FC Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo notching the winner to take his team seven points clear. "We have to congratulate Madrid for their win and the title that they have also won tonight," said Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola, his charges losing at home for the first time this season. "We created chances but it was not our night." Elsewhere, third-placed Valencia CF are four points clear of Málaga CF – who visit CA Osasuna on Monday – following their 4-0 success against Real Betis Balompié.

England
Steven Pienaar's late leveller has blown the race for the Premier League title wide open, as Everton FC battled back from two goals down to earn a dramatic 4-4 draw at Manchester United FC. Manchester City took full advantage of United's slip and now find themselves just three points off the summit after a 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, a result which confirmed Wolves' relegation. United visit City in a potentially decisive Manchester derby next Monday, and Sir Alex Ferguson said: "We've got to get a result at [the City of Manchester] Stadium now. It's a derby of amazing proportions – probably the most important derby game in my time."

Italy
An Arturo Vidal double in a comfortable 4-0 home win against ten-man AS Roma lifted unbeaten Juventus three points clear at the top of Serie A, after AC Milan had required a last-gasp equaliser from Zlatan Ibrahimović to earn a 1-1 draw at home against Bologna FC. "We had to get the points this afternoon. [Juventus] have a great chance of winning the Scudetto," conceded Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri after the match. "Do Milan deserve the title? If we finish above Juve, then yes." S.S. Lazio retained their three-point cushion in third, meanwhile, as their 1-1 stalemate with US Lecce came after fourth-placed Udinese Calcio drew a blank at AC Chievo Verona.

France
A narrow 1-0 win for Montpellier Hérault SC against Valenciennes FC maintained their two-point cushion at the Ligue 1 summit, as Paris Saint-Germain FC kept the pressure on the leaders with an emphatic 6-1 defeat of FC Sochaux-Montbéliard. "There was a lot of pressure on us; I think the team has done a good job," said PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti after the match. "It is a good performance to prepare for the match against Lille. This is a very important game, perhaps the key to the season." LOSC Lille Métropole trail PSG by five points following their convincing 2-0 victory against a nine-man Dijon FCO outfit.

Elsewhere
FC Zenit St Petersburg missed the chance to claim the Russian title with four games to go as they were held to a 2-2 draw at FC Kuban Krasnodar, though given their 12-point lead they are likely to settle the issue soon. Silverware was secured elsewhere, meanwhile, with The New Saints FC clinching the Welsh crown, FC Lusitans taking their first ever Andorran title and NK Maribor triumphing in Slovenia thanks to an 8-0 win against ND Triglav. Legia Warszawa's lead in Poland was cut to a single point, finally, following their 1-0 home loss to KKS Lech Poznań, and Fenerbahçe SK beat Galatasaray AŞ in Turkey's end-of-season play-off campaign.

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