Barce 1 - 2 Real : Ronaldo gave Jose his 1st win over Barce
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Ronaldo brilliance keeps Mourinho's Madrid on course for La Liga title
Moment of brilliance: Ronaldo scored the game's only goal
Cheeky winker: Ronaldo's strike kept Madrid 10 points clear
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a superb back-heeled goal to give Real Madrid a hard-fought 1-0 win at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, keeping them on track for their first Spanish league title in four years.
After Vallecano had outplayed their crosstown rivals in the first half, Ronaldo pounced on a loose ball in the area and flicked it through a pack of defenders with his back to the net in the 54th minute to take his league-leading tally to 29 goals.
'It was a great goal,' Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas said. 'I saw the back-heeled shot and I didn't think it was going in, but it was a great touch of class that he pulled out of nowhere.'
Odds-on: Jose Mourinho's side look set to win La Liga
Rayo Vallecano were left to rue a glut of missed opportunities as Piti struck the post and Michu was denied by a last-ditch tackle by Sergio Ramos in the first half but, for all the hosts' pressing.
The victory left Jose Mourinho's team 10 points clear of defending champions Barcelona, who beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 on Sunday night thanks to goals from Dani Alves and Lionel Messi.
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Real Madrid is edging closer to the title
Barcelona should juz give up
unless shyt happen -
i doubt Real will lose it. there arent many teams capable of beating them even on a bad day.
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even if RM were to lose 3 matches between now and end of season, they are still favourites to win the title. its RM title to lose now.
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Fabregas goes to Barce and they start to lose... lol.
The re-building starts...
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Real dropped points again. with 7 games and only 4 points ahead of barca. Real have to play barca away too. jialat!!!
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its RM title to lose now. if they are pipped by barcelona for the la liga title, they and man city are known for losing their steam and form at the last lap of the season in spain and england respectively.
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Mourinho has not been in a title challenged before, his past wins all came from winning with big margins and not those very closely fought kind where you will feel the pressure building up weekly. So this will be interesting, but they are still 4 points ahead tho 10 just few weeks ago. But still got a good lead.
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I think RM will lose to barcelona when they square up later this month. its a foregone conclusion already, unless Mourinho park all his players to protect Casillas goal. he may do that, he is that desperate now, as he knows that if he try to play attacking football against Barcelona, he is asking for trouble.
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barcelona juz won 4-0
hmm they are now 1pts behind them (with real a game in hand) -
Just like Man City once leads Man Utd....
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Originally posted by Jacky Woo:
I think RM will lose to barcelona when they square up later this month. its a foregone conclusion already, unless Mourinho park all his players to protect Casillas goal. he may do that, he is that desperate now, as he knows that if he try to play attacking football against Barcelona, he is asking for trouble.
RM needs to have a lead going into that game. -
Ronaldo hits SEVENTH hat-trick of season as Madrid sink Atletico to hold off Barca
Take that: Ronaldo smashed in a free-kick to open the scoring at the Vicente Calderon
Unstoppable: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates as Real Madrid beat city rivals Atletico
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his seventh hat-trick of the season as Real Madrid beat city rivals Atletico 4-1 to restore their four-point lead at the top of the Primera Division.
The Portuguese's swerving 30-yard free-kick that gave the visitors the lead on 25 minutes was a rare moment of quality in a disjointed first half.
Things livened up after the break when Radamel Falcao headed in from Adrian Lopez's cross, but Real responded positively and after wasting a host of opportunities they retook the lead when Ronaldo dipped another stunning effort over Thibaut Courtois 22 minutes from time.
The former Manchester United man then rounded off his hat-trick with a penalty on 82 minutes and Jose Maria Callejon added a fourth five minutes later.
Valencia moved back into third place, and an automatic Champions League berth, with a 4-1 win of their own over Rayo Vallecano at the Mestalla.
Jonas fired Valencia ahead of 40 minutes before they moved up a gear after the interval, Jordi Alba doubling their advantage midway through the second half.
Diego Costa pulled one back almost straight away, but a Jonas penalty and further strike from Pablo Hernandez made the points safe.
Sporting Gijon gave their survival hopes a welcome lift as a late goal from Gaston Sangoy saw them come from behind to see off Champions League chasing Levante 3-2.
Valdo scored one and set up another for Arouna Kone as the Valencia club twice went in front, but they were pegged back by goals from Oscar Trejo and Alberto Lora. And Sangoy struck six minutes from time to see Sporting end a run of five league matches without a win.
Jaime Romero scored and was then sent off as 10-man Granada were denied a vital drew 2-2 with Athletic Bilbao.
Romero grabbed a second-minute opener before he was dismissed shortly before the break for violent conduct.
Despite being a man down, Alexandre Geijo doubled the home side's lead in the second half before Fernando Llorente pulled one back for Athletic nine minutes before the end.
Markel Susaeta then levelled the scores for the visitors in the 89th minute.
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It would be a great achievement for anyone to score 21 goals in a season.
But seven hat-tricks? Yikes.
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Joy for Mou at the Nou
Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 2
KEEP CALM ... Cristiano Ronaldo fires in the winner for RealPEP GUARDIOLA last night insisted Barcelona will dump Chelsea out of the Champions League — despite their heart-breaking loss to Real Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s winner at the Nou Camp left leaders Real seven points clear of Barca with just four matches to play.
Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg will now make or break Barcelona’s season and boss Guardiola insisted his troops will go all out to overcome their 1-0 deficit.
He said: “The players are sad but we will be prepared for Tuesday.
"The players know the importance of the match against Chelsea. We cannot fail on Tuesday.”
Sami Khedhira slotted home the 16th-minute opener after Victor Valdes saved Pepe’s header.
Barca supersub Alexis scrambled home a 70th-minute leveller but his side’s joy was shortlived as Ronaldo restored Madrid’s lead three minutes later.
Jose Mourinho’s Real have now hit 109 goals this season — beating their previous record of 107 under John Toshack in 1990.
LEX JOY ... Alexis Sanchez scores the equalizer for Barca
NO MOU DRUBBINGS ... Jose Mourinho gets the better of rival Pep GuardiolaMeanwhile, Barca’s Andres Iniesta has refused to join in the condemnation of ‘diving’ Didier Drogba.
The Chelsea striker was widely accused of play-acting in last week’s first leg.
But Iniesta said: “I accept he probably exaggerated but you can’t fault him because other players would do the same.
“When you are desperate for success you can do anything.”
Barcelona: Valdes, Alves, Mascherano, Puyol, Adriano (Pedro 75), Busquets, Xavi (Sanchez 69), Thiago, Iniesta, Messi, Tello (Fabregas 80).
Subs not used: Montoya, Pinto, Keita, Pique
Goals: Sanchez 70
Booked: Busquets, Alves, Mascherano
Real Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Coentrao; Xabi Alonso, Khedira; Cristiano, Ozil (Callejon 88) Di Maria (Granero 74), Benzema (Higuain 90).
Subs not used: Adan, Kaka, Granero, Marcelo, Albiol
Booked: Pepe, Alonso, Ozil
Goals: Khedira 17, Ronaldo 73
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the title's most probably Real's. well done, mourinho!!
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their home record end by real madrid