La Liga
SCRAPPY WIN OVER ALAVES SHOOTS REAL MADRID TO THE TOP
Real Madrid earned a spirited 2-1 win at Alaves on Saturday with a scrappy late goal from defender Dani Carvajal to open up a provisional three-point gap at the top of La Liga.
Real captain Sergio Ramos put the visitors in front at a rain-soaked Mendizorrotza Stadium by heading home a Toni Kroos free kick after 52 minutes but gave away a penalty from which Lucas Perez levelled in the 65th.
Zinedine Zidane’s Real side demonstrated their new-found grit to re-take the lead four minutes later.
Isco pounced to head a Luka Modric cross against the post and the ball trickled across to Carvajal, who bundled it in from close range.
Alaves threw bodies forward in search of an equaliser but Real stood firm, with Marcelo blocking a goal-bound shot and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola stopping an effort from the hosts’ captain Manu Garcia in the eight minutes of added time.
Real provisionally lead the standings on 31 points from 14 games ahead of champions Barcelona, who visit fellow title rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
“We know that in stadiums like this teams always give everything against Real Madrid, and we coped very well with the kicks, the rain and the cold which was crucial because these are the games which win you league titles,” said Real’s Marcelo.
Alaves, who had lost only one of their previous seven home games this season and conceded only two goals on their own turf before facing Real, are 13th on 18 points.
Real were without Eden Hazard after he injured his ankle in Tuesday’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Paris St Germain in the Champions League, leaving Gareth Bale to make his first start for the club since Oct. 5.
Zidane made further changes by leaving World Cup-winning defender Raphael Varane at home and fielding Brazilian Eder Militao in his place.
Militao nearly gave away a penalty in the early stages when he stuck out a leg as Aleix Vidal rushed into the area, but the referee booked the Alaves player for diving instead.
Bale came close to giving Real the lead when he saw a header heavily deflected on to the near post, while Isco sent a shot narrowly over the bar later in the half.
It was far from a free-flowing display from Zidane’s side but the type of win that will give them confidence that they can overhaul an inconsistent Barca side in what is set to be a close-run title race.
-Reuters
Barcelona turned the Clasico into a coronation on Sunday, swatting aside Real Madrid 2-0 at a roaring Camp Nou to claim their 29th LaLiga title.
Hansi Flick’s side moved to an unassailable 91 points, 14 clear of second-placed Real with three games remaining.
The triumph capped a dominant campaign in which they lost only four league matches. Villarreal are third on 69 points.
Real arrived needing victory to keep their wafer-thin title hopes alive, but Marcus Rashford crushed those aspirations just nine minutes into the game.
Antonio Rudiger fouled Ferran Torres just outside the box, and Rashford bent a superb free kick into Thibaut Courtois’ top-left corner, giving Barcelona the early lead and sending the home crowd into raptures.
Nine minutes later, Barcelona doubled the lead. Fermin Lopez crossed into the area, and Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel that sent the ball into the path of Torres, who rifled a fierce strike into the top corner.
The win completed back-to-back league titles for Flick, who also delivered the LaLiga and Copa del Rey double in his first season last year.
Both sides were heavily depleted. Barcelona were without Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Jules Kounde from the starting lineup.
Real’s list of missing players was longer, with Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Arda Guler and Rodrygo all absent. Federico Valverde also missed out after suffering a head injury following a midweek changing-room fight with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni, with both players fined 500,000 euros over the incident.
Kylian Mbappe did not travel because of a leg muscle injury, forcing manager Alvaro Arbeloa to start Vinicius Jr alongside academy striker Gonzalo, with Jude Bellingham and Brahim Diaz pushing forward in support.
Real threatened through Vinicius and Gonzalo before halftime, but Barcelona carried the greater menace. Courtois kept the visitors alive with fine saves from Torres and Rashford before the interval.
Barcelona continued to press after the break, Rashford repeatedly tormenting left back Fran Garcia down the right, while Courtois produced another sharp stop with his left foot to deny Torres from point-blank range in the 56th minute.
Bellingham had a goal ruled out for offside in the 62nd minute, and Joan Garcia was quick to deny Vinicius in a one-on-one, preventing the Brazilian from lifting the ball over him.
Real kept probing late on, but there was little bite in their attack, and Barcelona calmly saw out the win before the title celebrations began.
“This title is even more special because we won it at home against Real Madrid. Now it’s time to enjoy it with the fans,” Frenkie de Jong told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus.
“Every title has to be celebrated in style. Especially LaLiga, which is a year-long competition. We’ve clearly been the best in Spain.”
-Reuters
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Real Zaragoza goalkeeper Esteban Andrada was sent off for punching Huesca captain Jorge Pulido in a fiery Spanish second division clash on Sunday that descended into a mass brawl, with Huesca keeper Dani Jimenez dismissed for punching Andrada.
Zaragoza’s Dani Tasende was also dismissed after a VAR review of the brawl.
With tensions simmering in a relegation scrap, Argentine Andrada lost his composure moments before the final whistle. Ignoring the run of play, he approached Pulido and struck him in the face with his right hand, sparking chaotic scenes eight minutes into stoppage time.
It was an ugly flashpoint in a match already short on finesse and heavy on nerves, and could carry serious consequences for the goalkeeper.
Huesca manager Jose Luis did not attempt to defend the scenes.
“It’s hard to explain; I think it’s a complete loss of control. I can put myself in their shoes, given what was at stake and all. But it’s unjustifiable. It’s just that I don’t know what to do or how to stop it; a brawl breaks out,” he said.
“It’s ugly; this was supposed to be a celebration of Aragonese football. I’d like people to talk about the match, even though it was ugly, with little play but a lot of hard work.”
Oscar Sielva’s goal secured a 1-0 win for Huesca, lifting them to 36 points in 19th place, while Zaragoza remain second-bottom on 35.
-Reuters
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Joan Laporta has been re-elected as Barcelona president after winning over 68 percent of the vote and will begin his second consecutive term, and fourth overall, from July 1, the club said on Sunday.
The 63-year-old took office in March 2021 and stepped down last month in line with club statutes in order to seek re-election.
Laporta described the election as a “celebration of democracy and civic responsibility” and said the tasks ahead included finishing work on the Camp Nou and strengthening the men’s team.
-Reuters
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