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Record-breaking Ronaldo, Messi lead Madrid, Barca
Source: Agencies |
April 15, 2012, Sunday
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CRISTIANO Ronaldo and Lionel Messi scored their Spanish league record 41st goals of the season to provide Real Madrid and Barcelona with victories that maintained the four-point gap between the rivals before their crunch match next week.
Ronaldo headed home Angel di Maria's short cross in the 74th minute, surpassing his own mark from last season in Madrid's 3-1 victory over Sporting Gijon.
And, nearly two hours later, Messi scored an equalizer and then a 72nd-minute penalty to lift Barcelona to a 2-1 victory at Levante as the three-time defending champions rallied for an 11th straight win to maintain the points difference before next Saturday's "clasico."
Messi's 63 goals in all competitions is the most in European play since Bayern Munich's Gerd Mueller scored 67 during the 1972-73 season.
Ronaldo's 53rd goal overall also helped lift Madrid's total goal tally for the season reaching 107, matching the mark for most goals in a season set by the Spanish giant in 1989-90.
Messi and Ronaldo's feats set the stage for a captivating game at the Camp Nou, which could prove crucial in the league with only four games remaining after that.
"Things are going well, but the most important thing is for the team to do things well, and we're right in there for the league," Messi said after matching former Brazil striker Ronaldo and Mariano Martin's record run of scoring in 10 straight league games.
Barcelona responded to Madrid's result, although Levante proved stubborn and dangerous on the counter as they soaked up Barcelona's opportunities and possession.
The hosts' breakthrough came in the 23rd minute as Jose Barkero stepped up to score from a penalty after Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets handled inside the area.
Levante could have been two goals up in the 52nd except for Barcelona captain Carles Puyol, who rushed back to clear as Levante failed to capitalize on a two-on-one situation.
Messi capped a neat exchange with Alexis Sanchez, the Chile striker laying off onto the path of Messi's run just outside the area and the Argentine curled the 64th-minute equalizer around goalkeeper Gustavo Munua.
After wasting a free kick opportunity, Messi made no mistake with his spot kick, which was earned after Juanfran Garcia barged into Isaac Cuenca inside the area.
The 27-year-old Andres Iniesta became the youngest player to make 400 appearances for Barcelona and had a penalty appeal waved away after that.
Barcelona travels to Chelsea on Wednesday for a Champions League semifinal before welcoming Madrid, which overcame nerves against Sporting.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho will hope his team puts in a better performance Tuesday at Bayern Munich in the Champions League after a nervy display saw it trail early on as Sporting's defensive plan held firm.
"The most important thing is that we knew how to react," Madrid defender Sergio Ramos told Canal Plus TV. "We have to play like the last 15 minutes from the first minute."
Ramos was at fault for Sporting's 30th-minute opener as he handled while sliding in to clear from Oscar Trejo, and Miguel De las Cuevas blasted straight past Iker Casillas as the Madrid goalkeeper guessed left.
Madrid's anxiety was on full display after Sporting player Ivan Cuellar threw a ball onto the field from the bench, earning a 34th-minute yellow card and Mourinho's ire. Mourinho later made an obscene gesture following Benzema's goal.
But Ramos made amends in the 37th as he found Gonzalo Higuain with a long cross into the area, the Argentina striker drifting away from his marker to head home untouched.
Nuri Sahin, making a rare start, curled a free kick off the crossbar before halftime, and was replaced by Di Maria with Karim Benzema coming on for Jose Callejon to start the second half.
Di Maria gathered a loose ball outside the Sporting area and picked out Ronaldo for the eventual winner, and Mesut Oezil found Benzema in space to pick out the far corner and wrap up the win with Madrid's 107th goal of the season.
"For those who say Mourinho is a defensive coach, the numbers aren't bad," said Madrid assistant Aitor Karanka, who filled in for Mourinho at a news conference for the 46th time since the Portuguese coach took charge in 2010.
Sporting's league high 19th defeat left it further mired in the relegation fight. The Asturian club, which won at the Santiago Bernabeu last season to end Mourinho's nine-year home unbeaten run, is 18th and seven points from safety.
Levante, meanwhile, is fifth and two points off qualifying for a Champions League place.
A period of silence was observed at both yesterday's games in honor of Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini, who died age 25 after suffering cardiac arrest and collapsing on the pitch during his team's Serie B match at Pescara earlier.
Ronaldo headed home Angel di Maria's short cross in the 74th minute, surpassing his own mark from last season in Madrid's 3-1 victory over Sporting Gijon.
And, nearly two hours later, Messi scored an equalizer and then a 72nd-minute penalty to lift Barcelona to a 2-1 victory at Levante as the three-time defending champions rallied for an 11th straight win to maintain the points difference before next Saturday's "clasico."
Messi's 63 goals in all competitions is the most in European play since Bayern Munich's Gerd Mueller scored 67 during the 1972-73 season.
Ronaldo's 53rd goal overall also helped lift Madrid's total goal tally for the season reaching 107, matching the mark for most goals in a season set by the Spanish giant in 1989-90.
Messi and Ronaldo's feats set the stage for a captivating game at the Camp Nou, which could prove crucial in the league with only four games remaining after that.
"Things are going well, but the most important thing is for the team to do things well, and we're right in there for the league," Messi said after matching former Brazil striker Ronaldo and Mariano Martin's record run of scoring in 10 straight league games.
Barcelona responded to Madrid's result, although Levante proved stubborn and dangerous on the counter as they soaked up Barcelona's opportunities and possession.
The hosts' breakthrough came in the 23rd minute as Jose Barkero stepped up to score from a penalty after Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets handled inside the area.
Levante could have been two goals up in the 52nd except for Barcelona captain Carles Puyol, who rushed back to clear as Levante failed to capitalize on a two-on-one situation.
Messi capped a neat exchange with Alexis Sanchez, the Chile striker laying off onto the path of Messi's run just outside the area and the Argentine curled the 64th-minute equalizer around goalkeeper Gustavo Munua.
After wasting a free kick opportunity, Messi made no mistake with his spot kick, which was earned after Juanfran Garcia barged into Isaac Cuenca inside the area.
The 27-year-old Andres Iniesta became the youngest player to make 400 appearances for Barcelona and had a penalty appeal waved away after that.
Barcelona travels to Chelsea on Wednesday for a Champions League semifinal before welcoming Madrid, which overcame nerves against Sporting.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho will hope his team puts in a better performance Tuesday at Bayern Munich in the Champions League after a nervy display saw it trail early on as Sporting's defensive plan held firm.
"The most important thing is that we knew how to react," Madrid defender Sergio Ramos told Canal Plus TV. "We have to play like the last 15 minutes from the first minute."
Ramos was at fault for Sporting's 30th-minute opener as he handled while sliding in to clear from Oscar Trejo, and Miguel De las Cuevas blasted straight past Iker Casillas as the Madrid goalkeeper guessed left.
Madrid's anxiety was on full display after Sporting player Ivan Cuellar threw a ball onto the field from the bench, earning a 34th-minute yellow card and Mourinho's ire. Mourinho later made an obscene gesture following Benzema's goal.
But Ramos made amends in the 37th as he found Gonzalo Higuain with a long cross into the area, the Argentina striker drifting away from his marker to head home untouched.
Nuri Sahin, making a rare start, curled a free kick off the crossbar before halftime, and was replaced by Di Maria with Karim Benzema coming on for Jose Callejon to start the second half.
Di Maria gathered a loose ball outside the Sporting area and picked out Ronaldo for the eventual winner, and Mesut Oezil found Benzema in space to pick out the far corner and wrap up the win with Madrid's 107th goal of the season.
"For those who say Mourinho is a defensive coach, the numbers aren't bad," said Madrid assistant Aitor Karanka, who filled in for Mourinho at a news conference for the 46th time since the Portuguese coach took charge in 2010.
Sporting's league high 19th defeat left it further mired in the relegation fight. The Asturian club, which won at the Santiago Bernabeu last season to end Mourinho's nine-year home unbeaten run, is 18th and seven points from safety.
Levante, meanwhile, is fifth and two points off qualifying for a Champions League place.
A period of silence was observed at both yesterday's games in honor of Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini, who died age 25 after suffering cardiac arrest and collapsing on the pitch during his team's Serie B match at Pescara earlier.
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