Barca scents title as Real falls
Source: Agencies |
April 4, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
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REAL Madrid's shock 0-1 defeat at home to Sporting Gijon on Saturday and Barcelona's victory by the same scoreline at Villarreal brought a third consecutive La Liga title firmly within the Catalan club's reach.
With eight games left, Barcelona has an eight-point advantage over its great rival, which it thrashed 5-0 at the Nou Camp in November, and their run-in to the end of the season looks significantly less challenging on paper.
Real hosts Barcelona in two weeks, a few days before they clash in the Copa del Rey final, and then has tough away games at Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal.
Apart from Real and fifth-placed Espanyol, Barcelona's other six opponents are all in the lower reaches of the standings.
Coach Pep Guardiola, who has engineered league triumphs in his first two seasons with Barcelona and victory over Real in all five "Clasicos" he has contested, warned against complacency after the Villarreal game and said sport was capable of producing big surprises.
"If you declare yourself champion with an eight-point lead and eight games left you can only lose the league," the 40-year-old former Barcelona and Spain midfielder told a news conference.
"In the end the league is only won when it is won," he added. "We have some terribly difficult matches coming up. Madrid is always Madrid and they will fight to the end."
The Catalans beat Villarreal, which surrendered third place to Valencia as a result, without suspended playmaker Xavi. Valencia beat Getafe 4-2 on Saturday.
Guardiola also rested joint La Liga top scorer Lionel Messi after an injury scare on duty with Argentina, only bringing him off the bench in the second half.
Spain defender Gerard Pique scored the crucial goal in the 67th minute when he controlled a Sergio Busquets flick from a corner on his chest and lashed the ball into the net from close range, sparking wild celebrations from the Barcelona bench.
"We got the better of the third-placed team and made them run," Guardiola said.
"We didn't have that many chances but we were more concerned with controlling the game. It was a great win."
Barcelona has 81 points from 30 games and hosts relegation threatened Almeria this weekend. Real, which plays at Athletic Bilbao, has 73 points.
Real's failure at a stunned Bernabeu, three days before it hosts Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, spoiled its perfect home record of 14 wins in 14 this season and ended coach Jose Mourinho's own nine-year unbeaten run in home league games.
Miguel Angel de las Cuevas scored the only goal in the 79th to fire Gijon up to 11th on 35 points, six above the relegation zone.
With eight games left, Barcelona has an eight-point advantage over its great rival, which it thrashed 5-0 at the Nou Camp in November, and their run-in to the end of the season looks significantly less challenging on paper.
Real hosts Barcelona in two weeks, a few days before they clash in the Copa del Rey final, and then has tough away games at Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal.
Apart from Real and fifth-placed Espanyol, Barcelona's other six opponents are all in the lower reaches of the standings.
Coach Pep Guardiola, who has engineered league triumphs in his first two seasons with Barcelona and victory over Real in all five "Clasicos" he has contested, warned against complacency after the Villarreal game and said sport was capable of producing big surprises.
"If you declare yourself champion with an eight-point lead and eight games left you can only lose the league," the 40-year-old former Barcelona and Spain midfielder told a news conference.
"In the end the league is only won when it is won," he added. "We have some terribly difficult matches coming up. Madrid is always Madrid and they will fight to the end."
The Catalans beat Villarreal, which surrendered third place to Valencia as a result, without suspended playmaker Xavi. Valencia beat Getafe 4-2 on Saturday.
Guardiola also rested joint La Liga top scorer Lionel Messi after an injury scare on duty with Argentina, only bringing him off the bench in the second half.
Spain defender Gerard Pique scored the crucial goal in the 67th minute when he controlled a Sergio Busquets flick from a corner on his chest and lashed the ball into the net from close range, sparking wild celebrations from the Barcelona bench.
"We got the better of the third-placed team and made them run," Guardiola said.
"We didn't have that many chances but we were more concerned with controlling the game. It was a great win."
Barcelona has 81 points from 30 games and hosts relegation threatened Almeria this weekend. Real, which plays at Athletic Bilbao, has 73 points.
Real's failure at a stunned Bernabeu, three days before it hosts Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, spoiled its perfect home record of 14 wins in 14 this season and ended coach Jose Mourinho's own nine-year unbeaten run in home league games.
Miguel Angel de las Cuevas scored the only goal in the 79th to fire Gijon up to 11th on 35 points, six above the relegation zone.
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