Ronaldo crowned Italian league player of the year

MILAN  – Cristiano Ronaldo was named the Italian league’s player of the year on Monday following his debut season at Juventus.

Ronaldo was at the Gran Gala del Calcio in Milan to collect his prize, instead of attending the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris where he was third in the voting for best player in the world.

The Juventus forward turned up about an hour before the main award was announced, arriving more than two hours after the other guests, and waited outside in the car until the moment came for him to go on stage to pick up the prize for his place in the team of the season.

“It’s an honor to hold this award,” Ronaldo said in Italian. “I thank my Juventus teammates.

“I’m very happy to play in Italy, it’s a very difficult league. Thanks to everyone for having voted for me. I want to do as well this year, too.”



For the first time at the Italian ceremony there were also awards for female players. Roma and Italy forward Manuela Giugliano won the top prize.

All the awards are voted for by a mix of footballers, coaches, referees and journalists.

Ronaldo signed for Juventus from Real Madrid in July 2018 and helped the Bianconeri to their eighth successive Serie A title.

The 34-year-old Ronaldo scored 28 goals in all competitions for Juventus, including 21 in the league.


Gian Piero Gasperini won the award for best coach after leading Atalanta to third place and a Champions League berth.

Atalanta was the team of the season, ahead of Juventus and Italian Cup winner Lazio.


“This award I share with the whole club, all the players, the whole of Bergamo because we did something really amazing, all of us together,” Gasperini said.

“We did incredibly last season, it was unthinkable, including the Italian Cup final. It’s because of that that we’re getting all these awards.”

Gasperini beat former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri and Bologna’s Siniša Mihajlović.

Brescia’s Sandro Tonali won the award for the best Serie B player after the 19-year-old forward helped to win the second division title last season.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Cristiano Ronaldo held scoreless in Madrid as Atletico beats Juventus

MADRID— Atletico Madrid’s vaunted center-back pairing finally got the better of Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday, even providing the goals after holding their long-time rival scoreless for once.

In a match where Atletico had more trouble with video review than Ronaldo, the Spanish team kept the Portugal star in check but had to overcome two key VAR decisions to defeat Juventus 2-0 in the first leg of the Champions League’s round of 16.

Central defenders Jose Maria Gimenez and Diego Godin scored late to give Atletico the win, after the hosts had a penalty kick taken away and a goal disallowed by VAR.

Ronaldo, jeered nearly every time he touched the ball, had a quiet performance in his first match in the Spanish capital since leaving Real Madrid last summer. He came close to scoring with a booming shot from a free kick less than 10 minutes into the match, but had few opportunities after that.

Heavily marked from the start, Ronaldo wasn’t able to add to his good record against the old rival, which he helped eliminate in four straight seasons in the Champions League while playing for Real Madrid.

Atletico had a first-half penalty reversed by VAR after it determined that Diego Costa was fouled outside the area, and the referee also consulted video replays on the pitchside monitor before disallowing a second-half goal by Alvaro Morata for a push on Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini.

“We hope the VAR keeps improving and helping make things right, but do you really believe that a person who is 1.87-meters tall can fall that way in a game action like the one with Morata?” said Simeone, who celebrated his team’s first goal with an obscene gesture and could face UEFA sanctions.

The hosts dominated after an even first half at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, and both Costa and Antoine Griezmann missed clear scoring chances before Gimenez found the net after getting to a loose ball inside the area in the 78th and Godin added to the lead with an angled volley in the 83rd after defenders failed to fully clear a free kick cross by Griezmann. The shot seemed to take a slight deflection off Ronaldo, who was the closest player to Godin but wasn’t able to block the effort.

“Luckily we were able to overcome the calls that went against us with the VAR,” Godin said. “It was a great result, scoring twice and not conceding, but we will have to be prepared for the final 90 minutes in Turin.”

Ronaldo was loudly booed when his name was announced before the match, and he drew even louder jeers from the Atletico crowd when he prompted the game to be interrupted because he remained on the ground after getting his foot stepped on later in the first half.

Ronaldo almost scored when his long-range free kick forced Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak to make a difficult save in the ninth minute. He had another attempt with a deflected shot a few minutes later, but didn’t come close to the Atletico goal again until a late header sailed over the crossbar.

“Ronaldo played a good match, he is used to this type of match,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “The entire team had a letdown in the second half. It’s a lesson we need to learn going into the return match.”

Ronaldo had not played in Madrid since joining Juventus in a blockbuster transfer at the end of last season. He had played with Real Madrid for nearly a decade, leading the Spanish powerhouse to four Champions League titles in five seasons, including in the last three.

Entering Wednesday’s match, Ronaldo had scored 22 goals in 31 matches against Atletico in all competitions. In the Champions League, he helped Madrid beat Atletico in two finals (2014 and 2016), one quarterfinal (2015) and one semifinal (2017). He had scored four goals in six Champions League games against the city rival.

Atletico Madrid is back in the round of 16 after failing to make it out of the group stage last season.

Juventus was runner-up in the Champions League in 2015 and 2017. Last year, it was eliminated by Ronaldo’s Real Madrid in the quarterfinals.

This year’s Champions League final will be played at Atletico’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

source: sports.inquirer.net

LOOK: A naked Chiellini photobombs Ronaldo-Bellanova pic

Looks like a win of Juventus over AC Milan last Sunday was not the only one that hit the headlines, as Giorgio Chiellini — in his birthday suit — made it there, too.

A picture of AC Milan’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Raoul Bellanova had circulated like wildfire on social media since a naked Chiellini appeared to have photobombed it.


In the photo posted on Bellanova’s twitter account, he posed for a picture with Ronaldo outside the Juventus dressing room after the game.

However, the frame caught a nude Chiellini seemingly unaware of Bellanova and Ronaldo’s picture-taking. When Bellanova posted the photo on Twitter, it quickly spread over social media and people were quick to point out the gaffe.



Bellanova eventually took down the photo and issued an apology in his Instagram account.

“I am deeply sorry… I apologize first of all with Giorgio Chiellini. It was not my intention.” /kga

source: sports.inquirer.net

Ronaldo goal gives Real Madrid its 3rd Club World Cup title

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Cristiano Ronaldo scored from a free-kick as Real Madrid claimed its third Club World Cup title after beating Brazilian team Gremio 1-0 Saturday.

The Ballon d’Or winner fired his right-footed shot between two players in Gremio’s defensive wall, leaving goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe no hope of reaching the ball before it bounced inside the post in the 53rd minute.

“(Ronaldo) is always there at the key moments,” Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. “Nobody can do what he does.”

Madrid became the first team to retain the FIFA Club World Cup title, and collected its fifth trophy of 2017, along with the Champions League, Spanish league, European Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup.

Ronaldo celebrated the goal by rushing to Madrid’s dugout where he was embraced by his teammates. The goal increased Ronaldo’s record to seven goals in the competition. He also scored in Madrid’s 2-1 comeback win over Al Jazira in the semifinals.

“What am I going to say? The numbers speak for themselves. I am very happy. The team played fantastically well and it has won another title,” Ronaldo said. “We played a very good game and deserved the victory.”

Madrid equaled Barcelona’s record of three titles for the short knockout tournament between the champions of FIFA’s six continental confederations and the host nation’s league winner.

European clubs have won 10 of the last 11 Club World Cups, with only Brazil’s Corinthians interrupting that streak in 2012 when it defeated Chelsea.

Zidane played the same starting 11 from last season’s Champions League final in June, when Madrid crushed Juventus 4-1 — led by Ronaldo’s double.

The European champions outclassed Gremio throughout the match, but the closest they got to scoring in the first half was Dani Carvajal’s goal-bound volley in the 20th that was cleared by Pedro Geromel.

Gremio had to scramble on several occasions to stop Madrid inside its own area. At the other end, a free-kick by Edilson for the South American champions swerved onto the top netting near the half-hour mark.

Geromel had tried to set the tone early on with a hard tackle that left Ronaldo writhing in pain, and hoping for a booking that never came.

Ronaldo had a poor first half. He twice erred in short passes with his back heel that failed to reach his teammates, and he squandered a good opportunity when he took too long to shoot when a loose ball fell to him close to the net.

All that changed after the interval. Ronaldo baited Jailson into fouling him outside the area with some fancy dribbling, setting up his winner.

Ronaldo thought he had another goal moments later, but Karim Benzema was ruled offside before he passed the ball back to Ronaldo.

Marcelo Grohe kept his side in the game by pushing Luka Modric’s shot onto his post and denied Ronaldo a second goal, but Gremio never mounted a serious response to get the equalizer.

Mexico’s Pachuca beat Al Jazira 4-1 in the third-place match earlier Saturday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

France, Portugal head for Euro 2016 final showdown

The Euro 2016 final on Sunday sees a match between hosts France and Portugal that will unleash a clash between one of the world’s greatest players ever Cristiano Ronaldo and would be pretender Antoine Griezmann.

After 50 matches over a month of football that has seen stunning shocks by Iceland and Wales, Ronaldo is counting on his side producing one more upset so he can finally win an international trophy.

Portugal will have to beat a French side who have found new inspiration from Griezmann — the tournament’s leading scorer on six goals — and being willed on by a nation avid to rediscover the feelgood factor.

With the country still on terrorist alert after the November 13 attacks in which 130 people died, more than 3,400 police will be on the Champs Elysees in Paris alone when the match starts at the Stade de France at 1900 GMT.

Rival coaches Didier Deschamps of France and Fernando Santos of Portugal have been desperately trying to shield their teams from the sky high hopes of two nations.

Deschamps, who captained the French side that won the 1998 World Cup and the Euro title in 2000, said he could feel the adrenaline pumping.

Deschamps wants to play

“It’s an exceptional moment, a privilege, a unique chance because there is a title at the end,” Deschamps said of the final.

“What you need to do is approach it as relaxed as possible while being at the same time totally focussed on the match,” he added.

“On the bench, there is a frustration in not taking part, but I can’t do that anyway. But I’m fine, I don’t feel any pressure, no stress, just adrenaline and that’s positive.”

France have put in some stylish performances, including their 5-2 win over Iceland to end the giant killing run of the team that dumped England out of the contest.

France captain Hugo Lloris said the team wants to put their name in the football history books to redeem themselves for a player revolt at the 2010 World Cup that made them a national disgrace.

The troubles were worsened by the exclusion of star striker Karim Benzema over an alleged sextape blackmail attempt.

“We have come through a crisis in French football,” the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper said. “We have climbed back up the slope, we have done it step by step.”

Lloris said that Sunday’s final is “the chance to go into French football history.”

France with home advantage in the 85,000 capacity stadium, Griezmann, star midfielder Paul Pogba and the calming influence of Lloris start as favorites.

But they acknowledge the omnipresent danger of Ronaldo on the pitch.

Santos has succeeded by building a team around the superstar striker and winning “ugly” when necessary to get to the next round.

Portugal’s 2-0 win over Wales in the semi-final was the first in the tournament achieved within 90 minutes.

Veterans such as defender Pepe and Ricardo Quaresma have played lynchpin roles on days when Ronaldo has failed to fire.

Portugal have been criticized for some of their European Championship performances but Santos said he does not care.

He also says France are the favorites but believes Portugal can win.

“Let them carry on saying that Portugal won without deserving it,” he said.

“I will be very happy if they say that again tomorrow. I will go home very happy.”

Portugal have never fully recovered from losing the 2004 Euro final to Greece when they hosted the tournament.

Ronaldo who shed tears as a 19-year-old at that match said this week he wants to be “crying with joy” on Sunday.

Ronaldo’s Real teammate Pepe is fully fit again after missing the semi-final through injury. Pepe said Portugal were strong because they want to win.

“I’ve been at a very demanding club for 10 years and I’ve been playing for Portugal since 2008,” he said when asked about his own ambition to win at the age of 33.

“I have three European Championship and two World Cup campaigns to my name.

“I have always been very demanding of myself. I don’t like to lose, I want to help my team. That makes me play at the highest level and to be recognized at the highest level.

“The most important thing is to always want more,” he said.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Euro 2016: Ronaldo hails ‘insane’ draw as Portugal progress

Man-of-the-match Cristiano Ronaldo called Portugal’s 3-3 draw against Hungary “insane” as his side scraped into the last 16 of Euro 2016, thanks to his two record-breaking second-half goals.

Ronaldo opened his account in style with a deft backheel flick on 50 minutes before a bullet header 12 minutes later to twice equalize at the Stade de Lyon.

The goals made the 31-year-old the first player to score in four European Championships.

The result made Hungary unlikely Group F winners in their first international tournament for three decades.

Portugal squeezed through as one of the best third-place finishers but now face a tough last 16 match against Croatia in Lens on Saturday.

“It was an insane match,” said Ronaldo as Portugal equalized three times in sweltering conditions.

“We had to chase down the match, it was very hot, but the main goal was to qualify.

“Of course, we wanted to win and qualify in first place, but the main thing is we’re through.”

Following their draws with Iceland and Austria, Portugal’s captain showed signs he was feeling the pressure, throwing a TV reporter’s microphone into a lake on the morning of the game in Lyon.

But he delivered when it mattered as Portugal equalized three times in a match that was not for the faint-hearted.

The Real Madrid ace set another record by making his 17th appearance at Euro tournaments.

“These are just more records, but like I always say that comes naturally,” he said.

“I can’t say I’m not happy, these are good records, but the priority was to make it through to the 16.”

Ronaldo rated his side’s chances as “50/50″ in the last 16 as a talented Croatia side shocked defending champions Spain to reach the knock-out phase on Tuesday.

“We made it and now we face a very good team, but the odds are 50/50,” he said.

“Croatia are a tough team, with good players. Not every team manages to beat Spain.

“We respect them, but we know our strength and we’ll look them in the eye when we face them.”

Ronaldo praised his side for fighting back each time they were facing elimination.

“The bottom line was to qualify, we thought we’d done it in second place, but Iceland scored late on and we finished third,” he said,

“We attacked, Hungary attacked.

“The team was in dire straits, three times we were about to go home, but we came back each time.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Ronaldo hails Zidane as Real reach Champions League final

Cristiano Ronaldo lauded the impact made by Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane as the Frenchman led the Spanish giants into the Champions League final with a 1-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday.

Brazilian midfielder Fernando’s first-half own goal was the only difference between the sides over two legs as Real set up a repeat of the 2014 final against local rivals Atletico Madrid in Milan on May 28.

Zidane replaced the sacked Rafael Benitez with Madrid in crisis in January, but has sparked just Real’s second run to the final in the 14 years since he scored the winning goal against Bayer Leverkusen for Real in 2002.

“Zidane is doing a great job,” said Ronaldo.

“I admire him as a coach and a person, I hope he continues in the job.

“We’ve always been behind Zidane because he is a humble person who likes to listen, and that always makes things easier.”

Ronaldo made his return after a three-game absence due to a thigh injury, but was unable to match his own record of 17 Champions League goals in a single season in a tight game short on clear-cut chances.

“It was a complete game, the team played really well and we could have finished them off with a second goal—1-0 is a tight scoreline but it’s enough,” added Ronaldo.

Zidane admitted he could bask in some of the glory for Real’s resurgence of 19 wins in his 24 games in charge, but reserved his praise for the players.

“I am the coach, so I am doing something right for sure, but it is not just me,” said the Frenchman.

“It is a question of all the people working with me and the most important people are the players. It is them that allow you to win in football.”

By contrast, City coach Manuel Pellegrini will give way to Pep Guardiola at the end of the season having failed to get them to a final in his three seasons in charge.

The Chilean lamented his side’s luck as Gareth Bale’s intended cross deflected off Fernando and looped over the helpless Joe Hart for the only goal of the tie.

However, Pellegrini admitted City hadn’t created nearly enough to merit a place in the final.

“Neither of the two teams deserved to win the game,” said Pellegrini.

“I don’t think we saw a superior Madrid, we pressed them, but with the ball we lacked the creativity to do damage.

“There was lot of work in the 180 minutes, but very little football.”

However, Pellegrini defended his record having taken City to the last four for the first time and believes they will have the potential to go all the way under Guardiola.

“I think it is a special season because we have reached the semis,” he added.

“We are not happy, but I don’t think we deserved to compete the final. They had that bit of luck.

“In the Champions League it is a step more, but I think this team must always try to play the final in the next years.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Ronaldo remains doubtful for 2nd leg vs Man City

MADRID — Real Madrid has been keeping quiet about Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury, and his presence in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals is likely to remain a mystery until just before next week’s game against Manchester City.

Ronaldo underwent new tests on his injured hamstring on Wednesday, but Madrid did not reveal the extent of the problem or how long the Portugal forward will remain sidelined.

He was expected to play in Tuesday’s first leg in Manchester, but watched the 0-0 draw from the bench after failing a physical just before the game.

There have been widespread rumors about the injury, but the only clue since the game has come from a post on Ronaldo’s official Instagram account, which simply said, “Don’t worry be happy,” along with a photo of him smiling. He later also posted photos of him exercising in a gym, including one where he is flexing his muscles.

Before the game in England, television cameras caught him saying that he still wasn’t fully fit.

“I’ll wait for the next match,” he said in Portuguese, apparently while talking to other players. “If it was a final, I would play.”

Spanish media has published various versions of the injury, from a full muscle rupture that will keep him out for the rest of the season to a minor ailment that should heal quickly. The sports daily AS suggested that Ronaldo would undergo “stem cell treatment” to try to recover in time for next week’s game at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.

Coach Zinedine Zidane spoke only briefly about Ronaldo following Tuesday’s game.

“He felt something and wasn’t comfortable,” Zidane said. “Hopefully he will be fit for the second leg.”

The coach and other team officials had previously downplayed the problem, saying the forward would likely be ready for the first leg.

Ronaldo picked up the injury toward the end of a 3-0 win over Villarreal in the Spanish league on April 20, when he tried a volley inside the area and fell awkwardly. He seemed to be in pain and, after getting up, put his hand on the back of his right leg. Ronaldo walked off the pitch just before the final whistle, leaving the team with 10 men.

It’s almost certain he will miss Saturday’s Spanish league game at Real Sociedad, having been sidelined for last Saturday’s 3-2 win at Rayo Vallecano. His team is one point behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid with three rounds to play.

Ronaldo had played in every Spanish league game this season, and had scored seven goals in his previous seven matches in all competitions before missing the game against Rayo.

He is the leading scorer in both the Spanish league and the Champions League, where he has 16 goals from 10 games, one shy of the record he set in the 2013-14 season, when Madrid won its 10th European title.

Zidane may also be without forward Karim Benzema, who left Tuesday’s game because of a knee problem that has been bothering him for some time.

“They are two important players and we hope that they are back for the second leg,” Zidane said. “We’ll take it day-by-day and look at it with the doctors.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Messi to China? I hope not, says La Liga chief

SINGAPORE—The head of Spain’s La Liga said the cashed-up Chinese Super League wasn’t far from becoming one of the world’s top football competitions — but he hopes Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo aren’t headed there just yet.

Speaking in Singapore, La Liga president Javier Tebas also told AFP that he welcomed China’s burgeoning interest in football, which includes investments in Spain’s Atletico Madrid and Espanyol.

Atletico’s Colombian striker Jackson Martinez, signed for 42 million euros ($47 million) by Guangzhou Evergrande, was one of the big signings in China’s lavish spree during the recent transfer window.

But Tebas said he hoped Barcelona and Real Madrid superstars Messi and Ronaldo weren’t about to join China’s growing band of expensive foreign imports.

“You’ll have to ask them that but I certainly hope not,” he said during a visit to Singapore, adding: “There are enough football stars to go around.”

“Even though some improvement is needed at the moment, it’s slowly raising its standard,” Tebas, speaking through a translator, said of the Chinese Super League.

“And in a few years, if the standard is better, it can become among the top in the world. All of us will reap the benefits because it means we can all work together to increase standards.”

A pre-retirement stint would be more likely for Messi and Ronaldo if they were tempted by China, although reports have also linked some of football’s biggest names to CSL clubs.

Model owners

Inspired by a push headed by President Xi Jinping to turn China into a footballing power, Chinese teams have invested heavily in foreign players, often for outlandish sums.


Chinese clubs smashed the Asian transfer record four times as they splashed 331 million euros ($366.8 million) in the January-February transfer window, outstripping the English Premier League.

Chinese businesses have also invested in European football, with one state-backed company taking a $400 million stake in England’s Manchester City.

A Chinese company also sponsors Portugal’s second division, and sparked concern over plans to impose a quota of players from China.

But Tebas said China’s investments in La Liga were a “good opportunity” for Spanish clubs as they raised teams’ profile in the massive Chinese market.

Wanda Group, owned by Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin, has a 20 percent stake in Atletico, and a Chinese model car-maker is the majority owner of Espanyol.

“Because they have an interest in the league, we feel it’s a good opportunity because this helps their investment,” Tebas said.

“It also allows the teams to have an increased profile in China,” he added.

Tebas also said La Liga’s ability to retain key players would depend on its spending power, although he was confident Spanish clubs would remain competitive in the transfer market.

“This is an issue of finance, whether the La Liga is still growing,” he said. “If we continue on that path, and have enough future resources, we will be able to keep our players.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Messi scores 2 as Barcelona strike force reaches 100 goals

MADRID — Lionel Messi continued his impressive form by scoring two goals in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Eibar in the Spanish league on Sunday, as the strike force of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar reached a total of 100 goals this season in all competitions.

It was the fourth goal, scored by Suarez after Messi’s earlier brace, which brought up the scoring century, keeping the trio on track to beat the record of 122 set by them last season.

Messi scored with a great run in the 41st and added a penalty in the 76th, leaving Barcelona with an eight-point advantage over Atletico Madrid, which won 3-1 at Valencia to keep pace with 10 games to go.

Real Madrid remained 12 points behind Barcelona after trashing Celta Vigo 7-1 on Saturday with four goals by Cristiano Ronaldo.

“We are where we are thanks to our hard work,” Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said. “Now we enter the decisive stages of the season and we are fighting for titles but there are still a lot of points left. There are no guarantees that we will keep playing at this level. We will not get distracted by those saying that we have already won the league.”

Messi is enjoying his best form of the season. The five-time world player of the year has scored 15 goals in the last 10 matches, and eight in the past four, staying on course to win his eighth league title with the Catalan club.

Munir El Haddadi opened the scoring in the eighth minute after a cross by Suarez, who netted his league-leading 26th goal in the 84th.

It was Barcelona’s 11th straight win in the league. It hasn’t lost in 36 consecutive games in all competitions. The last defeat for Enrique’s squad was a 2-1 loss at Sevilla in the seventh round in October.

“Our motivation is to keep this lead until the end and win the title,” Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano said. “We know there is still a lot of league left and any setback could give a chance to our opponents to move closer. It’s a good advantage but we have to keep playing like this and avoid mistakes.”

It was the fourth loss in a row for Eibar, which remains in eighth place in the standings.

Messi netted his 20th league goal with a remarkable run from near midfield that culminated with a low shot into the far corner. The Argentine star cleared two defenders before striking from inside the area.

He calmly converted the penalty kick prompted by a hand ball inside the area, sending his shot into the middle of the goal as the goalkeeper dived away.

Messi had scored a hat trick in the 5-1 rout of Rayo Vallecano on Thursday.

Munir, replacing suspended Brazilian striker Neymar, had opened the scoring with an easy goal from close range after a low cross by Suarez.

Suarez scored the fourth goal after sneaking the ball between the legs of a defender and firing a low shot from inside the box. The Uruguay striker hadn’t scored in three matches following a run of seven straight games with at least one goal.

Suarez had missed the last two penalty kicks awarded for Barcelona, which is the team with the most penalty calls in its favor in the league this season with 14.

Suarez, Messi and Neymar scored 122 times last season to surpass the 118 goals netted by Real Madrid strikers Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain in 2011-12.

Atletico Madrid defeated Valencia with goals by French forward Antoine Griezmann in the 24th, substitute striker Fernando Torres in the 72nd and midfielder Yannick Carrasco in the 85th. Russian striker Denis Cheryshev scored Valencia’s goal in the 28th.

Gary Neville’s team was trying to win for the sixth time in seven games in all competitions. It was Valencia’s second consecutive home loss in the league, dropping it to 11th in the standings.

Earlier Sunday, 10-man Real Betis defeated visiting Granada 2-0 to move further from the relegation zone. Betis defender Juan Manuel Vargas was sent off with a second yellow card in the 53rd.

Granada, 18th in the 20-team standings, had to use defender Cristiano Biraghi in goal in second-half injury time. That was after goalkeeper Andres Fernandez got a red card for touching the ball outside the area, a foul that led to Betis’ final goal.

Athletic Bilbao won 2-0 at Sporting Gijon to move to sixth place and leave its opponent second-to-last on the table, while 10th-place Real Sociedad drew last-place Levante 1-1 at home.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Outspoken Ronaldo gets Madrid back on track

Cristiano Ronaldo made amends for recent critical comments of his Real Madrid teammates with a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win at Levante on Wednesday to cut the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to nine points.

Ronaldo’s penalty and an own goal from Levante ‘keeper Diego Marino put the visitors in command before Deyverson pulled one back for Levante before half-time.

However, Isco’s late strike from Ronaldo’s cut-back secured the points in stoppage time.

Real trail second-placed Atletico Madrid by four points, but do open up a four-point lead of their own on Villarreal after they were held 0-0 at Celta Vigo.

Barcelona can extend their lead over Atletico at the top to eight points with victory at Rayo Vallecano on Thursday.

Gary Neville’s Valencia moved into the top half of the table as they benefited from spectacular own goal by Malaga goalkeeper Carlos Kameni to win 2-1 at La Rosaleda.

Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was without a host of first team regulars as the suspended Dani Carvajal and Sergio Ramos joined the injured Marcelo, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema on the sidelines.

However, Ronaldo started despite causing controversy with an outburst claiming Madrid “would be top” of the league if his teammates matched his standards after defeat to Atletico at the weekend.

“When there are changes you think it is going to be more difficult, but with the effort and commitment of everyone we managed to get the three points and a good performance,” said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

Real had former Levante ‘keeper Keylor Navas to thank for not getting off to a terrible start as he produced a brilliant save low to his left to prevent Giuseppe Rossi giving the home side a shock lead.

Ronaldo opened the scoring from the spot on 34 minutes after Lucas Vazquez had been tripped inside the area by Lucas Orban.

Injuries to Benzema and Bale opened the door for 18-year-old Borja Mayoral to get his first league start and he took his opportunity when his shot from the edge of the box hit the post and cannoned into the net off Marino’s back three minutes later.

However, Levante were back in the game instantly as the Real defence were caught flat-footed appealing for an offside flag that never arrived and Deyverson slotted into the bottom corner.

Madrid had much better control of the game after the break and Ronaldo was desperately unlucky not to restore their two-goal lead when he struck the post from James Rodriguez’s fine through ball.

However, Zidane’s men needed to rely on Navas once more to secure the points as he made a flying save to parry Ruben Garcia’s shot from distance.

And Isco answered his recent critics with a calm finish from Ronaldo’s cut-back in stoppage time to round off the scoring.

Defeat leaves Levante still rooted to the foot of the table, six points off safety.

Villarreal’s hopes of temporarily usurping Real Madrid into third were dashed in a game of few chances in Vigo as the visitors registered a sixth consecutive clean sheet in La Liga.

Sevilla closed the gap on Villarreal to nine points in their quest for Champions League football as Fernando Llorente’s early strike handed the Europa League holders their 15th straight home win in all competitions, 1-0 over Eibar.

Valencia moved up to ninth as they recovered from Duje Cop’s early deflected opener to register just Neville’s third league win.

Kameni punched the ball into his own net under pressure from Denis Cheryshev just before half-time and Real Madrid loanee Cheryshev completed the turnaround when he fired into the bottom corner five minutes after the break.

Aritz Aduriz continued his push to be included in Spain’s squad for the Euro 2016 with a hat-trick in Athletic Bilbao’s 4-1 win over Deportivo la Coruna to take his tally for the season to 30.

source: sports.inquirer.net