Atletico closer to European spot
Print Edition
ATLETICO Madrid took another step toward securing a spot in the Champions League next season by defeating Real Sociedad 1-0 on Tuesday for its fifth win in a row in the Spanish league.
Filipe Luis scored for the second straight match and Atletico opened up a three-point gap on fourth-place Sevilla. Atletico is now 10 points in front of fifth-place Villarreal, the first team out of the qualification zone for the Champions League.
The third-placed team automatically qualifies to the competition next year, while the fourth-place club has to go through a playoff.
“We have been playing better since the year started,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “We’ve been more consistent.”
Real Sociedad dropped from fifth to seventh in the standings.
Also, Athletic Bilbao beat Espanyol 2-0. Aritz Aduriz scored twice in the first half to move Athletic closer to a Europa League spot.
Espanyol stayed in ninth place.
Forward Adrian Lopez scored early in the second half to give Villarreal an 1-0 away victory over Real Betis that keeps it in contention for a Champions League spot.
In Italy, Roma fans were back in the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday to see their team beat city rival Lazio but lose the Italian Cup semifinal 4-3 on aggregate.
Mohamed Salah scored twice and Stephan El Shaarawy netted the other as Roma won the second leg of their semifinal derby 3-2.
But goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ciro Immobile sent Lazio through to the final, where it will likely meet Juventus.
In Germany, Andrej Kramaric’s first-half strike was enough for Hoffenheim to beat Bayern Munich 1-0 as the Bundesliga leader fell to just its second defeat of the season. Kramaric let fly from distance after Mats Hummels failed to properly clear and Bayern reserve ‘keeper Sven Ulreich was unable to keep the effort out, despite getting his hand to the ball in the 21st minute.
Ulreich was playing in place of the injured Manuel Neuer, who hopes to be back for the league showdown with Borussia Dortmund at the weekend, and before next week’s visit of Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Also, Borussia Dortmund beat Hamburger SV 3-0, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang taking his total to a league-leading 25 goals.
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